in view of the fact that the baptism of which the apostle was speaking was by immersion.

4. To these Scripture arguments could be added the statements of church history, the practice of the Greek church, which includes all Russia, and the silent witness of many an ancient ruined church, where, to this day, can be seen the old marble baptisteries where baptisms were, to say the least, in large quantities of water. It is not difficult to trace the introduction of other forms of baptism which came into the church with the heathen notion that men were saved by baptism.

The second part of this question is, Whether or not men are at liberty to change the method of administering the ordinance. This is a large subject and should be treated by itself. It is enough to say that Seventh-day Baptists believe that the church is administrative and not legislative. The church does not make laws for itself, but administers the laws of God. If we put the church above the Bible, then we must go all the way to Rome. If we deny such authority to the church, but give it to convenience then we make expedience our God and defy Jehovah.

The original form is beautiful and suggestive. It fulfills all the symbolisms of burial, and washing, and being raised to a new, clean life, and above all it is the form in which Jesus was baptised and which the early church used in obedience to his command. Why not walk in this way?

IV. What now is the meaning of baptism? What does it symbolize? The central truth that is set forth in baptism has to do with the relation of the death and resurrection of Christ to our own death and resurrection, both material and spiritual. We die to sin and are buried with Christ (Rom. 6: 4). We are raised with him to a new life. Here is the symbol of the putting off of sin through union with Christ in his death and resurrection. Baptism is also the sign of the change within (Gal. 3: 27). "For as many of you as were baptised into Christ have put on Christ." Our baptism points to the death and resurrection of Christ, and to our acceptance of the same and the passage of the old life and the profession of the new life in Christ.

Thus it is seen that as the symbol of the new birth baptism should not be repeated. The Lord's supper should be repeated often, for that

symbolizes the continual union of which regeneration is the beginning.

V. This naturally brings us to the question of who are proper subjects for baptism. The answer is suggested by what has already been said. The proper subjects for baptism are all those who give credible evidence of having been regenerated by the Holy Spirit; that is, those who have entered that relation to the Saviour which baptism symbolizes. God will look after the mysteries of the new birth. It is man's place to repent of sin and accept the death of Christ, thus dying to sin. There is no Christian duty that comes before this, in its logical order, as saith the text, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you."

From the nature of the case, there must be some judge of the credibility of the evidence of regeneration. This responsibility the church has. Either directly or through its ministers it decides who are the proper subjects for baptism. It is also in the nature of the case that there must be an administrator, one who administers the ordinance, but our view of baptism will lead us to the fact that the real act, the important act, is the act of the one baptized. When a man

asks for baptism and puts himself before God and the world in the position of one being baptized, it might almost be said that he is baptizing himself.

In speaking of the proper subjects of baptism, I have not referred to questions of age and knowledge and life because no hard and fast rule can be laid down in these cases. Rev. S. H. Davis was baptized at the age of seven. Rev. W. L. Burdick at ten. But this does not mean that all children of this age who may ask for baptism are proper subjects for this most impressive and important Christian ordinance. This much is becoming more and more evident, that boys and girls are fit subjects for baptism at a much earlier age than many have supposed.

What, now, is necessary by way of knowledge. Theologically speaking, very little. In this Christian land, where the Bible is in every home, it would be difficult to find a child who did not have more knowledge than was possessed by the Ethiopian whom Philip baptized down on the road to Gaza (Acts 8: 37); or that jailor at Phillippi that Paul baptized (Acts 7: 30-33). It is not usually a question of intellectual knowledge, so much as a matter of the surrender of

the will in loving obedience. It is only necessary to repent of our sins and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation.

By way of review, let us look back over the way we have come this morning. Baptism is a Christian ordinance, as shown by the words of Jesus, by the teaching of the apostles, by the composition of the New Testament church, and by the uniform practice of the church in all ages.

Baptism is also seen to be of perpetual and universal obligation, from the wording of Christ's great commission to his disciples, from his example "to fulfill all righteousness," from the uniform practice of the apostles, for the entire absence of any limitation in the direct command of Christ and his followers to baptize every one, everywhere, to the end of the world.

The proper mode of baptism has been seen to be immersion, as shown by the meaning of the word baptize, from the connection in which the word is used, from the prepositions with which the word is usually introduced, and by the generally acknowledged practice of the early church. We have seen that baptism symbolizes our acceptance of the death and resurrection of Christ. It is the acknowl