CHTITSTIAX IIKRALT).
divine mission of Jesus. They refer
to traits of character and to states
7’ho Character of Christ of of mind, and are paradoxical i for
Supernatural Origin.
the world’s conception of the man
who is superlatively blessed has
BY JAS. W. LOWBER.
always been the opposite of what
What think you of Christ ? is an is taught. in them. The dextrine
interrogation the most fundamental was new and strange not only to
and all-engrossing that has ever the heathen world, but also to the
been propounded to men. For most cultivated students of the
more than eighteen centuries it has Jewish law. The truth of all these
been the most vital question among maxims has been fully realized by
all classes. Even unbelievers can all who have accepted and prac
not let it alone, for they feel that ticed them. They make up a per
their eternal well being might de fect character.
pend upon a proper answer to it.
The life of Jesus corresponded
We do not understand by super to his teaching; for he perfectly
natural, something contrary to all practiced what he taught. Not a
means; but that which is super man among the keen-eyed critics,
human, and above the common or the vilest opposers of Christiani
laws of nature. We believe that ty, lias been able to produce a
the supernatural comes within the single instance,where Jesus violated
domain of law, but it is a higher in practice what he had taught
law than any with which We are In this Jesus stands alone: for he
now acquainted. All nature at is the only teacher who has had' a
first originated in the miraculous, perfect practice, and the only one
and it is impossible for the world who has perfectly practiced what
to get rid of the idea of a miracle. he taught. Now account for this
In all this, however, we believe without admitting the divine- au
there was profound method. The thority of Jesus Christ ?
mission of the Christ into this
The teaching and life of Christ
world was not without means; but have stood the test of time. What
lias become of.. tlie philosophers
rangement of which man can form who were contemporary with
a conception.
Jesus ? With the exception of a
The Jews did not originate the very few they have gone into for
character of Christ, for it was the getfulness, to be heard of no more
opposite of all their preconceived until the unfolding ôf the records
ideas of the Messiah. It arose far of the last judgment. What has
alx)ve any conception of which the become of the great statesmen of
Jewish mind was capable. It could Greece and Rome ? With the ex
not have taken its origin among ception of a few, they too have
the Gentiles, for it was entirely too passed from the record» of time,
Jewish for them. That it did not and have gone into the shades of
originate with the disciples of forgetfulness. What has become
Christ is snown in the fact that of the Jewish doctors who lived in
even after His resurrection from the days of Jesus ? Their names
among the dead, it required miracu have also perished, and they have
lous power to make them fully left but few foot prints on the
comprehend the completeness of sands of time. The name of Jesus
His character. We must, there acquires more influence day by
fore, conclude that the character of day. How understand this with
Christ was of supernatural origin, out accepting the divinity of his
and that it required the Great mission ? The admissions of those
Artist to present to the. world such not favorable to Jesus in his day
aq original and such a perfect pic are sufficient to show that his teach
ture.
ing was of super-human origin.
The teaching of Christ proves His question to the Jews about the
his divine origin. It can not be baptism of John silenced them, and
said of him that he simply taught showed that they despised the
good things; for everything he truth. They admitted that he cast
taught was absolutely perfect. At out demons, and tried to explain it
the conclusion of his.grand sermon away. Judas, the traitor, under
on the mountain, the people were stood all the private counsels of
astonished at his teaching; for he Jesus, and he went to the chief
taught with authority, and not as priests to confess that he had be
their scribes.
The first seven- trayed innocent blood. The wife
beatitudes of that sermon should of Pilate, and even the governor
convince every honest mind of the 1 himself, pronouiiced Jesus innocent,
Original Contributions.
After the resurrection of Christ,
the guard came into the city to re-
pbrV tn€TiÎCE,~~âna_ was tnrecrby tne
Jewish priests to tell an absolutely
unreasonable falsehood.
Lancaster, Ky.
Sy stems of Religion.
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<1.
who holds any such position; but
some who are too indolent to study
I
mons make the impression that
baptism is the chief thing. This,
by all means, should be carefully
guarded against.
Another class of people contend
that any one baptized and not
holding our theory of hiptism and
coming to Us, should be re baptized.
Those who hold this are as sectarian
as can be. They make a theory, a
test of orthodoxy, and that theory
about an ordinance. For such a
theory there is no reason, and can
be none. The reception of God's
blessing depends not on any opinion
about his commands, but on obedi-
ence to them. The test question is,
“ Do we love God and keep his
commandments
We need to come severely to the
Pauline example to know nothing
-but" Christ •■nnrf- him cnjcitied. " A
faithful presentation of him, in
earnestness, is all that the sinner
needs. We generally approach the
question—baptism—from the wrong
direction. We need not insist so
strenuously on men to receive the
theory of Baptism unto remission
of sins, in preaching to the world.
The recent baptismal controversy
in the Apostolic Times, though re
gretted by some, will doubtless re
sult in good. Tlie discussion is
virtually over “ at least the phase
discussed, viz: “ Is the sinner par
doned in the mind of God, before
baptism ?” The question, at first
sight, appears needless, and if we
mistake not, Bro. Turner has ex
pressed the opinion that no such
question should have been raised
The writer once thought the same,
but after a sober second thought,
concludes that there will be a
beneficial outgrowth. The position
that some among us hold is awk
ward if not extreme.
In our discussions of the ques
tion, crude ahd harmful statements,
and the want of clear and precise
expressions have lead many into
error. This error has not only
served to drive those who oppose
us„ furiher away, b.uLuotai'ew who
come to us, are equally mistaken.
On one occasion an evangelist convince the world of sin. To
made this kind .of an expression, make men realize their sinful con
“ If a man who believed, repented dition, and to know that they are
and confessed were on his way to lost is the first one thing needful.
be baptized, and die before the con When they realize this—that they
summation of the act, he would are lost—they will, as on Pentecost
have no promise of bfeing saved.” cry out, “ What shall we do to be
Others have said that we cannot be saved ?” When men are thus
saved without baptism. Without anxiously inquiring after, salvation,
referring to the accuracy or inac they will not stop to question about
curacy of such statements, they are the necessity of this or that. They
to be condemned for their worth will not want to hear my theory, or
lessness. The Gospel is positive yours, about any command. All
and so are its commands and pro we need to do is to show a thus
mises, and it is worse than useless saith the Lord. “ What does God
to raise these negative questions require at our hands ?” Answer
They are well enough for the this from the Bible, and the ques
study of the thinker, but for tion is settled. They need no three
perishing souls, seeking the way of or four sermons about baptism. It
is beyond question that such a
life, they are worse than nothing.
Now and then, without any mode of procedure is apostolic, and 1
search for them, we meet disciples will avoid many difficulties. Too
who claim that because they have many pulpits become debating
been baptized, they are eternally grounds, where preachers oppose
saved. That they need not sti •ive I men of straw, and come off champ
to grow, but that they are as ready ions, thus getting glory to them
for heaven as soon as they come up selves, and forgetting the glory of
out of the water as they ever God. We should, learn to exalt
possibly can be. Such members Christ, and to abase self. We have
only bring harm to the cause and the order reversed—we exalt self.
retard Christian growth. They We love to be called big preachers,
predicate their salvation on the one eloquent, etc.
In our next we will discuss an- t
fact, viz: because they have^ been
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baptized. We have no man of any other phase of the question.
J ake M arks .
prominence, no we have no preacher
Indiana.
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