| 340 [the first] century, without the public assemblies, in places appointed and prepared for that purpose, and was performed by an IMMERSION OF THE WHOLE BODY, in the baptismal font. What do you say to this, ye priests of the sprinkling order? The testimony of Dr. Moshiem must be a rather use-up argument against you. However it must be taken as good testimony, until his character as a competent witness, and veracity as a man of truth can be destroyed. Can our modern gentlemen of the sacred desk, impeach Dr. Moshiem, and render him an incompetent witness to the facts now in controversy? His celebrated work has stood the test and scrutiny of many years, and his name for a correct historian stands unrivalled [unrivaled] in the bright constellation of illustrious men. Then let the herd of modern wiseacres relapse into silence when they hear the testimony of this great man, who has a better right to state facts than they have to oppose them. We only disagree with him when he disagrees with the scriptures; but with many of the sectarian world it is visa versa:-They disagree with him when he agrees with the scriptures.
This testimony of Dr. Moshiem reflects great credit upon his head and heart, and it will give it a greater weight of truth when we consider that he had adopted another mode of baptism for himself. Under these circumstances, no other than a candid and honest historian would have made the acknowledgement [acknowledgment] . Mr. Gahan a Catholic priest, also bears evidence that immersion was the manner of administering the ordinance in primitive times. But the world have gone into an awful apostacy [apostasy], and fallen away from those sacred rites and ordinances which were implanted in the Apostolic church. Paul undoubtedly alluded to the great havoc which men have made of the word and ordinances of God when he said: Acts, XX: 29, 30; 'For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.' The quotation clearly shows that Paul foresaw the calamity that would inevitably befall the church at some subsequent period. In the verse that follows the above, in the Bible, he says: 'Therefore, watch and remember, that by the space of three years, I ceased not to warn every one, night and day with tears.' These quotations clearly tell the foreknowledge of Paul as to the dissensions that would arise and the apostacy [apostasy] that would ensue. He foretells also, that this great work of apostacy [apostasy] would commence even in their days; 'Also of your own selves shall men arise,' &c. Again, 'The mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way.' In his letter to the Thessalonians he says: Thes. I: 1, 2, 3; 'Now we beseech you brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled neither by spirit nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.' This shows that the seeds of discord began already to spring up in the church, notwithstanding they were blessed with the daily ministry of the apostles, and many holy men. 'Let no man deceive you by any means.' Here he warns them of the deception of men, which had already began to show itself. 'For that day shall not come except there come a falling away first.' Here is a falling away plainly predicted, and that falling away is to take place previous to the second coming of Christ, for this was said after his resurrection; so it alludes to his second advent. But to trace the degeneracy of the church we make other extracts from Dr. Moshiem's history. On page 49, paragraph 13, it reads: 'The persons that were to be baptized, after they had repeated the creed, confessed and renounced their sins, and particularly the devil and his pompous allurements, were immersed under water, and received under Christ's kingdom by a solemn invocation of Father, Son and Holy Ghost, to the express command of our Blessed Lord. After baptism they received the sign of the cross, were anointed, and by prayers and imposition of hands, were solemnly recommended to the mercy of God and dedicated to his service; in consequence of which, they received milk and honey, which concluded the ceremony. The reason of this particular ritual coincide with what we have said in general concerning the origin and causes of the multiplied ceremonies that crept from time to time into the church.' This extract alludes to the second century, as will be seen by reference to the book, and shadows forth the horrors of Catholicism with appalling force. No such ceremonies are found in the Bible, with the exception of that of 'imposition of hands,' which undoubtedly was preserved sacred until that time, and performed for the reception of the Holy Ghost, after baptism, as we have before shown. Another extract, from the same author: this refers to the third century. On page 70 paragraph 4: 'There were twice a year, stated times when baptism was administered to such as, after a long
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