334 THE SCIENCE OF RELIGION. 



law unto themselves"; the context showing that they would not 

 fail of their reward "in the day when God shall judge the 

 secrets of men by Jesus Christ'' (id. verse 16) ; and again (Rom. 

 4: 15), "for where no law is, there is no transgression." 



The liberal minded and logical St. Paul saw at once that a man 

 could not be condemned for disobedience who had never had an 

 intimation of what or whom he was to obey. The sweeping and 

 effective text, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; 

 but he that believeth not shall be damned," could not by any 

 possibility apply to those who had never been told what to believe, 

 nor to those who had never been informed as to the process and 

 necessity of baptism. And even with all the light we have at 

 the present time on this all important rite of baptism, it is not 

 yet determined what form of it is the proper one, and whether a 

 certain form of it is not really a saving ordinance. Just think 

 for a moment how many good and devout men would be most 

 wofully disappointed if there should happen to be any mistake 

 about this simple matter of baptism. I submit therefore whether 

 it would not be a safer and a better policy for all denominations 

 to give up all restrictions on future rewards dependent on bap- 

 tism, sectarianism, regeneration, or any peculiar religious beliefs, 

 and to hold with St. Peter, the great preacher to the Gentiles, 

 " That God is no respecter of persons : But in every nation he 

 that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with 

 him "(Acts 10: 34). 



