ove for Christ, and at his
graduation leaves the seminary, not to become preacher or pastor as he
had once hoped, but to sow his doubts broadcast, as teacher in some
college, as editor of some religious journal, as secretary of some Young
Men's Christian Association, or as agent of some mutual life insurance
company. This method of interpretation switches off upon some side-track
of social service many a young man who otherwise would be a heroic
preacher of the everlasting gospel. The theological seminaries of
almost all our denominations are becoming so infected with this
grievous error, that they are not so much organs of Christ, as they are
organs of Antichrist. This accounts for the rise, all over the land, of
Bible schools, to take the place of the seminaries. The evil is coming
in like a flood, and the Spirit of the Lord will surely raise up a
standard against it. But oh the pity! that money given by godly men to
provide preachers of the gospel should be devoted to undermining the
Christian cause!

What is the effect of this method of interpretation upon the churches of
our denomination? It is to cut the tap-root of their strength, and to
imperil their very existence. Baptist churches are founded upon
Scripture. Their doctrine of regenerate church-membership, and of church
ordinances as belonging only to believers, presupposes an authoritative
rule of faith and practice in the New Testament. In controversy with
other denominations we have always appealed "to the law and to the
testimony," and we have declared that, if other faiths "speak not
according to this word, surely there is no morning for them." We have
held that the authority of Scripture is not an arbitrary authority, but
that the ordinances have so much of meaning that to change their form is
to destroy them altogether. We stand for immersion as the only real
baptism, not because much water is better than little water, but because
baptism is the symbol of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, and
the symbol also of our spiritual death, burial, and resurrection with
him. When we are "buried with him in baptism," we show forth his death,
just as we show forth his death in the Lord's Supper. To change the form
of the Lord's Supper so as to leave out all reference to the breaking of
Christ's body and the shedding of his blood, would be to break down one
great visible monument and testimony to Christ's atoning death, and to
destroy the Lord's Supper itsel