Читать книгу A Book of Gems, or, Choice selections from the writings of Benjamin Franklin - Бенджамин Франклин - Страница 47

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BUT, now, why this constant higgling over immersion? Why this continual getting up some kind of smoke about it, mist or confusion? It is the right thing—the precise thing the Lord commanded. Why, then, try to get up confusion about where it was obtained? Why not condemn faith because we did not obtain it from the right people? It is the right thing, but then a man obtained it in a sectarian church. Ought he not to throw it aside, and obtain faith from the right source? Then, where did a man get the gospel? Did he get it in a sectarian church? Must he therefore throw it aside? Where did he get his Bible? Must he throw it away because he got it from sectarians. There is but one safe rule in all this, and that is to hold on to that which came from the Lord, the right things, no matter where we found them.

We have not set out merely to see how radical we can be; to see how far we can differ from all men, but to separate the human from the divine—that which did not come from God from that which did; and when we find a man with the right book—the Bible—we accept it without inquiring where he obtained it. When we find a man with the gospel of Christ, we accept it, no matter where he obtained it. If he has the right repentance we accept it without any regard to where he obtained it. In the same way in regard to the immersion and everything else. Has he the right things—the things of God?

Why start these subtleties about immersion, and confuse the public mind in regard to it? Why not get up difficulties about the prayers, the communion, the repentance, the faith, or something else? We are not trying how many difficulties we can find, but trying to clear the way, and show all men that there is a safe and practical way to union, to oneness and happiness, both here and hereafter. We desire to emerge out of the darkness, confusion and misunderstandings of our times, and walk in the clear light of heaven. Whatever is right we accept, and whatever is not right we aim to set it right. That which has gone before our time is beyond our reach, and we leave that to the Judge of all the earth, who will do right. We desire to open the way for the living and those yet to come. Let us study the things that are practical and that work for peace, and the Lord will open our way to the highest usefulness and happiness in this life, and to all he has for the redeemed in the life to come.