A^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) "' -.v 4^, 1.0 I.I ^ u& 1^ ti^ 2.0 L25 IIIU I 1.6 V] vl ^> '^^<% Photographic Sciences Corporation SJ 4 \ ,v <> .-'^ '^ ^N^ O 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTP!R, N.Y. US80 (716) 873-4503 ^ ■^ "^ <^\^kfi ^ i/j CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut canadien de microreproductions historiquas > Technical and Bibliographic Notas/Notas tachniquas at bibliographiquas Tha Instituta hai attamptad to obtain tha bast original copy availabia for filming. Faaturas of this copy which may ba bibliographicaily uniqua, which may altar any of tha imagas in tha reproduction, or which may significantly change tha usual method of filming, are checked below. Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur j I Covers damaged/ D D D D D D D Couverture endommagte Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restauria et/ou pelliculAe l~~| Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque I I Coloured maps/ Cartes giographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ ReiiA avac d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La re liure serr6e peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge int^rieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within tha text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutias lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte. mais. lorsqua cela itait possible, ces pages n'ont pas M filmias. Additional comments:/ Commentaires supplAmentaires; L'Institut a microfilm^ la mailleur exemplaire qu'il lui a it6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographique. qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mithoda normala de filmage sont indiqute ci-dessous. □ Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur □ Pages damaged/ Pages endommagias I I Pages restored and/or laminated/ D This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est f ilm6 au taux de reduction indiqu6 ci-dessous. Pages restaurdas et/ou pelliculdes Pages discoloured, stained or foxei Pages dicolordes, tacheties ou piqudes Pages detached/ Pages ddtachdes Showthrough/ Transparence Quality of prir Qualiti inigala de I'impression Includes supplementary materia Comprend du materiel suppldmentaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible fyl Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ I I Pages detached/ rri Showthrough/ I I Quality of print varies/ r~~| Includes supplementary material/ I I Only edition available/ Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuiilet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 6t6 film6es d nouveau de fapon & obtenir la meilleure image possible. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X y 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X m The copy filmed here hae been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Seminary of Quebec Library The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed baginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol -^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: L'exemplaire film* fut reproduit grice A la gAnirosit* de: SAminaire de Quebec Bibliotliique Les images suivantas ont itt reproduites avec le plus grand soin. compte tenu de la condition at de la nettet* de l'exemplaire film*, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est ImprimAe sont filmis en commenpant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la derniire page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmAs en commen^ant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la derniire page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un dea symboles suivants apparaltra sur la derniAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — »> signifie "A SUIVRE". le symbols V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent itre filmte A des taux de reduction diff«rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clich«. il est film* A partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite. et de haut en bes, en prenant le nombre d'images n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 32X 1 a » \ 4 ' • • ^^2 J'fi J 1^ ^^^ 'li0tA^s;oseid Ih- Tin; Hi:v, .1. BE'l'HrXE, PisKsiiVTinMAX Mimstku, Chi;ki,ky, Oxt., A nick OF "liAi'TiiT Mi?^i!i;pi{i:s]Kbli©uaeQU6, Le S6minaire de Qu6bec^ — '^' 3, rue de rUniver$it6, Qu6bec 4, QVE. " Ih' t!i;it is lirst in his nwii ciusc seoiin'tli .just ; liut liis iieiglibdiir coiiittli .•iinl si-iin-Iii'tli Iiiiu."— Prov., xviii, 17. xO > IF^XJIBILiISXaiEID I3^Sr JFIEQXJJIJST. 1^1 ~K <^E Ih OTTAWA : J. DURIE & SON, BOOKSELLERS. r'JF^.IOE lO 01I]1>J"TS. HIS R Br BAPTIST DISHONESTY. I «»> I ilSOUOTATIONS AND OTHER CROSS MISREPRESENTATIONS IN THE RECENT PAMPHLET ON BAPTISM OF THE BAPTIST MINISTER, Rev. a. a. CAMERON, OF OTTAWA, Bt the Bet. J. BETHUNE, Presbtteriak Minister, Gheslet, Ont., AirruoK of " BAPTIST MISREPRESENTATIONS." ■ wi ' He that is first in his own cause seemeth just ; but hii neighbour cometh and searcheth him."— Fro v., xviii I=>XT3BrjieE3:EIID DE^BQXJBST. OTTAWA : J. DURIE & SON, BOOKSELLERS. INTRODUCTION. Having recently received a copy of the small but bold Baptist manifesto ftpccified in the title page, and lately issued to the infant Baptiat community of Ottawa, I soon afterwurdn found an effort made privately to introduce it among nome of my own congregation here — full 400 miles distant from th« place of publication. It was published, says the author in his preface, " by Hpecial request," and was evidently prepared carefully for its purpose, con- taining as much varied matter, crowded in, as its small space of 24 pagei could adniit of. The arts of proselytism for which the Cldse Communionist section, to which Rev. Mr. Cameron belongs, is so much distinguished, are conspicuous throughout in an abundance of assertions without attempts at proof, together with an array of professed quotations from infant Baptist writers; with reference to the latter I will give some specimens of the groat dishonesty prailised by Mr. Cameron in this pamphlet. He was well aware that rure evangtlicnl truth," After such a statement who could for a moment doubt his honesty I and what B .^M would ? It was intended to produce confidence in his integrity, and likely svould with most, whatever they might think of the statements quoted. But this should and will make his dishonesty all the more culpable to those who see it exposed. Before entering on his pamphlet it will be of service to the unacquainted reader to explain a little the distinctive features of THE CLOSE COMMUNIONIST THEORY. They contend that none are baptized at all in the sense of the Scripture or- dinance who in infancy have been dipped in water or sprinkled with it in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost ; or who, after they have become believers, have had the water poured or sprinkled on them and were notdipped. Thi.s is the que.stion that exercises that body so much. Then, on the position that the baptism of water is the divinely appointed means of admission into the membership__of the visible Church of Christ, they hold that nbne of all the infant Baptists of past ages and the present, were and are members ol or within hia Church at all ! fiinoe according to them they were not baptized. One would think that Huch a concluHlon of itself migiit convince themselves that their theory of baptism is at variance with Scripture doctrine and fact. But n0| they hold to it as tenaciously as the Pharisees maintained to the last, notwithstanding the evidence to the contrary, that Jesus was not the true Scriptu^ral Messiah. It therefore further follows in their theory that of all professing and truly godly Christians, none have ever been or are mem- bers of the Christian church but Baptists alone. They only have ever been and are Christ's kindom on earth 1 The Church — all infant Baptists were and are members of, and connected with — was not and is not Hia. Hence on this ground they don't, and, by their constitution, will not allow any infant Baptists, however eminent in faith and piety, to communicate with them at all in the