The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-07-19
BAPTIST.
Reply to'R Rev. Turney, OF Grafton.

"H
Reply TO Rev. Turney, OF Grafton
Editor In,clllgGncGr.
Ihave read with interest the commu'
nication in your issue OF the l7th from
Rev. Mr.. Turney, Of Grafton, in which
as appropriate perhaps to this hot season.
he takes occasion, for what special pur'
pose can hardly understand, TO air bis
views on the subject Of baptism. They
seem, however, to be In reiutation Of
some delivery by the Baptist Minister at
Grafton on the subject Of sprinkling and
immersion. ! do not suppose that the
Baptist Minister aforesaid will find much
difficulty in coping with an opponent
who seems to be so crudely informed as
the Rev. Mr.. Turney, and do not there.
fore presume to tosestalI hibrspIy in the
few words l offer you in answer to Mr..
Turney.
1.-THE reverend gentleman will consult
with candor the ancient lexicons on the
import Of the words baptima or bop!ismas
he will find that they give "immsrsiOn" as
the natural, common and primary
sense Of these words. There Is not known
TO me single exception 10 this interpre'
tation. Nor Is there a received lexicon,
ancient or modern, that translates tina:
word by the terms sprinkling or pouring.
And "a there are but three actions allow
ed to be Christian baptism, and as the
original words, both verbs and nouns, are
translated immerse and immersion, in all
lexicons, and never sprinkle or pour, It
follows that neither sprinkling nor pour.
ing Is Christian baptism. It is not the
question, or rather, the question is not,
whether these words, like others, are ever
used fguratiyely; whether they may not
In their 6guratiye sense or use mean wet
ting or washing (for these may be the ef-
fec: OF either sprinkling, pouring or dip
ping). The question 10 not whether these
words may be SO used, but it Is whether
the action commanded in baptizo be
sprinkling pouring or immersing. All
authorized Greek dictionaries, ancient
and modern, with one consent, affirm the
action to be immersion, and not sprlnk-
ling or pouring. Indeed, mere English
scholar, who has only heard that baptism
is Greek word, may Individually ascer-
tain that II means neither sprinkllpg nor
pouring, by substituting the definition for
The term, and trying It's sense in all places
where this ordinance is spoken Of. This
ia an infallible canon of Interpretation,
viz: .. ....r. ,... ....,
7"The proper definition Of term sub
stituted for it will always make as good
sense as the term ITSELF"
Now II an English reader will try
sprinkling or pouring in those places
where he tinds the word baptism, he will
soon discover that neither Of these words
can possibly represent it, ii the above
canon be correct. All Judea and Jerusa.
lem, we are told, went out to John and
were baptized Of him in the Jordon
Sprinkled them In the Jordan! Poured
them in the Jordanl Baptized them In
the Jordan. Can any one doubt which
OF these truly represents the original in
such passages2 l may sprinkle or pour
water upon person, but to sprinkle or
pour them into water is impossible. 1t
10 not said that be baptized water upon
them, but that he baptized them in water,
in the Jordan.
The ancient Church, il is admitted, on
all hands, praotised. Enumeration. Il did
40, Romans, Greeks and English hiato-
rians being worthy OF any credit. The
places where baptism was anciently I'D.
ministered, being rivers, pools, baths and
places OF much water shows that it was
not sprinkling or pouring. They went
down into the water and came up out of
1t. And John baptized where there were
many waters, or much water. And even
Paul and Silas went out Of the Philli.
piau Jail 10 baptizs the jtllor at night,
rather than send for a cup Of water. 1t
is alluded TO and explained under the
figure OF burial and resurrection, as
relating 10 the death. burial and resur.
reotion OF Jesus, &c. Rom. 6. and
Col. 2. .f.t Baptist
Gard from the Grafton Baptist Minister on the
ZANE subject.
Editors oil the IntellIgcneer:
The Rev. Jasper's theology Ia that "the
Sun do move, il d." and that Of the Rev.
Turney, OF this place, ia that immersion
ia not baptism. Had Rev. Jasper lived
200 years ago his doctrine would be pop.
ular, for il was then taught by the wisest
men. But never since Adam, has any
man Of wisdom believed or taught that
immersion ia not baptism. On the con:
trary, every theologian and scholar Of
any respectability has believed and
taught that immersion IL Bible baptism,
and the doctrine il 70 plainly taught In
the Bible that wayfaring man though
be be Rev. Turney need not err in under.
standing 1t. Rev. Turney asserts that
is indecent, vulgar and IN.
scriptural, and that no refined lady ought
to submit TO the ordinance" l suggest
that be and his Church cease to do an
indecent and nnscriptural act, and cease
to fellowship with indscentladies.
-., o. NJ. NJ. MALIoNEE.
Grafton, Judy IS.