Ooo ooc
PEOPLE'S
A Si " I
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL
Pastor BrooUyn
Tabernacle.
Ooo
PULPIT...
THE COST OF CHURCH
FEDERATION TO BAP-
T1STS. ADVENTISTS
AND DISCIPLES.
"Siy Ye Not, A CnnfeJeracy.to All THem
to Whom Thj Peopl.. Slwll Say. A ConL-d-eracy
; Neither Fear Ye Their Fear. Nor Da
Maid" (luiah via. 12).
OOQ -
Suuday, Jan. 23. Numerically Bap
tists, Adventists and Disciples repre
sent more than one-third of the Prot
estants of the United States. What
they must yield for Church Federatlou
Is therefore an Important question.
All three of these systems are built
upon the Congregational platform,
which recognizes as Scriptural the In
dependence of each congregation as to
its own creed In all matters of faith
and Church order. These bodies of
Christians, therefore, could not Join
the Federation as denominations. The
only method by which they could give
adherence would be either by aban
doning their principles of independence
for which they have so long contended,
or else by remaining quiescent while
their ministers through Councils and
Conferences essay to act for them.
And here it should be noted that the
membership of these large Christian
bodies hnve fciore and more during the
past thirty-five years shown their will
lngness to nave tneir ministers regu
late their affairs, even though contrary
to their avowed principles of Church
Government.
But it Is from the standpoint of doc
trlnes rather than Church government
that we shall examine our subject. As
we progress we shall find that some of
the doctrines once considered nll-lm
portaut can lu the light of our day be
laid aside as obsolete as hindrances
in every sense of the word. Caution
however, would suggest thot for every'
thing discarded as . unsciiptural the
truthful substitute should be found-
otherwise our progress would be to-
ward the destruction, not only of the
Lad of our creeds of the past, but also
of their good features.
Doctrinal Surrendor of Baptists.
baptists will find little to dispute
with thejr co-rellglonlsls of the Fed
ration along general doctrinal lines;
their chief difficulty will be in the mat
ter of what constitutes Christian bap
tism the necessity of water limner
slon to admission to Church member
ship. For years this doctrine has been
even more tenaciously held than is
generally realized. Our Baptist breth
ren hold to Justification by faith as a
first or preliminary step which the sin
ner must take. But they equally bold
that tnls is not the final step that the
step of sacrifice, the step of regenera
tion much follow in order to salvation
And a baptism in water they recogulze
as an indispensable outward indication
of this regeneration. Hence It Is stand
ard Baptist doctrine, both North oiu
South in all' Baptist Churches with
rare exceptions, that no unlmmerstd
person should be esteemed a member
Vhrist's Church.
In a word, faith and reformation art-
steps of Justification, but water burner
8lon is the door into Christ. Only thosi
who pass through this door are mem
bers of the Church of Christ from this
viewpoint; hence, consistently, none
others are invited to partake of the
Eucharist the Lord's Supper. The nr
cument is that this Supper, symboliz
ing death with Christ, was offered only
to the consecrated and accepted mem
bers of Christ's Church. Hence to in
vlte others than those immersed in
water would be a violation of the let
ter and the spirit of the Divine Word
and a countenancing of false doctrine
The argument is that ad of "the elect'
will be guided of the. Lord, so that
their hearts and heads will become
amenable to these teachings. Obedl
ence thereto will be shown by submis
sion to water Immersion the door Into
the Church of Christ.
Like the rest of us, our Baptist
friends hnve been in the past rather
illogical in all matters religious and
doctrinal; so much so that many of
them have never realized the full
meaning of their doctrine. The mean
tag was grasped lu the long ago, but
has geuerally been lost sight of within
the last fifty years. It is this: Since
water immersion Is the evidence, of
obedience to Divine instruction ' and
since all of "the elect" are not only In
structed of God but obedient to him
therefore those not baptized In water
are not of God's elect are not mem
bers in his Church. And this lu turn
according to Baptist doctrine, Implies
that ull not Immersed In water or
outside of the Church -outside of the
number of "the elect" outside
God's favor outside of the salvation
provided In Christ and therefore In
side the damnation and eternal tor
ment which Baptist doctrines' imply
h-fe been foreordained for the eternal
tn lure of nil the non-elect.
