The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-08-23

Validity Of Baptism We neglected to notici
at the time brief editorial in the Religious Herald
Of the l0th inst. 1t is mistaken Tue Presbyte
ran Church has expressly denied the validity o
Romish baptism, on the grounds that said organ
ization has become fundamentally apostate from
the faith Of the gospel, and has corrupted the
very element 20 be used in baptism. 1t also deuie.
the validity of Disciples Cor Campbelite) baptism
The reasons for it are fully presented III paper
adopted by our last General Assembly aud pub
lished in the Central Presbyterian of May 81 The
pitb of it is in the following:
"Whatever. then, may b. the excellence of one
member or one congregation In this denomination
the Christian world has no evidence or guarantee
that the next is not Of far different character.
ln such circumstances, even II the Assembly ad
mitted the system above deneated contained sufi
ceut substance Of saving truth to redeem the soul
embracing 1t. this difficulty would remain: This
communion refuses US all guarantee that the per
son baptized into It's pale held. at the time, even
that fFagmeutary outline. We are persiSteHtb
left in the dark whether both he, and the minister
who baptized him, may not have apprehended the
Trinity whose name was used, the faith prOfeSsed
and the salvation embraced, in the sense of the
unbeleviug Pelagian or SOcinian, unless we hap
pen to have the Incidental evidence of personal
acquaintance with these several parties In these
circumstances, there appears no way for the
Church to protect the testimony and Sacraments
of her divine Head from disparagement. sacred
duty in the performance of which no option is lett
US expect to refuse to recognize IN that body. as
"a whole part Of Christ's true visible Church
Believing that it embraces many individuals and
some congregations who are true saints of God, We
sincerely regret for the sake OF these the neces
sity of assuming tEis ground. But it is a necessity
which they create In refusing 20 separate them
selves, by a deGaite testimony, from those who
teach another gospel; for our sovereign Lord
has strictly forbidden US to bid GOdspeed to such
The Herald asks, If the admission of the
validity Of baptism implies an approval of the doe
trines Of the Church By which it is administered,
how can the Assembly consistently receive any
baptism not administered in its own communion?
The answer is that we do not rest the vail iity OF
baptism upon that ground. Our Church has al
ways held, according to the Scriptures that there
may be irregularities and imperfections in the
administration Of baptism, which, though not to
be approved, may still leave the sacrament in sub
stantial validity. Presbyterians differ from Bap-
lists, Methodists aud Episcopalians in number
of particulars some of them they think very i'm
portant, but none Of them essential to salvation
We know what we hold, and what they bold
Therefore we cordially acknowledge the validity of
their ordination to the ministry and of their title
to be recognized as Churches of Jesus Christ, and
consequently the validity Of all the ordinances ad-
in them. In denying the validity of