.MTMwOQ.MTA2MjM5

149 to relieve my sponsors of the responsibility they had taken upon themselves, and make my own vows to serve the Lord etc. But what a wicked piece of business this is--first, for two individuals to stand up before the priest, and before God, and promise that which they must know it is impossible for them to fulfill, and to do that which no one but our blessed Saviour can do. When I look back upon my past life and remember all the sins and wickedness the I have committed since I was b- (I was going to write baptized) sprinkled and confirmed I feel that I should have more cause for trembling at the just anger of God than the heathen were it not for the goodness and mercy of God in opening my eyes in these latter days to see what a falacy there is in such a "regeneration," and in teaching me the true gospel of unclear by faith in the Son of God, and the only regeneration and sanctification by the Holy Ghost, and to cause me to lean entirely upon Jesus, not only as the Author and Finisher? Minister? of my faith but as my alone Redeemer. And when I remember the death beds of some of my young companions of those days who went through the same ceremony, I shudder that men calling themselves ministers of the gospel of Christ can sprinkle babes and use such language as this: -- "Seeing now, dearly beloved, brethren, that this child is regenerate, and grafted into the body of