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    respect to the mode of administering baptism being diaciretioiiary , and to tfie use of baptism I agree with Mr . Belsham , but I think his own reasoning , if correct , would establish , that baptism ought always to be

    administered either by immersion or affusion , and not by sprinkling ; as he has brought forward no instance of its being administered by sprinkling in the early ages of the church . Considering it , however , as I do , as an inuocent and laudable custom . I

    regard this as immaterial , and think , that if the uses of the ceremony be attained , it is perfectly indifferent how it is administered *} but if I were to regard baptism as a positive institution , I should certainly be led by Mr . Belsham ' s reasoning , to consider dipping or affusion as the only proper modes of administration . I wish . Mr .

    Belsham had favoured us- with some proof of the correctness of his translation of the parenthesis * " si uon ta » i necesse est , " in the passage quoted from Tertullian , pages 15 and 16 : I cannot perfectly satisfy myself with any translation of tfcie passage , it is certainly

    a very obscujre one , but the laost correct translation seems to me to be , " For why is it . necessary , if baptism be not so necessary to salvation , that the sponsors also should be brought into danger ? " This seems ? to me to be more literal than Mr . Belsham-s

    translation , and more agreeable to the argument of Tertullian , who is oppos ing Infant Baptism * Hopiug that these few remarks may * in some degree , tend to the elucidation of this

    subject , and retaining the sincerest respect and veneration for Mr . Belr sham ' s high r . haracter , great talents , learning and zeal in the causa of truth , 1 remain , T . C . H . —fl ^^ MMB ^ BM—

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    understanding of the revelation by Jesus Christ , to strengthen their brethren . And first ;—Shew yourselves decidedly to be of a party . We have much to lament , that even in our owb

    immediate neighbourhood , there is so great a number of intelligent a ad respectable men , who think , and are willing to avow that they think , eoaapletely with us , and yet never are seen in our ranks , nor raake a public avowal of their belieC The practice of going to the national church , or the custom of

    going no where to worship at all , keeps , alas 1 from our worship many who would be an honour to our cause , and would increase their own respectability by an upright and honest obedience to the dictates of their minds . We trust that the business of the house of God is calculated

    to improve both the minds and the hearts of all men , let them be ever so much esteemed on account of the dignity of their rank , or the intelligence of their minds ; and then will it improve most , whea it i » most free from error and deceit . And truly , one sure means to induce others to

    think well of our principles , and to adopt and profess them , is , to let the world see how highly we respect them ourselves , by giving them every external mark of our esteem . I repeat my first charge : — -Let the worid see

    that you belong to a party , a party which you have selected in preference to all others , because you think it deserves your preference . And be never ashamed or afraid to give to him that asketh a reason of the faith

    that in in you . Never let your neighs hours think that truth & an object of no consequence to you ; for if they think so , they will etitertaiu a most coutemptible opinion either of your intellectual powers , or of your heart .

    An upright heart and an enlightenedmind cannot regard with other than the strongest convictions ; of importance , that system of truth whi / cbi the Almighty revealed with signs ^ and wonders , and which its great proqpbe * sealed with his

    bloodi know there are mnny who , may object to what i& called a party spirit * . But let me ask , what is a party . vKilhoaat a spirit ? It is a head without intesWigeuca , it ip a ba « W without a soul ; H is <* worid without Ufa . W here-ia the

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    Qn . Congregati&nul Unitari&n JPunds . 717

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    • "W On Congregational tJnitairian JFunda * JL . KTTER II-[ See pp . 670—674 . ] Sir , Bee . 3 , 1 B 17 . HAVI NG thus stated the importance of truth , and : the duty of the members of a Christian society to employ , even , those exertions whielir to

    ^ e m their power promote more diffusive spread * I heg to submit to y »* ur readflra a few thoughts ob the « aea ^ l > y vvhii ^ h itm now in the * power 9 fi thpfle wh ^ aue qo ^ iv ^ rted taa rignt

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Dec. 2, 1817, page 717, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2471/page/21/