Monthly]
VOLUME SIX,
Devoted to the Relief of Baptist Destitution in Eastern North Carolina.
[25 Cents Per Year.
MOREHEAD CITY, N. C., AUGUST, 1905.
NUMBER THREE.
Thy Will Be Done.
My God, iny Father, while I stray
Far from my home, on life’s rough way,
Oh, teach me from my heart to say—
Thy will be done!
If thou shouldst call me to resign
What most I prize—it ne’er was mine,
I only yield Thee what was Thine—
Thy will be done!
E'en if again I ne’er should see
The friend more dear than life to me.
Ere long we both shall be with Thee—
Thy will be done!
If but mj' fainting heart be blessed
With the sweet spirit for its guest.
My God, to Thee 1 leave the rest—
. Thy will be done!
Should pining sickness waste away
My life in premature decay.
My Father, sthl I strive to say—
Thy will be done!
Renew my w'’ll from day to day;
Blend it wdth thine and take away
All that now' makes it ha.d to say—
Th}' will be done!
Then, when on earth I breathe no more.
The prayer, oft mixed with tears before.
I’ll sing upon a happier shore—
Thy will be done.
Charlotte; Elliott.
Twenty Evits of Infant SprinlfMng,
1. Its tendency is to annul the
importance and necessity of re
generation, for those wlfo rely
upon their sprinkling for regener
ation show no signs of regenera
tion at all. Those same creeds
would force ns, and people of
those creeds would have us be
lieve that in the act they are
regenerated.
2. It dispenses with conscience
as an element of divin; work-
TKor'-bip. ,t Pot. 3:ai,
3. It changes the subjects of
church-membership from that
which formed the first churches.
Acts 2:42; 8:12; 18:8; iyi.^-12.
4. It is wicked in that it per
verts the gospel order, blinds the
child for life without allowing it
auy choice in the most important
of all matters, claiming to obey a
command, when as a matter of
fact no command has ever been
given for its observance.
6. Its observance gave rise to
every species of innovation. If
councils or usages might find a
fundamental law, the very basis
of membership in the church of
Christ, there was no change
which might not be thus intro
duced. Hence we find that the
prolific age which gave birth to
“Infant Sprinkling,” was fruitful
in numbers of other innovations
upon the simple gospel of Christ.
Dr. Wall claims the antiquity of
the observance as an acceptable
reason why it should be accepted,
but the good Doctor should re
member that, historically, both
baptismal regeneration and tiine
immersion both antedated infant
sprinkling,
6. It is diametrically opposed
to and annihilative of believers in
baptism.
8. It unjustly palms' off on
God it.'= authorship and holds him
responsible for giving to it its
efficacy, when such is absolutely
false, it being of pagan parentage.
9. It impugns divine wisdom
and insults the divine authority,
because it claims to be needful,or
useful, to religion; though Christ,
by not appointing it when he
instituted the church, decided it
to be neither needful nor useful.
Because it requires the
10.
officiaters to declare that which
is false, in the very performance
of that which should be a most
sacred oadinance. He delares
what is false when he says, “I
baptise thee,’’ since he rantizes
(sprinkles) it, and does not bap
tise at ail. Still again when he
says in this act the child is re
generated and grafted into the
body of Christ’s church; and also
when he asserts that in the name
of the Trinity he comes with this
authority, he falsifies the facts
most flagrantly when he asserts
divine authority for this ordi
nance, when the only authority
is the Roman Plierarchy.
ir. It seeks to obscure the in
consistency and unscriptualness
of an impenitent life with Church
membership, i Pet. 2:5.
12. It puts in the place of the
command of Christ, the command
ment of men, and so admits the
essential principle of all hersey,
schism and false religion.
13. It makes a man made creed
necessary. The sprinkling of
I children made poor headway un
til the year 604. In that year
Gregory, the Roman bishop,
formed a ritual for its celebration,
and from that time until now no
denomination practicing infant
sprinkling has been able to get
along without the liturgy. When
a Baptist minister is about to bap
tise a person, be reads such pas
sages as Mark 1:9, 10; Acts 8:38,
39, Romans 6:4. But did any
body ever see a Pedobaptist min
ister holding a bible in his hand
reading such scriptures while pre
paring to spriiukle a babe. No;
but you will see him read a lit
tle book wrought out by human
device on the basis of so-called
inference. Without these little
books infant sprinkling would go
to the wall or through it where
it ought too—fall out of practice
and recognition.
