Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-06-21
What Saith the Scriptures?
AN OPEN LETTER.
MINERAL POINT, June il, 1883.

MINERAL POINT. June il. 1883.
Dear Friend:-After conversing
about salvation recently you are
credited with the following remark:
"The plan of salvation as presented
by those people is correct, and if
they can show from the Scriptures
that John immersed Jesus, and that
Jesus commanded all his disciples
to be immersed, then | will i'm medi-
ateiy obey the command of my
Saviour" Knowing your honesty
and candor / do not hesitate to pre-
sent few thoughts for your consid-
GRAFTON, and as some others have ex-
pres sed nearly the same idea, | will
by the favor of the editor make this
an open letter that others may be
benefited thereby.
The American committee of re-
visers render Mark l., s, 81 baptized
you IN water;" and the next verse,
'that Jesus came from Nazareth, of
Galilee, and was baptized of John
IN the Jordan" As all parties are
not willing to accept the new ver-
sion we must ascertain the meaning
of the word baptize. We find it
has not been translated in the Eng
lish New Testament, and comes
from a Greek word meaning "to
dip.n(See Webster's unabridged
dictionary The Greek-English
le1icons generally give it "to dip,
plunge or immerse."
made this statement in convers-
ng with a well-known minister, and
/ he said:
/. That the word baptize also
contained the idea of sprinkle and
pour as parts of its meaning, and
2. II Christ had intended to mean
immerse, and immerse only, he
could have used a more appropriate
word.
told him that this was news to
me and asked him his authority.
lie said, "Liddel and Scott" |
asked if he had one. He said, "No;
and | don't know of one nearer
than Dodgeville. But the first time
you meet a learned man, ask him
and you will find it to be So"
A short time after / was in Oar
lington and stepped into the office
of Geo. A. Marshall, gentleman
whose scholarly attainments are of
a high order, and asked my ques-
tons in regard TO the above state
ments, aud to settle the first he
handed down Liddel and SCOTS
Lexicon and with his finger on the
place told me to read. | read, "to
dip, plunge, immerse," but no sprin-
kle or pour. With regard to the
second, after searching some time
in vain he says: 81 thj,,k there is a
better word, but you know that
words when used in an ecclesiastic-
al sense sometimes have a different
meaning than when used CLASH
cally."
Some time ago the following let
ter was addressed to several pro-
fessors Of Greek in as many of the
best American colleges;
"DEAR S1R:--Will you please
write to me the name and publisher
of at least one standard Greek
English lexicon that gives either
sprinkle or pour as one of the mean
ings of the Greek word 5aptizo? If
there is no such standard lexicon,
state the fact"
The professors failed to refer to
such a current lexicon. Here is the
reply of Prof Humphreys, Master
of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy
! (Leipsic) Prof. of Greek in Wander
! bilt University Methodist Uni
versity: "There is no standard
Greek English lexicon that gives
sprinkle or pour as meanings of
baptizo,"
Prof. Cremer's Lexicon of New
Testament Greek has this definition
of the word baptizo: "The peculiar
New Testament and Christian use
Of the word to denote immersion,
submersion, for a religious purpose"
But you will say that "neither of
us understand Greek. Can't you
explain it from Scripture?" The
word had a meaning understood by
all, and the New Testament writers
do not think it necessary to describe
the action of baptism; but | think
that in speaking Of it they have
said enough, that if put together
will show plainly what it is.
/. THE SAvtorR's BAPTISM Matt sac. Two
things are involved in baptism. Water Is the
Z element, and it required going up out OF the
| water
? JESUS LANGUAGE TO NICODENUs. John
35. Nearly all agree that born of water re-
fers to baptism. Then baptism must be form
Of birth.
! 8. JOINS BAPTISM TO WHICH JESUS SUMMIT
I rED. John 20. This required much water
l. THE BAPTISM OF THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH
/ Acts s.3S. 80. This required going down into
| the water both of the candidate and admins
TRAITOR and going up out of the water
/ 3. The BAPTISM TO WHICH THE WHOLE