The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-09-20

from Christian pulpit. Baptism"
he declared, never saved human
SOUL" He gave no reason for this
broad, sweeping and positive asser-
ton. He simply sought for applause
and notoriety, and, like Ingersoll, he
received both. Some Protestant min
listers, equally trustworthy, more learn
ed and conscientious, differed from
him. Others, who might be inclined
to leave it an open question, would
shrink from calling God a tyrant and
a monster and demon"
In questioning infant baptism, Rev.
! Macarthur repudiates the doctrine of
mans original fall, which has been
universally believed and was taught
by the synagogue. With the effects
of the fall or Adams disobedience, all
children are born. For behold l was
conceived in iniquities; and in sins did
my mother conceive me-" psalm 6, V.
.. With God, mankind is unit, and
considered in the father, from
whom He wishes all to go forth.
The original evil has been hurtful to
mans posterity. Adam lost for him
self and all his posterity the justice
and holiness bestowed on him when
created. The stain left on his soul, be-
cause of disobedience, has been trans
mitted to all mankind. This includes
death, bodily infirmities, also original
sin, which is the death of the soul.
The teaching of the Psalmist is con-
firmed by that of st. Paul: Wherefore
as by one man sin entered into this
world, and by sin death; and so death
passed upon all men in whom all have
sinned." (Rom. V. 12.) Adam was the
"one man" from whom all contracted
original sin. Anticipating any objec-
lions that may arise in the mind re-
garding any apparent unreasonable
ness of extending the fathers culpa-
bility to the child, st. Paul tells how
Gods mercy made provision: For as
by the disobedience of one man, many
were made sinners; so also by the |
obedience of one many shall be made
just" ", 49, What Paul taught the |
inthians: And as in Adam all die, so
also in Christ all shall be made alive"
Il Cor XIV, 22).
This belief, that Adams transgres-
sion descended to all his children, was
the faith of the Jews and patriarchs,
as evidenced by the testimony of holy
Job. Nicodemus, a Pharisee, had some
such faith when he came by night to
Jesus and professed his faith in the
Son of God. His profession of faith,
Rabbi, we know that thou art come
a teacher from God" brought forth
this significant reply from the Savior:
Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a
man be born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God" John iii, 81 Nico-
demus, hearing this strange language,
and taking the words of Christ in
their plain, natural sense, expressed
MS wonder: How can a man be born
again when he is old? Can he enter
4 second time into his mothers womb
and be born again?" ", ~. Christ,
perceiving Nicodemus' honesty and
sincerity, corrects the mistake he made
through taking his words in their lit
erai sense. To be orn again meant
spiritual birth. Hence the answer,
Amen, amen, 1 say to thee. unless
one (nisi quis) be born of water and
he Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into
he kingdom of God. That which is
BORN of the flesh, is flesh: and that
which is born of the spirit, is spirit"
", o. 81. There is no limit. The Latin
Hords-nisi quis-are universal in their
application.
The primary end of baptism is to re-
store humanity to its lost inheritance
'or the same reason that manhood and
10 age need baptism, so does the baby !
'orn Children fall under the univer- ;
al sentence uttered against every child t
II Adam. All have inherited original
IN. To remit this sin Christ instituted I
ne sacrament of baptism, which is '
in its application. i
Inc objection to infant baptism i
lates back to apostolic times. which /
hows that the doctrine was taught &
rom the beginning of the Christian J
"a. 1t was denied by Hermias. a ma S
i'e VI Gdldtld, ana his followers, who I
ourished in the second century. # 1
vas taught by Names, who died in 277 S
nd who was the founder of Mani
haeanism. Pelagius AN Englisbman t
nd from whom Plagiarism sprune o
aught that Adams sin affected him
elf personally and did not extend to
is posterity; also that newborn in a
ants are in the same condition that f
dam was before the fall st. Augus- q
mes answer to all who denied han e
SIN, though plain and simple. is vet
pphcable. Contending with the Mani Y
naeans, he said to them: ''You who =
eileve of the Gospel what you please il
nd reject what you please, rather he
eve yourself than the Gospel, These r
ords of st. Augustine are apnIicab1e "
all times, and to all people. The .
lcred scriptures, without a supreme or a
l1aiilole court to determine their o
leaning, are quoted in favor of all tba p
oVel, and not infrequently absurd "
octrines that have been taught dur 8,
g the past twenty centuries. fl
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