14. Because it regards his re
ligious faith as settled, when as a
matter of fact it has never been
intelligently settled. You ask a
Pedobaptist about I Peter 3:15,
and he replies: “That has al
ready been settled by my parents
for me.” A true Baptist exam
ines his doctrine over and over
again not fearing investigation.
He does not regard his condition
religiously settled until he settles
it fof himself.
15. It minifies and misplaces
the nece.ssity and utility of the
cross. Eph. 2:7; Gal. 5:11.
16. It contradicts the New
Testaments doctrine of justifica
tion by faith and renders inseni-
able the doctrine of repentance
and faith.
17. It reduces to an absurdity
the work of the Holy Spirit, leads
the soul into a false trust, and
ultimately to endless death and
suffering in the world and the
place of the impenitent and un-
godly.
18. The reasoning produced
in favour of its support is un
sound, unscriptual and dangerous
in its tendency, viz., baptism in
the room of circumcision. Of
this had Dr. Nathan L. Rice, a
distinguished Presbyterian divine
to say,, that the covenant of grace
and circumcision were one • and
the same. This would lin%it sal
vation to the Hebrew common
wealth, for they alone had the
covenant of circunisision.
19. It disregards the authority
of the New Testament, placing
the authority of the Roman Heir-
archy and loyalty thereto as
ot
more importance than the author
ity of God and the Bible, and
thereby has been theforermmer of
religious persecution.
20. It lulls the souls to sleep
under false delu.sions of salvation,
easing its recipitents 'down into a
ritualistic and 'sacramental con
ception of salvation, placing them
in an irredeemable state. ,He who
believes that the grace of God
was conferred upon him by water
will seek no other way and die
unregeuerated. He who is taught
that he is better for having been
sprinkled in infancy, wil’ be
tempted to rest satisfied with the
blessing it promises and thus the
soul is lulled to sleep lender fatal
security. God save Christendom
from this fatal erroi under the
name of Christianity.—^J. L. Vip-
permaii in N. C. Baptist.
Gfadsfone’s Advice fo Ycang Miu.
Be sure that every one of you
has his place and vocation on
this earth, and that it rests with
himself to find it. Do not believe
thocc V.'lic too llglilly SdV, ‘Tvo . u-
ing succeeds like success.”
Effort—honest, manful hum
ble effort—succeeds by its reflect
ed action, especially in youths
better than success, which, in
deed, too easily, and too early
gained, not seldom serves, like
winning the throw of the dice,
to blind and stupefy.
Get knowledge, all you can.
Be thorough in all you do, and
remember that, though ignorance
often may be innocent pretention
is always despicable. Quit you
like men; be strong, and exercise
your strength. Work onward
and upward, and may the bless
ing of the Most High soothe your
cares, clear your vision, and
crown your labors with reward!
—Ex.
“Show Us Your Hands.”
A wild looking man w'as loudly
declaring at the street corner and
asserting that he was the Messiah.
Just as he finished his prepos
terous assertions, a detachment of
the Salvation Array came march
ing down the sreet singing.
“We shall know Him, we shall
know Him,
By the prints of the nails on His
hands.”
In an instant the crowd caught
up the suggestion in the song and
turning fiercely upon the impos
tor, demanded:
“Show us your hands! Show
us your hands!”
Are you prepared to show your
hands? You Christians who are
always telling of the great good
you derive from a certain preach
er, have you tried to help any
poor wanderer? Have you ever
done anything for your fellow
creatures.—Commonwealth.
Living In God’s Time.
A number of years ago Fran
ces E. Willow made a temperance
addess in Boston. During her
stay in the city, a young man
happened to call upon Windell
Phillips, who entertained hhn
until late in the night telling of
the old abolitionist days, and
showing him relics of their strug
gle. As the young man arose to
depart, he said to Mr. Phillips:
“Mr. Phillips, I think if I had
lived in your time I would have
been heroic, too.”
Mr. Phillips who had gone to
the door with his caller, pointed
to the saloons down the street
and his voice was keen with in
dignation.
“Young man,” he said “you
are living in my time, and God’s
time. Did you hear P'rancis
Willard last night? Be assured
that no man could have been he
roic then who is not heroic now.