Io our Baptist friends who inee
unlnttuersed Christians of other d
nominations in the walks of life from
day to day really believe that the lat
ter are on their way to an eiernitj
nf torture? Most assuredly they do
not! But this Is merely because they
re illogical, like the rest of us. They
are as Illogical as their brethren of
other denominations. They have out
grown at least this feature of the
teachings of the "dark ages" handed
down to them by well-meaning but
less enlightened forefathers.
One glance at the matter will suffice
to show our Baptist brethren that the
very strongest features of their teach
ing needs some revision. However
fundamental may be the doctrine of
baptism, some of their conclusions re
specting It will be greatly advantaged
by a liberal pruning. But caution
should be used. The Bible should be
consulted. We offer the suezestlou
that too hasty a rejection of water
Immersion would be a mistake that
the proper course for our Baptist
friends Is to study the Scriptures
afresh ou this subject. What wonder
ful advantages are now at the com
mand of all Bible students! They
have marginal references by which
one passage throws light upon another.
They have also concordances, glos
saries, indexes, and all manner of helps
for Bible study. Our forefathers be
fore the Reformation were eenerallv
umerate. Ana even had they pos
sessed education the pen-written Bi
bles were expensive and obtainable
only In the Latin language. Indeed It
Is within only the last few years that
Bibles have lecome cheap and pleuti
ful and the masses able to read them.
What Must Adventists Concede?
The doctrine of the Second Advent
of Christ Is common to all denomina
tions. And the Adventlst belief that
at that time the earth will be burned
up Is also a feature of all the various
creeds. Many Adventists have aban
doned the thought that the Savior's
second appearing Is at hand. And
many more are abandoning the thought
that when he appears Adventists alone
will be saved and all the remainder of
mankind will participate in the de
struction and burning which shall then
engulf the earth. It should not be
difficult for them to realize that there
is no great necessity for controversy
along the lines of the time of Christ's
coming, since they acknowledge them
selves completely In the dark on that
subject. Neither can we suppose that
after thoughtful consideration they
should feel Justified In assuming that
they alone are "the elect." Let us hope
that with broadening sentiment they
are more liiul more realizing that
there are saints and sinners in their
own number, as well as in all denoml
nations aud as well as In the world
and that "the Ixrd knoweth them that
are his" and will care for them, regard
less of denominational lines. But for
that portion of Adventists which con
slders the keeping of the Seventh Day
of the week the all-Important part of
Christianity we see no ground for Fed
eratlon, unless, Indeed, they may choose
to get about the difficulty by counting
the calendar the other way around the
world. Thus they might brlui their
Seventh Day Into harmony with what
others term the First Day. Or. by
counting the caleudar In the opposite
direction they may still keep their Sev
enth Day and realize that others are
keeping the same day, though calling
It the First Day.
Disciple Doctrines to Be Voided.
Undoubtedly Alexander Campbell
was a good man with a great head.
Aud undoubtedly many of a similar
class following his lead are today
known as Disciples or Christian.
Undoubtedly these are following close
ly to apostolic customs in the ninttei
of Church organization,, which lu
many respects is beautiful In Its sim
plicity. Doctrinally they claim most
faithfully to stand by the Word or
God alone. And one of their familiar
declarations Is. "When the Word of
God speaketh we speak; when the
Word of God Is silent we are silent."
But this beautiful simplicity of theory
our Disciple friends have found difli
cult to work out in practice. Hence
we find them as strongly Intrenched
behind unwritten creeds as are other
behind elaborated creeds. These an
Inculcated through the writings of
their standard authorities including
the editors of their leading Journals
"Disciples" hold most tenaciously as
the Bible teaching that baptism In
water ls indispensable to the remission
of sins. This doctrine is supported by
several Bible texts which declare.
"Arise and . be baptized and wash
away thy sins;" "Baptism unto repent
ance and remission of sins," etc.
