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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 24, 1910)
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! S E E P L A T T S o u T H S u c c E E D i 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 s E E P L A T T S o u T H S u c c E E D i 111 RLIi MM MID SPILLS OF 0 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 i
