If there is one part of the doctrine of baptism of more vital importance than another, we have that part now presented before us. We say if, for we do not wish thus to discriminate where every part is important, and where all is of divine authority. But this point is most intimately related to the most vital parts of Christian life.
Baptism has its form. Of this no active duty can be destitute. Paul thanked God that his brethren had "obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine" which was delivered unto them; and this was spoken in connection with an argument relating to baptism. To change the form is to change the thing itself. It is not strictly correct to speak of "the mode of baptism," though we often use the expression to conform to the common forms of thought on this subject. Baptism is neither more nor less than immersion; and the "mode of immersion" is an awkward expression.
Baptism has its subjects. To destroy the distinction of character in the subjects, and administer it to all without discrimination, would entirely destroy the ordinance as an institution for the followers of Christ. Therefore, it is necessary strictly to keep within the bounds of the teachings of the Scriptures as to the subjects of baptism, lest we pervert the ordinance and make it merely a means to minister to our own feelings. If we pervert it to such uses, we make it our own institution, and it is thenceforth no more the institution of our Lord.
Baptism has its order. There is a time in the experience of an individual when it may properly be administered; outside of that order it is not the institution of the gospel.
We heard a person once remark that his charity was of the largest kind; he could fellowship every one who was baptized in the name of Christ. Now this expression is very liable to be misunderstood. Not every one who is immersed in water, even after the formula given by the Saviour, is baptized in the name of Christ according to the Scripture meaning of the phrase. A hypocrite, destitute of faith and godliness, may be so immersed; yet he has not been baptized within the intention of the ordinance. The necessary conditions of the rite have not been complied with in such a case. We cannot subscribe to the sentiment of learned advocates of the baptism of non-believers, that the benefit of baptism is not lost because of the indisposition of the receiver.
There is another expression not so liable to be misconstrued as that of being baptized in the name of Christ; that is, being baptized into the death of Christ. This is necessary to Christian baptism. If this is complied with, the ordinance is administered according to its true intent.
We are very far from allowing that there is the shadow of a conflict between these two expressions. We insist that the truth is found in the harmony of Scripture testimony. When we have all that the Scriptures say on a given point, then we have the whole truth on that point. And we are free to express our opinion that if the original were more uniformly translated and rendered into his name, as it is rendered into his death, the meaning would be more apparent to the general reader.
Paul takes up this subject in his letter to the Romans, and carries it out very thoroughly. His premises and conclusions are so clearly set forth that the expositor has little to do more than to trace the line of his argument.
There were some in the days of the apostle who had such erroneous views of the gospel as to think it allowable to do evil if the result was good! This idea has never been eradicated from the professed church of Christ. It has led into a multitude of false doctrines and wrong practices, and introduced into the church what are commonly known as "pious frauds." According to this view, traditions and doctrines not found in the Bible, may be safely followed if they have a "pious use;" and long-established errors must be let alone for fear of weakening somebody's faith in Christianity. But Christianity is never benefited by compromises with error, under any pretense whatever.
Said Paul, "The law entered that the offense might abound." Rom. 5:20. Not that sin is increased by the law; but, as he said in chapter 7:13, "that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful." The sinfulness of sin is increased by the increase of light. This effect was produced in the giving of the law; for "by the law is the knowledge of sin." Rom. 3:20.
Again the apostle says, "For until the law, sin was in the world." This means until the law was delivered on Mount Sinai, as is shown by this reference, "Death reigned from Adam to Moses." Rom. 5:13, 14. It has no reference to the origin of the law at that time, as some assume, for he adds, "But sin is not imputed when there is no law." As by the law is the knowledge of sin, no one can be proved guilty in the absence of law. And if man's knowledge of the law is imperfect, his ideas of sin will be imperfect. Thus is shown the meaning of the expression, "That sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful." The law does not really increase sin, more than the mirror increases the defilement of the person. That only makes the defilement manifest. It is in this sense that the law entered that the offense might abound; or, as it is expressed again in chap. 7:13, "But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good," that is, by the law. In the same connection the apostle says the law is not death; it does not create sin. It proves the sinful nature of sin; it brings death where sin actually exists, and nowhere else.