Before pointing out tbelr misappli
cations of these texts let us note the
facts that according to their theory
all others of mankind, Christians, Jews
and heathen, who have not been Im
mersed have not had their sins washed
away. Consequently such are yet in
their sins. Consequently such are lost.
And lost according to the general un
derstanding of Disciples and other
Christians signifies shut out of heaven
shut out of raradlse shut into hell
and its eternal torment.
Do our Disciple friends act nH
though they believed this teaching?
Do they spend nil of their time and
energy and money in seeking to bring
fellow-Christians Into water baptism
for the remission of sins and escape
from eternal torture? Assuredly they
do not Hence we are justified' in
supposing that like our Baptist friends
they have not taken seriously and log
Ically their own doctrines. Bather
they have assented to them thought
lessly. It would appear to us, there
fore, that doctrinally our Disciple
friends might easily be prevailed upon
to abandon their peculiar tenet to the
extent that It would not binder them
from losing their Identity as advo
cates of "baptism for the remission
of sins" and niergiig themselves or
federating with others.
To assist them out f their difficulty
we remind them that nl. Jie Scripture
they cite In support of Immersion for
the remission of sLs bel mged to the
Jews, ami i; of it t, Gei. tiles. The
Jews weiv uvlwrtod by John the Bap
tist ard 1 titers to renounce sin. to
return to harmony with MoseV Law.
aud to shw tills change of c'.iaraiter
by water l.nuierslon. But th"se F.plie
sinus who b"!!evel in ChrM ard
whom Apollos baptized for the remis
sion of Mns did l i t re elve the lu l
Spirit. St. l'aul explained to them
that their baptism was an Improper
one that thev as Gentiles required
an Immersion into Christ (Acts xlx,
1-7; Romans vl. 3).
Baptist Union Not Federation.
As a week ago we suggested to
Presbyterians, Congregatlonalists aud
Methodists a union of heart and head
as better than federation, so now we
suggest to the denominations whose
doctrines we are considering today.
What we shall suggest respecting bap
tism will apply to all Christians.
All Christians agree that Jesus and
his apostles taught baptism and that
there are but "one Lord, one faith and
one baptism" (Epheslans Iv, 5). We can
not here elaborate, but merely suggest
that nowhere In the Scriptures is In
fant baptism commanded or urged. The
expression, "Believe and be baptized,"
Implies a mental development capablu
of belief beyond that which Infants
possess. The original pretext for in
troducing infant baptism was set forth
by St. Augustine, who urged that as
all mankind were going to eternal tor
ture except tho Church, It was ueces
sary to get Infants Into the Church;
and baptism was set forth as the
door-way. All parents, of course, were
anxious that their children should be
Immersed Into the Church and saved
from eternal torture. And those good
wishes were certainly commendable,
even If unnecessary.
Subsequently Immersion was declar
ed to bo unnecessary aud sprinkling
became Its substitute with all. The
thought of preservation from eternal
torment thereafter attached to the
sprinkling. Although our minds have
broadened, so that comparatively few
believe St. Augustine's presentation,
nevertheless tho custom of infant
spriukllng continues with more c r l.ves
of fear to abandon It for tho child's
sake.
Who will dispute that St. l'aul's
words of Romans vl, 3-5, are tho dear
est presentation of the Import of bap
tism furnished us In the Bible! The
passage Is cited in proof of every the
ory of baptism, yet It supports only
one the true one. Notice that ltdoe.
not suy, as many suppose, So many of
us as were baptized Into Je.Mis Christ
were baptized into water. It docs say.
"So many of us as were baptized Into
Jesus Christ were baptized Into his
death." Is there uot a ' difference?
That difference is the explanation of
all of our difficulty on this subject.
The clearing of it away furnishes the
foundation for harmony between all;
and not merely for harmony, but for
union amongst all classes of consecrat
ed Christians.
Consider the pasia;,'e critically
First, Immersion Into Christ signifies
to tho Justli'.ed l.ci.cvcr lis Immersion
liito. Ms In rial into, the Body of
Christ ns a member of "the Church
which is his Body" (Epheslans i. 22.
