28 BAPTISM, why do we not accept baptism administered by the Missionary Baptists,

C. H. Cayce In answer to the above question we would say, first, that baptism is administered by the servant of Christ, or minister of the gospel, who has been called of God and set apart by the authority of the church of Christ, or come under the imposition of hands of a presbytery. Baptism must be administered by one who has been set apart by the church to the work whereunto God has called him, if it be gospel baptism. “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus,” Acts 13:2-4. Here we have the called ministers of Christ set apart by the church for the work whereunto the Lord had called them. It is a part of the work of the ministry to administer the ordinances. Those who are commanded to teach, as ministers of the gospel, are the same who are to baptize. “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.” Matthew 28:19,20. In this text the same persons who are commanded to go teach are also commanded to baptize. It is the work of the ministry to go teach the things concerning the kingdom of Christ, and it is the work of those who teach these things to baptize those who are taught. The Primitive Baptists are the only people, in our judgment, who are teaching as Christ commanded. They are teaching the true doctrine of God our Saviour. Those who are teaching that doctrine are commanded to baptize. Hence, the Primitive Baptist ministers are the persons who are authorized by the Saviour to administer baptism. Others are not teaching the doctrine of God our Saviour, are not teaching the things commanded by the Saviour, so are not authorized by Him to administer baptism. If they baptize, it is without the authority of Christ. Baptism administered without the authority of Christ is not gospel baptism. This is a good reason why Primitive Baptists do not receive the baptism administered by Methodists, Missionary Baptists, or other people. We do not think the doctrine or principles they hold to and teach are true, and the baptism they administer is no better than the doctrine they teach.

“And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”—Luke 22:29,30. The Saviour has appointed a kingdom for His people here in the world, that they may have a blessed home here on earth, that they may eat and drink at His table in His kingdom. His kingdom is only one. He did not appoint kingdoms, but a kingdom— only one. “There are three-score queens, and four-score concubines, and virgins without number. My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her.”— Solomon’s Song 6:8-9. The church of Christ is but one. There are many institutions, but of all the institutions in the world, only one is the church of Christ. The Saviour has never authorized the queens nor concubines nor the virgins to administer the ordinances of His house. These queens, concubines and virgins represent the many institutions that are in the world. Jesus has never commanded that His ordinances he administered in these institutions. His love, His dove, His undefiled, is but one. That is His church or kingdom, which is but one. He has authorized and commanded that His ordinances be administered in this one kingdom. They cannot be administered elsewhere so that they will be recognized or approved by Him. He does not approve of anything being done in a place where He has not commanded. We think the Primitive Baptist Church is the true church of Christ, the kingdom He set up while He was on earth. If it is, then that is the place where the ordinances are to be administered. This is another reason why we do not accept the baptism administered by other people. If the Primitive Baptist Church is the church of Christ, the others are not. If any of the others are the church of Christ, then the Primitive Baptist Church is not the church of Christ.

“Wherefore, my brethren, ye are also become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God”— Rom. 7:4. Those who are dead to the law are those who have been born again. They are dead to the law, and they should now be married to Christ. In order that they be married to Christ the marriage ceremony must be performed by one who has the proper authority to perform it. If two people desire to marry, in order that they carry out the desire, they must have the ceremony performed by one who is authorized to do so. They may get a good man to pronounce the ceremony for them, but unless he has the proper authority, the marriage would not be legal. It would make no difference how good the man may be who pronounces the ceremony, his goodness and honesty, or sincerity, would not make the marriage legal.

To be married to Christ, the rite must be performed by one authorized to perform it. Baptism is the ceremony, or the rite, by which God’s people are married to Christ. It is the work of the ministry who are set apart by His church to administer baptism, they are the persons who are authorized to administer the ordinance. They are the only persons who can perform the marriage ceremony. Others may go through the form, but it is not recognized by the Saviour.

The form may be all right, but a form without reality or authority is without value. So the baptism administered by others is without authority, hence without value, so for as the true church of Christ is concerned. The Primitive Baptist, January 16, 1906.

If the Missionary Baptist church is the church of Christ, then the Primitive Baptists have no right to administer baptism for them, for we are not authorized by them to do so. They do not ordain our preachers.

On the other hand, if the Primitive Baptist Church is the church of Christ, then the Missionary Baptist church is not; and if they are not the church of Christ, then they have no right to administer baptism for the Primitive Baptists.

No one has a right, or a Scriptural authority, to administer baptism, unless he is ordained, or set apart, by authority of the church of Christ to administer the rite. We do not believe the Missionary Baptist church is the church of Christ; hence we do not deem their immersions to be valid baptisms, and do not accept them.

The Roman Catholics were the first to depart from the faith and split off from the true church. Is baptism, as administered by them valid? No. Then, if the Missionaries have departed from the original principles or faith of the church, and split off from the church, neither is baptism as administered by them valid.

From this standpoint (if the Primitive Baptist Church is the true church of Christ), baptism administered by a Missionary Baptist is no better than that administered by a Roman Catholic.

They are wrong in doctrine and are following Rome in practice. Their mission schemes are largely patterned after Rome, and they are fast drifting toward the old mother. Their mission schemes and practices are borrowed from Rome— and borrowed articles usually are returned some time. We would he glad if the Lord’s people among them could have their eyes opened to the truth concerning these things, and then have the Christian courage to come out from among them. The Primitive Baptist, June 7, 1910.