The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-17


occurred about the year l6il. when i'm
merson WAS substituted In the place OF
sprinkling and pouring. IL these had
been retained 1t would have been as i'm
possible for them 10 shake of the name
Anabaptist as 1t was in the case OF the
Anabaptists OF Germany. After IT'S adop-
, ton OF immersion, It was easy TO insist
that those who practiced 1t were alone
"baptized people," emphasis being laid
not only upon the subjects as formerly
but also upon the mode OF baptism. Inis
latter emphasis was indicated by the
name Baptist.
The earliest organized Baptist church
belongs TO the year 1910 or leh' Inc
Puritan movement was IN progress: Ans
worth, Johnson, Clifton, and tfeir adne-
rents were already settled IN Amsterdam,
where they found refuge from their Eng
llsh prosecutors. In 1908 John Smyth
made his way 70 Amsterdam from Ian
colnshire for tho same purpose, win
another party composed OF about thirty
adults. Arrived in Amsterdam. MI
Smyth shortly fell in with the Memo
mites. and fell out with Ainsworth ana
the friends with whom he had hitherto
co-operated. The Minnonites, who oppos-
cd infant baptism. persuaded Smyth that
ne had never been baptized. All OF
smyth's company apparently joined him
I'm this conviction, and decided to have
themselves re-bapized Smyth took the
| lead. and, after performing the ceremony
I'm his own case. proceeded TO baptze the
others. The mode OF this baptism " IS
believed. was by sprinkling since that had
now become the general mode In Eng
land and the Brownsts do not appear 20
have used any other. Certainly there was
no other mode among tho Mennonites
and sprinkling had by this time become
almost universal IN every section Of Hol-
land and Germany.
The other branch, known as the Par
ticular Baplists, had different history
At the outset all BrOwnists who could
conveniently escape took refuge from per
secution I'm Holland. BY the year lbl5
however. II was considered possible for
than TO remain at home, and IN that year
the Oldest Independent church on Eng
lish soil was established at London. In
the course of time It was perceived that
n portion Of the members scrupled the
propriety Of infant baptism, and this lea
TO a peaceful separation, the seoedins
r,artv organizing a new church on Sep
tember u. 1893. They all submitted 10
adult baptism. apparently by sprinkling'
maintained the most fraternal relations
with the brethren from whose fellowship
they had departed. Having had no kind
Of connection with Holland or the Mem
nonites their Calyinism remained IN
tact. Their church constitution was like
wise AT the beginning unaffected by tho
Mennonite scheme: they were IN favor
or four grades OF ofIlcers-pastors teach-
ers. elders and doacons-which at that
period prevailed among the Independents
In fact. so intimate and fraternal were
the early relations between the Partlcu-
lar or Calyinistlo Baptists and the indie
pendens. that the custom was almost
Immediately established OF organizing
mixed churches. composed I'm part Of In
dependents and I'm part Of Baptists, with
"A pastor selected indifferently from either
denominations The church over wnich
Mr. Runyan presided was OF that sort
and there were many others. The lines
between the two denominations are now
more strictly drawn but there are SIM
numbers Of these mixed churches I'm Eng
land The Particular Baptists. having re-
ceiver no education IN Mennonite views
did not. as the General Bapusts are
known 10 have done. feel any scruples
touching the lawlessness Of military ser
vice That q Christian might become
a magistrate or incur the responsibilities
Of a judicial oath. was also never cues
toned among them.
Soon after the organization OF this first
church a discussion was raised concern
ing the proper mode Of administering bap-
tism. and the conviction was at length
established that immersion was the only
scriptural mode. Much embarrassment
resulted when they began TO consult
as TO the proper course Of procedure. Mr.
Spillsbury and most Of the members OF
hls church held the opinion that, since
the circumstances were extraordinary, It
was admissible for any minister TO ad-
minister immersion. even though he had
not himself received the rite arguing
that neither John Cue Baptist nor the
twelve apostles had been baptized before
they commenced TO baptize others. That
position was approved by the larger num-
Der, and those who were accounted most
iudiciOus Others were disconnected, and
insisted upon obtaining succession. Some
of these were members Of Mr. Spills
bury's flock but 10 IS believed that the
majority still belonged to the Independent
Church from which Mr. Spllsbury's
church had separated. No succession
could be obtained in England: they were
aware Of the existence OF the General
Baptists, but as these were I'm the prac-
tice Of sprinkling they could afford no
relief Mr.. Richard Blount. who took an
active part in favor OF succession, was
master Of the Dutch language. and well
acquainted with the condition Of affairs
IN Holland. excited attention 10 the Col
legiants, who in the year 1919 had estab-
Hshed the practice OF immersion at
Rhynsburg, and proposed to send thither
and obtain succession from them. He
was deputed to 90 abroad for that pur-
pose. and arriving at Rhynsburg, was
cOurteOusly received by Mr. John Batten.
success scr OF the brothers Van der Codde
IN the pastoral office there. In due time
Batten consented to immerse him, and
returning to England he administered the
rite 10 the rest of his company. Thus the
Particular Baptists became divided into
TWO separate tendencies the followers
of Spillsbury laid no stress upon success
sion. his opponents regarded II as indls-
pensable. The same division prevails at
the present time.
If the Rhynburgers introduced INNER
sion I'm the year 1919, IL might be claimed
that their succession was a mere myth.
and that Blount did not Obtain what he
went so far to seek. That question he's
been investigated In n special treatise by
dc Hoop scheffer, entitled Overzicht der
Geschiedenis van den Doop BIZ Onder-
dompehng Amsterdam 1892, in which
he suggests that immersion had been
fetched out Of Poland TO Rhynsburg by
Joannes Geesteranus. From the Polish
Anapaptists 1t might also be traced back
70 Switzerland and the Reformation.
ence the friends Of succession are not so
hardly bestead as might at first appear.