Introduction by the Editor
This article appeared in the November 5, 1832 issue of a magazine edited by Walter Scott, called “The Evangelist”, and is the first article written by John Thomas after his arrival in the USA earlier in 1832. It recounts the story of his baptism, and the account differs somewhat from that recorded by Robert Roberts in his “Dr Thomas — his Life and Works”, which was in turn based upon the verbal account of John Thomas in 1862, some thirty years later. I have added subtitles, corrected some minor errors, and added a few illustrations, but not in any way altered what John Thomas wrote, some 32 years before he decided on the name “Christadelphian”.
The Letter by John Thomas
When I arrived at New-York from England, I was introduced to a respectable Baptist Minister of that city. Having informed him of my intention to travel west, he observed, “Well, Sir, you will find the people of the Western country intelligent, kind, hospitable, and attentive to strangers; but it is a fact much to be lamented, that society there, is very much infected with reformation; it is a heresy that strikes at the root of all vital religion, and is making sad havoc among the churches.”
I had never heard of Mr. Campbell in my own country, except in connection with his able defense of Christianity, against the at tacks of Robert Owen; and hence — I supposed that instead of his principles being dangerous, they were such as ought to meet with the encouragement and support of the Christian World. My sur prise, therefore, was not a little excited, when 1 was so carefully warned against their evil tendency. My views of sects and par ties did not permit me to seek further information on the subject, as I had made up my mind to know nothing among them but Jesus Christ and him crucified. I thought I saw so much evil resulting to real religion from the division and splitting of professors into separate and adverse communities, each contending that it alone was the truly orthodox, and had the influence of the Holy Spirit, that I determined to belong to none of them, but simply to take the word of God as contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Tes tament as the only authority in matters of religion; to follow the Truth wherever it led; to shape my course through life according to the precepts of the Gospel; and to trust for my eternal salvation to the blood of Christ which was shed on Calvary for the remission of sins. I had strong objections against being called after the name of any man. Whether he be Calvin, Arminius, Luther, Wesley, or Campbell; for in the word of God I find no such names written, though I doubt not they may be found in the Lamb’s Book of Life; — I desired only to be a Christian in name and deed.
On to Cincinnati
With these views I arrived in Cincinnati. Here I was thrown into the Society of Friends whose opinions differed. I resided with a Wesleyan, received many kind attentions from Calvanistic Baptists, and cultivated the proffered friendship of those, who have been invidiously designated by the name of Mr. Campbell. Discussion naturally arose upon topics of a religious character, and among other things mooted, was the necessity of baptism for the remission of sins. Hitherto I had viewed baptism as non-essential, and a mere question of party; and I had said I would never be immers ed, since I considered the act as a mere initiation or admission within the pale of a particular sect. The Millennial Harbinger, and the Evangelist were lent me, but I read them not; and subse quently a sermon on the Holy Spirit was put into my hands. It was composed by Mr. Walter Scott; I perused it, and upon reflection, saw no proposition to which I could not yield assent. I still felt no inclination to pursue the subject, being quite unconcerned about Baptism, Operations of the Spirit, or any other similar topic, all of which I classed under the head of non-essentials.
But the anxiety of some of my friends, who considered me in an unenlightened condition, would not allow them to let me alone. When I visited them, no other subject of conversation seemed to interest them, than those to which I have already referred. I be gan to perceive that there was nothing non-essential in matters of religion, which is commanded by the word of God; — that our Heavenly Father requires nothing of us which we are not able to perform; that he never works without means, and that these are always adapted to some specific ends; that, as in the ordinary affairs of life, so also in our spiritual concerns, we are required to exercise the faculties God has given us, or we cannot expect the promised blessings; for “the hand of the diligent maketh rich,” and by believing, by repenting, and by being baptized, we receive the remission of our sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. I saw, instead of waiting till I experienced some special primary influence of the Spirit to induce me to a saving faith, and to assure me of pardon that the word of truth was nigh me, even in my mouth, and that I was quite as competent to embrace the Gospel, as I am to receive or reject any other testimony whatever. I felt I was a sinner, not by any miraculous importation, but because the word of God told me so; — “that I was born in sin,” and that therefore I was “exceeding sinful,” and that my only escape from “the wrath to come,” was by “laying hold of the hope set before me in the Gospel.” Till now, I thought I had done this; but I found my belief in Christ was without obedience to his commands, and that I was in the predicament of one who knew his Lord’s will but did not fulfill it, and that I might certainly expect to be beaten with many stripes, if I persisted in-refusing to yield to my convictions of the truth.