Lord's supper, or to partake of any privileges of the membership, as according to them, they are outside of the church, not admitted within, not entitled to the children's bread and privileges. Of the illustrious infant Baptist Christians at the great Reformation, and before and since, who in living faith preached the true scripture evangel with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, to the pulling down of Satan's strong- holds and the salvation of myriads, with the vast multitudes of their brethren of every land and age who suflered the loss of all things, and loved not their lives unto death for the faith and testimony of Jesus, and all of like spirit in the world to-day — not one of all of them would Close Communionists suffer to partake of the material bread, and drink the cup emblematical of their faith in and love for their crucified and risen Saviour, of which also He says to a2{ his disciples, 'Take, eat; drink ye a22 of it.' We are not dependent, however, on their permission or consent. And at our own communion table has not the Lord manifested himself to his people, and does he not in our breaking of bread, as also in our other ordinances and services? If the Lord and Master sup with us and we with him there, who aie they who say, No; in Christ's name we cannot allow you to sit at his table? And who are those they receive rather? The godly Bunyan, (who with his congregation, as he informs us, were constantly assailed by the Close Com- munionists of his day) in his treatise ' Differences in Judgment, No Bar to Communion,' told them what we know is equally true still. " You exclude," he says, " the most godly from your Communion, when every novice in re- ligion shall be received into your bosum, and be of esteem with you, because he hath— and from what grounds Qod knows - submitted to water baptism." Nay, so far does their zeal carry them on this matter of water that they exclude and practically excommunicate even the Open Communionists, who hold their own views of the mode and subjects of the ordinance, simply because they don't regard the question of such vital importance as to refuse to unite in communion at the supper with their infant Baptist brethren and acknowledge them as in the Church. Mr. Spurgeon, for ex- ample, the credit of whose name as a Baptist minister and successful laborer in the gospel they are very willing to take, yet him they would not permit to sit with them there, &G. The Lord Jesus, by the apostle directs His Church, " Him that is weak in the faith rsqeits ye, but not to doubtful disputations — To his own master r- he Rtandeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for Ood is able to make him stand — For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink ; [neither in it water] but righteousneHs, and peace, and joy in the Holy OhoHt." In a sermon of the Rev. Mr. Cameron, of Ottawa, published in the Cana- dian Baptist (the leading Close Communionist weekly paper of the Province), of 10th August last — now before me — I find the following : " Ar BitptiHt'i we liiy h]h>(!IhI clnliri ti) Ix'iiiK Tiir, true Catholic and AnoHtolin Church." " A true apiifeciatluii of our cluhiw to li« the truu ApoHtolic Cliurch uf ChrlKt, etc. The other Protestant denoniiiiationa claim to be each only branches or portions of the Apostolic Church — none of them assuming to be itself " the Church." Again, in the "Globe" and "Mail " of 17th Oct. last,— now before me, — in their reports of the recent Regular Baptist (Close Comnmnionist) Convention in Toronto, the same Mr. Cameron is stated to have said that "The Baiitigts were the only evaiiKcIical body In ChrlHtendoni." That is, no other body is. The reason he gave was " BecauHO they preserved the »ymhol» as delivered by Christ in their entirety." Now, as their doctrine and mode of administration of the symbol of the Lord's Supper are the same as ours, his reference was to their theory of Baptism, the only other symbol. So the Scriptural soundness in the vital soul-saving doctrines of the gospel or evangel, and the true evangelic faith, piety, and truitfulness of other bodies go for nothirg as entitling them to be called evangelical. But if not that, what then are they ? He also " Maintained thnt the irpecM features of the Baptist Church were the easential character- littles of the ApoHtulio Church." No creature, for example, can be really a man which has not all the " essential characteristics " of man ; hence to assutne the " special features " of the Baptist Church, — that is, those in which it differs from others, — to be " the essential characteristics oj the Apostolic Church" means that the other denominations are not really of the Church of Christ at all. He is also reported to have said that, " As long as they (the Uaptists) preserved those symbols (Bajitism and the Lord's Supper), there w-is no danger of infidelity creeping in among them ;" that " Baptists had remained the same In their belief and practice, while Paea])tlsts were continually changing." The audacity of these assertions in face of the very unsound doctrines and practices which have characterized the past history of Baptist churcties, is only equalled by the spirit ruling the Convention which could listen silently without a word of expostulation. And what about the Baptist denominations different from Mr. C's. own, of the present day, — the Disciples or Campbellites, the Six Principle, the Seventh Day, the Antimission, the Church of God, the Free-Will Baptist, the Mennonites, Tunkers, Plymouth- brethren, &c. i&c, — with all their serious differences in doctrine and prac- tice? Moreover, it is well known tiiere is in the United States a large body of Unitarian Bajttists, who maintain that Christ is not God, but only a niere man ; that he did not bear tiie curse of the law in the stead of sinners, mak- ing atonement for us, but died only as the martyrs have done. Untruthful as those statements are, they attach, however, a wonderful virtue to the baptlnm of water. Well, to ailil nnotlicr ronmrk, tlio ApostloH, thoy n&y bapti iifd tkn tliey do. Siiroly tlu'ii the hviuKdIh would Ik' hh pri'HorvHtivi' of the XJhurch's tinitoriiiity ot'luitlj and |)ructii;e in tlieirdayw. Yet iVoni Paul we leurii ot very vital errors in the clinrcluM ul Corinth, (Jahitia, ^|lhe■*ll.H Philippi, ColofHe, Ac. j I'roni Peter and Judeof the entrance of many teaeherH of " damnable herenics " and practiuen ; also from John's epiNtles; and in Revohition, of very serious departuroH in noine o' tlie Heven cliiircheH of Aula. r will conclude this introduction with a quotation from anmull book before me, isHued and therefore neeridited hy the Huptint Pulilication Society, Philadelphia, and entitled " Tlie Siiiricicney ot Water tor Huptizin^' at Jeru*f Ndiil witli till' aiii'li'iit I'Hiiliiiist, IhvIiik am lie illll«'.- lioiiitcliolil nrMHiiK'Ut liax not even tlic hIiiuIow of tin. xhailc of tlic i{lio»t of u Ibiiml- Iltinli And (p. 12), " Now wimt iloi'H li.iiitisni ilo for tlic ihlM (•Miirgolii'ul lU'ilo-liuptiHts on ililHiioint 1 " W.oitiMl : a stiirtlii'olof,'iMii, who will rnliKlitrli Query, — Did I'aul mean thiH style by liis evangelical direction, "Let your speech l>e ahviivs with grace, Hoasoned with nalt, that ye may know- how ye ought to answer every man'" IJut aside IVtiiu the coarse imperti- nence of the questioner, uinj evangelical i)edo baptist may answer his question. As well might be ask, What does prayer do tor a child? Is that useltss liciiausc the infant may not under.'