Been Baptized, Massa

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 6, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 10.

"Been Baptized, Massa."

"WELL, Cato, what ground have you for believing yourself a true Christian?" said a minister one day to an old colored man whose life was not so much in harmony with his profession as it ought to be.

"Been baptized, massa," replied Cato, placing marked emphasis on the word baptized.

The minister vainly tried to convince Cato that mere baptism could not make him a Christian. Cato was stubborn on this point; for he thought that the water in baptism cleansed the heart of its sinfulness. The poor fellow knew nothing of the work of the Holy Spirit on the heart.

Just then a happy thought struck the minister's mind. He led Cato into his study, took an empty ink bottle from the shelf, and holding it up, said:—

"Cato, do you suppose I can clean this bottle by washing the outside with water?"

"No, massa; you must wash de inside, too, if you would have him clean," said Cato with a grin of self-approval.

"Very good, Cato," rejoined the minister. "Now do you suppose that water applied to the outside of the body of a man can cleanse sin from his heart which is within him?"

"I see it now, massa, I see it," said Cato, placing his hand on his brow. "My heart am like de inside of dat bottle. Baptism no cleanse de inside. I will seek de power of de Holy Spirit to make my heart clean inside."

Thus by means of an old ink bottle, did the minister overthrow Cato's faith in baptismal regeneration, and led him to see the inward washing of which baptism is only the symbol.

Reader, are you like an ink bottle, washed on the outside only? Have you, like Cato, substituted the form for the spirit of religion? If so, I commend you to the prayerful study of the true way of salvation, as described long ago in the following apostolic words:—

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."—The Reaper.