SPRINKLING by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 6, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 14.

SPRINKLING.

By Editor

THE editor of the Harbinger, having been asked, “About what date was sprinkling adopted for baptism, by whom, and where?” gives the following reply:—

This question cannot be answered in its own terms, for it cannot be said that sprinkling was adopted for baptism by any particular person nor at any particular time. It gradually grew into practice and required several centuries for doing this. The first case on record of anything being used for baptism except immersion is the case of Novatian, given by Eusebius. Novatian, being very sick and it being thought he would die immediately, had water poured all over him in bed. This occurred not earlier than A.D. 251. But Novatian recovered and was refused recognition by the church because of the incompleteness of his baptism. Other sick persons subsequently desired to receive this “clinical” baptism, but the authorities of the church strongly condemned it, yet the custom gradually grew in spite of these objections.

The Encyclopedia Britannica says: “The Council of Ravenna in 1311 was the first council of the church which legalized baptism by sprinkling, by leaving it to the choice of the officiating minister.” This will come nearest answering our brother’s question, in that sprinkling was first legalized for baptism in 1311 by the Council of Ravenna.