Conversion
I began now to perceive the cloud of darkness in which my mind was involved. I had heard Christians date their conversion from some sudden, arresting, and supernatural influence, independent dent of the testimony of Scripture, which compelled them to faith in Christ, I had been the subject of no such operation. I there fore attributed the morality of my life, and my faith, to educational causes; and, though I had examined the evidences of Christianity, had devoted much time to the study of prophesy, and had watched the progress of events in the history of human affairs, as corroborative of the Book of God, all of which left me no doubt of the in fallibility of the scriptures, and their supremacy in all matters of conscience, faith, and practice; still, although my convictions had often drawn tears in secret, I was told I was in the gall of bitterness and in bondage. I feel now that I was in bondage; not in the bondage of Satan so much as in the bondage of orthodox opinions as they are called. When I was crossing the Atlantic, I acted in the Capacity both of chaplain and physician; not because I felt myself competent to the cure of spiritual diseases, but I thought in the absence of more efficient aid, I might warn my companion voyagers to flee from the wrath to come. I felt great difficulty in doing this, because I could not see the use of exhorting them to be lieve and repent, if it were true that no one had the power of doing so unless compelled by supernatural influences. They seemed to be in the situation of a man, who was told to do a thing and with the same breath was assured he could not possibly do it, and yet if he did not do it, he should be punished. Impressed with the idea that this was the decree of God, and to have harbored such a sentiment I confess was the result of a superficial, or rather no examination of the question at all, my mind has long been the subject of doubts, and fears, and misgivings, which are generally referred to conflicts with Satan, instead of the error in doctrine, which to me appears so flagrant, of the Holy Spirit compelling us to do that, which we are quite capable of effecting by the exercise of those faculties God has graciously bestowed upon us. The conversation adverted to led me to see that the blood of Christ was indeed shed for the remission of our sins, but that we could not expect to receive the blessings of the Holy Spirit, which are joy and peace in believing, un less we complied with the command of our Savior to be baptized. “Those who believe and are baptized shall be saved,” and again, “except ye repent ye shall like wise perish,” are the words, of Christ; and the declaration of Peter on the day of Pentecost, in reply to the inquiry of the convicted multitude, “men and brethren what shall we do?” exhibits the plain and simple way, and natural order in which we shall obtain the forgiveness of our past sins, and “a right and title to eternal life.” “Repent,” Says he, “and be baptized every one of you, .in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost.” I learned from the Record that their consciences were smitten with the conviction that they had indeed crucified the Mes siah of God; for it declares “they were pricked in their heart.” They saw their fearful condition, and determined to accept any terms that the Apostle should offer, by which they could be par doned for the wickedness they had done; — they repented of their evil deeds (as we may all do if we will) and resolved that instead of persecuting his disciples, they would themselves become his fol lowers and obey his commands, being assured that in doing so they would be freely pardoned, and that their past sins would nev er again be quoted against them. They were baptized; this was a test of their sincerity; for by acting thus they became identified with a people under the proscription of the Law, and exposed to all the vindictiveness of its administration. They were baptized for the remission of their sins; the sins which they had committed, I apprehend were remitted or pardoned, not on account of the meritoriousness of the act, but in obeying the command by which the purifying efficacy of the blood of Christ was applied to their souls; for baptism I consider as an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual regeneration, and unless the ordinance has been com plied with, the sinner has not accepted the terms of pardon propos ed, and has certainly no right to expect the blessing consequent on his compliance, which is the gift of the Holy Ghost. By “search ing the scriptures,” which we are commanded to do, “for in them we think we have eternal life,” I perceived there was no warranty for the opinion that the Holy Ghost was given to men, prior to faith, to induce them to believe, though I found instances in which it was bestowed anterior to baptism. But these cases are exceptions to the ordinary rule of the Spirit’s operation, and therefore they establish the proposition that the gift of the Spirit is consequent and not anterior to faith and baptism, that.it never precedes belief and that the order of faith, repentance, baptism, remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, is never inverted, except when miraculous and special results are designed. Thus we find that its descent upon the Apostles, on the day of Pentecost, was attended with signs and extraordinary appearances, which resulted in the miraculous faculty of speaking with “other tongues”. Again we are informed that Peter and John were sent to Samaria, that they might pray for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost. For we are told in the 16th v. of the 8th of Acts, “as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only (or notwithstanding) they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then laid they hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost.” In this case an act was performed, the Apostles laid hands upon them, and the effects were so astonishing that Simon wished to purchase the power they possessed for gold. This was not an ordinary gift of the Holy Ghost, and so far from its being anterior to faith, so as to make them believe, they had even been baptized, and had not then re ceived it until Peter and John conferred it upon them by virtue of power received from God. Shall we say then that Christians of our own day, who simply believe and have not been baptized for the remission of their sins, have received the gift of the Holy Ghost? Is the position they maintain founded upon and supported by the word of God? They may appeal to their feelings and ex periences, but I humbly conceive the scriptures do not give birth to this article of their creed.