As there is no guilt, or imputation of sin, where there is no law, so no law will prove a person guilty but that law which he has transgressed. We would not take that law which forbids blasphemy to prove a man guilty of theft. Hence, that law which entered that the offense might abound, or appear sin, was the law which had been transgressed. It was not the making, but the renewing, of the law, which took place at that time.
But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. Sin called for a special manifestation of grace, and this came through the Son of God. And as God is glorified in his Son, the question is raised, "Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?" Some say, "Yes, we frustrate grace if we keep the law; we restrain the fullness of the gospel, and thereby dishonor Christ." Many to this day reason thus. But Paul gives the question a decided negative; he says, "God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?" Life and death are opposites. If we are living in sin, we are surely not dead to it; it is impossible to be dead to sin, and to live in sin at the same time. And he gives a demonstration of this death to sin: "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death."
This ought to be conclusive to every one. If we were not dead to sin, why were we buried? The proper time for burial is after death, not before death. The proper time for burial in baptism is when we die to sin—to the transgression of the law; for "sin is the transgression of the law." But they who still live in violation of the law could not have been buried in this order. They were buried alive; "the body of sin" was not destroyed; the "old man" in them still lives. This is what is plainly taught in Rom. 6.
Having now fairly introduced this relation, we will go back to notice the instruction previously given by Christ and his apostles.
In our Lord's sermon on the mount he fully announced the nature and object of his mission: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets." The law to which he there referred was not a new law; not one which was yet to be introduced. It was a law then in existence; which was known to his hearers, and which was connected with the teachings of the prophets. He also said that whosoever shall do and teach the commandments of this law shall be great in the kingdom of Heaven.
The "golden rule" was enforced on the authority of the law. "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets." The law guards all our rights and all our relations in respect to life, chastity, property, reputation, etc. All that we have, together with ourselves, is protected by the law; and as we desire to have our rights respected, so should we respect the rights of others. This is the law, and this is the golden rule. The law which forbids our doing any injury to our neighbor, guards our own rights with equal care.
He who breaks down the authority of law, breaks down the safeguard of his own rights, and makes a wreck of his own privileges. To give a warrant to lawlessness is to open the gates to a flood which is sure to overwhelm us. There is no higher morality than that contained in the law of God. The very essence of the gospel—glory to God, and peace and good will to man—is the object and spirit of the law.
We do not here refer to the law of types; to those shadows which find their antitype in Christ. We know that these were nailed to his cross, and done away in him. We are speaking in defense of the law of ten commandments, which God spake with his own voice, and wrote with his own finger on tables of stone; which was deposited in the ark, over which the high priest sprinkled the blood of expiation. This is preeminently "the will of God." It is identified as such in Rom. 2:17–23, as follows:—
"Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonorest thou God?"
This is a decisive vindication of the ten commandments as the will of God, through breaking which, God is dishonored. And this casts light on other texts. Jesus said, "My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." John 7:16, 17. Here a distinction is made between the will of the Father, and the doctrine of the Son; the same as between "the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus;" Rev. 14:12; or the distinction between the law and the gospel. As Jesus was sent of God, he could do and teach nothing contrary to the revealed will of God. If any man teach a gospel contrary to the will or law of God, we may be assured it is not from Heaven; it is from beneath. It is not the doctrine or gospel of Christ; for he came to do the will of his Father, and to lead men to cease their warfare against the will and authority of his Father. And so he said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven."
