"I am living with them here. I mingle freely with them, but when Christians divide themselves up and group themselves according to their interpretations of Bible teaching, then I must join myself with those who interpret the Bible as I do."
"But suppose you cannot find any church group or denomination that interprets the Bible as you do; what will you do? You have not found such a people yet. Suppose you do not find such, will you stay out of all the churches?"
"That is a puzzling question. I am not sure just now what I ought to do if I find no denomination believing as I do. But really, I would rather stand alone, keeping loyal to my convictions regarding the Bible, than to compromise them in order to join some church. This is all very new to me, but I am determined to stand alone rather than go against my religious convictions. I know that each individual must interpret the Bible as best he can, and it must be his own conclusion, his own conviction, and I certainly shall not join a church whose doctrines I think are contrary to the Bible. Such a church is no place for me. I would be uncomfortable and I would be in constant controversy with the members."
"Well, there is no sin in controversy," said Sterling. "Our discussions, I hope, have not been very wicked. In fact, such discussions are often the best means for bringing people to see the truth. Why not come into our church simply on the ground that we are Christians like yourself, and then try to teach the other members the truths which you hold and which you think we ought to embrace? In other words, I should think you would have the best reason for coming in among us because we need the truth--according to your view--and you could come and sow the good seed among us."
"Oh, Mr. Sterling, what a strange thing you are saying. You surely don"t mean it. Do you say that your church will take in people no matter what they believe?"
Sterling saw in a flash that in his eagerness to save Dorothy from joining some obscure sect he was advocating an impossible procedure.
Dorothy continued: "Your church has its own special doctrines, does it not?"
"It does," said Sterling, seeing in advance the point to which she was aiming.
"Would your church accept a person who should apply for membership who should declare he could not accept the teachings of your church because he thought them unscriptural?"
"I surrender on that point, my fair antagonist," said Sterling with a smile. "But I will take down the church bars any fine morning for you and help you over the line into our ranks whenever you decide to come. I think I could swallow my Presbyterian doctrines or lay them on the shelf for a few days under those conditions, because I think in a short while after you had come in and gotten well acquainted with our denomination you would discover we are not far apart after all."
"Oh, Mr. Sterling, how can you talk in that fashion? I like a person who believes something, and though I may not agree with him, I can respect him for his convictions."
"That"s a straight thrust you are giving me, and I guess I deserve it, but it was the thought of the fair recruit for our ranks that got my logic and my Presbyterianism into a mixup. So if I was guilty of inconsistency I must blame my accuser. But seriously, it looks as if you are shut up to joining the Baptists."
"No, Mr. Sterling, I do not have to join any denomination unless my convictions lead me to them. But why do you keep mentioning the Baptists? Are my beliefs nearer to theirs than to those of any other denomination?"
"Oh, no; I was joking that time. You do not believe as they do. Please consider them out of the question."
"Mr. Sterling, you make me curious to know what these Baptists do believe. Could we not get the pastor to explain their doctrines?"
"Miss Dorothy, that is not at all necessary," with a show of impatience.
"I can give you their views. It is true they believe in immersion, but they have a horrible view about it. They believe that unless you are dipped you are doomed. They think infant baptism was born in the lower regions, and as for the communion they are as close as a clam, and in addition to this they have achieved brilliant success in the matter of ignorance and bigotry."
"Daughter," said Mr. Page with much earnestness, "keep on the other side of the road from that gang. There are some things that a father knows better than a daughter."
"Father, you would not object to my hearing a Baptist preacher tell what his denomination believes, would you?"
It occurred to the father that that would be the quickest plan for curing Dorothy of any curiosity she might have about the Baptists. He thought that a sight of that preacher would show her the impossibility of her linking herself with his people, and so he said:
"Yes, daughter, that will be all right. Hear the preacher. Let us all hear him and get his side of the question."
"Mr. Page," said Sterling, "I think it would be humiliating to you and your family to be entering into negotiations with that preacher about the views of his sect."
"Mercy, are they so very terrible?" asked Dorothy.
"They are not a wicked people, so far as I know," said Sterling. "They are a fairly good sort of people probably. In fact, our country is a fruitful soil for all manner of sects, with all sorts of peculiar doctrines."
