Newspaper Page Text
2
#ur Correspondents.
for the Index and Baptist.
UtriKß FROM TIIOMASVILLK.
The Baptist Convention in Thomasvillo—Bev. C.
8. Ganlden and the Prosperity of the Baptists
in Brooks County —Several other Preachers—
Thomasvilie Church, etc.
Dear Index —Since brother C. D.
Campbell removed to Athens, I seldom
see anything in your columns from this
section, and thinking that a few lines
occasionally may not he amiss, I send
you this.
The Baptist Convention held in
Thomasvilie last April, I hope did good
for our region. Not as many of the
wisegrass Baptists were present, to
witness the deliberations and get ac
quainted with the members, as I bad
hoped to see, but those who did come
were favorably impressed. Nor was
the impression made by the Conven
tion confined to Baptists only. I have
heard quite a number of intelligent
Pedobaptists and some non-professors,
speak in high terms of the ability, fine
appearance, good management, and
business talent exhibited by the Con
vention. Tho sermons, too, preached
during the session, were generally ad
mitted to be first-class—several of them
eliciting enthusiastic commendation.
The truth is, some of tho people were
much surprised, for so few of our dis
tinguished preachers have visited this
section, that the strength of our de
nomination has been greatly under
rated.
Tho Baptists of Southern Georgia,
have never figured very extensively in
our State Conventions, and we are but
little known to our brethren in the
middle and upper part of the State.
Perhaps it would not bo improper to
say, that we have made considerable
progress in the last fifteen years. In
1860,1 think it was, brother C. S. Gaul
don moved to Burke county, at which
time there was no Baptist preacher in
the county, and only two churches, and
one of them (at Quitman) but recently
formed. He was the first pastor of the
church, and it was mainly through his
labors and influence that the Baptists
at Quitman took tho start they did,
and tho church there has, ever since
that time been the most prominent and
influential in the Association. But
brother Gaulden did not confine his
labors alone to the Quitman church,
but ho soon was directly instrumental
in establishing two others in tho county.
He also preached at other points where
flourishing churches have since sprung
up, partly, no doubt, from seed sown
by him. So that now, in Burke county,
instead of one church, and one preacher,
we have six churches and five or six
preachers. 8r0t1...5; Gaulden, as you
are aware, now lil ii ‘,u Thomasvilie,
and was a success! h l pastor here for
several years. He resigned his charge
some time since, ouaccount of ill health,
and seldom preaches now, but he is still
useful, especially at our Associations,
where his piety, practical views, and
sound judgment on all questions, are
highly appreciated.
Brother C. D. Campbell was perhaps
tlie most active man in our Association
al meetings, and he will be greatly
missed. The return of brother Mc-
Bride will, however, help us consider
ably, as will also the acquisition of
brother Bailey, who is to settle at Quit
man, and who, I understand, is a man
of fine talents.
About the only one of the older
preachers whom I used to see fifteen
years ago, and who still meets with us,
is brother A. M. Manning. (He is mar
ried now, and I hope will not take
offense at being c'assed as with tho
older, though not old.) He is a man
of deep piety, large soul, liberal and
energetic, and of course a useful work
er in tho vineyard. And there are
brothers C irroll and Rushin, both
young and vigorous—a noble pair of
active, zealous preachers, whose labors
during the few past years have been
owned and greatly blessed of the Lord.
But I beg pardon, my letter is getting
to be nothing but a table of statistics,
and too long at that. I will close by
rnerelv saying that the Thomasvilie
clui v e'h has kept up the weekly prayer
iueetings regularly ever since the Con
vention, and although not as largely
attended as we could wish, it is some
what encouraging. We also have
preaching every Sunday. Still religion
seems to be at a low ebb with us, and
we greatly need tho prayers of our
brethren. If our people could become
revived on the subject of religion, 1
should hope to do something for the
benevolent enterprises of the denomi
nation, as well as The Index as soon
as a little money begins to circulate.
