Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 18
NEED_DATE
NUMBER 21, PAGE 9b

"Those Of You Who Insist"

Bennie P. Ener

It has been rumored that some 'preachin' brethren when asked how they stood on the present 'issues' that are troubling the church would reply, "I can preach it either way". Whether these rumors are true or not we do not know, but recently we witnessed a man who not only can preach it either way but one who does!

The preacher under consideration is not a brother preaching on the 'issues', but Mr. A.A. Allen, noted 'healer', during a baptismal ceremony he conducted on television.

Mr. Allen would interview and get testimony from three or four 'candidates' for baptism, then turn them over to assistants to be baptized, while he (Allen) would pronounce the 'formula'. Then another set of candidates would be interviewed and allowed to testify. The same procedure would follow while Allen would say they were to be baptized "into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." This took place for about three sets of candidates. Then another set was sent into the water while Allen stated, "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: and in the name of Jesus for THOSE OF YOU WHO INSIST".

It seems that most of Mr. Allen's followers are from the 'holiness' groups. Some of these folks believe scriptural baptism is "into the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit", while others hold the view that scriptural baptism must be performed by only using the words "in the name of Jesus". Hence this would be the only 'correct formula' to say over a candidate for baptism.

Not desiring to lose any of his followers Mr. Allen will preach it EITHER WAY. That is for "THOSE OF YOU WHO INSIST."

-1415 9th Orange, Texas