Sample Chapter

About

“On a bright summer evening, about the middle of June, as Pastor Cowan was sitting with his wife on their front porch, William Meadows, a promising lawyer, passed by . . .”

So begins one young man’s journey to understand and reconsider the Bible’s true position on baptism. When William marries into a church denomination that is very different from his own, he finds himself struggling to reconcile two opposite views on baptism. Through a series of conversations with a wise, older pastor, William strips away his preconceptions about baptism and returns to the plain, clear truth that the Bible teaches.

James Chaney first used this unique format of personal dialogue to explore baptism and its modes in this timeless book, and his observations are just as powerful and needed today. He sheds light on a controversial topic by confining his argument to the Word of God alone, first examining the meaning of baptism through its uses in Scripture, then exploring the significance of the ceremony, and finally examining the evidence of cases of baptism in the New Testament.

Take a fresh look at baptism by sitting in on these conversations yourself, now edited and updated for a modern audience by Ronald Evans. And, as the editor observes, “May it be refreshing and enlightening once again to have William the Baptist pose his questions—questions for which there are satisfying answers.”

Endorsements

"An enlightening read. With warmth and imagination, Chaney winsomely guides readers through the Bible's teaching on baptism. An invaluable resource."

—Douglas Bond, author of The Betrayal: A Novel on John Calvin

"A narrative that is fast-moving and biblically engaging, here is a page-turner that Ron Evans has enhanced by updating it into today's language. An intriguing short read with lifelong implications."

—Harry L. Reeder III, senior pastor, Briarwood Presbyterian Church

The Author

James M. Chaney

James M. Chaney (1831–1909) graduated from the William Jewell College in Missouri, received a Masters degree from King College in Tennessee, and a Doctor of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey. He was ordained in 1858 by the Lafayette Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church, Missouri.

More by James M. Chaney