Christian herald., February 08, 1884, Page 2, Image 2

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CHRISTIAN
HERALD
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time enough for us to obey it. This
< it has not yet done, and this it can
never do. The day of Moses and of
Israel has passed, and so we prefer
to follow Christ. On the mount of
transfiguration the Lord summoned
Moses and Elijah from the unseen
the Christ that He might show to
such blind guides as the Signs of
the Times that the time had fully
come that these representative men
of the law and the prophets should
-e
feet of the Son of God. Hence the
voice from heaven, “ This is my be­
loved Son in whom I am well pleas­
ed ; hear ye him.”
PERSONAL MENTION
Bro. Isaac Errett,of the Christian
Standard, who has been sick, is
again able to resume his usual
amount of labor on his paper.
We are sorry to note that Bro.
H. T. Morrison.has returned to his
, home in Waupun, Wisconsin. He
will still write for the H erald .
We are glad to note that while
Bro. F. G. Allen of the Old Path
Guide is still confined to his room,
his general health is improving.
The pen af Bro. Allen is much need­
ed in these unstable times, and we
_ ___ hope he will yet be spared to do
much good for the cause of Christ.
" THOU SHALT LAY IT ON
THE TABLE.”
This positive command refers to
the contribution that is taken up
by the churches on the first day of
the week. This command is found
in the same chapter and verse where
it is said, “ The deacons, after the
administration of the Lord’s supper
shall carry around some nice little
silk lined contribution baskets and
wait on the audience.” They are
both found in the first chapter and
the first verse of Expedients, and
the one is just as binding on the
churches of Christ as the other.
Although, commands highly esteem­
ed and faithfully observed by many,
yet the Lord never intended that
either of them should become a test
ôf fellowship or an occasion of dis­
cord among his people. Unlike
most commands, the one may be
obeyed to the exclusion or neglect
of the other. Indeed, as they are
somewhat antagonistic in their form
of expression, it would be diffi cult
to see how both of them Could be
obe/ed at the same time in the same
congregation. It is the spirit of
of the command rather than the
letter that is to be observed. Seeing
then that the two are equally bind­
ing, and that the letter of neither
is necessary in performing the de­
sired act, it follows that the manner
of the whole thing is left to be gov-
th e oi reum stances and'- t h er
sound judgment of the churches.
Whatever therefore is in harmony
with the law of the Lord and will
be for the greatest good to the
greatest number in carrying for-
BEING BORN AGAIN.
A Baptist minister has recently
preached a sermon on the above
subject in the Central Baptist
church, Atlanta, Ga., and by the re­
quest of the church the sermon has
Index. The following is an extract
we take from it:
Neither has Christian* baptism
any part in, or essential relation to,
the new birth whatever, though a
misconstruction of the phrase "born
111
of water " in John 3! 3
!wt
Lord’s work is the manner of giv­ many to imagine -that baptism is
ing that should pe adopted on the closely allied to the new birth. The
most pains taking study of that
Lord’s day.
part of the Scriptures has convinc-
Now that all Christians are re^
qttfred to give something oftheir that phrase is supposed to mean
temporal goods to the Lord’s cause; baptism, is that the word “ water ”
and that the laying by in store for is used. To reasoning people that
this purpose is to be done on the is not reason enough. The intro­
duction of the idea of baptism is
first day of every week, we think not at all essential to the topic, or
is expressly taught in the Scrip­ the spirit of the conversation, nor
tures. And that each one is to give would it serve, in any way, to make
willingly and according to his or the Lord’s words contain a sensible
her ability is equally plain. The answer to the question which burst
from the amazed and wondering
apostle Paul says : " Now concern­ Nicodemus. In fact, it would only
ing the collection for the saints, as serve to still further mystify him,
I have given order to the churches while it was the Lord’s' purpose to
of Galatia, even .so f do ye. Upon make clear that which he had said
the first day of the week let every already, and which had not been
understoood. Observe the relation
one of you lay by him in store, as of the two parties. N icodemus had
God hath prospered him, that there come to the Lord Jesus for instruc­
be no gatherings when I come.” 1 tion. It was. one great part of the
Cor. 16 : 1, 2. Here is the example Lord’s gracious work to make
of the primitive Ch torches, and we things plain to our understanding.