23). The Apostle sets forth clearly u
distinction between the Church and
the world and between the Balvatlon
of the Church and the salvation of the
world. The Church are "the elect"
of the Lord, called n.d ehn'Pii; ai d
If f.iit'u.il. they will le nieiu!,ers of
tho glcricus Church b'eyond the veil
It, as the Brldo of Christ: will be hi
companion and Queen during the Mil
lenulal reign of glory for the blessing
of the world for the blessing of the.
non-elect, considered last Sunday.
St. Paul not only tells us of our
need to be thus immersed Into mem
bership in the Body of Christ, but he
proceeds to tell us how that member
ship can be brought about. The,
words, "Baptism Into his death" ex
plain tho matter. How strange that
we ever thought these words signified
water immersion! Our eyes are now
opened! Tlalnly, now, we see that
"into his death" signifies our particl
patlon with our Lord Jesus in suf
fering for righteousness, in Belf-de
Dials, self-sacrlfklngs of the same
character as those endured by the
Master. It is true Indeed that the
whole world suffers pain, sorrow, dis
appointment, etc.; yet our Lord suf
fered differently from all others, and
our dying must correspond to his. lie
suffered, the Just for the unjust. The
holy, harmless, undcflled One laid
down his life sacrlflelally, voluntarily,
Joyfully. And we, to share in
we should by faith be lifted out or
this conditlou of death with Adam. In
order that by const ration of all earth
ly Interests we might become dead
with Christ. Thus we share with him
his sacrificial death and. by participa
tion In "his resurrection," also become
sharers of his Kingdom glory.
Rhldiug ourselves, then, of the un-
scriptural theory of an eternal torment
awaiting the n u-cl(t. may uot all
Christians perceive the T.-asi r.nbleness
of the Divine pn poi-l.iiiii to I. less them
through the eleit? A Jesus bv his
sacrl.he was made Head of the
Church, so n'l who will be his member
must share his spirit of seir-sacrilloe
death to the world and earthly Inter
est. Only such may share with him
lu his Millennial Kingdom work of
blessing, uplifting, Instructing, assist
ing all of the nou-elect. Many of the
uon-eleet tinder the fuller light and
better opportunities of the Millennium
will turn from slu to righteousness,
from death to life eternal. This "bap
tism Into death" wijb Its blessed re
ward excludes no denominational lines.
It Includes In the Church of the elect
those of every denomination and of no
denomination who comply with It?
conditions of faith und obedience and
consecration unto death.
Was uot this our Lord's baptism as
he described It? Just before his cru
cifixion he said, "I have a baptism to
be baptized with, and how I am strait
ened (troubled) uutil It 1h accom
plished!" Ills baptism dated from his
consecratiou at Jordau, but it was not
fully "oivomplished" until on the cross
he cried. "It Is flnlshed"-hls baptism
Into death was finished. Was not this
baptism into death what he referred
to when speaking to his disciples';
James and John requested that they
might sit on his right hand and left
hand in the Kingdom. In reply Jesus
said. "Are ye able to be baptized with
the baptism that I nm baptized with?"
Surely he did not refer to a water Im
mersion! Surely he did refer to his
baptism into death, and meant hh
apostles to understand that omy by
sharirg in hb baptism Into death could
they hope to sit with, hint In hh
Throne (Mark x, 37).
With this reasonable, logical, Scrip
tural view of baptism before our minds
which of us would bo inclined to lls
pute over tho form of the symbol or in
respect to the class of persons who
should properly use the symbol? Sure
ly none would claim that Infants could
thus believe and thus consecrate to
death! Surely all would agree that u
symbolical immersion Into water such
as was practised by the early Church,
according to all the records, would be
tho most reasonable, most beautiful,
most appropriate method of symboliz
ing the real baptism mto Christ Into
his death. Let us then, dear friends
not be content merely to federate! Let
us unite our hearts and heads and
hands as members of the Body of
Christ; let us be baptized wtth his
baptism. Into bis death!
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You don't need to go outside of Platts
mouth to find bargains in mens and
boys clothing. Our
JanuaryClcaranccSalo
offers the best chance you'll ever have to
buy such good goods so cheap.
