Volume 50 Number 4 April 2008
Walter Scott was in New Lisbon, Ohio, preaching the gospel. Every seat in the Baptist meetinghouse was filled. Every foot of standing room was occupied. His first talk failed to convince anyone. His second talk he based on Peter’s confession in
Matthew16:18 in connection with the same apostle’s answer to the question “What shall we do?” given to the penitents on the day of Pentecost. Just as he was about to close his long speech, exhorting the people to trust in the word of God in preference to all human systems of religion, a stranger entered the assembly. A few moments later the speaker closed by again quoting Peter’s words and inviting any present to come forward and be baptized for the remission of sins. This stranger, to the surprise of all, at once stepped forward and presented himself. When questioned, he seemed to perfectly understand the situation, and the issues involved. Brother Scott took his confession and baptized him “for the remission of sins”.The people were bewildered at the strange truths brought to their ears, and portrayed before their eyes in the baptism of a penitent for the remission of sins. Brother Scott was mystified that his first two discourses had failed to convince, and that at the close of the second a man who had heard neither of them had come forward intelligently in response to a simple invitation. To clear up the matter, he some time later addressed a letter to the man, and received the following answer:
“In order to show these things aright, I must go back a piece. I was at that time a member of that strait sect called Presbyterians, taught many curious things, as election, foreordination, etc.; that belief in these things was necessary; that this faith resulted from some secret impulse; and worse, that I could not believe; and finally, that I must hope and pray that God would have mercy upon me. In this wilderness I became wearied, turned about and came home to the book of God, took it up as if it had dropped from heaven, and read it for myself just one year.
“This inquiry lead me to see that God so loved the world as to give his only begotten Son, that whosoever believed on him might not perish, but have eternal life. I then inquired how I must believe. Paul said,
‘Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’ Also, that faith was ‘the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.’ Peter spoke of election, saying, ‘Save yourselves.’ Paul said, ‘I must be dead to sin and buried, and raised with Christ Jesus to newness of life.’ The Saviour said, ‘I must be born again if I would enter the kingdom of God.’“Now, here it was I discovered myself to stand in the garden of nature and not in the kingdom of heaven, but I learnt that of this kingdom Peter received the keys, and I was anxious to see what he would do with them. Jesus said,
‘Proclaim the gospel to all nations; he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,’ etc. I then moved a little forward till I found these words, ‘And they were all pricked to the heart, and said to Peter and to the other apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Peter said, Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins,’ etc. To this Scripture I often resorted; I saw how Peter had opened the kingdom and the door into it, but to my great disappointment I saw no man to introduce me, though I prayed much and often for it.“Now, my brother, I will answer your questions. I was baptized on the 18th of November, 1827, and will relate to you a circumstance which occurred a few days before that date. I had read the second chapter of Acts, when I expressed myself to my wife as follows: ‘Oh this is the gospel; this is the thing we wish—the remission of our sins! Oh that I could hear the gospel in these same words as Peter preached it! I hope I shall some day hear it, and the first man I meet who will preach the gospel thus, with him will I go.’ So, my brother, on the day you saw me come into the meeting-house my heart was open to receive the word of God, and when you cried, ‘The Scripture shall no longer be a sealed book. God means what he says. Is there any man present who will take God at his word and be baptized for the remission of sins?’—at that moment my feelings were such that I could have cried out, ‘Glory to God! I have found the man whom I have long sought for.’ So I entered the kingdom when I readily laid hold of the hope set before me.
“Let us, then, dear brother, strive so to live as to obtain an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming, there to join with the heavenly throng in a song of praise to God and to the Lamb for ever and ever.
Wm. Amend”