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ject , or Is interested in the controversy , will find this Letter worthy of serious attention . The writer , who calls himself Hennas , often displays great acuteness and originality in his arguments , and we have satisfaction in observing that his Letter is characterized by an evident sincerity and seriousness in his
convictions , as well as candour and temperance in discussion . We owe it to our readers to give a brief analysis of his train of argument , leaving it to them to form their own conclusions . His object is to shew rhat water-baptism is in no form a rite or duty binding upon Christians . The leading * points he endeavours to illustrate are contained in the following sections :
Sect . 1 . That the term baptize , with its derivatives , when applied to moral , mental , and religious subjects , is always used in a figurative sense . He quotes and adopts Robert Robinson ' s explanation of the term , who says , that it is a dyer ' s word , and signifies to dip , so as to colour . Such as render the word dip , give one true idea , but the word stood for two , and one is wanting in this rendering . The word , then , conveys two
ideas , the one , literal , dipping ; the other , figurative , colouring . Hermas draws from the above definition the conclusion , that a literal baptism is not merely dipping into water . He observes , that if to baptize means to dip into water , it will be difficult to define what is meant by the phrase , ** to baptize with , or in water ; " that the term does not of itself indicate the element or means in
or by which the baptism is performed ; that the accompanying nouns must determine the nature of the baptism . He considers that the essential meaning of the term is to impart a new hue ,
appearance , and character ; that it denotes an effect , and not the means by which an effect is produced ; and that to assume , that the baptism must be a ceremony in which water is used , is to take for granted what yet remains to be proved . *
* Robert Robinson ' s definition of the term , upon which this writer grounds so much , appears to be iudefeusible , and indeed groundless . There is no instance of its use as a dyer ' s word , or in the sense of to colour , in the New Testament , ft answers to the Hebrew word bs . tD 2 Kings v . 14 , which is simply to dip , and is so translated in various passages . It then , corned to signify to wash , or
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fn Sect . 2 . he points out the difference between John ' s baptism and the baptism of Jesus , and endeavours to shew from various passages of Scripture , that the baptism or figurative dye to be produced by John ' s mission was a change of character , and not a ritual act which he administered : and that this effect
was produced , uot by dipping them in water , but by the exhortation he preached unto the people . He admits , nevertheless , what it would be strange to deny , that this baptism of John was accompanied with an external and ritual act , but contends that it was temporary in its nature and design . " To me , it
appears , * ' says the author , " that the primary design of the Deity in appointing the use of water as an accompaniment to John ' s baptism , was to furnish at once a simple and sublime mode of signalizing or pointing out to the people of Israel , in the most public manner , the individual who was to be the head of
the next dispensation , and whose comiug would be attended with the destruction of their temple and polity . ° John i 31—33 . He then goes on to observe that the baptism of the Messiah , " with the Holy Spirit and with fire , " Matt . iii . 11 , was a chastisement of heaven , and local in its application , and is to be applied solely to the Jewish people ; that baptism ** unto the name of Jesus , and unto the name of the Father , and of the
Son , and of the Holy Spirit , ' * is an union with the church of God , and a willing obedience to his authority . As much stress is laid upon the apostolic commission , the author dwells upon it at some length , endeavouring to shew that the baptism spoken of is rather the moral effect of the preaching of the apostles upon their hearers , than any literal rite , such as dipping info water , and subsequent to conversion , and symbolical of obedience to Christ .
Then follow some strictures upon Mr . Marsoni and Mr . Giichrist , chiefly intended to prove that various commands given to the apostles had reference to
cleanse , and in this sense j 3 ocTrT ^ o [ A . ctt , to be baptized , or to baptize one ' s self , occurs several times in the New Testament . Mark vii . 4 , Luke xi . 38 : " He marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner . " The primary idea , therefore , of the word baptism , as a Christian rite , is rather that of washing off im purities than of imparting a new hue or colour . See Schleusner ,
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Critical Notices . 1 J 7
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 2, 1829, page 117, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2569/page/45/
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