"Are the Baptists a regular denomination like the other denominations?"
"In a sense I guess they are, and yet they are not in a cla.s.s with the other prominent denominations."
"Sterling, suppose you get hold of that Baptist preacher and march him up for our investigation," said Mr. Page.
Mr. Walton was the pastor of the little Baptist church. He was also pastor of two country churches, each of them several miles from town, but as the town was about midway between the two points, Mr. Walton chose the town as his home.
He was much surprised next morning to receive a visit from the rich young Presbyterian elder, and still more surprised when Mr. Sterling told him the object of his visit. He listened with interest as Mr.
Sterling told of Miss Page"s desire to know the beliefs of the different denominations, "and of course", continued Mr. Sterling, "she does not wish to leave out any denomination." He said this in a tone that seemed to hint that, while the Baptists were hardly worth considering, yet they called themselves a denomination and therefore could not be omitted. Mr.
Walton stated that he held himself ready always to give a reason for the faith that was in him, and that if Miss Page desired to know the doctrines held by his people he would cheerfully explain them to her. He was unwilling, however, he said, to force his views upon the young lady.
It was finally agreed that Mr. Walton would call at Mr. Sterling"s house, and that together they would go next door to the Pages".
CHAPTER XI.
A BAPTIST ON THE WITNESS STAND.
At eight o"clock that evening Mr. Sterling and Rev. Mr. Walton were ushered into the library of the Page mansion. Mr. Walton was fifty-three years of age, a man of native gifts, a certain degree of culture and also with college and seminary training. He could not exactly explain it, but he had not been put entirely at his ease by the bearing of Mr.
Sterling on that morning in their first conversation. He had determined, however, to make the visit and meet the issue as it came. The family soon appeared and a battery of curious glances were opened upon the preacher in his plain but neat garb. Mr. Page thought that Dorothy"s first view of the brother would settle the question for her. There was a self-containment and a lack of self-consciousness on the part of the preacher that was not unnoticed by Sterling. Soon after the arrival of Mr. Walton, Rev. Mr. Garland, the Disciple preacher, also appeared. On the previous evening he had been invited by Dorothy to return and join the circle on the next evening, when Mr. Walton was to tell about his denomination. After some preliminary chatting the conversation was turned into the main channel.
"Mr. Walton," said Mr. Sterling, "in our discussion last evening I stated that the Baptists believe that immersion is the only form of Scriptural baptism. Did I state your position correctly?"
"You did," quietly replied the visitor.
"I also stated that your denomination teaches that infant baptism is wrong. Is that a fact?"
"It is."
"Next as to communion. Your denomination believes, does it not, that none but Baptists will be saved and that therefore only Baptists can come to the communion table?"
"Mr. Sterling, I am sure you do not intend it, but your statement woefully misrepresents my denomination. We hold no such theory. I am aware that we are often charged with having a lofty opinion of ourselves and a contemptuous opinion of other denominations. Such a statement does us great injustice. We do not think ourselves better than others; in fact, they may reach higher standards of piety than we do. Certainly we have no words of praise for ourselves. We love all our brethren in Christ and are happy to join with them in different forms of activity."
"What about the communion?" asked Mr. Sterling. "Are you willing to let other denominations commune with you?"
"That is a matter they must decide for themselves."
"Would you permit a member of another denomination to come to your communion table?"
"If the person considered himself qualified to come I would not seek to put him out."
"Why, that is startling, Mr. Walton," said Mr. Sterling. "I understood that Baptists thought the other denominations were not qualified to come to the table."
"Very true," said Mr. Walton. "But you asked me first if I would permit such a person to come to the table, and I said I would not seek to keep such a person out. We keep no policeman to guard the Lord"s table, but if you ask me whether I think such a person is qualified to come and ought to come, that is another question and I answer, no."
"Why not?"
"My reason is this. The Bible teaches that all who partook of the Lord"s Supper in the days of the apostles first believed in Christ and next were baptized upon a profession of faith. In other words, the New Testament seems to lay down these steps--first faith in Christ, next baptism and then the partaking of the communion and the other duties of the Christian life."
"We invite to our table all who love the Lord," said Mr. Garland. "We care not what church a person belongs to if only he is a consistent church member."