here, but stand to God's truth, the future of England may be bright and glorious. Oh for a truly reformed Church in England, and a godly race to maintain it! The world's future depends on it under God; for in proportion as truth is marred at home, truth is maimed abroad. Out of any system which teaches salvation by baptism must spring infidelity, an infidelity which the false church already seems willing to nourish and foster beneath her wing. God save this favored land from the brood of her own established religion. Brethren, stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made you free, and be not afraid of any sudden fear nor calamity when it cometh; for he who trusteth to the Lord, mercy shall compass him about, and he who is faithful to God and Christ shall hear it said at the last, "Well done, good and faithful servant: enter thou into the joy of the Lord." May the Lord bless this word, for Christ's sake.

IMMERSION ESSENTIAL TO CHRISTIAN

BAPTISM.

BY REV. HENRY S. BURRAGE, PORTLAND, MAINE.

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" Matt. xxviii. 19, 20.

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned." Mark xvi. 15, 16.

"And Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name o Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts ii. 38.

In these passages of the Gospels by Matthew and Mark, we have what is called the Great Commission. Beginning at Jerusalem, the disciples were to go into all the earth and preach the gospel to every creature. As messengers of Christ they were to make prominent in their preaching the saving truths which they had received from their Master's lips. Yet this was not all. Having done this, having made disciples by their divine message, they were to baptize these disciples. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the

Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." The words in Mark's gospel are of like import, although the form of expression is different. "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." First, as we see, there was to be instruction leading to discipleship, then baptism as the profession of discipleship. That the aposties so understood the Saviour's words is evident from the New Testament records. Peter's injunction, on the day of Pentecost, is an illustration. When the multitude, moved by the apostle's preaching, cried out, "Men and brethren what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized." It was as if he had recalled the very words of the Great Commission,-"teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you "—or those other words of Christ, which bring before us the Saviour's test of true discipleship,-" Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."

The Saviour, however, was addressing not merely the little company gathered around him on that hillside in Galilee, but all who should believe on him, in all the ages of the Christian Church. In one comprehensive glance, as it were, he took in the work of converting the nations; and he added words which show that in his injunction concerning the work of evangelization, and the administration of the ordinance of baptism, his followers were to find