During the conversation the Lord
fully believe that it ought to be suddenly unfolds the necessity of
followed by all our churches. But being born again. His amazed list­
it is not stated whether this contri­ ener most naturally supposes this
bution ia to be laid on
♦ the table or to mean a repeating of the processes
whether some one is to take it up of nature in the birth of the flesh,
and says so, while he demands an
from the audience. But as either explanation. It being the Savior’s
is Scriptural, we decidedly prefer object to explain a mystery by an­
the latter for several reasons. In swering and removing this false im
the first place, but few will go for­ pression, how could he accomplish
ward and lay theirmoney on a table. this object by repeating the very
words which he had already used,
There will always be some in an and then only adding to it another
audience who have but little to give, new condition ? The man would
and they do not care to make a have been left still amazed and still
public demonstration of it by going clinging to his own error. The
forward and laying it on a table Lord’s answer must be explainable
before so many observing eyes, as beirig directed to remove the
difficulty under which Nicodemus
whereas they would be free in a labored, for, on concluding it, he
quiet and unobserved way to drop says, in effect, " Now, marvel no
this amount, however small, into a longer.” Therefore, if paraphrased,
basket presented to them. Besides, his answer would be, "Nicodemus,
some are too diffident to go to a it is not a mere repeating of the na
tural birth, for except a man be born
tableeven with a large sum. Strang­ of the flesh, and also of the Spirit,
ers by this plan will, as a rule, give he cannot enter into the kingdom
nothing. In the second place, it is of God. It is needful that a man
more orderly in the house of God. be born* of the flesh in order to be
Let our churches give the basket a man, but if this were repeated it
would only be still the same, for
system a fair trial, and we venture nothing but flesh, with all of its
the statement- that they will not evil propensities can be born of the
soon abandon it. But we believe flesh. Only that which is bom from
the table plan will result in only a above is of the spirit and fitted to
few of the more able doing all the see and enter into the Kingdom.”
giving, and will invariably cripple This is the only construction of our
the financial ability of the churches. Lord’s answer, which relievos the
mind of Nicodemus of its insoluble
problem, and after speaking it, the
Lord, as though he had really re­
lieved him, says, “ Marvel not that
I said unto thee, ye must be born
again.” Then he proceeds to speak
of the real mystery, and assures
Nicodemus that it will rlways re-
mystery so farn w 4te meth»““
ods are concerned: •" The wind
bloweth where it listeth, and thou
hearest the sound thereof, but canst
not tell whence it cometh, nor
whither it goeth. So is every
■y one
that is born of the Spirit. T> ” rn„
To
construction of the phrase “ born of
water,” it is only necessary to re­
member that, in the language oi\
the Bible, this is very common form /
of expressing the idea of the natural
but rather a technical form of ex­
pression for the birth of the flesh,
and as such will be readily recog­
nized by all who are even tolerably
familiar with the science of human
physiology. For instance, examine
the first verse of the forty-eighth
chapter of Isaiah; the tenth verse
ofthe-nineteenth chapter of Ezekiel,
and many others easily found by
aid of a concordance.
REMARKS.
As this sermon was published by
the request of a leading Baptist
church, it is to be supposed that its
views and criticisms are fully in­
dorsed by the Baptists in that sec­
tion of country. Hence we notice
it briefly.
...... ........................ .. .
1. The speaker thinks the phrase
" born of water ” does not refer to
baptism for two reasons; first, be­
cause its " introduction is not essen­
tial to the topic, or the spirit of the
conversation,” and second, because
it would have only served to fur­
ther ".mystify ” Nicodemus. But
we answer that this depends alto­
gether on the idea one has of the
design of baptism. If we are will­
ing to accept the Scriptural doctrine
of baptism, along with faith and
repentance, for the remission of sins,
then it will be seen that its intro­
duction is as essential to the topic
as that of the Holy Spirit. But
when one wishes to get rid of this
idea, of course it is easy to see.that
it is not necessary. But how could
the introduction of baptism mystify •
Nicodemus any more than he was
already mystified / It was not the
mention of baptism that mystified
him, but the simple declamation,
stated in the third verse, that “ ex­
cept a man be born again he can
not see the kingdom of God.” It was
the fact itself and not the statement,
of the means through which it was
to be accomplished, that mystified
and astonished him. Besides, how
i , could the mention of baptism mys-