9. “E. S.,” Barnstaple. Most assuredly, every Christian ought to be baptized, if we are to obey the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ. We cannot conceive how anyone can question this, who bows to the authority of the New Testament. At the same time, there is no need for harsh or strong statements on the subject; and every allowance should be made for weakness, ignorance and confusion of thought. The statement as to free grace is simply absurd. You judge rightly, dear friend, in thinking that grace is free to every creature under heaven; at least if we are to believe Titus 2. What a mercy to have the pure and precious word of God as an answer to all the vain notions of the human mind!
10. “C. J. W.” Your lines breathe a sweet spirit, and bespeak a heart waiting for the Bridegroom’s return. May that blessed hope burn more brightly in all our souls!
11. “W. G.,” Bermondsey. Matt. 22:1414For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:14) sets forth the grand truth that God is sovereign—a very solemn and wholesome truth for man. Matt. 21:4444And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. (Matthew 21:44) refers only to the stone of stumbling. The application to which you refer seems to us quite unwarrantable.
12. “C.,” Scripture is clear and definite on the subject of the Lord’s Supper. The words are as distinct as possible, “As oft as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death, till he come.” Again, “This do in remembrance of me.” We remember Him in death—the basis, center, and spring of everything to us. No doubt, the apostle does call attention to the fact that it was in the same night He was betrayed that our blessed Lord, in His thoughtful, unselfish love for us, instituted the feast; and this is full of touching interest for our hearts. But as to the utterance of the feast itself—its significance—its object—its place—scripture is most precise—“ye do show the Lord’s death”—“Do this in remembrance of me.” We remember a Christ who was dead; we call Him to mind in that condition in which, thank God, He no longer is. All this can only be by faith, through the power of the Holy Ghost. There is no need to enter into sensational details; indeed such things are most offensive to all true spiritual feeling. We cannot—in this as in all beside—keep too close to the veritable language of holy scripture.
13. “J. T.,” Norfolk. “The feast “ in 1 Corinthians 5:8,8Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:8) is the antitype of the feast of unleavened bread which, as we learn from Exod. 12 was based upon, and inseparably connected with, the passover. The blood-stained lintel was not to be separated from the unleavened bread—peace and purity—safety and sanctity, must always go together. It would be a strange application of 1 Cor. 5:88Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:8)—a miserable misapplication, we should rather say—to refer it to the matter of having bread without yeast, or unfermented wine at the Lord’s Supper. We believe, dear friend, the feast refers to the whole of our christian life in this world. It should, from first to last, be a feast of unleavened bread, based on the great fact that “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us”—a life of personal holiness flowing out of accomplished redemption, known and applied by the power of the Holy Ghost.
15. “S. B.,” Bridgnorth. Your kind letter came duly to hand. We note its contents, and began interest in your prayers.
16. “W. S.,” Illinois. We heartily thank you for your interesting and encouraging communication. We look to the Lord to give distinct guidance and power in the series of letters to which you refer. You will help us by your prayers.