A WORD CONCERNING THE BAPTISMS
AND CARE FOR OUR GOSPEL CANDIDATES

Now I would like to say a word concerning the baptisms of our gospel candidates. I do not think it is wise to baptize our new ones hastily, especially the Caucasians. If we baptize them lightly, that will spoil them. We have to seek the Lord’s leading in this matter. Perhaps we could set up a baptism meeting on the Lord’s Day to make their baptism a very stately matter. Then we can bring those who are really ripe for baptism and baptize them in a stately meeting.

If you feel that some of your candidates can be brought to the church life in the Lord’s Day morning meeting, you may do this. But you have to make our meeting understandable to them. To bring in the Chinese is somewhat easy today, especially with those who have come here from mainland China. But we cannot expect this with the proper class of Caucasians. Many of them are very considerate. They may have a religious background, but they do not want to go to their denomination because it does not satisfy them. A number of denominations are full of old people, but they do not have many middle-aged members. Many middle-aged people do not meet regularly in a certain place. Instead, they are church wanderers, church travelers. But some of them still have a seeking heart. If you present something real of Christ to them, they will be attracted. But you have to be careful not to give them the impression that you are involved in some religious formality. Otherwise, they will be damaged. All the time you have to keep them in a feeling that you are ministering to them something really spiritual of Christ. That will convince them, and that will keep them.

It might be easier to bring them to Christ but more difficult to bring them into the church life. You should anticipate the need to spend much time on them in prayer and labor. This year you may bring them into Christ, but that still may not be the time to bring them to the church life. You may have to wait another time for this. There is no need to be anxious and hurried concerning their baptism or their coming into the church life. We must keep in mind that the vital groups need to gain the proper Caucasians through much prayer and labor.

In conclusion I would encourage us to sing and to pray Hymns, #279 to the Lord:

1. First the blood, and then the ointment,
       Cleansing, then anointing comes;
   If we pass not thru Golgotha,
       Ne’er to Pentecost we’ll come.
   If the blood has never cleansed us,
       Ne’er the Spirit’s pow’r we’ll know,
   If for Christ we’d truly witness,
       Self-life to the Cross must go.
   
       Through the Cross, O Lord, I pray,
       Put my soul-life all away;
       Make me any price to pay,
       Full anointing to receive.
   
   
2. Christ, the Rock, must first be smitten,
       That the living water flow;
   Without death the Spirit’s fulness
       Ne’er could dwell in man below.
   If with Christ we die completely,
       Willing thus our all to lose,
   He will clothe us with His power
       And to win the world will use.
   
   
3. First the altar, then the fire,
       If no loss, there’ll be no gain;
   If our all has not been offered,
       To the throne we’ll ne’er attain.
   If to sacrifice we’re willing,
       All forsaking, God t’obey,
   He to us will be committed
       And thru us His pow’r display.
   
   
4. First we must prepare the vessels
       That the Oil they may contain;
   Dig the valley full of ditches
       That they may be filled with Rain.
   First we must go thru the Jordan
       Ere anointed from above;
   First in death we must be baptized,
       Then experience the Dove.
   
   
5. When we see the ripened harvest
       Of the golden countryside,
   We may know that many seeds have
       Fallen to the earth and died.
   Ere the fruit of life may blossom,
       We must surely suffer death;
   If with Christ we’ve not been buried,
       We’ll not feel the Spirit’s breath.
   
   
6. Since it must be thus, I pray, Lord,
       Help me go the narrow way;
   Deal with pride and make me willing
       Thus to suffer, Thee t’obey.
   I for greater power pray not,
       Deeper death is what I need;
   All the meaning of the Cross, Lord,
       Work in me—for this I plead.