The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-10-15

| mnnA anacolT"ia. w fh"ita"N4 - -
article ON This subject, laaacquainted
- W. sre, with the origin, and With The
primo pies which divide the different seei-,l
under the conviction that il contained cor
rel information. 1t was written by Que
protesting 10 be Will ,ersedin Church lis
tory. aud whose information wc had then
no reason 10 doubt. Ills statements, how
ever. have beea denied, aud proof Of their
/ incorrcctness ia sumo points at least has
been adduced. In this state Of things,
we see no reason why the DISCUSSION
should nol here each party having had
far hearing.
ron THE yiHGISTAs.
.Self dtfence IS said 10 BE- TIE Grst lar u M
lure.
There appeared IN the Vrginian OF the
/ Isi INST. some remarks on The peculiar
/ lies of the various religious seeis.' ] pre-
slime il was viewed b. somc, nj the time,
rs one of those productions, fine best rciu=
tation of which IS silence. BE that as II
may, rs my Episeopalian ncighbor has con
descended 10 notice il, III bchilf 81 his sccf
| beg permission ~ i'iieipogr few br19rc=
mnes in behalf ol mine. Menus aud his
cousin 4. have the following assertions -:
f" Anlinomians preach water water This
Is the burden of thcir theme: II Il all in all
They commenced about Tire beginning Of
the fourth century, IN the next eommu-
nlcaiou, which presume was intended as
a key To the former, these same water an
tinomians turn Out 10 he the Baplsis "
shall make no comment on the first part
of those assertions the man who is llllDe
raj enough 10 make them, deserves not re-
futation, but reproach. II IL on the last
part only that mean 10 make few obsrr-
sations, viz : that "lhc baptists common
ced about the fourth century, Menus has
produced no proof; he must therefore par
don our temerIty five do moi receive his
baye assertions rs proof positive. Neither
am under thr necessity of appealing 10
the p1rlizNns of tins sert for evidence, for |
can find IS good proof as | could ask for
elsewhere, which, rs it comes from those
who are not most friendly 10 thc baptists, il
ought 10 have HE greater weight. Dr.
Moshcim, who was himself lutheran,
stands NJ The head nf the lit of Ecc'cgias!l-
cal historians, rs \ literary and an impartial
writer; we may therefore conclude, that,
when he relates any thing which initiates
against his own views as pedobaptlst, he
does il liom settled conviction OF ITS truth.
ofthc christina church, in the lirsi century,
he says, i" the SACRAMENT Of baptism was
administered in this century .UiAOW the
public assemblies, in places dppotnfed end
pFpnJed for that purpose, and was perior-
med by immersion OF the WHOLE nODY IN
rnf DArTIsMAL FONT, vol. I. p. 1913,
Respecting the church, in Ae I'd century,
thc doctor teslies as follows: " the sacra-
ment al Baptism WAS administered publicly,
twice every year, at the festivals Of Easter
aud Pcnticnst or Whissnide, either by
the bishop, or the prebhyters, in consc-
quencc oi his authorizations and appoint
MINT. The persons that were TO be bapti-
zcd, qiter they had repeated The crceR, coptcs-
sed and renowned Their SINS, and parlicu-
larry the devil, with his pompous allure
ments, were Immersed under liatef, and re-
cehcd into Chrisl's kingdom by solemn
invocation Of Father, Son aud Holy Ghost,
according 10 the express command Of our
blessed Lord Up. 1lG. So much for
the mode in which baptism WIS administer
ed, and 10 phom, in the time of Christ and
for two hundred years aftcrn ards aud if
II differs from the practice ot the bhptisls of
the present day, would thank NJ. 70 point
out wherein. | shall next produce the doe
tors testimony with respect 10 the govern
ment of The church IN those primitive DAYS.
Page 80, he writes, "therc reigncd among
the members of The christian church, how
ever distinguished they were hy worldly
rank and titles, not only m amlahlc harmo-
ny, but also perfect e7paiitg" After the
doctor had described the office of bishops
IN apostolic days, he observes, "lct none,
however, conlound the bishops Of this pri-
mitilc and golden period of the church,with
those OF whom we read in following ages.
For though they were both distinguished
by the same name, yet they differed cx-
tremcly, and that IN many respects. A
bishop, during the first and second century,
was person who had the care Of orc
christian assembly, which, at that time. was.
generally speaking, small enough to be CON
tanned IN a pri, ate house" Again, 1.-THE
churches, III those ancient times, were en-
t'rely independent none of them subject
to an, foreign jurisdiction, bat each OF
them governed by lis own rulers and its
own laws Nothing is more evident
than the perfect equality that rcigncd a
mons the primitive churches; nor does
There even appear, in this first century, the
smallest trace Of that association Of jiloria
clds churches, from which coWRcjiS and ME-
raoponrANs derive their orsin.' Again
-" During great part Of this century isc-
coni,) the Christian churches were indie
pendent ofeach other nor were they jna-
ed together by association. confrdcracy.
nor any other bonds but that OF charity.
Each christian assembly was little state,
Governed by lis own laws, which were ei-
'htr enacted or at least approved by the
society. tut, IN process of time, AL the