29
Aug
2008
A Scottish Gem: Neil Macmichael on Baptism
When I was in seminary I was assigned to read John MacLeod’s Scottish Theology in Relation to Church History which proved to be one of the most important works I have read to this day. After begrudgingly dragging myself through four chapters of the names of Scottish towns I still cannot pronounce, I suddenly began to understand the immeasurable value of Macleod’s work. Theologians and pastors, many of whom have been long since forgotten, were mentioned together with major works and portions of their sermons or lectures. I began searching high and low for works by many of these men. The writings of John Mc’Laurin, MacEwen of Dundee, and Thomas Hallyburton have become favorites. But there was one preacher whose works I have not been able to find in print–Neil Macmichael of Dunfermline. In Macleod’s Scottish Theology he gives a brief section out of one of Macmichael’s sermons. Macleod wrote:
Here is an illustration: –He [Macmichael] was applying what the apostle says of the fathers who were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea and he said, “The Israelites were baptized, both adults and infants; for the apostle declares it. 2. They were not immersed, a fact that Moses and other inspired writers testify. 3. The Egyptians who pursued them were immersed. 4. The Israelites had baptism without immersion, and the Egyptians immersion without baptism. 5. The baptism of the Israelites was salvation, and the immersion of the Egyptians drowning.
Today I found one volume containing sermons from the Relief preachers in Scotland in the 19th century in which one of Macmichael’s sermons is published. You can find it and download the volume here.
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