The first sermon preached under the Lord's great commission, that on the day of Pentecost, leads us to the same conclusion. After laying before his hearers the facts of the gospel system, and convicting them of their guilt, Peter proceeded to declare the duties of the convicted sinner. The first is to repent; the second, to be baptized for the remission of sin. In this our day, the antinomian view is largely believed, that all law, the ten commandments as well as the ceremonial law, was abolished at the death of Christ. But it was then true, as it is now, that "by the law is the knowledge of sin," and "sin is not imputed when there is no law. If all law had then been abolished, there could be no conviction of guilt, for there could be no imputation of sin; how, then, could the duty lie upon them to repent, and to be baptized for the remission of sin? It is easy to see that the antinomian view involves an absurdity; we are surprised that men of apparent intelligence and judgment should ever be found to advocate it.
EDITOR.
Temples of the Holy Ghost
By Editor
We are the temples of the Holy Ghost. I see the necessity of the greatest purity in the outward man. To keep the whole requires constant prayer, watching, looking always to Christ. I mean that the soul never be diverted from him for one moment; but that I view him in all my work, take hold of him as the instrument by which I do all my work, and feel that nothing is done without him. To seek men, world, self, praise, is so shocking to my view at present, that I wonder we are not all struck dead when the least of this comes upon us. I know immediately when I grieve the Lord; and to do wrong in the great light, is the great offense.—Bramwell.
NORTH PACIFIC S. S. ASSOCIATION.
The second annual session of this association was held in connection with the camp-meeting at Salem, June 9-15. A meeting of the association was first called Friday, June 11. The President, Eld. I. D. Van Horn, in the chair. Minutes of previous meeting read and approved. Delegates were received as follows: Salem, J. Donaldson and Wm. Leavitt; Beaverton, Bro. and Sister Benham and Isaac Squires; Damascus, Mrs. Kingsbury; Eugene City, Wm. Young; Powels Valley, Charles Wilson; Philomath, A. W. Benson; Lebanon, Bro. Mothorn.
The usual committees were appointed, and interesting remarks made by Eld. Haskell on the progress of the Sabbath-school work in other conferences, followed by brief verbal reports from schools at Beaverton, Damascus, and Salem, and from a family school held at Philomath in Bro. Benson's house.
At the second meeting held on Monday the following officers were elected: Pres., Wm. Raymond; Sec'y, R. D. Benham; Ex. Com., J. Donaldson and Wm. Leavitt.
As the brethren east of the Cascade Mountains had requested and received permission to form themselves into a separate Conference, it was also thought best to divide the S. S. Association. In anticipation of that division the following officers for the Upper Columbia S. S. Association were elected at the Milton Camp-meeting, May 29: Pres., Eld. G. W. Colcord; Sec'y, Miss Adna Johns.
The following resolutions were presented:—
Whereas the Sabbath-school is plainly seen to be the preparatory department in the school of Christ for young and old, therefore,
Resolved, That we earnestly endeavor to be prompt in our attendance and thorough in our preparation of the lessons, and further that we will do our utmost to see that the children do the same.
Whereas many of our brethren are scattered, and thus deprived of church fellowship, therefore
Resolved, That we recommend and urge that those who are too far away to attend meeting with any church, and those who cannot attend regularly, organize family schools at home, and that they report quarterly to the school to which they belong, or to the State Secretary.
Whereas it is very desirable that all should be prepared to unite at the time of district quarterly meetings and camp-meeting, in one grand division all prepared with the same lesson, therefore
Resolved, That we recommend all to adopt, as soon as advisable, the regular lessons as they appear from week to week in the Instructor and Lesson Sheet.
Resolved, That we recommend each school to adopt some regular system of financial support.
Resolved, That we recommend that the teachers and officers of each school hold a meeting at least once a month to consult in regard to the best interests of the school.
Resolved, That we recommend the holding of a Sabbath-school council in connection with each district quarterly meeting.
Whereas we believe it to be the duty of our people, especially the officers and teachers, to make themselves efficient workmen, therefore
Resolved, That we recommend them as far as possible to supply themselves with all the helps in their work that they can obtain.
