The local preacher, who was sitting in on the meeting burst out with the accusation, "You must have been baptized in pickle juice!"

What an interesting put-down.  My friend has preached the gospel over 35 years (almost as long as the young preacher has been alive), has had excellent training at various schools and universities, and still involves himself deeply in missions and soul-winning while earning his own livelihood in a private business.  He objected to the use of applause and simply went to the elders to see how and why they felt such to be scriptural.

He was hardly given a chance. He was subjected to intense ridicule by the local preacher.  So, there was little he could say further and evidently the meeting with the elders closed on that note.

I guess I too was baptized in pickle juice!  

Applause in our society is given for a good performance.  At a symphony program, a play on stage, a rousing political speech and even excellent sports performances, applause is the accepted way of showing appreciation for the skills involved. 

When one applauds a baptism, what skill is being appreciated?When one applauds a sermon, what skill is being appreciated.

Why do we not also applaud a prayer?  What about those who pass the emblems as we partake of the Lord’s Supper?  Should we also applaud the reader of scripture?

Saying "Amen" during a class or a sermon is not appreciating a skill; it is agreeing with the message or truth being stated.

Applause is given for performance.  To include such as that in our worship assemblies is to drift away from worship and become an audience for a performer. 

That is not God’s instruction for worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24).  Those assembled are not an audience, they are the active participants.  A leader in various actions is not the only one worshiping.

I question the idea of hand-clapping to beat the time of a song.  I fear the idea of quartets and special groups invading the area of our congregational singing. 

I am not ready for dances and dramas instead of serious Bible study. 

I speak up against our ladies taking the lead in the assembly worship by leading prayers and songs.  I tremble as some of our congregations have special festival observances, and I weep over my brethren who fellowship non-Christians in their denominational rallies and conventions.  Is it possible I too was baptized in pickle juice?!

If I read my Bible correctly, I was baptized for the remission of my sins (Acts 2:38) in a pool of water (Acts 8:36), in the "name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:18), at which time I was able to "put on Christ" and be "in Christ" (Galatians 3:27), thus was "added to them" (Acts 2:47) by being "baptized into one body" (I Corinthians 12:13).

This was not done by being rabidly censorious and caviling; rather, it was done joyously and enthusiastically to obey my Lord and to save my soul!