BOTH WITHOUT SCRIPTURAL AUTHORITY.
By Editor
THE following from the Herald of Truth, the leading Baptist paper of this coast, is worthy of the careful perusal of Pedobaptists. Baptists well say that there is no scriptural authority for the practice of baptizing infants, but we cannot help wondering why they cannot see that the same thing is true of Sunday-keeping. There is just the same authority for one practice as for the other, namely, the authority of the Catholic Church. The Herald of Truth says:— “Our Pedobaptist brethren often enlist our sympathies when they have to give a reason for the faith which is within them, and always when they must tell why they baptize babies. The Christian Union has recently been brought face to face with the question, ‘Upon what do Pedobaptists base their belief in infant baptism?’ Dr. Lyman Abbott is editor of the paper, and we take it for granted that he wrote the answer. Here it is in all its fullness, and we presume as full as it is possible to make it:— ‘1. Baptism is a dedicatory rite. 2. The infant at its baptism has not yet become a separate person, but is still, as it were, enfolded within the parental nature, not much less than it was before its birth. 3. The baptism of such an infant declares that it is what the parent is, a member of the body of Christ. Whether it continues to be such depends on parental nurture and the choice of the young will when formed. 4. Apostolic example seems to look this way. It is not at all likely that in all the households which Paul baptized there were no young children. Origen, born of Christian parents, A.D. 185, declares infant baptism to be an apostolic tradition.’ “Upon this we beg leave to comment briefly. 1. No Bible authority is even claimed. We insist upon this. The belief is not based upon the teachings of Scripture. The nearest to scriptural authority for the practice709which the answer gives us is, ‘Apostolic example seems to look that way.’ ‘It is not unlikely that in all the households which Paul baptized there were no young children.’ Now, here is the ground upon which several Christian sects base a belief they preach to the world as the gospel of Jesus Christ. We can but recall that other answer given by Lyman Abbott's illustrious predecessor in the pulpit, Henry Ward Beecher, who, when asked why he baptized infants, replied, ‘Because I have a mind to.’ 2. What ground is there for calling this Christian baptism at all? In what particular does it answer to the baptism commanded by Jesus Christ? If Pedobaptists had their way the command given by Jesus Christ would never be obeyed, for there would of course be nothing but infant baptism. How fearful the responsibility to displace a positive and prominent command of the Master by a rite born of tradition and supported by sentiment and ecclesiastical usage. If these good people would sprinkle their babies and call it dedication, then when ‘their wills were formed,’ and they believed in the Lord Jesus, would baptize them upon a confession of their faith, they would do a beautiful and consistent thing.”