QUES. 18.-What were the Nicolaitans, whose deeds and doctrines are referred to in Rev. 2:6, 15?

ANS.-There is nothing said about them in Scripture under that name, nor have we anything reliable in Church history concerning them as a people known by that name. But Scripture furnishes, we believe, the key to what they were in the name itself. Its meaning is, Conquerors of the people.

According to the teaching of the word of God, the whole Church is "a holy priesthood," and "a royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2 :5, 9); but as soon as the Church fell away from her first love and spirituality, it gave the opportunity to ambitions men to assume a place of spiritual superiority and greater nearness to God. By this they gradually conquered the people, and became their "clergy."

At first, as you see in verse 6, evil comes out only in deeds; but deeds unrebuked breed the doctrine that suits them; and in verse 15 it appears that in Pergamos the evil had gone further:it bad become a doctrine.

Thus "the clergy," which has no place in the Christianity of Scripture, has become a recognized institution in a corrupted Christianity. That which Christ had given to feed and serve His flock (Eph. 4 :11-16) has conquered that flock and made it to serve its own ends.

In Protestant circles and countries, the light from an open Bible has modified in a measure the evils of this institution ; but where Romanism rules without opposition one readily sees its true character, and why God hates both the deeds and the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes.

QUES. 19.-What is the meaning of 1 Cor. 15 :29, " Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? "

ANS.-The three verses following explain it largely. Some among the Corinthians, like professing Christians in our day, denied the resurrection of the dead. The apostle argues away their darkness. In verse 14 of the same chapter he tells them that if the dead rise not, then, of course, Christ Himself is not risen ; and if Christ is not risen, our faith is vain, and we are yet in our sins.

In the passage you quote, and the following verses, he argues further, What is the use of keeping up this great Christian conflict, in which many are constantly yielding their lives, if there is no resurrection of the dead ? My own life is in jeopardy day by day, he says, I stand ready to lay it down at any time for Christ's sake, in view of the resurrection ; and as fast as one soldier falls in the army of Christ He baptizes another in his place to keep up the conflict. What would be the use of all this if there is no resurrection? Why suffer so? Thus "baptized for (or instead of) the dead " has the sense of bringing in new recruits to fill up the depleted ranks.

QUES. 20.-Should believers baptize their children ?

ANS.-If they can believe in promises such as are found in Acts 2 :39 and 16 :31, about their children ; if they can bring them to the Lord as did the friends of the palsied man in Luke 5 :18-26, we most assuredly believe they are entitled by Scripture to baptize them.
It confers no inward grace, as all who truly know the grace of God are well aware ; but all through Scripture God shows His delight in linking with the men of faith what belongs to them, and putting His mark upon it.