MEN'S OVERCOATS
05, 7, 09, 011
MEN'S SUITS
07,09, 012,015
, MEN'S PANTS
01 .39, 01 -99, 02.49
BOY'S SUITS
01.39
Boy'a Owcoats." $1 OD
Boy's Knee Pants... 29
Wool Sox 10
Men's Work Shirts 30
4-in-Hand Ties 10
C. E.
SONS
THE HOME OF SATISFACTION
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111 RLIi MM MID SPILLS
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OUT
Julius Ramge, Ward Barr and Levi Patlon Were Enjoy in j Mocn
light Ride When the Accident Occuned.
if BE 1 III
III
In Tin LTDC
Mil I LU IILIIL
One of Men Answers DUcripticn
of Weeping Water Murderer
The two men who were arrested at
Paul recently and given a jail sent
ence for carrying concealed weaponB
and wanted at Auburn for breaking
open and stealing from the store of
Klinger & Young, at Julian, are
thought to be wanted elsewhere for
graver crimes.
One of the men, George Nlckerson
was taken before Justice Goff this
sentence on a petty charge to hold
him some days longer.
It Is thought that one of the men
Is one of the men who shot and
killed the town marshal at Weeping
Water last year, and the other is a
man wanted for the killing of an of
ficer at Los Angeles, Cal. They fit
the descriptions Bent out of these men
and they will be held until some one
coems to identify them. Nebraska
City News.
. Mrs. John Reed Dies.
Word was received In the city this
morning of the death at her home
east of the river of Mrs. John Reed,
well known in this city. The nature
of the illness which carried her off
hu is not known. Her husband familiarly
death, to be "baptized Into his death,"
must do the same.'
True, Jesus was spotless, while we
are members of the fallen race. But
we are Justified through faith In bis
blood. And hence we have in the
Divine sight through him a standing
of human perfection or Justification.
This standing Is granted to us or Im
puted to us for the very purpose of
permitting us to sacrifice our human
rights and earthly Interests as ho sac
rificed his. The "elect" are to bo dead
with him. thnt In the resurrection they
may live with him and be like him aud
shnre his glory, honor and Immortality.
By consecration we present our bodies
living Hiu-rlQcoM holy and acceptable to
God, as the Apostle declares (Romans
xll, 1). Thus we are "Immersed Into
his death" and thus wo become mem
bers of bis Body.
Whoever falls to bo thus Immersed
Into Christ's death will fall of the
memlierslilp la tils Itudy will fall to
be of bis elect Church, his llrlde. The
difference between being dead with
Adam and being dead with Christ is
very great. l!y nature we are all dead
with Adam. lie was n sinner, con
demned. Wo as his offspring are tho
same. It' was necessary therefore that
nown as "Jack" Reed has many good
friends In this city who will extend
their utmost sympathy to him in his
distress.
A. B. Tucker from near Nehawka,
was In the city today attending to
some business matters and while here
paid the Journal office a brief call,
renewing his paper for another year.
Mr. Tucker lnforms'us that ho Intends
to leave Cass county In the early
spring. He will dispose of his stock,
implements &c. at a public sale, af
ter which ho will move with his fam
lly to Riverside, Cal. We regret to
see such citizens as Mr. Tucker leave
Cass county.
O. V. Virgin and wife of Murray
camo up this morning from their
home and were passengers on tho
morning train for Omaha where they
will spend the day.
Must bo sold nt onco Two fine
ottages, good repair, well located, for
particulars call at office.
Windham Investment & Loan Co
A narrow escape from sudden and
Igonmlous death took place last
night somewhere In the neighborhood
of ten o'clock when a team of fiery
steeds belonging to Sam Smith and
attached to a bob sled with a wagon
box on it, got away and spilled the
occupants of the box all over the
landscape' In the second ward. The
exact circumstances surrounding the
flight of the Bteedts and the spilling
of the occupants of the wagon are not
to be had and seem shrouded In
a deep, dark, dank mystery.
