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Cato's Ink Bottle

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Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Oct 7, 1875

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 1, No. 47.

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Cato's Ink Bottle.

"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 in harmony with his profession.
"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 had been taught that the water of baptism cleansed the heart of its sinfulness. He believed in baptismal regeneration. 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 is like de inside ob dat bottle. Baptism no cleanse de inside. I'se will seek de power ob de Holy Spirit to make my heart clean inside."
Thus, by means of an old ink bottle did this worthy minister overthrow Cato's faith in baptismal regeneration, and lead him to seek 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, ponder the following words of the apostle:—
"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 shall be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."—Messiah's Herald.