Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-03-16
INFANT BAPTISM.

trogvfiles amoug thsologisns IL that
concerning the proper subjscts hud
mode Of baptism. In the emit fn
church infants are immeftei In water,
while tho Roman and tho great
divlaous Of tho Protestant churches
sprinkle them, ana tho BAptlsis and
others immof,c those who profess con.
veulon and faith IN the. Redeemor. The
controversy can DO ,Acsi with COLI
tainty o. faf back ne 10 the age " Ter
tulllAn ana Cypuan, almost 10 the
days Il the flut Christian
churches, but It, force was
renewed as a natural consequence II
the prevalence of Pro,ssial t.,m. The
Roman Catholics m aintaiued tho power
Of the church TO introduor changes iu
the cult, aud 10 them any alteration
IN the sacred rito introduced by M.
thoriiy was perfectly Legitimate. The
ruformeTs, however, inaiI % upon tho
"wfilton word" o. the only authoutf
IN matters referring 10 faith ard ptao.
tice. with singular iucouaItlsncJ
they refused 10 apply this rule TO bap.
tism, retaining infant spflnkliug As
one inheritance from Rome aud thus
the controversy WAS revived in oil u,
fury.
Put on their defense, Protestant 81.
vines met maln,aiaed thst Christ bad
authorized tho baptism II inlantf, and
that the word iu the Now Toitamcut
translated "bspuzt" means sprinkle
~ we'll 40 immefse. Rittafches Into
scclcalaSiical history anc pathological
facts bcariog on tho matter
practically silenoei this limo Of argu.
ment. IL was established historically
that the fret Christian Euthor, Terlul.
liam, who mentions infant baptism ra-
fers TO II ~ an innovation that should
be suppressed anu that H. origin IL
Africa, at time when Christianity
was dtcaylng, ~ evidenced by the
conditions Of tho churches with which
Cypfian was connected. 10 was also
proven philOlogloally that sgrlukllng rs
no "mode" Of bal tsm At oil but au
action entirely diilrront--a substitute
for bap,ihm Of comparatively recent
orlslu. On these points nil students Of
the subject, whose opinions arc entitled
to nut.ce, practically agree.
Tho reason why Proles,auts atm
continue their unscllp,utal practice b.
worthy Of confederation. The view
Adopted-ono which IL also generally
conceded by tho defenders Of New
Testament bhptism-ls that the
ordinance Il not essential 10 salvation,
aud that consequently II 10 unnatural
whether tho command 10 literally
oboyed or not. Against thi1 position
the BaptisIs are poworless, aud their te.
mArkaole victory on historical and
philolorioal grounds In OF no avail hu.
osuse OF aialal error Ia their conception
OF the Specification Of tho Christian
rite.
Those interested In the mblsnt
will probably be aware that ia.
faut sprinkling is not original
with the Roman church. Religious
meanings were attached 10 various
kinds OF publication, wAshings anu
sprinklings among Jews and pagan
nations. The following extracts from
reliable authyr1, made by friend Of
tho NEWS, reior to infant sprlnkling IN
paganism;
Il noticeable that a Kind ofhlp,ismi T.
pTncuccd Ia Tibet, Mongolia. ItlHusual
to sprinkle children with o0us0cratcd
water ON tho third or tonth day after
birth. This IL called khtus.s0l. Tho
priest consecratOs the watur by rociling
some formula, while candles arc burn.
ing. lie Ihon Hprinklus or dips tho child
three lines, blessing ii and gives d. a
mo'-hnt1hisn' etc.,p 800, $50, Nrr
York, 1850,
LYDIA Maria child thus describes in-
liant sprukling among the llludoUa.
"Waler is suppu.Oi 60 cleanse Che soul
and guard from OWL Whom child RI
born, priests sprinkle 10, aud the dwul-
ling, and tue inmates of the house ba.ho.
They do this IRON uu idea that Dr. Keen.
OH Evil spirits. 1Ar Progress NJ Rrl.gIlug
Idfus, Neip York, 1906, %, lgI, lufI
~. klurAd Mturor lH Utrrdr Huwrr.
ucihe DIES GuIuluUsrig HgHTNuH.
says. Tho cOtemuulus connected with
ucalhcn baptism were nuop cd by mo
Christian church. Tho laying 10. thp
breast was recognition OF tie child un
the muther'r par, and thogmut.ug OF tho
right of bapu m was "A recognition ON the
part "a The IA her, This was .hu chIot sig-
nhcAnce ut tba ceremony, although DO
would seem, irOm tho IaNaun "a yory
ancient heather poem in The Elder Eida,
lhat spiritual blessings were also 40
curOd 10 the infant hy tho sprlnEling
bnpuam mAdO tho child uu heir bonn
among the heather aud the old routonic
christians, aud tho tact that among bolh
u had 30 many things lu common that d
look place soon alter tho birth OF tho
child, aud was connected with tho nam.
Ing OF IL that thoro we're god-hl.hers and
Rod-molhers. oic,, makes the quOs ion an
exceedingly ntcfos Ing ous. According
10 the ancient laws OF the Germans, Visit /
COINS aud Anglo'SaNonH tho rite VI