PAUL'S COMMISSION TO PREACH.

BY LOVICK PIERCE, D. D.,

OF THE GEORGIA CONFERENCE

"For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect."I Cor. i, 17.

As all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, we may place our text at once upon its proper basis, and proceed to adjust its terms and explain its rather singular aspect, according to our view of its import.

And, first: Were it meet to call any one of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ an appointee of his by eminence, we think all would unite on Paul. His epistles are nearly all prefaced with the some great governing fact-"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ"-once adding "Not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father." And he once says he was "set for the defence of the gospel." Putting all these evidences of his divine credentials together, and then seeing how slightly attached to the commission of preaching was the work of baptizing, there is much room left for wise suggestions, none for silly speculation.

The commission of St. Paul to preach the gospel was either a perfect commission, without an absolute order to baptize; or else he preached under an imperfect commission, and pleads its origin and authority to be divine. Every one not mentally disabled to judge by an incautious surrender of principle to creed, will admit the first member of the proposition-to wit: that St. Paul had a perfect commission to preach the gospel, exclusive of an absolute order to baptize. And if this be ceded as a fact, it calls us all, with due distrust of many long-settled notions about baptism, to review old theories and conclusions, and see whether we may not in some way be "teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

One thing we assume as certain-viz: that if there may be issued