Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1866-07-14

u thot Ior0 Uy Whte0 Je<uo nSmeeii VIZ
bspsi,ed. and thai vss the 5brn pracsiced ~
John the Baptist, and comnanded By Jesus
Chstse--shas term b. which ali the early dis
ciples were bap,iscd. Whatever thst ioim
sls y the scriptural form. Ana a.
minister says II imssersion . not that 'o'%
shen sprinkiing is The form. and the on.y
form Of "scriptural baptism. Ana ." w"o
have been immersed are unbaptlsed.
The rsasonings Of minister are logical.
II bis PREMISES are sound his eonelusions
are 80. and an end 70 all strife. And mas
much q one word can express but one &C.
ton, therefore tho word "baptizing," in
20, 10, must have commanded
sprinkiing, "sprinkling them 10 the name
Of" &c. Conceding all this to be %. could
there ever, In The past OF present, be any
against this form. Convenient,
delicate. adapted to oil climates, and coLdi-
tons Of men.
Every sane man will be impressed With |
the conviction that there 10 but one form |
Of baptism IL the New Testament. We have |
conceded for the sake Il the argument, that |
form 70 be sffusicn. That this form has been
kept inviolate from the beginning to the
present. That it has given universal sat-
isiaction. But just now there 10 class d
FESTIVE changlings rising up In the church,
demanding a change from sprinkling to
immersion. What will DO the disposiog
motive. Fancy says, do not know
Imagination says, cannot conceive. Weuld
it be to bcstow more abundant honor on
Jesus Christ No. For this would dis
honor both his example and command.
Would this new wav be less expensive
No. Will it be more convenient! No.
Will Il move agreeable 10 the tasets and
wishes Of tho unbsptized! What IL your an.
swer, candid reader! Curiosity asks again,
what 10 the motivcy Is it to make party
in the church. by ''drswing away the disei-
plsss" What are the chances Of SUGGEST
Can these hesstics influence respectable
portion Of the church TO abjurc their bap.
tism, anu receive new and odious hap.
tism o. do they hope 10 create respect
able party by proscliteism from the world
This would be to hope against all hope"
Tho Conscientious Peido Baptist slAims
that in the beginning Of tho Gospel Il was
sprinkling. And Their fore immersion 10 an
innovation.
We have seen the difficulties attendant
upon such IN innovation il it were attempts
ed At tho present time. We confidently
say It would b. failure. As ws Apr zach
nearer the Apostolic age, tho difficulties
multiply. Tho twelve Apoatles were ore
witnesses to the baptism Ct Jesus. They
received their commission to baptixe from
tho lips Of Jesus Christ II Jesus was
sprinklcd they would understand their com
mission 20, unless Jesus Christ would serve
. notice upon them, that henceforth they
would baptixc in another form. Such no.
tics 10 not on record.
But at the time that Jesus was baptized
the attitudes were baptized Of John in
the river Of Jordan confessing their sins"
There were then many eyes to witness the
baptism Of Jesus. Then tho descending
"Dove" and the Fathers recognition, "This
is my beloved son." &C., made the baptism
OF Jesus perhaps tie most impressive event
ever witnessed bv human sight. II tho ex-
act form o. this baptism had not been pres
served by record, it would have been pre-
served By veritable tradition, during the
early ages OF the church. Suppose there
had been no record ofths death Of Abrsham
Lincoln, would not tradition have been .
sufficient record. Would it, within the
lapse Of . few centuries become . contro-
verted question whittier the President was
killed by pistol shot or by sword.
A deliberate departure from scriptural
baptism, by convention or by council, in
the frat ages Of christianity 10 clearly i'm
possible, ~ that would have involved the
fidelity Of the Apostles and those who as
scciated with them. Il would have been to
pass judgment on the inspiration and au
thority Of the New Testament writings
The question to substitute immersion for
sprinkling and the action upon that ques-
ton would have received some historic no.
ticc. Arc our friends on the other side Of
the house in possession ofany such historic |
facts II they are, we call for Thorn. They |
have both logical aud controversial right |
to charge us with departure, provided they
have the documents. There has evidently
been departure from the Gospel in this |
particular. How great the departure must
be, before it will, in the language of Paul
to the Galatians, be "ano,her gospel" I
presume not to say.
will now expose myself by saying, and
perhaps with an offensive dogmatism, that
our assailants are the guilty party. That
they Lave substituted sprinkling for immer>
sion, and but for immersionists scriptural
baptism would have been driven out Of the
world long ere now. do net say this be.
cause want to say il, but. because
should say it, "for II vet seek TO plesse
men cannot DO the servant Of Christ"
The following item of history in nv ami.
ogy The Baptism Of Noyation ri,
into grievous distcmper. and Il being SIM.
posed be would die immediately received
baptism. being bespruklsd with water on
ths-bed whereon he lay, il that can be term
Cd baptism
"Who being denied orders by all IN
clergy and many Of the laity. because IL VA.
not lawful for one who had been bspt: zedin
in his bed BY reason Of some infirmity. a.
hs was to be admitted into any sacred or.
ders."
History Of Ensebius .. D. 1rs. ia. A.
D., 262. This is the first veritabls ease Of
sprinkling on the page Of History This Il
The historic starting point Of this innovation.
THE historian stood nearest tho Apostles.C
He expresses . grave doubr' about tbis
Dprinkling being "baptism." and "a minis>
Ter said in . letter to II. ~ have hov.
ever grave dot hts whether Enumeration ssa
lcriptural form Of baptism" Great s.,oa.
will differ. N. L. Rice and hoet sf e..
NJ express grass doubts about irsneesien.
but when speinkljne began to - anhsaitus
I'd for immersion. al the clersv and nsn,
Il The laity declared The Aaptism AZ Mart.
ion unlawfal for two reasons: In. Rs.