What's In a Name? by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jun 15, 1882

What's In a Name?

By Editor

SOME of the "liberal" religionists in the East, evidently think that there is a great deal, judging from the following item from the Independent:-

The question of the relation of the Congregation-alists to the Baptists is one that has not yet fairly arisen, but must arise. Baptists can fairly raise against Congregationalists the charge of intolerance, if the latter are unwilling to fellowship churches, and install pastors that shall not accept and practice infant baptism. But that matter is being very quietly settled in favor of liberty, by the passing over of Baptist ministers, who do, what some distinguished Baptist authorities have suggested, use a form of consecration for infants which they will not allow to be baptized. But in the same Manchester which Mr. Leavell has left, a Congregational minister, Mr. Clark, has just been installed, who took somewhat novel and suggestive positions on the subject. He was asked by the council: "Who are the proper subjects of baptism?" He replied: "Believers." "How about their children?" "They should not be baptized; certainly, my children shall not be." "But how in the case of such as desire to bring their children for baptism?" "If they cannot be dissuaded, I should not object to a form of consecration; but I should not call it baptism." This, we are informed, was the substance of the examination on this point. He was unanimously accepted, and Dr. Duryea preached the sermon.

On this principle you have only to call your evil deeds by fine names to make them virtues.