Good-night.”
His Only Chance.
“Is there a man in all this au
dience,” demanded the female
licturer on woman’s rights, “that
has ever done anything to light
en the burden on his wife’s shoul
ders? What know you about
women’s work? Is the’-e a man
nere,”she continued, folding her
aams, and looking ov^r the as-
-sembly rvith superb scorn, “that
has ever got up in the morning,
RaviUghis l'ucu, worn-out w'llc
to enjoy the her slumbers, gone
quichly downstairs, made a fire,
cooked his breakfast, sewed the
missing buttons on the children’s
clothes, darned the family stock
ings, scoured the pots and kettles,
cleaned and filled the lamps, and
done all this, if necessary, day af
ter day, uncomplainingly? If
there be such a man in this au
dience let him rise up' I should
really like to .see him!”
And, in the rear of the hall, a
mild looking man in spectacles,
in obedience to the summons,
timidly arose. He was the hus-
bond of the eloquent speaker. It
was the first time he had ever had
a chance to assert himself.—Ex.
The Man in the Moon Saw
Picayunish Baptists.
Bapti.sts who do not attend
prayer-meetings.
Those who thought that preach
ing was an easy thing to do.
The member who always wants
to change pastors.
Brethren who excused them
selves from duty because others
failed.
The broLhec who remained
away fromc'hutch because money
was to be raided.
' Church members whose chief
business was to obstruct the work
of the church.
People who really believed that
sprinkling and pouring, as an
ordinance, were taught in the
New Testament.
Those who subscribed to the
support of the church and then
failed to pay.
Brethren who failed to vote
when it came to withdrawing
fellowship from unworthy mem
bers.—Henry Sheets in Biblical
Recorder.
Baptist Doctrines.
BY W. C. TYRER.
Baptists believe and teach many
doctrines which are held by
other Chtistians. About ma;iy
things they entertain practically
the same views that are taught
by nearly all Protestant churches,
such as the existence of a ner-
i.
sonal God, the Trinity—Father,
Son and Holy Ghost; the inspi
ration of the Scriptures, the fall
of man, the atonement of Chri.st,
repentance and faith as the con
ditions of salvation, regeneration,
justification, progressive sanctifi
cation, the immortality of the
soul, the eternal punishment of
the wicked, and bles.sedness of
the righteous; the efficacy of
prayer, the duty of personal holi
ness and world-vdde missions,etc.
Besides these generally accept
ed doctrines. Baptists believe and
teach some things which other
churches do not believe to be the
doctrines of God’s Word. These
peculiar doctrines, wdiich Baptists
regard to be too sacred and im
portant to be sacrificed, justify
the separate existence of Baptist
churches. To teach, defend and
propagate these great truths is the
peculiar mission of Baptist people
and Baptist churches. The fol
lowing is a brief statement and '
explanation of these peculiar
doctrines;
SUBMISSION TO THE BIBLE ONLY,
I. Baptists DeJieve mat the
New Testament is the sufficient,
the exclusive and absolute rule of
faith and practice. Other Prot
estant denominations, theoreti
cally, claim this; but they do not
adhere to it, for they do not get
sprinkling and pouring, infant
baptism, and certain forms of
church government out of the
Bible. Baptists emphasize and
rigidly adhere to this doctrine
We do not in any sense admit the
authority of custom, tradition, or
the laws and decrees of pope,
council, synod or conference. We
do not admit any obligation to
believe any doctrine, or practice
any duty, which is not plainly
taught in the Bible.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.
II. Baptists have always advo
cated perfect religious liberty.
They believe that everybody has
the right to worship God accord
ing to the dictates of his owju.
conscience. They believe that
the state and church should be
entirely separate, so that no de
nomination can control the civil
government about secular mat
ters, and no government can con
trol the people about religious
matters. They believe it is
wrong for the government to tax
people for the support of any
denoniination, or to persecute or
discriminate against the people
for their religion beliefs. Every
impartial historian admits that
the enjoyment of religious free
dom in this and other countrie.s
is due chiefly to the influence
which Baptists have exerted. In
our own country’, and in many
other places. Baptists have fre
quently been persecuted for their
doctrines, but they have never
persecuted others. They have
never sought nor accepted money
from the government to support
their churches or establish their
schools.
[TO.BE CONTINUED IX NEXT LSSUE.]
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