INTOLERANCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18565, 24 November 1923, Page 15

INTOLERANCE.

■ Sir,lour correspondent, W. Edward Lush, does not deny that immersion was the ancient mode of baptism. J. B. Rotherham, in his work entitled " The New Testament, newly translated (from the Greek text of Tiegelles) and Critically Emphasised," renders Acts 11. 41, s is follows: —"They, indeed, therefore, who welcomed His . word, were immersed, and there were added, in that "day, about / three thousand souls." In Rom. VI., 3-6, Paul speaks of being, "buried with " Him by baptism." St. John 111., 23, i reads: ""And John also was baptising in jEnon, near to Salim, because there was much water there." See also Acts VIII.", ■t. 12 and 36. Mark XVI., 16, says: "Ho s that belioveth and 13 baptized shall be i: saved." Mr. Lush's reference to " feet |~ and hand washing and partial dipping ■ has no spiritual connection with "infant baptism." He quotes .no Scripture which definitely teaches such an ineffica--4 cious doctrine. A baby, of ; course, : is | r utterly incapable of faith or ' repentance and therefore cannot be the ; proper subp ject of baptism. In His "commission to i the Apostles Christ enjoined: "Go va • therefore, and teach all - nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, # ... and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." f This shows the importance that Christ I; attached to baptism, however lightly your correspondent ; may hold it. Apart altogether from the translation of the Greek word baptizo, the question as to «■ whether "infant baptism"-' or immersion was the -practice of the ; early Christian . Church can be decided by reference to what was clone when converts were being admitted into . the church. As regards • your correspondent " A.E.C.," I do not • see anything in > his letter .on the subject of baptism for; me to reply ; to. _ r? . Let your correspondent " J.K." give ■| from the Scriptures chapter and verse ?;'•* teaching infant baptism. , My - previous 0 letter shows that I-quoted the remarks of a recent writer to the effect that immer--5 sion was the universal practice of the TV church until the thirteenth century. Let "J.K." refute' these . assertions, ; if he ;can,, - by : ' quoting m authority. . For the information :j of mv Methodist friend, John Wesley is stated to have admitted that immersion >:'was the ancient practice of the church. "J.K.'s" 'verse of-a hymn;says nothing 1 ■ of infant baptism. Truth.