^tand or be aware of it? Again (p. 21), on sufticiency of water for immersion, he exclaims, — • Will our |ioilofrii'nil-i, »'///j nU their tiretennhnu lo lUfvavy lore, iKuori' ilic fail, thai ■T('ni'';ili'm lias from time iniMU'iiMirial Immmi known as llic City of iiallis nnH Kountalns;' Tlic mere whodlliii.x nicil not be toM of some t'ountiiinH iir .)crus;i|em (sec .lolin v. I). Have our licUw-liap- list I'rieuils forKotten all aliout tlie Pool of Slloam," \e. Of these balbs and foiintuiiis I will yit speak; but how are these artlul and vile insinuations (suiistitules (or proof ), laden with studied show of eon- lenqit, with which he hopes to inspire some of ids readers! And if everything he asserts is true, we in our shocking i)racti(!C of sprinkling (he wa(er have (p. 2;i),- ■' tla|i|iin^ aiiniit our ;4armi n\-i. .onie ol the ver\ lirst rii;;s tlial iialiyloii Wore." Ssuch are a few specimens of his mode of addressing pedo-baptisls, in a pamphlet published by "special re()iiest." Jict me add, for a variety, a spe- I'imeii of the style to the Haptists; in which you may expect still less r(strain(. In the Cmnulian Bdjifisf of 28th Oct. 1875, appeared an article signeil "By 0(tawa," and understood to be by Mr. Cameron. Being con.si" dered worlliv ol the place, the Editor placed it (!) under his section pcrma- luntly bended " THE BAl'TIST I'ULPFT." ^ few weeks before, at a certain public meoting, Mr. (now Dr.) llolib, one of the most estimable ministers of our Presbyterian church, had objected to a .•suggestion of one who bad called in question the Scrijjtularity of thedoctrine of crerlastinrf pinmhnent , that our Cont'ession .-hould bo altered to make that, in it, an undecided doctrine. Referring to this the " Ottawa" critic observed.— " It is no wonder tliat tlic ties'. Mr. l{(il>li, tlir elian\iiioii of the Confession, stood ii]! with Imiy wrath hnloinj; liis natural dignity." I rather fear it will be even offensive to real evangelical taste to ask, Is this like Paul, Peter, Christ? It looks much more like an infidel's sneer I He continued, — " Is not the Presbyterian Church of Canada built on the same Confession of faith?" "if it can be proven after all that tliis great wealthy abd influential church be not built upon the foundation of Christ and his apostles." Need I tell my readers that it builds and is built on no other than Christ Jesus aud Him crucified, as the only foundation of salvation ? Again he told his Baptist readers, — " The Confession is now loolced upon even as an infallible code of ethics and religion." That is, Presbyterians regard the Westminster Assembly and Confes- sion fully inspired and infallible, as the poor deluded Romanists do the Pope? He thus concludes, — "So long as ttie church and her standards are elevat«d abote the Bible, Infant baptism has the promise of a long reign. Bui if the sharp, gleaming, two-edged sword of the Spirit is what is to try the <.octrine8 and practices of the church, then it is doomed to perish. The axe which is before long to Iw ut the root of tliis ancient but rotten tree, is already sharpening on the grind- atone of public opinion, and soon it shall fall a huge tnaat qfhoHoiD rotteneM I " All this, be it remembered, with its false and odious calumny, is given to its Baptist readers as '^ The Baptist Pulpit;" in the belief no doubt from their training that it would be acceptable to their taste, and would confirm them in it the more, and elevate the writer in their esteem — as, at least, a zealous Baptist. But there is in all this, besides other remarkable things, a striking inconsistency in their own conduct, of which Mr. C. is well aware. I have a copy in hand of the Church Property Title Deeds of each of the congregations of his denomination (I wish I could transcribe it here, but it is too long) ; in which is engrossed a considerable list of specified doctrines, observances, and regulations, which they bind themselves to "hold and main- tain," as the conditions of their tenure and possession of their church build- ings, &c. i that is to say a Confession of Faith to which they bind themselves, and the ownership of their church property to the Regular Baptist (Close Communionist) denomination. All this is quietly subscribed to, and secu- red to their denomination by compact, with the strength of the Canadian Civil government to enforce the same, if necessary. I have also on hand, purchased from the Baptist Book Room, Toronto, two present day Baptist Confessions oflaith, and athird, entitled "The Baptist Confession of Faith, prepared by upwards of 100 Baptist ministers in General Assembly in Lon- don, in 1689;" — wiiich is a copy throughout, nearly word for word, of our Westminster Confession, except on Baptism, and a very few other differ- ences ; with a commendatory preface by Mr. Spurgeon. Besides, I can show from Baptist and other authorities quite a number of other Baptist Confes- sions, drawn up, promulgated, and used in their history in Britain and America, &c. And ytt Mr. Cameron and his brethren rail against us for using a Confession of Faith of what we believe to be the doctrines of Scripture I II. We will now consider the tactics in QUOTATIONS FROM INFANT BAPTISTS. This is a favorite resort of Baptists. Romish writers are also disting' tiished by a particular fondness for extracting sentences they detach with Jesuitical art from the early fathers and Protestant books, to confirm Bonae's interpretations of certain scriptures and her tenets in general ; as we know they are greatly 'addicted, though the deluded Romanists trust them, to misrepresentations — by omission of clauses, interpolations of their own, complete fabrications, and other methods. And while it necessarily takes much more space and trouble to demonstrate their misrepresentations than for them to make them, as the body can be much more speedily muti- lated than healed, — many who read, and in their simplicity believe the mis- representations, never see their exposure. They are deceived and know it not ! I regret to have too truly to say that Baptist writers are also addicted to misrepresentations of the statements of infant Baptists, &c. A book re- cently published by me on *' Baptist Misrepresentations," exhibits a large number of tnem, taken from books issued by the Baptist Church Publica- tion Societies, and compared with the statements of the authors professedly quoted. I will now show you some specimens from the pen of Mr. Cameron I His first quotation (p. 6) I have not the means at hand of verifying, but have of his next, to which I solicit your attention. He remarks (p. 7): " The promise to you and your children, (Acta ii, 89), is made to do duty in the pedo- Baptist cause. Dr. Doddridge reniarlcs, "Tlielword in the original, tekTM, rendered children, aignifiea posterity ; and does .not necessarily imply infancy.'" (I) By the above the reader would suppose that in Dr. Doddridge's opinion, that passage, Acts ii, 39, does not refer to infants. (2) Mr. C. does not indicate in which of Doddridge's many volumes that " remark" quoted as his, is to be fonnd. (.3) I have his works, and find that passage of the Acta refered to by him (Vol. v, Lect. cciii), as .a proof of infant baptism. (4) After oareful examination, I have to say he nowhere makes that " remark" above ascribed to him. (5) I have found it elsewhere accidently, in looking over for another purpose " Pengilly's Scripture Guide to Baptism,'* issued by the Baptist Publication Society; but it is entirely Pengilly's owv. On that passage of the Acts he gives three arguments of his own, which he marks 1, 2, 3. His second is the statement in question ; as follows: Pengilly s argument, (p. 29) : — " 2. The word in the original, lehna, ren- dered children, signifies posterity; and does not necessarily imply infancy." Mr. Cameron's strategy: — "Dr. Dod- dridge remarks, ' The word in the original, tekna, rendered children, signifies j)o«(«ri(y,' and does not necessarily imply infancy." The reader will observe these to be exactly identical in the terms, and even in the punctuation and italics! In this way, the name of the eminent infant Baptist is, to use Mr. C's vulgar expression, " made to do duty" in the Anabaptist cause ; of which he had also said in his preface : — " \ careful perusal of the quotations given will open the eyes of many ou this matter. All is Rubi ittd iu the interests of pure evangelical truth " By **a careful perusal" he did not mean an examination and comparison of them with the originals, and hence was "careful" not to specify the volumes and places from which they are taken; the dangers of which will also further appear. . 2. He gives a list of quotations (p. 9, 10). At the beginning is one as fVom Rev. Db. Wm. CcmnMoaAU, Principal qfthe iTew CoUege, Bdinburgh'" 10 This in all he states of the place ; thougk there are several large works by that author. 