"First, I will commence with Mr. Cleeve. He professes to be a Methodist minister. I am somewhat acquainted with their doctrines. Their ministers are not all ordained as Mr. Cleeve is; they have their class leaders, local preachers, exhorters and itinerant preachers, made just at random, according to convenience. But I will here take Mr. Cleeve and Mr. Cater and compare their doctrines. Mr. Cleeve believes in sprinkling; Mr. Cater in immersion; neither of them believing in baptism as Peter did, for remission of sins. (Interruption.) But the Methodists have arranged the matter more conveniently, for according to the discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America, they have three different modes of baptism—they will baptize either by sprinkling, pouring or immersion. This is the doctrine of the Episcopal Methodist Church in America; so that after teaching a person what they call the plan of salvation, they do not know as teachers how to baptize, but must apply to the person whom they are teaching. Thus Mr. Cleeve would—"
Mr. Cleeve.—I am not a Methodist, sir.
Elder Taylor.—I certainly understood you were a Wesleyan Methodist.
Mr. Cleeve.—I have nothing to do with the Wesleyan Methodists, either directly or indirectly.[[1]]
Elder Taylor.—Then I must say that I am laboring under a mistake; this was certainly my understanding. I will therefore turn to Mr. Cater. I understand that he is a Baptist minister.
Mr. Cater.—I am not a member of the Baptist Association.[[2]]
Elder Taylor.—I was certainly told and understood until now that you were, sir. Pray, gentlemen, what are you? (Great laughter and no answer.)
At this point the Rev. Mr. Long, evidently ashamed of the cowardice of the ministers that were flying from their colors, arose in the audience and exclaimed, "I am not ashamed of my profession, sir; I am a clergyman of the Church of England." (Great laughter.)
Elder Taylor.—I certainly think the gentlemen have taken a strange position, they seem to be afraid of acknowledging what their profession is. However, I will proceed. I have three different ministers to do with of some persuasion, for they all call themselves Reverends. Now, do their doctrines agree with the scriptures? Have they the organization, ordinances, gifts, prophecy, revelations, visions, tongues, apostles, prophets? No. This they cannot deny, for they have all of them opposed these things; yet all of these things were associated with primitive Christianity. Their offices, their doctrines, their calling, their teaching, their ordinances are all incorrect, they are devoid of the blessings, powers, unity, certainty and revelation, and are left struggling in the mazes of confusion, division, strife, uncertainty and error. They know not God nor the power of God. (Interruption.) There is scarcely a principle that these gentlemen have that is correct, even the doctrine of baptism for the remission of sins they treat lightly; yet Philip baptized the Ethiopian eunuch—when he believed, he immersed him in water; John baptized in non because there was much water there; St. Paul was told to arise and wash away his sins, and Jesus says that except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he can in no wise enter the kingdom of God.
Chairman.—(to Elder Taylor) Do you wish to continue, the gentlemen on the opposite side are satisfied that it rest here?