Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-06-14
For The Southern Argus.
BAPTISM.-A REVIEW.

munity Of late, it may not be amiss
publicly to notice a phamphlet that
is just published by our townsman DIR.
WILLIAM SPILLMAN,' entitled "Ihe
ScripturaI GUIDE TO Infant Baptism DC.
Our author discusses but one branch
! Of this subject, viz: The Ide 1tity of
the church of God in all ages Of the
world" which il it can be established,
proves very conciusively, the right of
infant children of believers to church
membership, or to Baptism, since we
know that children were admitted 10
the church Of God under the Jewish
Dispensation, at eight days old, by the
rite of circumcision; and we find no
intimation in the New Testament that
child en- have been excluded from the
church undtr the Christian economy;
but the evidence is all the other way
confirming their right to the blessings
Of the covenant Of Grace.
There are four principal grounds
on which pedo- baptists rely in support
OF Infant Baptism, any one of which
they deem sufficient to establish the
doctrine, in the absence Of positive
counteracting evidence. The first is, the
Identity of the church OF God under
the Jewish and christian dispensations,
which they think is rendered evident by
those passages of Scripture which iep-
resent the church of God as the same
in all ages Of the world--such for ex-
ample as compare the church to an
"olive tree" into viii h the Gentiles
have been "grafted" (see Jer: xi 16.
Rom: H. II 1S.)--such as compare
the church TO Building" composed
Of different materials representing the
coming in Of the Gentiles. (see Eph:
ii chap: Acts XIV, I6)---such as repre-
sent it as "a Kingdom to be transfer
red from the Jews to the Gentiles. (see
Math: viii, 5-12.)-as ga vineyard, "
the keeping Of which was 10 be com
mitted to the Gentiles in consequence
Of the wickedness Of the Jews. (see
Math: xxi. 33 4.)-and such as rep
resent the rites and ceremonies ofthe
Mosaic economy as "types AID shad-
ows"ofIhe christian-(see Col:i.. II }
These and similar Scriptures, they
think establish the Identity of the
church of God under both dispense
tions. The conclusion is that if infants
were members Of the church under the
Jewish economy, which all allow, il
follows as matter Of course, they
must be members under the Christian
i. Dispensation, unless it can be shown
from The New Testament that they
have been excluded. which pedo-bap
lists think cannot be done.
The second ground on which they
rely in support of this doctrine, is the
, p'ecept and example ofthe Saviour anc
E Apostles themselves-the Saviour de.
: clared that little children had ri ght tc
the"Kingdom of Heaven"0he church,
E The Apostles baptized the household
t Of Lydia, the iailor and Of Stephanas
? "hIUi, la all PIUUaurIIry Included i..r---
children. Isee Math. xviii, Is. !
Cor. vii, IA. Acts xvi, IA Is, verse
330
The third ground Of reliance is, th'
practice of the church ever since thu
days Of the Apostles. History affords
Iincontestible evidence, that as far bacl
= as we have authentic records of the
j practice of the churchs infant baptism
s. was never called in question, which r.
strong presumptive evidence, tEatit wa:
, the practice of the Apostles.
II A fourth ground is the natural fit
ness of the thing-since infants are
II naturally depraved and need the puri-
flying influence of the Holy Ghost, o.
which cleansing, baptism is an Emblem
---since Baptism is d sign and seal o
Grace---and since children more thar
any ether class of mankind need the 70:
g tering care and religious training Of tht
" church whilst they are young before
t. "evil days come"
a The pamphlet under review take!
a = up but one of their proofs, namely thu
e. identity of the church of God unde
I'd the Jewish and christian dispensations
=, This our author attempts to prove b,
defining what is meant by covenant
shows that God entered into cove
nant with Abraham in which he enga
ged 10 bless him and his seed after hiu
al = to'all generations-that children were in
Quoted into the immunities of this GOV
!o enant by the'sign ofcircumcision' whic
- was the'seal ofthe covenant The au
'e thor goes on to show that the Mosai
~ =, ritual or "Sinai covenant" did not Sc
H. aside the Abranamic covenant, but wa
70 only added for time, for reasons iai
70 down by the Apostle Paul-he show
as we think very conclusively, that thi
70 Abrahamic covenant which include
~ children, was confirmed and continue
= in Christ; consequently it follows TIL
P infants are entitled to membership
ot the church Of Christ, as they evident
=, were included in the Abrahamic COZ
~ e1ant.
! In the conclusion of the pamphl