Paul and Cornelius
Again, in the case of Paul;— his conversion was miraculous, and it is a remarkable fact that even he did not receive the Holy Ghost till after he had believed. “Three days” elapsed between his conversion and receiving his sight, and during this time, though he had believed in him whom he had persecuted, the Holy Ghost had not been bestowed upon him; for the scriptures tell us that Ananias “put his hands on him” and he declared to Paul that the Lord, even Jesus, had commanded him to do so, that he might not only receive his sight, but “be filled with the Holy Ghost.” And if there were any case in which baptism might be considered as non-essential it was Paul’s; but we are told that even he was baptized. All the circumstances of this case were miraculous and special; not ordinary and general.
Again, the case of Cornelius, and his household is analogous to that of the Apostle’s, for as the descent of the Holy Ghost upon them was a demonstration that salvation had come to the Jews, so its descent upon the Centurion and his household, became a Pen tecost to the Gentiles, on whom in like manner “also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.” The results were similar, for they spoke “with tongues.” And again, Paul found at Ephesus certain disciples, and he inquired of them “have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?” But they declared they did not even know there was such a thing as the Holy Ghost; which very much surprised Paul, for he seemed astonished that men who had been baptized should not have received the Holy Ghost. “Unto what, then,” said he were you baptized?” But they explained the mystery by saying, “we were baptized unto the baptism of John;” and when they heard Paul’s declaration that John baptized with the baptism of repentance, teaching that they should believe on him, who should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus, they were baptized again “in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Here they had believed in John’s testimony and in Paul’s, yet they had not the Holy Ghost until God conferred it upon them through Paul, who is recorded to have “laid his hands upon them,” after which the Holy Ghost came on them, and as the communication thereof had been special and extraordinary, the results were miraculous; for “they spake with tongues and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve.” Hence we see that where special purposes were design ed, visible means were employed, showing that God works by means, whether it be to heal the sick, give sight to the blind, impart the faculty of speaking
with tongues and performing miracles, or to induce a belief in the divinity of his Son. In respect of the latter, I believe a man may have faith, if he will only exercise those faculties which God has given him, and that it is as much in his power to give ear to the things which belong to his everlasting peace, as it is to those which relate to his interest and happiness in common life. Hence, all are left without excuse, and it can no more be urged that we are irresponsible for our unbelief, on the plea that we cannot have faith unless it is imparted to us by the Spirit.
Baptism
These topics are some of those which formed the burden of the conversations I had with Major D. Gano and Mr. Walter Scott. The light of the Gospel did not burst suddenly upon my mind, but one truth after another seemed to develop themselves in succession. I had endeavored to comprehend the doctrines of the Gospel by an effort of my understanding, but I could not; I had been told religion consisted not in head knowledge, but in the experience of the heart; but I now see God requires us to believe nothing in relation to salvation we cannot comprehend. I saw that the command to be baptized, was imperative. “Why then did I hesitate to obey,” was a question put to me by Mr. Scott. I felt I could give no valid reason, still I did not like what I supposed would be an ostentatious display and desired to defer compliance. I was assured there would be none, and perceived that an immediate and unceremonious performance of the ordinance was scriptural and there fore justifiable. I complied, and in the presence of a few friends, I was baptized in the Miami Canal, on Sunday evening, Oct. 14, at 191/2 o’clock.
It has been put to me since this occurred, whether I had received the Holy Spirit, and if I had, how I knew it? In answer to this I can only say that, whereas before I was blind, now I think I see, and that the doctrines of scripture, instead of being unintelligible and obscure, now appear to be entirely comprehensible and clear; and, as we are elsewhere informed, so plain and simple, that a wayfaring man, though unlearned, cannot err there in. One thing only I regret, that is, that my immersion was not more public, as it might have operated as an example and inducement to others. This I can say, that all fear of death is removed, and I feel firmly assured that the doctrines I have embraced are the pure doctrines of the Gospel, and abundantly efficacious in the practice they enjoin to procure me a safe and certain introduction to Everlasting Life.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One