1 happen to have tliem all, and after a search of several hours, found the passage. Dr. Cunningham is showing in opposition to Rome's doctrine on the sacraments, of spiritual virtue in themselves, that the Presbyterian doctrine undoubteilly is, that they (like other means of grace) are" means of spiritual benetit only in the exercise of faith. The statement in question is in his work, "The Reformers and The Theology of the Reformation," Bssay v. p. 249. I will place it and Mr. C's. together: Cunnmgham s own words: — " it is impossible to deny tliat tlie i;«.ieral ilescription wluch the ' Stiorter Catcvliisiii' gives of a sncra- iiient teai^hes, by plain implicatiuu, that the saomments, 8o far xa rgoaros adults, are in- tended only for believers ; while no Protest- ants," &c. Mr. Cameron's quotation: — "it is impossible to deny that the general description wliich the ' Sh Cameron's quotation I Baptism is one of the two sacraments, and infanta being incapable of faith, as such are not believers. To say thp.t " the sacra- ments are intended only for believem," would therefore mean that baptism is intended not for infants, — what Mr. Cameron seeks to make his readers believe; and not to lose his aim he puts the words, "only for believers," in italics. Now, why did he leave out "so far as regards adults" ? The reader will discern. These words confine the statement to adults. By a Jesuitical omission of the qualifying clause, equivalent to the OBIKX OF FORGERY, Mr. C. makes it appear to apply to infants also I And " All this," too, " i* submitted in the interests of pure evangelical truth !'' Wo cannot fail to be reminded by "all this" of the similar methods of that other church which, in like terms and by like means, claims to be " tAe true Catholic Apos- tolic Church," and "the only evangelical body in Christendom!" Very few of his readers, especially of Baptists, will ever find out this misquotation, Ac, for themselves, or see its exposure. But having now been set in motion by him, it will no donbt be repeated in and from books of theirs for generations. From these instances given, learn others. Un- scrupulousness, you see, is not wanting, in that zeal which compasses sea and land to make proselytes. 3. Mr. 0. gives (p. 104) the following as from Baxter, the eminent Pres- byterian of the 17th century : " I conclude that all examples of baptism in Scripture do mention only the administration of it, to the professors of saving faith "(Disput of Right to Sacram)." The next quotation is from Boston, of similar terms, from whom is an- other similar in the preceding page, stated to be also from his " Disputation of Rtght to Sturament." Observe these titles of their works. These are instances of another mode of misrepresentation — giving extracts without their connec- tion. Scripture itself can easily be abused in this way, And bear in mind that Baxter and Boston acknowledged no rule of faith and practice but the Scriptures, advocated and administered infant baptism, and by sprinkling, erertill their death, and were eminently godly men. The direction (Matth. 18; 19, 20) "Go ye, therefore, and teach (in the cJ 11 large works > of severs] position to 'selves, that means of faith. The heology of gether: on:— "It ig ■al description 'es of a uacra- ;i"ii, that tlie ■»»• beUever», lanj's own 'ted in Mr. nd infanta " tlie sacra- aptism is is readers fevers," in iader will ^T TO THK 30 1 And tnnot fail r church Jiolic Apos. out this low been books of s. Un- sses sea it Pres- iratlon of I is an- ation of tances 3nnec- niind Lit the kling, n the original, literally, < make desciples of,) all nations, baptising them ; teaching them to observe all things" Ac, — the 'Broad church' party of Britain con- tended in their day, (and still do,) that our Lord meant by this that disciples were to be made of the unbelieving nations, ^rs< o/ oW, by baptising them, and, thereafter, were to be taught the gospel. They thence maintained that all the subjects of the " nations " had a divine " right " to the sacrament of admission into the church, no matter how erroneous their beliefs and un- worthy their character, to begin with. Baxter, Boston, and others, " dis- puted" this alleged "right to the sacrament," and contended as in our Catechism — which was theirs — that "baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church till they prof ess faith in Christ and obedience to him " as their Lord and Saviour according to the true faith of the gospel. The question was not one of infants at all, but of adults, — men and won)en. Baptist writers, however, quote detached portions from them* that their readers, who think, and know nothing at all of it, may take the isolated words as really used in the widest signification they can bear, con- sidered by themselves, — their connection being untold and unseen ! Baptists, for example, generally hold that all dying in infancy are saved, yet being incapable of faith, were not believers. While of adults they teach faith as necessary to their salvation. Of these it is customary by them (and us), without specifying at the same time that infants are not meant, often to make such statements as these, — " None but believers will be saved." " All dying in unbelief are lost lor ever." (Scripture does the same.) Now sup- pose that those who hold that no infants, dying as such, can be saved, be- cause incapable of faith, were systematically to quote such statements to their readers and hearers as proof that the Baptists (and we) plainly admit their doctrine to be right. Or if the Universalists, of whom there are very many m the United States, who teach that all will be saved, whether they die in- fidels, idolaters or believers, were, in order to prejudice their people and others, to assert that we both teach that even all deceased infants without exception are lost, and to quote the above statements and similar in proof. Would the Baptists regard this in either case as truth and fairness ? I trow not. They would reply justly, and probably fiercely. "We were referring only to adults, not to infants, whose case is quite different in Scripture, Give the connection and our statements specifically on infants.' Whether Universalists and the others act thus I know not. But the Baptists are dis- tinguished for this as one of their modes of misrepresentation of us. Their compilers know all about it, (not the people,) yet never mind, but quote away* to be requoted by others again, and they get and give them all " in the interests of pure evangelical truth I " (4) On Baxter again let me give you a glaring specemen by Dr. Gmmp, Professor of Acadia (Baptist) College, Nova Scotia. In his " Catechism,'* issued by the Baptist Publication Society, Philadelphia, (now before me,) he gives as Jroin him (in relation to Rom. vi. 4^) in favour of immersion, a quotation I will place with another he gives as from him in his "Baptist History," (also before uie,) in which (p. 209) he justly calls hin» " the great Richard Baxter " : — pi — M i. 19 " Richard Baxteii, Prttbuterian (sayg)— ' In our baptism we are dipped under the water, as signiiyfng our covenant profession, that as he was buried for sin, so wu are dead and buried to lin.'" Cramp's Catechism on Baptism (p. 43). Dated in Preface. "Acadia College, 1866."^ There was a wonderful outcry against im- mersion. Take a specimen or two from Baxter : —'That which is a plain bieach of the sixth connnandment. 