Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-03-22
March p, 1897.

other and less pregnant termsl We do
object to this, with all the earnestness OF
depreciation" w.. ..-sa. ~. ,r... -
Here, il is not only acknowledged that
the word was transferred instead Of being
translated, but il is styled an "exotic upon
holy ground" the "eradicstion" Of which
would have been proper and reasonable"
10 a.our predecessors" But the error is of
"slmost two bundled years" standing-"our
predecessors, 50 far rs we know, made no
obiectionsn TO it, but went to "quoting and
eIpounding"--and finally, it has obtained
sacred aud honorable enrolment on the
records of history therefore, as II has in
the process OF time and circumstances come
TO be 50 near the truth as 10 be altogether
mere valuable for our present purposes than
the truth itself, the substitution Of truth is
now to be collected to, with all the ear
uestness Of depreciation sa>5
Il will have been observed that we have
here used the terms truth and error, instead
Of roots, exotic and indigenous" and, as
We think, with all fairness, because, how
could the eradication have been proper aad
reasonable, two hundred years ago, unless
there had then been crroE7 And IL there
was error then, we understand not the pro-
cess by which it has been or can be modi-
fsd-or naturaIized" if you please-until
it becomes truth, or something better than
truth.
Is 1t supposed that we misconceive, or
! misunderstood the case as presented by the
Review Perhaps we do. And shall we
be told, by way Of explanation, and to sus-
tain the objection against the removal Of
what we call the error, that "6dptisnt and
6dptize have acquired Fixed and definite
meaning in our laDguage"-and that i'm
sssrsiCa and imn1erss would be less preg
nant terms2" From the opinion that the
terms in present use, have moo fixed and
definite meaning, as in common use in Chris
tendon, we must be allowed respectfully to
dissent. We arc not prepared to deny that
these terms had, two hundred years ago,
nearer fixed and dcterminate meaning than
they have at the present times Indeed we
think that the quotations which the Review
has from history, 60 to show that in times
past their meaning was much more definite
and better understood than at present. Take
the following quotation which it makes
from WIN. WALL-'swho will not be suspect
cd Of any partislity towards Baptists"--in
hi, Hstoryof Infant Baptism, page 462-
wherein be Is speaking Of the times in
which the first TRANSACTIONS were made from
the Greek:
"Th.H general and ordipaFy way waste baP,i1e By
immsrsion, or dipping the person IN waieI Tim Il
plain ana clear, BY infinite numbsi Of passage
such P.dOSspti.. As wooId u,ain,ain the negative
ny 90, also, ws ought 10 disoWn aud show dishk
oI .hsvrofans SCOTS which some people give TO III
Eagish Anti, PedObaplIsA merely for their use OF DIP
ping, II 70 one ihng 10 maintain, that mat o'reum
stance Is not absolutely TO the essence
Baptism, and another 70 @ about 10 represent u a
FSdenous and foolish, 90 as shameful ana indeSen
when was, in al probability, the way in which OF
hssssd SaviOr and lor certsin, tho usual an
sdinary way BY which the ancient Chris,iaus dld re
e.ivs their baptism. shall MT stay to produce th
parsicular proofs Of this. Many Of tho quot dtIoT
.hi.h broGSht Tor other purposes, and shall brng
svnee Il. u hs great want Of prudence ~ we'll q
honesty, TO refuse TO grant to an adversary what
certainly true, and may DO proved so. II creates
isalOusY VI all the rest that one SAYS"
i What supporter Of PedobaPtism, at thi
day will say or grant as much as this7 Pos
sibly one can be found. But we venture I
saw, without fear Of contradiction, that III
proportion Of them now, who will grant ths
lis clear that the primitive mode was diI
ping, is far less than il was in times pas
the history OF which the Review has giTe
Us. Thus we are brou ght. from the san
facts, to the opposite sohelasish from II
one drawn by the Review The Revie
proves from church history, that distinguis
ed PedobapIist writers, in the times whe
the translatious were made, acknowledge
the primitive practice to have been imrne
sion; and from this it jumps at the concI
sion that "Now, baptism and bdptixe ha
acquired an appropriate use, and have Q
tainsd fixed and definite meaning in o
language, g.,
Perhaps this should not be represented
reasoning from facts to conclusions, but
merely continued staiemeut of facts. A
the same. We think the Review altogeih
ineouect tn point Of fact, when it sta,
that the terms have nop di6nite meanir
Where Is the, evidence OF their prese
G0ppropricte use" OF course Bapti
have always had one understanding of the
and have made one use of them. L
where, out Of thepale Of the Baptist chui
(which Is yet, by considerable, a minor