The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-09-04
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
Dr. Dales Three Volumes on Baptizo.


These volumes have created decided sensation
in the Christian world. Advocates Of Dr. Dales
views have accepted them as standing in the front
rank of contributions to right view of the mode OF
Baptism: and anything like adequate refutation
of his position, by his opponents, is yet wanting.
The letter from which the subjoined extracts are
taken was addressed to me few weeks ago, and
so impressed me with its discriminating and just
commentator, that the author permission for Its
publication has been solicited and obtained AS
he is member of the Episcopal Church, and so
not so we'll known to the bulk of the readers OF the
Central Presbyterian it is proper to say that bis
deservedly high standing both as Lawyer and
Banker, and Christian gentleman Of great cul-
ture, serve to give his views the claim to unusual
consideration. B. NJ S.
After expressing in general terms the profound
impression produced in his mind by the perusal OF
these volumes recently obtained, and intimating a
desire to know how the fourth could be procured,
Mr. NJ. says:
81 refer to Classic, Judaic and Johannic Bap-
tism | know nothing of the author except what
his volumes disclose but | have not often been so
thoroughly impressed and absorbed by any mans
PRODUCTIONS. With all reverence for the sacred
use of the term, | can truly say, have been thor
oughly baptized by DR.. Dale's volumes.
His attention having been called to the work by
brief notice, he had ordered it and quite sur
prised to receive three large octave volumes, IN
stead of one duodecimo, as he had expected
Finding in one of the volumes some favorable no.
tees by old personal friends, he undertook the pc
rusal beginning with classic Baptism" and be-
came so interested, that the entire series was gone
over, and parts more than once, and this In
close study regarding the whole as an intellec-
tual treat of rare value. He says:
THAT DR.. Dale has settled the question is as
certain to my mind as that philology and logical
argument can settle any thing. | thought had
covered the field, tolerably well before, but por'
tons of classic Baptism" and still more OF
Johanna Baptism" satisfied me that l had,
indeed, much more to learn.
was greatly gratifed with the critical analysis of
the use of the propositions els and en-. Of course
the Identification of the Hebrastic en- addti with
the classic udah is simple and conclusive; but
when examining the uses of the nude Instrumental
datve, felt an irresistible impulse to suggest to
DR.. ID. to throw aside this and take the bull by
the horns" The truth is, according to Dr. u.
Harrison, this Dative is just simply no dattce at
ALL it is nothing else but the a6latiUe, and had it
been SO understood all the while, as the universal
abldtue of the Instrument, there could never have
been trouble about its use. 1t was however some
other points which most impressed me-possibly
because newest For instance, Mark i: g. had
given me trouble. l was obliged to admit, that
however perfectly easy en- to v0rtdne was to be
managed, yet eiS tom JOrdaaen did have the look
of baptizing into the Jordan. Not often has a
searching and critical examination been more sue
cessful, in my judgment That its syntactical con-
nexion is with eltte the verb of notion and not
with bql2tizo is l think placed by DR.. D. beyond
all question.
If however, were to single out what perhaps
most of all impressed me, in so marvellous vol
ume, it is the exhaustive analysis of Baptisnla
rnetaaoias eis apheSin amartiO10. have no hest.
tation IN saying, that l never before understood
aohat Johns Baptism was, /. c., that it was all
really embodied in the herald's cry "metanoeite"
That DR.. Dale is right here, is to me, beyond all
controversy. If" Upo metheS e5S anaistheSiaa kai
upnon" means [baptized) "Qf lor by drunkenness
into iaseasibiHty and sleep, equal to a complete
controlling influence of drunkenness, passing into
and producing iusensibility and sleep, why in the
name of philology and logic, does not "baptiSnaa
naetanoias els apheSin anaartian' mean the COM
plete controlling influence OF repentance? "pneu.
matt agio-instead of ONO, being the controlling
infuencsrepresented by the baptism resulting in
the forgiveness of sins?
Do you observe Alexander Campbell says of
baptism of repentance for the remission Of SINS,
''if it were not for an imagined inadequacy of the
means water dipping) to produce the alledged
end, there would never have been any hesitation
in admitting the plain meaning of the words "
New what is this but bald heresy built upon an
erroneous translation of the proposition? Strike
out for as it ought to be, and put in into and the
whole poisonous error disappears.
should like very much for DR.. DIS attention to
be called to this point, and that he may develop it,
showing how pretentious error has, in many cases
at least, grown out of this blunder in translation
Yours sincerely and affectonately,
N. Fl. MAssIE.