7Ao« shall not kill, is no ordiu- ance of God, but a most heinous sin. But the ordinary practice of baptising over head, and in cold water, as necessary, is a plain breach of the sixth commandment : therefore it is no ordin- ance of God. but a heinous sjn. In a word, it is good for nothing but to despatch men out of the world that are burdensome, and to ranken church yanls,'" &c. Cramp's Baptist History, Edition, 1875, p. 275. These are given as from the same Baxter iij different books by the same Baptist writer and College Professor I Their contradictoriness is apparent. And of that so strongly favouring immersion, Cramp does not say a word as to where in all the many works of Baxter it may be seen ; which of course prevents examination and discovery. While in the Other quotation, Cramp being the witness, he describes immersion, in the circumstancea practised, as .a plain breach of the sixth commandment, no ordinance of God, a heinous sin.' Again if a Baptist should say, "in our baptism ws are dipped under the water,'' he would be understood to mean himself and his denomination. But we know Baxter and his Presbyterian brethren neither baptised nor were baptised in that mode, but by sprinkling. In the United States, however, and here, Ac, are many Baptists and others whose own knowledge is very limited. I have shown Mr. Cameron's attachment of Doddridge's name and weight to a statement of which the Baptist Pengilly was the real author. Cramp appears here to have adopted the same unevangelical method with the weighty name of Baxter, (and how many others !) or invented the quotation for the occasion. Few of his readers would suspect that, or see an exposure. Mr. C. remarks (p. 8). " The following evidence from Presbyterian and other divines will doubtless startle many in Ottawa," As many of them and others as see the true character of that evidence, as we have now demonstrated it, will " startle " at it, we have no doubt, and at him and his brethern, with other feelings than satisfaction with Ana- baptist morality. As I must confine myself in space, to exceed as little as possible the length of Mr. C's pamphlet, similar exposures of several others of his quota- tions I reluctantly must pass over. But, as mentioned'before, should the in- terested reader find my book on "Baptist Misrepresentations," h« will see there a considerable exhibition as bad as the foregoing, from the Baptist works of Cramp, Pengilly, Robinson, Broaddas, Booth, in relation to Baxter, Wesley, Clarke, Matthew Henry, Doddridge, Dwight, Ac, Ac, &., of frauds I could not think possible till I found them with my own eyes I pti4 pH pre (Al (B hiJ COB thd tlsl III. We will now consider Mr. C'h arguments; abundant disproof of whichandproof of infant baptism — subject and mode — those who desire will find in such small works as Miller and Witherow on baptism, price, 20 cents or so. ., against im. > rrom Baxter : -)ot the sixth I", 18 no ordin- I «fn. But the ■r head, and in ■i breach of the ,; is no ordin. I{n a word, it fh men out of pd i«ranken Iptist History, the same apparent. noi say be seen; e in the on> in the dment, no y, "In eur mseJfand brethren Jtiste and 'ameron's 'hich the ' ' adopted [and how ^ of his 8 (p. 8). irtle many ''idence, ' doubt, th Ana* ble the quota- the in- ill see baptist iaxter, frauds >of of will :eQt0 ii 1. His flrst argument against the baptism of infants ie (p. 4) an assum* ption (without an attempt to prove) that John's baptism was identical in all particulars with that of the church of the New Dispensation. (1) SufRcient proof of the contrary is Paul's baptising over again those baptised by John (Acts 19 : 3-6). So obvious is this from that passage that even Dr. Carson (Baptist), for their insisting on its sameness, quietly but severely censured hie brethren thus: " John's baptism did not serve for Christ's baptism. Human wisdom (of Baptists) will correct the Scriptures here, and becatue it cannot see why John's baptism will not serve for Christ's, the words have hten tortured to make them say that they were baptised into Christ by being bap> tlsedbyJohn." (On baptism, p. 177). They torture them still, as then, notwithstanding. 2. He next assumes Jesus' baptism by John to be the pattern for all now. But (1) the foregoing objection to this continues here. (2) Like John's disciples, Jesus and his, still observed the passover, afterwards, and the other rites of the Mosaic dis- pensation, till his death. Not till then was the vail of the temple rent in twain, the Old Dispensation abolished, and the New begun. (3). If Christ's example as to his baptism in all respects is the pattern for all, then why not so in theee other things also, and his circumcision in infancy? Again why don't the Baptists all wait till they are thirty years of age as he did ? To this they say, Scripture directs that each sliould be baptised as soon as he believes. That, however, shifts from and contradicts the argu- ment on Christ's example. Conform to it throughout if sound, or reject it as inapplicable. They will do neither. We will keep them then to one or other. Was Jesus baptised immediately after He became a believer ? Was he not one all his life ? or ever an unbeliever ? To.meet this, afler a fashion, Mr. Cameron calls the Holy Saviour's life (p. 4) "His former life as a wxtural man;" (the italicising is his own ;) and repeats the same (p. 16)il His idea is to make Jesus' life before his baptism like the unregeneratcd condition of sin- ners before their conversion and baptism, that of the pure God loving and honouring, and blessed Saviour, to " the natural man which receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God," and " enmity against God " (1 Cor. 2:14 ; Rom . 8 : 7) I " The legs of the lame are not equal " (Prov. 26 : 7), very far from it here. Now hear the Infant baptist explanation. (Baptists keep quiet on these particulars as if they had no existence). The law of Moses required that none enter on the public ministry in the tabernacle ana temple till 30 years of age (Numb. IV. 3, 47) ; and that when inducted they be consecrated by a ceremonial washing with water and anointing with oil (Exod. XL, 12, 15). "Jesus (as Paul declares) was a minister of the circumcision " (Rom. 15 : 8 ; Matth. 15 : 24); and to conform to that law waited before entering on his public ministry till his 30th year, as it enjoined, and was then publicly consecrated to that office, being baptised with water and anointed with "the Spirit of God, descending like a dove and lighting upon him." These rea- sons which thus fixed and controlled the period of His baptism are none of them binding on Christians now, not even on ministers, as we are under a different dispensation where they are not enjoined. 3. " The Commission" to teach and baptise all nations (Matth. 28: 19). In Mark (16: 16) it is also given, where is added (ver. 16), "He that believeth and ! u is baptized shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall be damned." They say that here is decisive proof that our Lord requires "believing" to precede "baptiaing," in all cases of baptism. We answer, (1) This we admit in the case of all adults, but of them only. (2) That our Lord did not refer to the case of infants here, appears from the second halfof the passage. Baptists believe in the salvation of infants, who are none of them capable of faith, and reconcile that lielief with those words, — " he that believeth not shall be damned," by saying that our Lord there refers only to those capable of faith. Yet with striking inconsistency they will have our Lord in the first part of the san)e statement as contem- plating the case of infants I (3) In our Lord's statement (John iii, 6,) "Except a man be born of water and of t,he Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God," " born of water" is before (born) '* of the Spirit." Also in (Titus iii, 6,) " He saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost," the "washing" is put before the "renewing." And one part of Scripture in of as much authority as another. Baptists teach that these first expressions of those passages refer to baptism, (Carson on Bapt- ism, p. 164). That is, baptism of water is there before faith which is radi- cally implied and operative in the birth and renewal "of the spirit." On those three bases of his argument, John's baptism ; the Saviour's by him ; and the Commission ; Mr. C. occupies altogether less than half a page, and does not touch nor mention one of those I have adduced, though well known. In the same method he glides over all his others. His next is " The Practice of the Apostles," in which with ridicule in aid, he hastens over the household baptisms. The first he analyzes (by assertions) is Lydia's ; thus ' " She is described as a certain woman ;— that eaniH lier oum living ;— the head of the house hold ;— is transacting business at Phillppi, 800 miles from A«r home. From these facts where is the evidence tha^Lydia was married, or that she had any children, or that any of them were infants 1 Does not the Scriptures atfinu the husband to be the heail of his wife and hence of his liousehold? but here we have a woman— supporting herself— the head of the household," The common Baptist reader will see no flaw in all this. Mr. C. does not give the words of Scripture, which might assist. (1.) He assumes because Bh« was the head of the household she was unmarried, as, if married, her husband would then be the head. It does not occur to him to suggest that she could be a widow, (a not very uncommon thing,) hn iii, 6,) nter into tJje Also in renewing of And one 8 teacJi that ^on on Bapt- hich is radi- it." 