In our present coldness, however, and
the great scarcity of greenbacks, I see
no prospect of accomplishing anything
in that direction. Nothiug has such a
tendency to make a man liberal, as a
geuuine revival of love in the heart,
and to witness the outpouring of God’s
Spirit upon the community in which he
lives. Yours fraternally, W. B. B.
Thomasvilie, June 13,1876.
For the Index end Baptist
Extract from Proceedlnirs of First Baptist Cborch
Atlanta, Hay, 1816.
On motion, the following was adopted
and ordered to be printed in the Chris
tian Index :
While it is painful to us, as Chris
tians, to call public attention to the
moral delinquencies of any professor
of religion, it is especially so, when
that professor is a Baptist, and one,
too, who, as he avers, lost both his eyes
while doing duty as a soldier in the
late Confederate army. But our re
gard for truth and right demands, we
think, the public declaration that W.
C. Graves (or Gray) a blind man, and
claiming to be a Baptist preacher, has,
by word and deed, proven himself sadly
wanting in veracity and honesty, and,
apart from his blindness and its cause,
an impostor. R. War. Swann,
Church Clerk.
For the Index and Baptist.
LKTTKR FROM TEXAS.
Navasota, Texas, May 25, 1876.
Dear Index —Your weekly visita
tions are intensely welcomed, and I
carefully note the approaching “ time
out.”
The panic here, is the cry of “hard
times,” but no appearance of famine.
We have just had a very light rain—
the first in about two months, but
other sections have been favored with
rain sooner.
Our church, since brother Penn’s
meetings, numbers about 165, out of a
town population of some 1800. The
Freedmen’s Baptist church is numeri
cally stronger, and the surrounding re
ligious interests are prosperous Our
church, I am glad to say, has adopted
the Scriptural plan of weekly meetings
under tho pastorate of brother R.
Figh, late of your Sta’e, and we have
now a hopeful future. We are to
“have faith in God,” but it is presump
tuous to trust and not act. D. T. E.
For the Index and Baptist.
Letter from Quitman —Information Hauled
Quitman, Ga., May 27, 1870.
Editors Index —Some of us do not
understand a circular sent out by
Brother Irwin. Who is authorized to
receive funds for State Mission ? and
how, and where are these funds ap
plied ?
In the resolutions passed by the
Georgia Baptist Convention in refer
ence to this State Committee, was any
thing said about State Missions, as a
special work ?
I understand Rev. N. A. Bailey has
accepted the call of the Quitman Bap
tist church. This church (Quitman)
has rather decreased in financial pow
er, by removals and deaths, in the last
four years, but has lately gained
strength by the removal of Judge
Joseph Tillman into the community.
Mrs. T. is a Bnptist, and a good one.
The Judge has not yet publicly ac
knowledged the Master ; some of his
friends are sanguine that he soon will.
Ho has means, and has proven his lib
erality in other places.
I am glad Brother Bailey is coming,
and I hope we shall all like him as well
as wo did Brother C. D. Campbell.
Quitman.
For the Christian Index.|
Id TIIE BRETHREN OF THE CARROLLTON
ASSOCIATION.
Please look at your minutes; see
who they are that are on the Sabbatli
School Committee; be at your work,
so as to make me a favorable report a
week or two before the Association
meets. Now is the time to work in
this great enterprise.
Yours in Christ,
James Barrow.
Bowdon, June Bth, 1876.
THE DEBT TO MOTHER.
Mothers live for their children, make
self-sacrifices for them, and manifest
their tenderness and love so freely, that
the name mother is the sweetest in hu
man language. And yet sons, youth
ful and aged, know but little of the anx
iet.v, i ho nights of sleepless aud painful
S’ itude which their mothers have
spent over their thoughtless wayward
ness. Those loving hearts go down to
t heir graves with those hours of se
cret agony untold. As tho mother
watches by night, or prays in the pri
vacy of her closet, she weighs well the
words which she will address to her son
in order to lead him to a manhood of
honor and usefulness. She will not
tell him all the griefs and deadly fears
which beset her soul. She warns him
with trembling, lest she say over-much.
