The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-11-10

ually. First came
the theory that every child Of Adam
was born damned to eternal torture
at the hands Of fire-proof devils. and
that the only escape was through bap-
tism But it was claimed that baptism
cancelled only previous sins and not
subsequent ones; hence it was the Gus
tom in Constantine's time to put Off
baptism until as near the hour Of death
as possible. Tertullian is credited with
supporting this view.
later came st. Augustine, advancing
the theory that only the Church would
be saved and that baptism was for the
purpose Of induction into the Church.
Naturally it followed that if infants
died without being admitted into
the Church they would go to eternal
torture AS result of this teaching
infant baptism sprang into great pop
ularity. which is still maintained. At
first the infants were immersed in
water. but later. under the belief that
all bishops were successors Of the
Apostles and equal in authority.
Church Councils took the place Of the
Word of God. They not only sanction
ed infant baptism, which is not even
mentioned in the Bible, but addition
ally claimed that immersion was un-
necessary and that a few drops Of wa
ter would induct the aged or the babe
into the Church and constitute an in
surance against a hell Of eternal tor
ture. This theory still persists to per-
haps greater degree than many
would imagin Luther and his coad
tutors protested against some Of the
doctrines of the Church of Rome. but
accepted without protest infant bap-
tism. sprinkling. ETC.. as necessary to
preservation from everlasting torment.
Unbaptized Infants In Torture
Someone suggests. "Ah! we practice
infant sprinkling. but it Is merely
christening We have no thought
whatever that the gracious Heavenly
Father or His adorable Son. our Re-
deemer. would consign an infant to
torture. even if it died without be-
ing christened." Do not be too sure,
my brother Superstitions die hard. l
know of a white haired bishop in the
Episcopal Church who was appalled,
at the very suggestion that his infant
grandchild might be safe in the arms
of Jesus without having been Chris
tened"
Not only so. but these superstitiOns
Of darker day are forcefully impress
ed upon the common people, by some
of the clergy. Let me tell you Of two
cases:
IL A Lutheran couple in Pennsylva
MIA had some unpleasantness with
their pastor respecting Church dues
This caused them to absent themselves
from Church service for several
months Meantime their babe be-
came sick. The father humbled him
self to go to his pastor to tell him of
his distress and his fear that the child
it baptized. Imagine the anguish of
the deluded parent when the pastor re-
fused and told him that the child
would go to hell and that this was his
desert as q parent because of failure
to keep in touch with his Church.
ca The other case was that Of a
Catholic couple in Wisconsin. Their
two little girls died of diphtheria with.
in IL few hours of each other. When
the parish priest was sent for he de-
clined to come and refused permission
TO have the children buried in holy
ground" The explanation given to
the astonished parents was that they
children. that they had not been bap.
TIED into the Church and consequent
~ We're lost.
To Il friend the bereaved father de-
clared that he wanted to have nothing
whatever to do with so unjust God
who would consign his little innocent
children to eternal torture merely be-
cause of his sin. his neglect. in moi
having few drops of water sprinkIed
IN their faces by the priest. The friend
had been reading my Studies in the
Scriptures and explained to the be
reaved father that Church creeds AND
theories are very different from the
plain and simple teachings Of the Ri
BILE. He showed him that his little
ones were merely asleep in Jesus
waiting for the glorious resurrection
blessings of restitution. to he brought
TO mankind at the second coming OF
Jesus. after the completion of the elec
Church and their change to heavenly
glory. Could you wonder that thai