'aviour's by half a page, 'Jiough well extis^The ^ns over the 'Ja'e; thus: pt the house apts wliere la of them were ' lience of liig )ld." ^- does not 68 because ^rried, her ?ge8t that 8o all the « 300 mileH ik, is her .-"Ifyc ml abide they are ^e city of England, )n verted >ort this • •iich a ears in Ac was • Lydiu, ares or If the like don't occupy houses of their own in the places they temporarily visi*. (3.) The Scripture specifies particularly that she worshiped God, she heard Paul, the Lord opened her heart, she attended to therthings spoken by Paul, and then that she was baptized and her household ; while the only thing specified of her household is that they were baptized with her. Let me further give yoii an argument of Pengilly's as a demonstrative proof that her household were believers. He says (p. 38), — " Paul and SlliiH, buiiiK delivered from piiHon, anil quitting the jailers house and family, according to his own reiiuest, ver. 34 :t(l, [Arts xvl.] they 'entered into the house of Lydia,' (for my reader will reineuilior this whs the only other Christian house in the city, and in this family the only other iiersons baptized ;) and here, undoubtedly, they would meet with her 'househoM ' which they had Itnjitized : having entered, we read, ' When they had saen the brbthrrn, they I'uNroHTBu THEM, and deiiai-ted.' If, then, Lydia's household he denominated 'brethren' and were capable of being foniforted by the Word, they nuist have been believers in Christ." (The italics and capitals here are so in Pengilly). The misrepresentation of fact here is in the last sentence beginning— "If then Lydia's household be denondnated brethrea" But they were not denominated " brethren." The words of the Scripture are, (ver. 40,) Paul and Silas " entered into the house of Lydia ; and when they had seen the brethren they comforted them," etc. Pengilly reasons that Lydia and her household were the only other Christians in the city outside of the Jailer and his family ; therefore her family must be " the brethren." He entirely keeps out of sight that Timothy and Luke were then residing with Lydia ! In the last verses of the preceding chapter, (xv. 40,) we read of Paul and Silas beginning their tour. Then immediately after, Timothy joins them (xvi. 1 — 3). Luke (the writer of the Acts, as all admit,) is with them, for he continually uses the terms " we," and " us." These lour brethren having come to Philippi (ver. 12), Lydia, after her baptism, said (ver. 15) : " If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my bouse and abide there. And she constrained us." That is, they all went in, and abode with her. Only Paul and Silas were taken to prison (ver. 19, 25, 29,40). Hence when they were set tree and entered Lydia's house they would find " the brethren," Timotheus and Luke, abiding there, * the only other Christian house in the city.' These brethren would be " comforted " at seeing them returned after being scourged and imprisoned, and by hearing from them of God's mercy to the Jailer's house. The other arguments Mr, Cameron adduces against infants are similarly defective and misleading, which I must pass oyer to admit of my looking at those on Immersion. Second. His arguments for Immersion, p. 17, Ac. (1) His first is that the Greek word (baptizo) for baptize means always to dtp or immerse (1). On this I will quote their great modern leader in the controversy, Carson, an Open Communionist, however, and much more honourable than Close Gommunionists. He says (On Baptism, p. 55), " My position Is that baptieo always signifies to dip, never expressing anything but modt. Now, as 1 have tilt the leoHooffrajihers and ccnn,n«ntators against me in this opinion," &c. By dictionaries— or " lexicons " as they are called — of other languages 16 we are enabled to learn and translate them. Now, would he make that statement, and weaken his cauee, if not very true ? And would all these learned men be wrong? or entirely dishonest? (2) Mr. C. insinuates, without stating it expressly, that bapto, the root of bapHzo, always signifies to dip, which is untrue; and says — " Now if this Greeic verb (baptizo) doei not mean to Immorae, the Oreek vocabulary does not furnish ONI whinh does." He had just said that " bapto means to dip," another Greek verb. He insin- uates that these two are one and the same, what every one acquainted with the Greek knows is untrue. To the unacquainted let me 8ay,that in the Greek New Test., bapto IB never once used of the ordinance of baptism ; but always baptizo. Again, words have often meanings quite different from their root. The Greek for spirit is pneuma, yet its root meaning is wind, as in John 3 : 8, "The wind (pneuma) bloweth where it listeth." "Convert" and "con- verse," also " conversion " and " conversation " are formed from the same root, precisely as baptizo is from. frop/o, but are quite different in meaning. " Craft " means deceit and also an honest manual trade (Acts 18 : 3.) But there are other Greek verbs which "mean to immerse." In Liddell and Scott's Lexicon, the same that Mr. C. mentions, I find, as meanings, for in- stance, of duo and dunOy transitively, to plunge; intransitively to »ink in; to dive.' Of kataduo and kataduno, " to make to tint, Latin mtrgtre; intransitively, to go under, Hnk," Of buthito, " to immeru, sink." He (2) remarks (p. 18), " The Oieelc plainly reads to imnurte, yet our pedo-baptist friends go all over the world, laying, Oh, well it means to sprinkle ! I " We don't say that sprinkling is the meaning of the word baptizo any more than dipping, as Mr. C. well knows ; but that it is used of and with various modes of action, and that "the ordinance is properly administered by sprinkling, and dipping is not necessary " (Conf. Faith, p. ). To cleanse, e. g., may be done by dipping, or, as in washing the face, by lifting up water on and rubbing, or the hands, by pouring it on or dipping them ; and the rain cleanses things. But we don't say that to cleanse means " to lifl up," or " pour down;" but to use the cleansing element in any way (the most convenient way is preferable) that will effeot the cleansing. To wet, scald, burn, wound, bathe, &c., «fec., will similarly illustrate this. Yet though we never say baptizo means only to sprinkle. Baptists represent that we do ; and, presenting some connection in the language where its mode is other- wise, say, " Our pedo-baptist fHends go all over the world, saying, Oh, well, it means to sprinkle I" (3) He adds, that " It is a notorious fact that the Oreek Church universally immerse unto this day," and (p. 22)^ in Russia, "parts of which have tlie coldest climate in the world." In ray book, before mentioned, I give one quotation from Dr. Broaddus, on Immersion (of Bapt. Public. Soc.) stating that "pouring or sprinkling are stui observed in Russia" (p. 19) ; also a quotation in Dr. Currie's Catechism on Baptism (Methodist Book Boom, Toronto, from (the Baptist) Booth's P«2o* nil wake that 'Jd aJI theae "es, without lifles to dip, ['•ilary does not He insin- .-ed with the Greek New \ys baptizo, Iroot. The ^ohn 3 : 8, nd "con- the same meaning. 