called on to invite
you to anything it would be to the proper Scriptural baptism. If you
come to my table I will not put you out. You are responsible for your
actions, but if my opinion is asked about your action I can only say I
think you would be communing without having taken the previous step of
baptism which the Bible requires."

"But according to my best judgment, I have taken the step of baptism. I
have chosen the form of baptism which I believe the Bible teaches. Would
you ask more of me than that?"

"I endorse your sincerity, Mr. Sterling, but you surely would not expect
me to say I believe that you have followed the Scriptural baptism. I am
bound to believe that you have not met the Scriptural requirements for
coming to the table. I do not try to force my opinion on you. I simply
have my opinion, which of course I am ready at any proper time to state.
People who have not been immersed know that we have this opinion
regarding their baptism, and they seem to take offense because we hold
such a view regarding their baptism. Because we think they have omitted
one of the preliminary steps to the table they call us close in our
communion."

"It looks as if you are close in your baptism rather than in your
communion," said Dorothy. "And is that what is meant by the close
communion of the Baptists?"

"I do not know what our critics always mean when they speak of our close
communion," said Mr. Walton, "but that is our position. I know that here
and there in our own denomination there are those who are open in their
communion--that is, they will invite Christians of all denominations."

"What, whether they have been immersed or not?" asked Dorothy.

"Yes."

"Oh, I can't see any consistency in that. If I were a Baptist I would
certainly be a close communion Baptist in the sense that Mr. Walton has
explained it; that is, I think that people ought to be Scripturally
baptized before coming to the communion table, and I certainly don't see
anything so terrible in holding such an opinion."

"It is a very ugly doctrine in the eyes of many," said Mr. Walton, "but
I take this view of it. If the Bible had given us the two ordinances,
baptism and communion, and had said nothing at all about the order in
which they were to be observed and we were left free to choose their
order, then we would not be able to speak so positively; but when we
find in the Bible that baptism is always put immediately after
believing, and that