# How The Waldenses Were Called Anabaptists By The Romanists Themselves. · Page 1 of 2 [Previous page: OF THE WALDENSES WHO IN ALL RESPECTS WERE OF ONE BELIEF WITH THE BAPTISTS (ALSO CALLED ANABAPTISTS); OF WHOM WE SHALL SPEAK THROUGHOUT OUR ACCOUNT.](/en/stories/mm-of-the-waldenses-who-in-all-respects-were-of-one-belief-with-the-baptists-also-called-anabaptists-of-whom-we-shall-speak/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: HOW THE WALDENSES WERE CALLED ANABAPTISTS BY THE ROMANISTS THEMSELVES.](/en/stories/mm-how-the-waldenses-were-called-anabaptists-by-the-romanists-themselves/part-2/) This is stated by Jacob Mehrning in different places, after he has declared, upon the testimony of ancient writers, that they were called by the peculiar names of those who were previously already termed Anabaptists. “From Berengarius,” says he, (Bapt. Hist., page 666), “they were called Berengarians; from Peter de Bruis, Petrobrusians; from Henry, Henricians; from the apostles, Apostolics; from Peter Waldo, Waldenses, and so forth. Among us Germans,” he writes (pp. 695, 696), “the papist, Lutheran, and Calvinistic pedobaptists still contemptuously call them Anabaptists; in the Netherlands they are called Mennists, from Menno Simons, one of their principal teachers.” Thus, according to this testimony, the ancient Waldenses agreed in faith not only with Berengarius, Peter Bruis, Henry Tholossanus, and the Apostolics, of whom we have given an account before; but also with the Mennonites or Baptists of the present day, who by nearly all the rest in so-called Christendom are stigmatized with the contemptuous appellation of Anabaptists, even as their former brethren, the abovementioned Waldenses, were called by those from whom they were separated, namely, the papists. On pages 677 and 678, these Waldenses are several times called Anabaptists, with the statement, that long before the time of John Huss, they lived in Poland and Bohemia, as well as in France, as is noted in that place. From Hagecus, Dubravius, Micchovius, Cromerus, Jacob Usserius, Jounetus, M. Glaneus, Keyser’s Car. Edict. It is true, that by some of said papistic authors these people are represented in a very bad light, with regard to their faith, as well as their life; however, the writer of the History of Baptism refutes said representation, saying (p. 679, from M. Flaccius and Cent. Magd.), that they were slandered by their accusers, and that in doctrine and life they were very pious, orthodox, and godly Christians. Although we might stop here, as having sufficiently proved, that the ancient Waldenses were one people with the Baptists of the present day, yet, since this is a much assailed point, we will add, for further confirmation, a few more testimonies from papistic writers. Abbot Peter Cluniacensis, in the first article of Peter Bruis and Henry Tholossanus, makes mention of the belief of the Waldenses, and says, that “they (with said two men) denied that infants in the years of their irrationality can be saved by the baptism of Christ, and maintained, that the faith of another cannot help them, because 268 they cannot use their own faith.” Hence, they said: “Though the infants are baptized by the papists, yet, since they cannot believe, their infancy preventing them, they are by no means saved by baptism. But we choose a proper time of faith, and do not rebaptize men, as is alleged against us, since they know their God, and are prepared to believe on him; but we then baptize them aright, lest it might be said, that they are rightly baptized, who, though baptized in infancy, are not baptized with the baptism by which sin is washed away.” This the Waldenses are wont to say, says the writer. Bapt. Hist., page 687. The writer of the History of Baptism makes the following comments on the twelfth of the Magdeburg Centuries, pp. 428, 429: “Concerning the origin of the Waldenses, who sprung from Peter Waldo, Mellinus relates all that has been given above from Flaccius. Hence it came, that all his disciples, followers and adherents were at that time called Anabaptists by the malicious papists; and also, Poor Men of Lyons, of which name they needed not to be ashamed for Christ’s sake, who also, for our sakes, became poor, that through his poverty he might make us rich. But when they subsequently, through persecution, became dispersed from France into other countries, as, England, Poland, Livonia, etc., other names were given them.” B. H., p. 695. Here it is expressly stated that the Waldenses, from ancient times were designated by the papists by the name of Anabaptists; doubtless, because they baptized those who had been baptized in their infancy again, or, at least, aright, afterwards, when they had attained to the faith; for these are words of the Waldenses themselves, as has been shown above. Moreover, that said people were scattered from France not only into England, Poland, and Livonia, but also into many other countries, yea, almost over the whole known world, has previously been proven in part, and shall hereafter, if necessary, be demonstrated still more fully. Bapt. Hist., page 710. D. Vicecomes (lib. 2, cap. 2), gives evidence from Bernhard, that the Waldenses were anabaptists, as the ungodly now call the Christian baptists (the Baptists), who did not believe in infant baptism. It is certainly clearly and plainly said, that the Waldenses were anabaptists, or, at least, that they were called by that name; the reason why is also shown, namely, because they, like the Baptists of the present day, did not believe in infant baptism. ## Original source [Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_268) [Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855) [Previous page: OF THE WALDENSES WHO IN ALL RESPECTS WERE OF ONE BELIEF WITH THE BAPTISTS (ALSO CALLED ANABAPTISTS); OF WHOM WE SHALL SPEAK THROUGHOUT OUR ACCOUNT.](/en/stories/mm-of-the-waldenses-who-in-all-respects-were-of-one-belief-with-the-baptists-also-called-anabaptists-of-whom-we-shall-speak/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: HOW THE WALDENSES WERE CALLED ANABAPTISTS BY THE ROMANISTS THEMSELVES.](/en/stories/mm-how-the-waldenses-were-called-anabaptists-by-the-romanists-themselves/part-2/) --- Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-how-the-waldenses-were-called-anabaptists-by-the-romanists-themselves/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+How+The+Waldenses+Were+Called+Anabaptists+By+The+Romanists+Themselves.+%C2%B7+Page+1+of+2&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AHow+The+Waldenses+Were+Called+Anabaptists+By+The+Romanists+Themselves.+%C2%B7+Page+1+of+2%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-how-the-waldenses-were-called-anabaptists-by-the-romanists-themselves%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-how-the-waldenses-were-called-anabaptists-by-the-romanists-themselves%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+12th+century+%28source+section%29%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)