Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-12-01
PERTINENT QUERIES,

a correspondent desires 10 h'o"
whether baptism was practlsed among
the Jews before John the Baptist, and
Il there are any references given In
the old Testament 10 baptism.
That the Jews practlced the rite
known as baptism previous to the APP
pearance Of John, Is very generally held
by scholars, for various reasons one
is that when the Baptist commenced
to baptize, his opponents, as far as
known, though they asked for his au-
thorlty TO do so, never pressed him for
an explanation Of the meaning OF the
ceremony, which they certainly would
have done, had baptism in water been
unknown TO them, or an innovation
with which they were not familiar, II
is admitted by all, we believe, that
proselytes to the Jewish faith were. IN
the early centuries, baptized but some
hold that the Jews borrowed the cere-
mony from the Christians. This sup
position. however, cannot be admitted,
in view Of the Jewish antagonlsm TO
everything Of Christian origin. The only
plausible explanation OF the baptism
OF proselytes Is that II Is OF pre-Chrls-
tian origin. The fact is that the sym
bolical publication in water Is found
IN Egyptian, Persian and Hindu sys-
tens Of religion, long before the Chris
tlan era, and the inference is that the
trainers Of these religions, all had II
from a common source, and II we were
able 10 follow 1t up historically, we
would most assuredly find this COM
mon origin in the religion Of the first
progenitors Of the human family, as
revealed to them by God. their heavenly
Father
one OF the most curious baptismal
practices on record among pagans Is
mat OF the ancient scandlnayians,
Among them a new born infant was
brought TO the father who had au-
thority TO decide whether II was 70 live
or die. II he wanted It 10 be reared,
water was poured over the infant and
Il was given a name. Several refer
cnces to this custom are found In Ice
Andic literature, BY this ceremony the
child was given, hguratiyely speaking,
a new life II was born again, Before
the water had been poured over the In
FAINT, It was not considered crime to
let II perish, but after the ceremony, to
expose It TO death was murder There
can BE- no doubt that similar import
ance was attached TO water baptism
among the nations from which the
ScRndinayians came. II Is easy TO see
in this rite a feeble reflection Of the
doctrine OF regeneration by baptism FOR
the remission Of sins, which must
have been known at the time when
man communed freely with God And
II the pagan nations, through the chan
nels Of tradition, retained baptism
among It's religious obseryances, as an
inheritance from the first ages 1t IS
not reasonable 10 suppose that the
Jews. with their clearer light had lost
all knowledge Of It. II is more reason
able TO look upon their baptism Of pros
elytes as one Of their most ancient OBJ
serysnces, although such baptlsms are
not formally prescribed in the Mosaic
law.
AS to references in the Old Testament
to baptism Michaelis considers Gen,
xNxv; 2 as the earliest. There. Jacob,
who is about to enter a new life and
build an altar to the living God COM
mands all his household and all with
him to put away their idols to cleanse
themselves and TO change their gar
ments, as a necessary preparation. That
this cleansing was a symbolcal purih-
cation In water is highly probable, as
anything less than that would hardly
have been important enough 10 record.
Then from the New Testament IL is
known that Israel were baptized" dur
Ing their passage through the Red Sea.
BY the law CEx. %: 49, it was prescribed
that Aaron and his sons were to be
washed at the entrance OF the sanctu-
Ary' Water as a symbol Of publication,
is often referred 10 by the Prophets.
For Instance In that day there shall
De fountain opened TO the house Of
David and to the Inhabitants Of Jeru-
salem Tor sin and uncleauness." These
ana Others may De fguratIye EXPIRES.
sions, but they would have no meaning
whatever unless the rite Of publication
by water had been known among the
people 10 whom the Prophets spoke.
Ahe same correspondent asks: Did
Christ when preaching tc the spirits
IN prison teach such men as Job.
Samuel and others the law OF BAPTISM qo
That Is very singular question As
there is no report on record OF the SER
mon or sermons preached by the Savior
TO departed spirits there is nothing 10
refer TO by way Of proof 10 establish
any theory concerning the details of
His teachings The Apostle Peter
speaks OF Chrisrs preaching 10 ",he
spirits in prison. and says they were
'disob'dient 10 the days OF Noah while
'he ARK was a preparing" II Peter ma
h-se) He states further that the
gospel was preached also TO them that
are dead. dv. g.
But the spiritual ministry Of the