After due consideration the above resolutions were adopted, and a vote passed that a report of the meeting be sent to the Signs for publication, and that the State Secretary be requested to send a marked copy containing the report to every school in the Conference. Resolutions similar to the above were passed at the Milton camp-meeting. Adjourned sine die.
I. D. Van Horn, Pres. M. K. White, Sec. pro. tem.
Ostentation and Learning
By Hall
I HAVE seldom seen much ostentation and learning met together. The sun, rising and declining, makes long shadows; and mid-day when he is highest, none at all.—Hall.
The Minister Who Paid Like a Sinner
A MINISTER was riding through a section of the State of South Carolina, where custom forbade innkeepers to take pay from the clergy who stayed with them. The minister in question took supper without prayer, and ate his breakfast without prayer or grace, and was about to take his departure when "mine host" presented his bill. "Ah, sir," said he, "I am a clergyman!" "That may be," responded Boniface, "but you came here, smoked like a sinner, ate and drank like a sinner, and slept like a sinner; and now, sir, you shall pay like a sinner."
God’s Presence Is Hell to the Wicked
MICHAEL ANGELO painted on the wall of the Sistine Chapel his idea of the last judgment. He represents it as if the wicked would gladly have entered into Heaven, but they are by fierce angels hurled down to hell, where the devils put them to the torture. This is, with more or less variation, the idea of many people concerning future punishment. It is thought that the wicked would creep or force themselves into Heaven, but that they are prevented and thrust back by the vigilance, the power and the wrath of the Almighty and his angels. Now it seems to me that it is unnecessary to suppose all this, for those whose hearts are hard would not enter into Heaven if they could. No, not even if their Father should come out and entreat them; they will not enter in. They have that in their hearts which makes them look for their freedom away from the presence of God. Under the piercing glance of his all-seeing eye, they will call upon the mountains to fall on them and the rocks to cover them; anything rather than the presence of God. For them God's presence is hell, and they find that "our God is a consuming fire." For them it is equally hell away from God's presence. Let them take their choice. In either case there is no escape, for in their impenitent hearts they are fostering the worm that gnaws, even as both the prodigal son (up to the time of his repentance) and the elder brother made themselves supremely miserable, the kindness and forbearance of their father availing nothing to allay the misery.
WONDERS OF THE UNIVERSE.
By John Frederick William Herschel
WHAT assertion will make one believe that in one second of time—one beat of the pendulum of a clock—a ray of light travels over 152,000 miles, and would therefore perform the tour of the world in about the same time that it requires to wink with your eyelids, and in much less time than a swift runner occupies in taking a single stride! What mortal can be made to believe, without demonstration, that the sun is almost a million times larger than the earth; and that, although so remote from us, a cannon ball, shot directly towards it, and maintaining its full speed, would be twenty years in reaching it, yet it affects the earth by its attraction in an appreciable instant of time? Who would not ask for demonstration, when told that a gnat's wing, in its ordinary flight, beats many hundred times in a second? or that there exist animated and regularly organized beings, many thousands of whose bodies, laid together, would not extend an inch? But what are these to the astonishing truths which modern optical inquiries have disclosed, which teach that every point of a medium through which a ray of light passes is affected with a succession of periodical movements, regularly recurring at equal intervals, no less than five hundred millions of millions of times in a single second!
That it is by such movements communicated to the nerves of the eye that we see; nay, more, that it is the difference in the frequency of their occurrence which affects us with the sense of the diversity of color. That, for instance, in acquiring the sensation of redness, our eyes are affected four hundred and eighty-two millions of millions of times; of yellowness, five hundred and forty-two millions of millions of times, and of violet, seven hundred and seven millions of millions of times per second! Do not such things sound more like the ravings of a madman than the sober conclusions of people in their waking senses? They are, nevertheless, conclusions to which any one may most certainly arrive, who will only be at the trouble of examining the chain of reasoning by which they have been obtained.—Herschel.