She tries to charm him with cheery
love while her heart is bleeding. No
worthy and successful mau ever vet
knew the breadth and depth of the
great obligation which he is under to
the mother who guided his heedless
steps at the time when his character
for virtue aud purity was so narrowly
balanced|agaiust a course of vice and ig
nominy. Let the dutiful son do his
utmost to smooth his mother’s path
way, let him obey as implicity as he
can her wishes and advice, let him omit
nothing that will contribute to her
peace, rest and happiness, and yet he
will part from her at the tomb with
debt to her not half discharged.
We call attention to the advertise
ment of Brother Perry’s “Church Reg
ister.” This last edition is much im
proved, it has a columu especially ap
propriated to the statement of age at
baptism, aud another for the age at
death. This work is very valuable for
the use of churches, and we hope its
use will be general.
The “Register” is now ready, and in
this city—is for sale by the agents,
Messrs J. J. & S. P. Richards, book
dealers, on Alabama street.
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTI
For tue Index and Baptist.)
FROM LF 31 PR IX.
Another Reireshlng Meeting—Brother Monday's
Labors—Dr. Fuller's Visit, Ete.
Lumpkin, Ga, June 6, 1876.
Editors Index—Dear Brethren :
Though I have written but little for
the columns of your excellent paper,
(The Index,) I feel that a few jottings
from our pleasant little town and church
would be of interest, to at least some
of v our readers, who are ever ready to
“ rejoice with those who do rejoice.”
On my return, after a stay of some
weeks in Southeastern and North
Georgia, I found that our little “ pray
ing band,” which appellation is more
appropriate than any other, had been
“ redeeming the time,” and that the
interest and deep anxiety for tne salva
tion of souls, so apparent when I left,
had not abated one whit, but rather in
creased. Desiring to be guided by the
Spirit, though many of our good
brethren lived miles in the country and
were busily engaged on their farms, we
thought it well to continue our meet
ings from the services of the Sabbath,
which was done, and many found time
to leave their plows and counters, and
join us in giving thanks to the Father
for His mercy and loving kindness.
Duringthe whole meeting,(which lasted
a week,) we had fine congregations.
Our dear brother Munday, whose
labors have been so abundantly blessed
in other fields, found great favor with
our people, who have learned to love him
very much, because of his earnestness
and zeal in the cause of the Master.
Surely the Lord has a great work for
him. Having spent some time in the
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary,
at Greenville, South Carolina, he now
desires to devote the time of his vaca
tion to evangelistic work, hoping to
return to Greenville at the opening of
the next session.
Last Sabbath morning and evening,
we had feasts of “ fat things,” and
when I tell you our dear brother Fuller,
of your city, was the spiritual caterer,
I am sure you will not be surprised if
our souls were well fed. The announce
ment of his coining being previously
made, he suffered no embarrassment
because of a small congregation, you
may be sure. After his moat excellent
sermon, of course, the enterprise which
is so dear to his warm heart, (the
Orphans’ Home,) was ably and patheti
cally represented, as none save Dr.
Fuller can do. His appeal was cheer
fully responded to, notwithstanding our
great financial press, and, no doubt the
hidden language of many a heart was,
“ God bless brother Fuller and the
fatherless little ones, for whom he so
faithfully labors.”
At 5 p.m. we administered baptism
to happy converts, one being the step
mother of our late beloved 1, sfct> >r
Mansfield, of Marietta. *By 8:1,5
our church could not well seat the peo
ple, some being compelled to stand out
side, while others more fortunate,
enjoyed a treat not to be forgotten, as
our dear brother Fuller gave us the
very marrow of the Gospel. The
interest seemed intense; between 35 and
50 coming forward, and by their action
earnestly crying out to the disciples
“ pray for our souls.”
Up to the present, we have had 30
accessions since the first of January ;
20 by baptism and 10 by letter, and
still there are many others saying “ we
would see Jesus.”
