The More Excellent Way (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 Excerpt: ...and prophesied."--Acts 19:1-6. Perhaps these people had been baptized by Apollos before Aquila and Priscilla had taught him the way of God more perfectly, while he yet knew only the bap tism of John. Perhaps they had been baptized by some one who didn't know even as much as Apollos; at any rate, they had not received the Holy Ghost, nor had they, according to their own statement, heard there was such a thing; they had, however, heard of John's baptism in water, and had received it, or thought they had at least; but Paul's reasoning seems to have convinced them that there was some mistake. He says: "John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him Christ that should come after him," and baptize them "with the Holy Ghost." (See also Mark 1:8). That is to say, John baptized such as brought "forth fruits meet for repentance," and did it "for the remission of sins," and told the people that Christ would baptize them with the Holy Ghost, and I believe he told them that the Holy Ghost should be given through the laying on of hands. But there is no reference made in any of the statements attributed to John, in the New Testament, that even mentions the laying on of hands, says one. Well, what of it? If that proves that he did not understand and teach the laying on of hands, then the fact that no mention is made by him of the resurrection or of eternal judgment proves that he did not understand and teach them. Again, there is no place in the New Testament where mention is made of any assertion by John that faith is necessary to salvation. At least the writer knows of none. Shall I say because of this, that John did not believe that faith is necessary to salvation?...