The Sabbath School.
THE SOWING.
"Tis a joy to bear the seed,
To go with the store of grain,
To scatter it here and scatter it there
And sow and sow again.
In the morning's dewy hour,
'Mid noontide's sultry heat,
At evening time when the shadows fall,
To drop the Gospel wheat.
I know not which shall thrive,
But the promise of God I take;
His eye will follow the smallest grain
I sow for his dear sake.
ARE YOU GROWING?
IN body, mind, spirit, Jesus grew. He was fitting to be the great teacher. He was a perfect and divine being, yet even he must needs grow. Surely, then, we need to grow. We have not reached the stature of a perfect man in Jesus Christ. He sought help from men and God. The teacher is to be a growing, fruitful plant. Soil and sun give growth. Some teachers take nothing from soil, but trust to sun alone. They pray, but do not study. Others would get all from the soil but none from the sun. They study but do not pray. Both wrong. Christ is the example. He found the teachers' meeting in the temple a necessity. Can we do without it? He wondered that his parents were surprised to find him there. Should we not wonder when the teacher is not there? The teacher who neglects either teachers' meetings or his closet is a marvel. He proclaims that he needs not grow, or else he declares that he can grow without the aids which his Divine Master needed. Now, are you growing? — Christian Union
MAKING THE APPLICATION.
THE duty of making the application of the lesson should not be omitted by the teacher, on the plea that the superintendent will make some impressive remarks at the close of the session or in the review. What the superintendent says is, after all, an arm's-length business. If the teacher knows the spiritual state of the scholar, the teacher can best make the appropriate application. There is an effect produced by the nearness of the teacher, by the kind tone and earnest manner, by the look of the eye and the touch of the hand, which no appeal from the desk can make. Rev. William Jay, of Bath, England, was once invited to preach in another pulpit. His brother minister asked him before they entered the pulpit, whether he should not relieve him by taking preliminary part of the service—the prayer, the giving out of the hymns, and Scripture reading before the preaching. Mr. Jay answered, "No, I thank you, I like to whet my own scythe."
THE QUARTERLY REPORTS.
By W. C. White
ANOTHER quarter has closed, and we shall soon see how many church clerks and Sabbath-school secretaries are alive to their responsibilities, and faithful and prompt in compiling and forwarding their quarterly reports. If the church and school are prompt to duty, and thorough in all their working plans, the task of keeping records and reporting quarterly to the State secretaries is comparatively easy. But however done it is the secretary's duty to report promptly at the close of each quarter. With the Sabbath-schools this is one of the conditions of membership in the State association. We regret that several of our best schools in Southern California neglected this duty last quarter. Whoever acts as secretary during a quarter should make the report of that quarter, and after submitting it to the superintendent for examination, should send it at once to the State secretary. Each superintendent should feel that he also is responsible for the failure of reports.
Several important additions have been made in the blank reports, to which we hope the schools will pay careful attention. As a principal object of the school is the conversion of the children, it is very appropriate that the number of scholars who are church members should be reported. Thus each school and State officer will know of what elements the schools are composed with which he must labor, and it will be a source of benefit to compare from quarter to quarter the progress of the schools in this direction.
However the funds of a school are gathered, and whether held by the secretary, as is common in most of our schools, or by a person specially appointed to act as treasurer, a careful and accurate account should be kept and the amount of receipts should be given in the report.
Most of our schools have wanted to pay one tenth of their receipts to their State S. S. Association, and all say that it is none too much. It is not enough to pay all the expenses of a State Association, but it will pay for stationery, postage, and blank reports if faithfully paid, and may sometimes pay for a few papers to be sent to the poor. We hope our schools will not withhold this small amount from the State Associations. We ask our schools to pay especial attention to these new features in the report as we want our next printed report to be very accurate and full on these points.