J. W. P. Fackler.
For the Index and Baptist.
To the Brethren of the Apjmlaehee Association.
The general meeting of the second
district is to be held at the church at
Sugar Creek, beginning on Friday
before the fifth LorJ’s day in July, and
in accordance with the instructions of
the last session of your body the un
dersigned committee announce the fol
fowing programme:
The introductory sermon to be
preached bv Rev. J. W. Butts at 11
o’clock. The following subjects will be
discussed :
1. What Bible reason can be cited
why every Christian ought to give of
his means to. spread the Gospel ? Sub
ject opened by Rev. S. A. Burney,
followed by brethren W. A. Brooks,
L. M. Willson, D. W. Lockliu, J. E.
Nunnally, C. G. Brooks, and others.
2. What are all the duties required
of deacons in connection with their
church and congregation ? Subject
opened by Rev. G. A. Nunnally, fol
lowed by J. W. Butts, G. E. Griffith,
J. H. Thompson, John Nunnally, aud
others.
3. What motives should prompt obe
dience to Christ ? Subject opened by
Rov. W. B. Crawford, followed by
Revs. I. M. Springer, D. H. Moncrief.
E. H. Lawrence, J. H. Harris, and
others.
Dear brethren : We earnestly beg
you whose names are mentioned above
to come to the meeting prepared to
take part in the exercises, as we are a
weak church and need your wise coun
sel. S. M. Wellborn,
H. C. Fears,
W. A. Almand,
Committee.
P. S. We would be gratified to have
any others to vis.t us who feel interes
ted in the objects of the meetinh.
—Rev. A. A. Lambing, of Pittsburg,
Pennsylvania, is the possessor of a Bi
ble that is half a century older than
the Reformation. It .is in the Latin
language, a thick folio of 934 pages,
printed on very hard paper, in old Eng
h type.
For '.he Index and Baptist.
NOTES ON THE ALT OF BAPTISM
NO. XI.
BY REV. J. H. KILPATRICK.
AN APPEAL TO THE ORIGINAL.
Having seen the utter uselessness,
and, indeed, the unreasonableness, of
consulting the mysterious operations of
the Spirit to ascertain the nature of the
baptismal act, let us now turn to the
original language in which the New
Testament was written. This course
is certainly reasonable, and properly
pursued, will, doubtless, lead to the
truth—a result which should be both
decisive and satisfactory.
The New Testament was written in
Greek. Why G>d selected this lan
guage we know not —probably because
it was more widely known than any
other at the time the New Testament
was written. All the words, therefore,
in the Saviour’s great commission, are,
as might be expected, given to us in
this language. The particular word
used to denote the baptismal act is
baptizo; aud it has not been translated
in our English version, but only trans
ferred. In order, then, to find out its
meaning, we must go to the language
of which it forms a part, and find out
its meaning there. Someone may still
ask, “ Shall we go to a heathen lan
guage to find out the meaning of a
Scripture word ?” Certainly ; did not
God select this heathen language to
make known to us His will ? If we
cannot go to the Greek language to
find out the meaning of this word,
neither can we to find out the meaning
of any other, and so the whole New
Testament, all of which was wriiten in
this language, will become a sealed
book, and no revelation at all. Who
ever objects to going to the orignal
Greek language, thereby betrays the
weakness of his cause, as well as his
own unwillingness to submit to the
truth. Whence did our translators ob
tain their ability to translate what
they have rendered, except from the
study of the Greek language? Now,
since they failed to translate the word
baptizo, either we, or someone for us,
must go to the Greek, to ascertain its
meaning. Otherwise, we must be left
to conjecture, or inference, to find out
the meaning of God’s Word.
