The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1903-03-06
In Conclusion.

LnAlO OK LAlhnll OK,
Dear Sir:-Without replying TO either
of the brethren direct, who addressed
me last week, although | have argu-
ments of refutation prepared, l choose
rather simply TO submit some incOn-
testible evidence for infant baptism
the last article IN my serics-and
which may furnish interesting matter
for interested readers.
My reasons for not Offering any refu-
tatiOn direct 10 the brethren's argu-
ments are these myself opened the
discussion. and have no right 90 close
IL. | furthermore have too much re-
spect for any mans time-honored faith.
believe i'm infant baptism by effusion,
what should IL matter 10 me, II my
brother believes in adult baptism by
immersion. But rs the subject has
been brought before the public IN gem
eral simply submit the following:
IL is fact undeniably true, that chill
dren were embraced IN all OF the lead
ing covenants which God ever made
with mankind from the beginning. In
Ills covenant with Adam and with
Noah. with the lsraelites and with
Abraham, they were included.
10 is necessary therefore 10 show
where God or His Son Jesus ever gave
one command which excluded children
from the baptismal covenant, which is
the second IL not the most significant
ordinance i'm the Christian Church. In
deed find on further research that in
fant baptism existed among the Jews
far back I'm their history, and that II
was no new custom In the days of John
the Baptist. When John came baptis-
ing, the Pharisees made question of
his person--but not of the rite itself,
John l:25) It. Ambrose CAD. 27D
knew the custom of the times-"that
infants received the sacrament Of the
lover of salvation, both at the hands of
John and in the Apostles time He
makes a comparison between Elias aud
John and speaks of Elias turning the
waters of Jordan back toward the spring
head" rs type of the baptism of in
fants" by which, In his view they were
reformed from their naturally corrupt
state, back again 10 the primitive in
nocence of nature
DR.. John LightfoOt, Hebrew, who
well knew the practices and customs
of ms cOuntrymen-in his comments
Matt. 1886 says do not believe the
people that locked 20 Johns baptism
were SO forgetful of the manner and
customs of the nation as not To bring
their little children along with them TO
be baptised." and further declares that
had baptising infants been new
thing there would have been,nO doubt,
as express command, for baptising as
for circumcising them lie says-"lt
was as well known before the gospel be-
gan that men. women aud children were
baptised. as 10 is known that the sun is
up" lie says-"lf Christ would have
had that usage 90 be abolished, he would
have expressly have forbidden IL: so
that Ills and the Scriptures silence in
this matter does confirm and establish
infant baptism forever
Not one word can be found, that any
of the early fathers of the church. dis
credited infant baptism.
justin Martyr, who lived SO near 90
the time of Christ, declares that he
cOnversed with persons Of both sexes,
of sixty and seventy years old who
were discipled TO Christ in their child
hood"
Irenaeus. who lived CAD. % who
was "A disciple OF Polycarps. who was a
disciple of .Iohn-speaks of Christ rs
"haying sanctilied the several ages of
human life, by the corresponding ages
of Ills own life aud says-"lle came
TO save all persons by Himself: all,
mean. who by Him are baptised-in-
fants. and little ones, and children and
youths aud elder persons
Cyprian. who lived 10 years after
| the Apostles, says that "sixty-siX bish.
ops being convened in a council ut Car
thage had the question referred 20 them,
whether infants might be baptised be-
| fore they were eight days old, and de-
cided unanimously that no infant rs 20
be prohibited from the benefits of bap.
tism although but just born
1t. Augustine says ofinfant baptism
81 never knew n hereto so impious as
10 deny that infants are 20 be baptised.'
lie says-"The whole church practices
infant BAPTISM IL was not instituted by
commands but was always in use
The above evidence dates back "a
the Apostles times. and are facts which
anyone may read from well authenti.
Gated history. REV. L. DURR.