Introduction to John. 493, 541 Is it safer to believe too Much than to believe too Little? 61 445 Law of Ceremonial Religion; or, Religion for Man, not Man for Religion. 193 Letter from a distant Unitarian to her Pastor abroad Letter from Brother Collyer of Chicago Letter from Thomas Starr King Letter from William H. Channing Letter from Wisconsin Letters from Maine Letters from the Churches, and from Disciples scattered Lies of Benevolence Life for the Soul in the Baptismal Formula. List of Preachers, with their Residences Mansel's Limits of Religious Thought Missionary Labors in Central Illinois Missionary Sermon, by Rev. Edward E. Hale Necessity of Faith New-Bedford Convention News from the Churches Notes on Passages of the New Testament. Pamphlets received Prof. Huntington's Argument for the Trinity. Prof. Parsons on Cambridge College Quarterly Report of the General Secretary of the A.U.A. 433 337 436 369 529, 563 213 527 To our Subscribers, Readers, and Friends Tracts of the American Unitarian Association 163 570 166 440 289 524 484 93 229 "Go ye, therefore, and teach (original, " make disciples of ") all nations, baptizing them in the name (or "into the name ") of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." MATT. xxviii. 19. 3 THIS was the solemn charge laid by Christ on his disciples after his resurrection, when about to leave them for ever. He gives them their work, and the work of their successors through all time. It is to make other disciples; to bring others to learn of him; to take him as Teacher, Saviour, and Master: and he sums up in these three terms, "Father," "Son," "Holy Ghost," the essential elements of the religion which every Christian disciple professes and obeys. Those who became disciples became Christians, became new men, regenerate, elect, saints; they became friends of Christ and of God, partakers of the divine nature, kings and priests to God. Every Christian, however humble, has all these titles and privileges. There is no aristocracy in the Christian Church. All are members of Christ's body; all are his brethren. What, then, does Jesus mean by baptism into the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit? The answer to this question answers also the questions, What is a Christian? What is a member of the Christian Church? What are the elements of the Christian character? 1. Some persons say that Christ meant, in this command, to teach the doctrine of the Trinity, and to found his church on a belief of that doctrine. They therefore (and very properly, if this is so) consider the Trinity as a fundamental Christian doctrine, without a belief in which no man can be saved. But though a person who takes the first impression might think this is so, he who reflects for a moment must see that this cannot be so. Jesus certainly did not mean to teach the doctrine of the Trinity here, or lay it down as the foundation of his church: for, if he had meant to do it, he would have done it; and he has not done it. Belief in the Trinity is not a belief in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; for, if so, all are Trinitarians. All Christian sects believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. But the doctrine of the Trinity is that each of these is a Divine Person, existing in one Divine Being; and that, while each is very God, there are not three Gods, but one God. But Christ has said nothing about this here; therefore he has said nothing here about the Trinity. Moreover, the doctrine of the Trinity is not taught in any other passage of the New Testament more plainly than here. This text does, in fact, come nearer to a statement of the doctrine than any other genuine pasIf it be a true doctrine, sage of the New Testament. it is, therefore, a doctrine of inference. It might doubtless be a true doctrine, though not stated or taught plainly in |