But how shall we consult the original
language, seeing but few have any ac
quaintance with it? The common plan
is to go to Greek lexicons or diction
aries, anil other writings of learned
men. Well, notwithstanding the most
of these are not disinterested witnesses,
I am perfectly willing to accept their
testimony as to the proper, current
meaning of this word. Instead of
consulting learned men, however, I
wish to do something which I regard
lis bettor, tot range as you mfty regard
it at first sight, I want to carry you,
yes, you, my unlearned reader, even
though you may not know a letter of
the Greek alphabet, nay though you
may not even know a letter of the Eng
lish alphabet, yet, if some friend
should read this to you, I want to take
you to tbe Greek language, that you
may see and know for yourself how the
word in dispute is there used. And in
order to pursue this investigation and
bring it to a satisfactory and decisive
conclusion, all I ask is that you exer
cise the common mother-wit which you
did once make use of when you were
children first learning the meaning of
words. And it is astonishing how rap
idly children acquire a knowledge of
language. And the secret of it doubt
less is, that they are anxious to do so
that they may make known their wants,
A little fellow hears the expression
“cover up,” applied to putting the
bed clothes on one, and he soon learns
to say, “cover me up, mother.” He
hears the word “ hide” used to describe
the concealing of a person or thing
from sighi, and “ hide and seek” very
early becomes a favorite amusement.
Every time he sees a mau, boy, or horse,
dog, or other animal going much more
rapidly than usual, he hears that they
are said to run, and ever after he knows
what action is meant by the word run.
Now, our children have "no more knowl
edge of the meaning of words in our
language, when they first begin to
notice what is said and done around
them, than the most of you, my read
ers, have of the Greek language, and
they certainly do not have as much
sense as the most of you have. If,
then, children, two and three and four
years o'd, can so readily learn the
meaning of words by noticing the ac
tions and circumstances connected with
their use, surely grown up people can
understand the meaning of this word
baptizo, provided they should find out
the actions and circumstances connected
with its use. To suppose otherwise is
to place men and women below three
and four year old chi dreu in point of
ability. In all sincerity,'so far as I
am able to perceive, there is no more
difficulty in deciding the meaning of
this word, when once we know the con
nection in which it was used, than in
deciding the meaning of the words
“ hide,” “ run,” eic.
“ But whence shall we obtain a
knowledge of the circumstances connec
ted with the use of this word?” Well,
I will proceed to give you some of them
now—and I will give only those which
are obtained from Greek which I my
self have seen. The word baptizo I will
not translate, or in any way tell you
what I think it ought to be rendered—
its meaning I will leave for you to
make out when you have seen the at-
’EN BAPTIST.
tending circumstances ; and a multi
tude of examples are not necessary.
The little child needs not to see a
person run many times, after he is old
enough to consider the matter, before
he learns the meaning of the word
“run.” And so, a few instances of the
use of the word baptizo will be enough
to satisfy any intelligent and candid
mind as to the essential idea which the
Greeks attached to t. I will just add
that no case has yet been found in
Greek, written about the time of Christ,
or before it, necessarily involving a
different meaning from that suggested
by the examples to be given.
And let me beg you, gentle reader, as
the following examples come successive
ly under review, to pause and try to
group the particulars given into pic
tures —imagine the several scenes just
as they occurred, and study them as
though everything were actually before
your eyes.
1. Aristotle who lived about 350
years before Christ, in his work con
cerning '‘Wonderful Reports,” speak
ing of certain desert places near the
seacoast, which were full of rushes and
sea weeds, says : “When it is ebb tide,
they are not baptized, (bap-tizesthai)
but when it is flood tide they are
everflowed.”
2. Polybius, who lived more than
one hundred and fifty years later, in his
history, book iii, chap. 72, decribing the
passage of the Roman army through a
swollen stream, says : “ They crossed
over with difficulty, the foot soldiers
being baptized ( baptizomenoi ) up to the
breasts.”
3. In the works of Hippocrates,
Epistle to Damagetus, we have these
words illustrating the folly of blaming
others for what we bring upon our
selves : “Shall I not laugh at the man
who having baptized (baptisanta) bis
ship by the abundance of freight, finds
fault with the sea for engulfing it ?”