3.) But ddell and gs. for in- *»■ to divt.' » 00 under, f the world, *tizo any ind with nistered cleanse, P water ind the ift up," e most scald, igh we e do{ 3ther- kler 22), ius, 8tU] OQ t2o- 17 baptist Ezamined, of a atatenient of Deylingius in which he speaks of bap- tism by " affuiio* [that is, pouring or sprinkling] *ueh m th* Oruki practu* at tM$ day." Also a lengthened description from Huber of four Greek church bap- tisms he was present at, while he " Reiidfltl upwards of three tsw* in the Mpital of the Orand Seignior's dominions in • Oreek family of the first respectability. In " each " case the priest " liSid thelbabe on his left arm, and in the name of thi« Father, the Son and the Holy Ohost, he thrice dipped his hand in the water and dropped some of It on the chill's forehead, giving it a name." He adds that "In the churches, before the altar, stands a tripod holding a haiin of consecrated water for baptism." And a basin in not for dipping personH in, but sprinkling from. We presume the Greek church is as good authority when diilering from the Baptists as when agreeing with them. (3) "Symbolijjm of baptism" (Rom. vi.) of " the death, bnrial and resurrection of Christ"' (p. 20). It is said (ver. 4) "being buried with him by baptism into death. Also (ver. 6), " knowing this that our old man is crucified with him." Now what outward resemblance is there between dipping into water and cruci- fixion, or being nailed to the cross? Again, a bodily crucifixion or burial oj believers is not meant, as, in that sense, they were not crucified or buried with him. The language is to be spiritually interpreted — " our old man," — " that henceforth we should not serve sin;" risen with him "to walk in newness of life" [ver. 4, 6]. Rome, by literal interpretation, maintains the Saviour's words, " This is my body," and " Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life," to mean his real body and blood. However the mere words may suggest this, they don't mean it. Nor is there an outward likeness in form between bread and his body or eating it and believing in and using him ; though a resemblance of a kind and in the results. Water, the element of the ordinance of baptism, is evidently ap- pointed fur it as an element of cleansing. Ananias said to Paul ]Acts 22; 16J, " Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins." What spiritually cleanses from all sin, is the blood and Spirit of Christ; in forgiveness of the guilt and sanctification of the heart and life. In this way by faith of the Spirits operation in and through the Redeemer, we become partakers of the purchased blessings ofhiscrucifixion,death,burial, and resurrection; dead and buried to sin, delivered from its curse, love, and control, and enabled to serve God from a clean heart and right spirit. To be cleansed from sin, therefore, in its guilt and service is the same thing spiritually, as to be " crucified with Christ, buried and raised with him tb newness of life ;" and what re- prescntSithe one represents the other. This baptism does. But again, for that matter, sprinkling as a symbol, is a suitable sign of burial. Some sprinkle earth on the coffin in that view. A literal burial in full extent is a covering over by any mode, as when a person is buried by the ruins of a house or an embankment falling on him ; or a body laid by a side entrance in a sepulchre, or in a modern grave with earth poured down upon it. But a sign, and, in particular, a Scriptural emblem or ordinance 18 of that nature, is not equal in outward form to the thing signified. Thus Christ's blood which cleanses the whole man from ail sin, is still called by Paul "the blood of sprinkling," (Heb. 12: 24). The Lord's Supper repre" ■ents a great spiritual feast of fat things, full of marrow and well refined ; and the Greek word (deipnon) for "supper" applied to that ordinance, always means a full meal everywhere else it is used, in the New Testament, and out of it; yet in the ordinance such is forbidden (1 Cor. xi.), and only a yery small portion of the bread and wine are necessary. The same spiritual blessings in fulness which it represents are also referred to by the Lord in Ezekiel (36 : 26), — " Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean : from all your tilthinese and from all your idols will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh," &g. Also sprinkling upon represents the source of our blessings as from above. Moreover, some baptisms of Scripture we see to have certainly not been by dipping, while the Holy Spirit, of which it is an emblem, ie described as falling upon, poured out, shed forth, descending. In their zeal the Pharisees, who were very particular about rites and their literal renderings of Scripture, but omitted the weightier matters of truth, just "judgment, mercy and the love of God," pointed to the letter of the fourth commandment, " In it thou shalt not do any work," in justification of their hostility to Jesus and his disciples, for not keeping it as they taught. But he interpreted it differently and better. What he said on the Sabbath in defence of his disciples, is appropriate from us to the Baptists represented by Mr. C. — "If ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.*' Like the Sabbath, baptism was made for man, not man for baptism. Being intended for all lands and constitutions, it is suited for them in the severest climates, but dipping is not. The Baptist spirit, tactics and language in their opposition are those of a carnal cause. Ridicule of sprinkling is one of their methods. What is ridiculous about it more than dipping? Dr. Cramp, their leading historian and honoured professor, on the idea of John baptizing by sprinkling, pictures him " with a fiBhennan'c woop in his hand with which ha iatMl the water ir^to the/it«M of a dozen or so at a time, some getting more, acme lesi, [how serious a difference t ] by whiah meana it ii plain, he might have/>perated on a great many ia the coursa of a day. Bat I think yon will not be willing to adopt an hypothesis so ridieulons. It would be a borlesque on a religious ordinance." (Catechism, p. 38.) If f¥)t looked on at a burlesque and ridiculous, we cannot thank Cramp and his brethren for it. But bow boldly profane to write, print and speak in this manner of a mode af administration enjoined and observed by direct divine appointment I " Moses," we read (Heb. 9: 19), "'sprinkled the book and aU the people.'* Was that ridiculous and a burlesque on a religious ordinance I And why should it be so in John's or our case ? Was it ridiculous for the Lord to say : " Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean?" and to describe the blood of Jesus as the " blood of sprinkling I " (4) Of the day of Pentecost at Jerusalem, Mr. Cameron says (p. 21), — the twelve (apostles) could immeme the 8000 in one day. There would be only 350 candidates for each (1), giving two minutes for each candidate, the 360 could ba immersed iu about eight Iwwr." 19 houn." Just think of the breathlens haote supposed here, to make out im. meraion I Here ia scope for the sharp perception of the « ridiculous " and " burlesque on a religious ordinance," but now it is dormant as it would (truthfully) tell against the dipping theory. 