And what shall I say more?  For it looks as if this ought to be enough.  But I would like to send my voice around the globe laden with the truth that “faith without works is dead,” and that baptism is the very first outward work of obedience the believer is required to do.  This, with the other ordinances of God’s house, in connection with a good life ornamented with the fruits of love and good will toward men, gives life to faith and proves that it is a living reality in the soul.

Saul of Tarsus was a believing convict;

  “Borne down beneath a load of sin;
    By Satan sorely pressed—­”

for three days and nights, in which he did neither eat nor drink.  Ananias came to him with instructions direct from the Lord, saying:  “Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”  Can we suppose that Saul would have become the happy convert that he was, had he refused to obey?

Some think that baptism is nothing, or so nearly nothing that it is hardly worth taking into the account of Christian life.  May it not as truthfully be said that faith is nothing, and that repentance is nothing, and that obedience is nothing?  Where is the difference?

In all love, with my heart moved in good will toward every one in this house, I do here say that for the life of me I cannot see how any one can hope for salvation while living in open disobedience to the only Savior, Jesus Christ.  Can any plead ignorance?  From this hour forth you shall not bring that in as a plea for neglect of duty, for I now repeat in your ears the words that fell from the lips of Jesus himself:  “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.”  Have I a right to say that you will be saved without baptism?  I claim no such right.  You may say the penitent thief on the cross was saved without baptism.  So he was; all things are possible with God; and notwithstanding all that God has said in his Word about baptism and its blessed followings, I boldly say to you that if you die knowing as little about it as the thief on the cross did, with no better chance to have it administered upon you and to you than he had, God will never require it at your hands.  But from this day on, if not before this day, you are lifted out of the darkness that encompassed his mind, and can nevermore plead ignorance.  Besides, your hands and feet are not nailed to a cross as his were.  You are not reduced to the extremity of calling for mercy with the last gasp of expiring life.  “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?”

Again:  Hear what was said to the convicted multitude on the day of Pentecost:  “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”  Have I a right, has any one a right, to say that these promises would have been fulfilled without baptism?  But they were fulfilled, for the same day there were added to