4 In jEsop’s celebrated table of the
mule, we have this : “A mule laden
with salt having gone into a river acci
dental!}' slipped down; and the salt
dissolving, he rose up lightened. He
perceived the cause and remembered it;
so that always, while crossing the river,
he cunningly lowered down and baptiz
ed ( baptizein ) tbe sacks.”— i. e., the
sacks of salt. Adopting the same ex
pedient for lightening his load when
laden with sponges and wool, the poor
fellow found the result disastrously
different.
5. Strabo, who lived but a few yeirs
before the time of Christ, in his geog
raphy, book xiv, chapter 3, speaking
of the march of Alexander’s army be
tween a mountain and tin? sea, along a
narrow beach which was sometimes
flooded, says : “It happened that they
walked for a whole day in the water,
being baptized ( baptizomenoon ) up to
the waist.”
6. ‘The same author, in the same
work, book vi, chapter 2, speaking of
a certain lake whose waters were prob
ably impregnated with salt and asphal
tum, says : “It happens that those who
cannot swim are not baptized, (bapti
zesthai), but float like wood.”
7. Diodurus, who lived about the
same time with Strabo, in his history,
speaks of the annual overflow of the
Nile, and says : “Most of the land ani
mals being surrounded by the river
perish, being baptized (bapt'izomena) but
some, escaping to higher places, are
saved.”
8- In the iEsopic fable of the shep
herd and the sea, it is related that af
ter the shepherd set sail with his ship
heavily laden, “a storm arising and the
ship being in danger of being baptized,
(baptizesthai ), he, (the shepherd) throw
ing out all the goods into the sea,
hardly escaped with the empty ship."
9. Strabo, before mentioned, writing
about a salt lake in Phrygia, says : “So
readily does the water christalize
around everything that is baptized
( baptisthenti ) into it that whenever they
let down a circle of rushes they drew
up crowns of salt.”
10. Diodurus, also quoted already,
speaking of the defeat of the Cartha
genian army, in which many of the
soldiers perished in a swollen stream,
says : “The river, rushing down with a
more powerful current, baptized (ebap
tize) many, and destroyed them endeav
oring to swim through with their
arms.”
I have thuji given ten instances of
the use of baptizo in classic Greek, and
they certainly are enough to identify its
meaning. Take them now, kind reader,
and look at them well—study them, and
see for yourself what the Greeks meant
when they said a person or thing was
baptized.
But someone may say, “ These wri
ters were heathen, and were unacquain
ted with the rites and ceremonies of
the Jews; might not the Apostles,
therefore, who were native Jews, have
understood this word differently?”
fortunately, and as I believe providen
tially, we have a Greek history, contem
poraneous with the New Testament,
which was written Dy a native Jew—a
Jew fatnilliar with the Jews’ language,
and also fatnilliar with their ceremonial
lustrations. And this history was not
only written in Greek, but in that very
dialect of the Greek in which the new
Testament was written—l refer te the
history of Josephus. In this work the
word baptizo occurs quite frequently,
and in not a single instance does it bear
a meaning inconsistent with its sense
in the examples already given.
That the reader may judge for him
self, we present a few instances:
11. Describing the murder of Aristo
bulus, (Antiq., book xv, chap. 3, sec 3,)
Josephus says : “Continually pressing
down and baptizing ( baptizantes ) him
while swimming, as if in sport, they
did not cease until they had completely
drowned him.”
12. Narrating the case of Jonah,
(Antiq. book ix, chapter 10, section 2),
he says : “The ship being just about to
be baptized ( baptizesthai ) the sailors,
the captain, and the pilot began to
pray etc.
13. The same author, (Jewish War,
book 11, chapter 20, section 1.) says :
After this calamity had befallen Ces
tius, many of the most eminent Jews
left the city as people swim awav from
a ship that is being baptized (baptiso
menes).
