Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-09-09

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seeded from any other church, and there.
fore had nothing to protest against, es-
pecially as they ever held to full liberty
of conscience in matters of religion
They are not Calyinists, because they
do not follow Calvin, but have ever taken
the sacred Scriptures as their only bind
ing confession of faith.
Baptists, therefore, it viii be seen on
investigation, have ever been peculiar
people. In all ages, even to the present
time, in Europe, they have been Perse-
cuted as non-conforuaists, as Anabaptists, /
or re-baptizers, and for refusing to have |
their children sprinkled or baptized
They cannot eoalesce With Pedobaptisls,
not only because they reject sprinkling
or pouring as baptism, but also because
they hold all religious VOWS and obliga-
tions TO be personal aud voluntary and
the baptism of infants in any form they
consider not only unauthorized by Scrip
ture, but as inconsistent with that liberty
of conscience in religious matters which
they have ever contended for, and caus-
ed them TO oppose all state religions
How great yoke infant baptism has
been to the conscience, millions have tes-
tilted, while il has in many countries land
would in all Pedobaptist communities ifI
rigidly adhered to) swept the world into
the church, or more properly perhaps it
should be said, swept the church into
the world. The rationalism, the trancen-
dentalism, the pantheism, and even athe-
ism, so frequently found among the Ger
man Lutheran churches of the present
day, are the legitimate results of birth
membership aud infant sprinkling.
That this birthright membership is
the main pillar which supports the Papal
Church with all its egregious errors in
doctrine and practice, as all Protestants
admit, there can be no question in the
candid and unprejudiced mind which
has examined these things. The Cath
olics, as body, are more correctly des-
ignated by their immoralities than by any
: christian virtues. I can say this truly,
.hv,sstl ann sorry 10 say it-is rrue, afteI
the observation of many years. speak,
Of course, of the masses, and more es-
pecialiy Of Catholic men. It must be
admitted that you occasionally find a
conscientious and sober Catholic, but
they are very rare in the common walks
of life. Among the learned, i, may be
some better, but all, as far as | can learn.
rely on their infant baptism, by which
they are taught TO believe they were
Sanciified as a security of salvation
The church is their ark of safety, and
regarding Lent, the sacred days Of ths
church. and regularly eonfessing THEN
sins, all is well with them. however i'm.
moral their lives. Is this not true pic.
ture Of Catholicism in this country And
could anything uphold such an absnrdiiy
as church of Jesus Christ more immor.
) al than the world, but birihright member,
, ship? Without this support how long
would Popery Withstand the light of the
: nineteenth century, especially in this
J land where conscience is free and unre-
strained BY State leligion9 The power
: Of this infant sprinkling, by its supersti
: tious regard as constituting the uneon
: scious babe a Child Of God, is seen il
I the ease of the stolen Jewish boy Nor
tara. Here the irregular and unauthor
i lied sprinkling Of the bad by his nurse, /
e servant girl, is supposed by the wliol'
: Catholic world, with the Pope at ih,
: head, to convert the inGdel jewish boz
4 into a christian, and the obligations there
5 by imposed upon the boy, though strug
5 Cling to get away from the clutches o
!. the Catholics, are considered TO be suel
that he eanneyer be released from them
4 and to justify kidnapping or man-stealing
t denounced in the Scriptures as one 0
the highest crimes.
7
; The same superstitious thraldom o
q the human mind, though not to the sam
extent, generally attends this theory o
e birthrisbt membership and infant spriDk
|, ling. A high obligation is thus imposes
y on unconscious babes, aad if they live &
d grow up, and do not ratify the VOWS .
parents or friends thus made for them i
a infancy, they are, according TO the view
i Of many, subjects TO the discipline Of H.
church Thousands are thus swept ini
: the church every year who know DOT, no
!, pretend TO, any change II heart, an
+ expect salvation as a matter Of eoars
because they have been born, not Of lh
Spirit, bu. Of the flesh, into the church
Among Protesiants, il Is encouraging
:.