The following is an extract of a letter from the Rev. N. Paul, of
Wilberforce Settlement, Upper Canada, to a friend in England:--
"MY DEAR SIR,
"Amongst all the numerous tracts and publications that have been printed
and circulated on the subject of Baptism, I think there is no one that
is more calculated to lead the honest inquirer after truth to a correct
and scriptural decision upon that subject, than Mr. Pengilly's
'Scripture Guide to Baptism.' It has been universally approved and
circulated by the Baptist churches in the United States of America, and
I believe it has been the means of doing much good. A particular
instance of this occurred under my own immediate observation, whilst
pastor of a Baptist church in the city of Albany, state of New York.
"A young lady, who was a member of an Independent church, but who
occasionally attended upon my ministry, was present with us one Sabbath
morning when I administered the ordinance in question. I endeavoured in
my address to adduce reasons for differing from my Paedobaptist brethren
upon this subject, and to show that believers in Christ were the only
proper subjects, and immersion the only scripture mode of baptism. The
young lady, who had taken her station close beside the baptistry,
instead of being convinced by my arguments, was excited to a high degree
of irritation, and allowed her temper so far to prevail over her better
feelings as, in retiring, to express her contempt of our practice in a
very unbecoming and offensive manner.
"Next day she called upon me in the same temper as when she left the
chapel, and required to know, why I aimed to wound the feelings of those
spectators who differed from myself upon the ordinance of baptism? I
replied that I did not intend to wound the feelings of any one; I only
aimed at the defence of the truth. After further conversation, I
requested her candid perusal of the pamphlet above mentioned, with a
copy of which I furnished her. She readily promised to comply with my
request, and we parted. The result was, the ensuing month I again
baptized twelve persons, _and this young lady was one of that number_!
"Yes, Sir; by the blessing of God, accompanying the perusal of that
pamphlet, she clearly saw the path that Jesus had opened before his
disciples--the path in which the apostles and primitive Christians
followed their Lord--the path in which she promptly resolved to walk,
without reluctance, fear, or shame. 'I do not,' said she, 'leave my
former connexion because they are not Christians, for as such I esteem
and love them; but the pattern and authority of Christ is more to me
than all the world. It is HIS to lead and command, and it is MINE to
follow and obey.' Truth, indeed, is mighty, and will prevail.
"May all the faithful defenders of the truth as it is in Jesus, be thus
abundantly owned and blessed of God, in every work of faith and labour
of love; and to His name be all the glory!"