14. In the same (book iii, chapter 10,
section 9,) describing a battle between
the Jews and Romans on the sea of
Galilee, he says: “When they (the
Jews) ventured to come near (to the
Romans) they suffered harm before
they could inflict any, and were bap
tized ( ebaptizonto) along with their
ships ; and those of the baptized (bap
tisthentoon) who lifted their heads above
the water were either killed by the
d*rts or caught by the ships (of the
Romans).”
15. In the same book, chajiter 8,
section 5, he tells how he tried to dis
suade his companions from murdering
themselves, aud in his entreaties uses
this illustration : “As I also should
esteem that pilot a very great coward
who, fearing a storm, should, before
the storm come, baptize ( ebaptisin ) the
ship of his own accord.”
16. In his autobiography, section 3,
narrating a personal adventure, he
says: “Our vessel having been bap
tized (baptisthentos) in the midst of the
Adriatic sea, being about six hundred
in number, we swam during the entire
night ; ” i. e., those wno were
saved, for it seems from reading the
whole narrative that only about eighty
were finally saved, being rescued next
morning by a ship from Gyrene.
17. In his Antiquities, book iv,
chapter 4, section 6, describing the
manner of purifying the people dur
ing the thirty days of mourning for
Miriam, he says, “ Casting a little of
the ashes (of the red heifer) into a
fountain, and baptizing ( baptisantes ) a
hyssop branch, they sprinkled ( erramon )
those who were defiled by the dead
body, on the third and seventh of the
thirty days.”
18. I will give only one more ex
ample from Hellenistic Greek, and
this is taken from the Septuagint ver
sion of the Old Testament: “And Naa
man went down and baptized himself
(ebaptisato) in the Jordan seven times,”
or as it is renderd in our English
version, “ and dipped himself seven
times in the Jordan."
Now, reader, you have before you -
samples of Greek usage with respect to
this much controverted word baptizo.
And you can now judge for yourself
the idea which properly belongs to it.
You need not any more go to lexicons,
nor to commentaries, nor to learned
men. Your own eyes have seen, as in
a picture, what the Greeks meant when
they said a person or thing was bap
tized. And you can see, beyond the
possibility of a doubt, that "whatever
word we employ to describe the act of
baptism, whether sink, or bury, or dip,
or plunge, or overwhelm, or submerge,
or immerse, or baptize, or what not,
the radical and essential idea is every
where the same—and that idea is, po
sition within. Henceforth, you can sav
to me, or to anybody, with "reference to
this word, as the Samaritans did to the
woman, “ Now we believe not because
of thy saying, for we have heard our
selves,” aud seen, “ and know that this
is indeed” the meaning. And this is
just what I would have you to say.
Away with this blind reliance upon the
say so of others, when original and un
mistakable evidence is at hand. You
now have an amounl and a strength of
testimony as to the native, current
meaning of the word baptizo, which no
argument can overthrow, and which no
sophistry can evade.
Still further, reader, you are now
prepared intelligently and confidently
to try the rights of proprietorship as
to the meaning of this word. There
has been a number of claimants The
most common and well known, are
sprinkle, pour and immerse, and of late
years purify. In the light of the pre
ceding examples, is it possible to doubt
for a moment, which claimant has a just
right ? Here are the witnesses. You
have heard their testimony. Nay, by
their graphic witness, they "have carried
you iu person to the lakes, the seas, the
rivers, and given you the evidence of
your own eyes, permitting you to see, as
in a panorama, things an-mate and in
animate, ships, men, animals, etc., sink
ing beneath the. waves. If this testi
mouy does not establish the right, title
and claim of the word immerse as the
legitimate heir and successor of the
Greek word baptizo, then it is useless
and hopeless to try to prove anything.
If this testimony will not convince,
neither will people be persuaded though
one rose from the dead.
To makfe sure doubly sure, we will
proceed in the next article, to cross
examine the witnesses.
—The new Turkish government
promises all kinds of salutary reforms.
The new Sultan is a progressive spirit
ed man, and highly accomplished. The
new government has been officially
recognized by most of the great powers.