Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-04-18
For ths peeyssiaOnt Telegraph. @.
AsERtIoN ON THE MODE OF BAPTIsM
BY q. q RecKwIfH.

Ak I. aa= ~ Is NJ. HFEE ia
Brother Murray In seasons Of religious
awakening, the subject Of baptism seldom
fails of coming in for its full share of the
public attention. In the revival of 1881,
which was general through the land, dis
course on the mode of baptism having been
preached at Lowell, Mass, with "signal"
effect, and printed for the advancement of
The cause ii advocated, it was advised to
reprint 1t for the benefit of the people OF
Rutland county, VI, where also a revival
OF religion was at the same time in prog
ress. Il was accordingly re-published by
II. II. Houghton, printer, Castleton, 1881.
In the "notice" opposite the title page,
which is anonymous, the object of the re,
publication is declared to be. not 10 "pro-
voke," but simply to "Prerent" and dltdy
discussion on an exciting subject. This
same "Tract" has again made its appear
Ince in our houses, now that the attention
OF the people in sotne of our towns in the
same county of Rutland is again turned to
The subject of religion. The publishers Of
tnis discourse, seem willing enough the
s'eoPle should be taught, provided it can be
done in such manner as not 10 "provoke"
orGt enquiry, and "stop he reformation !''
And who can fail at once to perceive the
amount of good that may be done by these
silent messengers of peace "creeping into
houses" having none to modest or make
them afraid.
| cannot stop 10 notice the one half, nor
the one thousandth of the errors, sophisms,
mistaken premises and false conclusions
contained in this discourse. To point out a
few Of the most prominent must suffice.
The preacher prefers the sprinkling mode
Of baptism, because ii is more simple, more
convenient, more safe, and more decorous
than immersion. In regard to the first
count, in opinion with the preacher most
! heartily coincide. It is the very acme OIL
! simplicity. II is simplicity seven times sim
J pii6ed. Applied to babes it is suited to the
} subject and The subject to the mode. Blu
see not why the same reasoning may no
: be applied to circumcision. Why not, since
: baptism is now in the room Of circumcis
f ion7 Would it not have been more con
Senient, safe and decorous, TO have applies
the knife TO one of the fingers? Woult
not the spirit of The institution have beer
! preserved just as well, and the typical sig
ni6cancy, which was the shedding Of blood
have been as well secured2 Why not2
. "True," says the preacher, (p. 49, "Johr
did baptize at Enon near to Salim, becaus,
| there was much water lhere,"-and ther
asks, "But what need OF much water?-
: For baptism? No; but for the accommo
y dation and even subsistence Of the vas
mulIitudes that hocked to hear John" OH
a ers have said they needed the :'much water
a tor their beasts as well as for themselves, i
being dry country and in dry season 0
the year. Apply, this reasoning in anothe
case: John was building meeting house a
Enon near to Salim because their wa
much roood there. But why need "mucI
wood?" For building? No; it wasa coll
climate, and in the cold season of the wear
i, and they needed the wood for fuel, for tn
= accommodation and even subsistence of tn
vast mOllitudes that hocked to hear john
i Excellent logician!
In a note on the same page, the preache
: asks, Was Christ baptized in his owl
" name? Without the shadow Of shade G
hesitation | answer, He aDas. He came frol
: Galilee 10 John. and in his own divine pei
" son demanded baptism al his hands. An
= now ask in return, Does Mr.. B. baptiz
) infants in their own name2 ] know he ar
every man will answer, "Certaitily not
= In whose name then does he bapiiz
tsTinkle them2 In the name of God
In the absence of all doubt, | answer, No
To baptize 10 the name Of God, is to bapriz
. by divine authority and command. Job
= baptized in the name Of him that sent him
Who sent him2 Answer: There was
n man sent from God whose name was John
>, Therefore, as God has not commanded, an
I the infant cannot command him, nor ask
of him, il follows that G. c. Beckwith bdp
!. tizes Tspunkles his infant candidates, nc
= in their own, nor in Gods, but in their pa
!. rents name! s-<-..-. a.,r....... .-a
D. The preacher, wishes to know page II
whether the Bible expressly informs q
= how the apostles baplized2" Answer: Th
\ fact Of their going down into the water fo
! baptism, aside from The original meanin
and 6gurative import of the word, prove
to incontestibly, yea, demonstrarively, thu
O. immersion Of the whole body in water, wa
- ,beir ohiect To sunnbssaa stbey went mi