And yet, despite all these Scriptures, many pious saints are so blinded by their prejudices and traditions, that instead of encouraging and exhorting people to obey this command to be baptized, that is given to test the soul's complete surrender to Christ, and is called the "obedience of faith" or of the gospel, they encourage people to live in disobedience to Christ by affirming that baptism is "a mere form" or "non-essential." If subordinates in an army or earthly kingdom act thus and use their influence to induce others to disobey the orders of those over them, they are punished for treason. Any army that is thoroughly united in the authority of its commander and cheerfully and promptly obeys his orders, is usually successful; while the largest and best army on earth would be doomed to defeat the moment its officers and men would disobey orders and each do as he pleases, or as he thinks best. The reason Christ's, army on earth to-day is weak and constantly defeated and retreating is because his orders are disregarded and the "think so's" and traditions of men are followed instead. Implicit obedience to the few simple commands of Christ would at once unite all his followers into one invincible army that would enable the world to believe and know that he is the Christ of God (John 17:20, 23). If anything is clear, it is that Christianity is a personal matter. That each individual must meet and accept for himself the claims of Christ. No one can be saved by proxy. No one can go to heaven because of the faith, obedience or prayers of a parent, wife, husband, sister or brother. This being true, as Christ has commanded every creature to be baptized (Mark 15: 15, 16; Acts 2: 38, etc.), it is evident that infant baptism is not valid. The parents cannot obey for the child, however good their intentions. The child, when it reaches the age of accountability, must face the commandments of Christ for itself, and either deliberately obey or disobey and reject him. If infants remained infants, they would do no harm in the church, even if they could do no good. But they will grow into accountability and then the church is full of unconverted people. May we prayerfully do all in our power to hasten the day when all of Christ's followers will forsake the traditions, in which men have changed Christ's teaching on baptism, and will gloriously reunite in his will on this command which is so clearly revealed in the New Testament. CHAPTER II. THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH. "See that thou make all things according to the pattern that was showed thee."--Heb. 8: 5.