The disaster was discovered by
Herr Adolph Wesche who was hurry
ing home after a long and hard days
work In his shoe shop.. In company
with Herr Carl Kunsman, the well
known meat market man, Herr
Wesche had walked out Washington
avenue turning west on Elm toward
his home and lingering long enough
at Herr Kunsman's gate to say "Gu-
ten Nacht" or something that way,
when Herr Kunsman went Into the
house and soon was wrapped In the
arms of Morpheus.,
Herr Wesche cogitating upon the
hardness of the world and the high
price of leather coupled with free
hides, was wending his way along
under the silvery stars when his ear
was suddenly pierced with startling
shrieks and yells such as "Whoa!
Whoa! you stop" and other
equally wild ejaculations. He paused
and listened and Boon the hoof beats
of flying horses struck upon his ear.
Then into sight came a plunging, gal
loping, team drawing a wagon box
on bobs. The team plunged along
upon the avenue with a speed startl
ing In Its intensity, and soon they
were near to Helsel's mill when they
swerved and, striking a large pile
of cinders, the sled was overturned
and one of the horses tore loose
from the sled and rushed on north on
Eleventh street toward the school
house. As the sled turned over, the
wagon box was hurled oft and, ac
cording to Herr Wesche's story It
turned over no less than four times
with the three unfortunate men in It.
Relieving he had been a witness to
a terrible catastrophe, Herr Wesche.
hurried over to where the men were,
but by the time he arrived ther
the men were on their feet. Dy the. .
light of his lantern, Mr. Wesche re
cognized two of the men, the third
having gone in pursuit of the run
away horso. The two who he dis
covered were Julius Ramge and Levi.
Patton. The former was holding als
head and groaning and declared
that his head, was busted white
the later was gathering his scattered,
wits and feeling of the large welts
raised upon his person by the contact
with the frozen earth and cinders
and also letting out a few groans
on his own hook. Ramge endeavored
to convine wescne tnat he was s
dead man but the latter did not be
lieve him owing to the strong odor
of vinegar or something that way
which pervaded the atmosphere. He
states that he told him he had better
be dead or words to that effect and
also added a few sulphurous remarks
about the nature of the business
these men had out that way at that
hour of night casting reflections upon
the legitimacy of their trip.
While they stood thus reeling o(
their hurts and Bending up low, trem
ulous soughs the third man came
back leading the mustang and there
mains of the harness. He was recog
nized as Ward Barr. No statement
was vouchsafed by the men as to
their purpose In taking on a cargo
and starting out into the stilly night
In the manner they did nor did the?
design to answer any questions poked
at them by the inquiring Herr Weather
who left them with a few parting
shots about their mission.
So far as can be learned neither
of the men were hurt seriously al
though they have enough bruises to
go around in a large sized community.
The harness was some torn up bat
the team and rig was not much In
jured. None of the victims needed a
doctor.
Finds Folks Much Hotter.
L. B. Brown returned this morn-
In gfrom his trip to Onawa, la., where
he was called by tho serious illness
of his sister. He Is glad to be able
to say that he left her much Impro
ved and that there is every prospect
that she will speedily recover. Mr.
Brown enjoyed his trip very much
except for the fact that he couldn't
get a decent drink of water In the
town as they all use surface water
In that place. Ho was met here by
Pollco Judge Campbell of Ken
osha and the two statesmen had a
long confab over affairs In the home
city. Mayor Brown departed for his
home ut Kenosha this afternon.
J. Ed. Johnson camo down last
evening for an over night's visit
with his parents in this city, return
lng to his work at Omaha this morn
ing.
Sustains a Had Barn.
Johnny Pries who is employed la
the Burlington brass foundry has a
very sore heel as a result of a slight
accident which took place yesterday
at the shops. Ho was engaged in help
ing fill a mould with molten brass
when tho moulder accidentally tipped
the flush causing some of the molten
metal to run into the lad'B shoe
around the heel. Tho Injury was treat
ed and the young man made as com
fortable as possible. He will be kepi
off his work for some little time.
Mrs. William Oliver and daughter
Miss Elizabeth came up last evening
from Murray and spenj; the night in
the city, being passengers this morn
ing for Omaha where they will spend
the day. s
See James Sochor, the merchant
tailor, about that new fall suit
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