A Book of Gems, or, Choice selections from the writings of Benjamin FranklinFranklin, Benjamin
Religion
A Book of Gems, or, Choice selections from the writings of Benjamin Franklin
Franklin, Benjamin
Churches of Christ
It is useless to stand and preach in one pulpit and wait for the people
to come there, thus depending upon that wholly for saving men. We must
go beyond that, find every nook and corner where a few people can be
collected and preach the word to them, exhort them, persuade them and
plead with them to turn to the Lord. The preacher must make it an every
day work to preach. We must get in the way of preaching from house
to house and from place to place, thus filling the whole land with
the doctrine of the cross. We must be men of activity, perseverance
and zeal, not waiting for “calls,” but penetrating the land from its
center to its circumference. We must go into the field and do the
work of the Lord, and the Lord will open the way and take care of us.
We are anxious to see an army of zealous, powerful and enterprising
young men, willing to go out into the world and convince the world of
their ability and usefulness, by saving men, building up churches and
extending the cause. In this way, they will soon make an opening for
themselves and secure a permanent field of operation. How much more
noble and manly this, than looking round for a rich church, raised up
to hand by the labors of other men, where a young man can sit down with
a fat salary and merely live upon the labors of those who have gone
before him.
SUMMARY OF ARGUMENTS ON THE ACTION OF BAPTISM.
It is a fact that our Lord was baptized of John _in_ Jordan. Is it then
more probable that he was sprinkled of John _in_ Jordan, than that he
was immersed of John _in_ Jordan?
It is a fact that after the Lord was baptized “he went up straightway
_out of the water_.” Is it more probable that “he went up straightway
out of the water,” in going from sprinkling, than from immersion?
It is a fact that the people were baptized of John in the river of
Jordan. Is it more probable that they were sprinkled of John, in the
river of Jordan, than that they were immersed in the river of Jordan?
It is a fact that “John was baptizing in Enon, near Salim, because
there was much water there.” Is it more probable that he sprinkled in a
place, because there was _much water_ there, than that he immersed in a
place because there was _much water_ there?
It is a fact that Philip and the eunuch, both went down into the water,
and he baptized him. Is it more probable that they both went down into
the water to sprinkle, than that they both went down into the water to
immerse?
It is a fact, mentioned by Paul, as a result of baptizing, that the
_body is washed_. Is it more probable that the _body is washed_ in
sprinkling, than that the body is washed in immersing?
It is a fact, stated by Paul, that “we are _buried with him in
baptism_.” Is it more probable that we are buried with him in
sprinkling, than that we are buried with him in immersion?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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