260 each, to mortal roan, in eight hours, one every two minutes, including the time occupied for every- thing between ; and a solemn religious rite ; so sacred that they cut oil from the Lord's table, Ac, even such as Spurgeon for communing with the most illustrious Christians only sprinkled t yet see nothing irreverent and un- evangeltcal in such unchristian like speed! Nay, he adds ' the seventy ' to « the twelve* making "82," to baptise them, "which," he says, "would only give 86 to ottch. The whole SOOO oonld thus be Immened within 20 minntes I " (The note of admiration here is his own.) Well, 36 to each in 20 minutes is one in about every half minute! Words now fail us. He adds — " I have B«en iiumy a ohlld sprinkled, and I am satisfied the ceremony was TWICE as long at an imnurston." (The capitals and italics are made so by him.) That is, he solemnly prints " by special request," too, this assertion, by evident implication in the face of the public, that to sprinkle 3000 would take twice as long as to immerse them I We pass over the difficulty about so many changing their dress ex- cept to remark that not expecting to have been baptised when they left home in the morning they would not have brought a change with them even if there were conveniences for undressing. This defence reminds us of what we have seen in Romanists. Who say their prayers as fast as tongues can utter words, and their priests teach them so. They don't see how opposed all that is to the spirit of true religion. The Baptist theory has a similar effect in blinding when immersion is in peril, &c. Cramp [Catechism p. 40], allows 50 as baptising the 3000, who, he says — " Wonld accomplish the whole with tht grtatut tat* and witKout any hurry, in ku than on hour." That is — less than than a minute between each throughout. Surely the people who can continue to receive all this, even with pleasure and triumph, to establish immersion, are in a sad condition of mind and heart I 6. On the sufficiency of water, Mr. C. next dwells, He quotes •' Dr. Robertson " (Baptist) as saying,— "The main dependence of of Jerusalem for water at th« present day is on its cisterns ; ' this has possibly always been the ease," &C. ', and from "Strabo" that Jerusalem is "a rocky well enclosed fortress, witkin well watered, but without wholly dry." That is, well watered with artificial reservoirs, as no doubt it was. Mr. C. also refers to the pools of Bethesda, Siloam, the Fountain of the Virgin, and Gihon. Samson, in his work before quoted, ad- mits (p. 9) that "the brook Kedron is dry several weeks before the period when the feast of Penticost occurred," and that '* the nearest living stream to Jerusalem, in which immersion could l>o performed, is the Jordan, distant about 15 miles." The " Pool of Siloam," he sayS, [p. 20] "is 53 feet long, 18 broad, and 19 deep." [Mr. C. has it 33 long, and he did not tell us its depth— 19 feet I Not very handy for so many dipping one every half minute]. What is " supposed to be Bethesda," he says, is " 360 ;feet long 20 ISO broad, and 73 dttp ;" "th« lidM of whieli ar* built np with muonrr of tmall atonct, whoM aarfkoa la oovurwl with a hanl auiooth oamant." On which he thuH reMOriri [p. 18] " H«r« certainly ban remained alnoo Chrlit'a day an aspanaa of water fiirniiiblag 040 baptlat- erlaa, aach feet by 10 ;" ill which the .3,000, he says, couKl have had "facllitiea for ChriHtlan baptUm." He should have said 780, but 180 more in not material. What troubl«H ua ia the dividing and utilizing a pool of its depth, 75 feet, into baptinterioH, 6 feet bj 10, all over its surface I They would need a number of boats and we don't read of any in Jerusalem or nearer than Joppa or Qalilee. Even if they had them enough, it would hardly be "easy and without any hurry to> immerse the 3000 in less than an hour," as Cramp assuron his readers, or " within twenty minutes " as Mr. C. ansured his. Mr. Cameron said, however, "Oreatcr than all wan the royal c<«(»ni undar Iht UmpU—t T*rital>lo lake— where hundrada conld be aiinultaneouslyliiimeracd." Observe, the Pharisees, priests, scribes, and the mass of the people were hostile to Christ, whom they had just crucified, and to his disciples and their baptism. That day of Penticost was a great festival attended, besides those of Jerusalem and Judea, by Jews from "every nation under heaven" [Acts 2 : 6], full of bitter anti-christian zeal. The pools and cisterns contained their water for fooil and religious uses. Would they allow them to be polluted by the immersion in them of thirty hundred of the hated sect of the hated Naza- rene? Wc read of no disturbance on that account, which of itself implies there was no immersion. Mr. C. sugs^ests they may have been immersed in a large " eiattm [l] umltr the umpU ;" that is, from which the water was taken for the sacrifices, and while the priests, pharisees and people crowded the temple above, worshipping! Such is the struggle to make out immersion. Let me conclude on this with another Baptist account from a different point of view. To make out that John's mode was immersion, Pengilly reasons thus, (p. 14): "We Rhoulil notice the place where Jolin adiiiiniatered thin ordinance. It was 'the river Jordan.' If In refiTenre to the peopie of .ItTUsaleiii, u situation where water nii^'ht be easily obtained ior uprinkUng or pouring, was what John required, we read of our Lord at this place, directing the man that was born blind to go and 'wash in the pool of Miioam;' so wo road of the 'pool called Bethesila,' and 'the brook Cedron,' all in or near Jerusalena, (and we read of othera in the Old Ti'stamcnt ;) and without doubt, at some of them the penitent Jews of that city and neighbonrhofHl might liave rect'ived the ordinance, if «ucA wore the mode by which John adminis- tered it ; and it cannot reanonably be imagined he would have required those persons to go the distanea of several miles for the convenience of the river Jordan : more reasonable to gupj)08e ha would have baptized in every town anil_vilia{{e where his ministry had its intonded etfeot ; and eapecially at or near the metropoltt. his mode.'' This strongly favora the opinion that immersion waa ' Pengilly here proceeds on the unwarranted assumption that John could have no other reason for abiding and preaching in " the wilderness," but the quantity of water for immersion. But let us suppose his facts and reasoning correct. His contention is that because, "ator near Jerusalem," there were no conveniences for immersion, though plenty for sprinkling, therefore John "reqnired the penitent Jews of that city and neighbourhood to go the distanue of several miles for the convenience of the river, Jordan." Well, if John could not find sufficient water for immersion there, neither could the apostles. Oh, but — ! That argument ia sounc2 enough in favor of immersion; bnt as against immersion it must not be mentioned. Yet the Baptist Church Publication Society I Close-l "Wl to the rll ian tliat r to brciik must ku| breacli ( 'lUiirrel 21 ••onstnntly piihliHlicH if in Pptip;illy, [>y tliouNandfl of copies, ami thcrcCoro ('iiilorHPH aixl (UwircM itH rcadpra to liolii'vf it all mouimI ami rijjlit in coniu'o- tion with Joliti I Im indi^rnuiit retort to the notion of indeliiincy nunncctiHl with tht'ir •iifipiurf, Mr. C. (p. 22), (;()inparCA it to " Mlm wtut .u'lureil tliw cronH, (limiiUliiK til" sHiME," (thf capitalH arc \uh). Uv ronnirkM alHo,(p, 12), of a believer who liaii [iCl'n " ^priuklt'il M tin iiifiint. IIIn linirt may tic kIhwIiik in tlm fri'HMiifHM of hU llrHt luvc^ he iiiny 111' eitrucoHy sufklnK for hoimi' Ht'lf-dciiylnK urt, in wtilcli li*i ciHilcl hIikw liit nlleKlanPc tn llliii wild illi'il for liiiii. I"" f>» Ituritil with Ofirht by hnjitUm Into ilenlh would li« ji'ht the a< i wliloh Gnd would «('ri<)it ; but tlicri (I) liU iiarxntH tloU a ninrch on hlN fuith and lovt>, niid K"t lilin H|irinl»lu>l (!) wlilUi yet ali«li«(i) • Af'corilitig to this ddctrine it would neem that the liellevi T in hiw flrnt love will have few oppofl(ioiH»!s of sell-denial, or nonOj'if he was sprinkled in infancy, or at least none like //»«' — like the sword of Ooliath. We unevaiiHolical nninnnersed PawhchaptistH ' (think, and even teach, that he will find many, plenty to oceiipy him Htill more HcriouH, and constantly recurring. Mr..C. concludes : — "Should It rend Hom« fond connection, Should I HUltrr piiin nud Iohh, Yot the frayrnnt, blest relleetlon — I Itave httn irhere Jenua w I siiy thi'y are balien and eurnal that attempi to break tlie peiiec! and coiiiniunion (ifelmrelics, tliiiUKh upon no better jiretenee than water; you must know I am still of tliat miU'L, and sliall be so loii^ as I see the ell'cets that follow— viz., the breach of love, taking oif Christians fruni the more weighcy things of Uod, and to make them 'luarrel aud have heartburnings uuu against amither," &c. , &c. And the Lord says, — That nation bles.«cd is, whose God Jkuovau is, and those A blessed peoj)le are, whom for Hi.s heritage lie chose. For unto them that do liim fear God's mercy never ends; And to their children's children still His righteousness extends-" Ps. xxxiii, ciii..