# Further Remarks Concerning Baptism In This Century.

2nd century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: FURTHER REMARKS CONCERNING BAPTISM IN THIS CENTURY.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

From the writings of Walafridus Strabonus we
may clearly infer what manner of baptism was
practiced at this time, in the first as well as in the
second century, and also long afterwards, namely,
that no infants, but adult, reasonable, and believing
persons were baptized, and this, according to the
example of Christ and his holy apostles. Jac. Mehrn.,
Bapt. Hist., p. 524, D. I. Vicecomes, lib. I, cap. 4.
Walafridus Strabo (in lib. de Rebus Eccles., cap. 26)
writes: “We must know that originally believers
were very simply baptized in streams and springs;
for our Lord Jesus Christ himself, in order to sanctify
such washing for us, was baptized of John in Jordan;
even we read elsewhere: ‘John was baptizing in
Enon near to Salim, because there was much water
there.’ ”

Page 525, from D. Vicecomes, lib. 1, cap. 30;
also, cap. 26, Strabo speaks thus concerning baptism:
“We must know that in those first times
baptism was administered only to those who, in
body as well as in soul, were washed clean and
white, so that they could both know and understand,
what benefit there was to be obtained in
baptism, what was to be confessed and believed,
and, finally, what was necessary to be observed by
the regenerated in Christ.

He then relates of Augustine, that he was instructed
in the faith before he was baptized (of which
we shall speak in the proper place); but that subsequently,
for the sake of improvement, as it is called,
the church, that is, the Roman church, practiced
infant baptism, with a view of freeing infants by this
means from the punishment of God for original sin.
Then the followers of the true faith (thus he wrongly
calls the Romanists), in order that the children
might not be lost, if they should die without the
means of regeneration, that is, baptism, resolved
that they should be baptized for the remission of
sins. Hence originated, he writes, the custom of
having godfathers and godmothers, who stand for
the child at (literally, lift the child from) baptism,
and answer for them all that they themselves, on
account of the weakness of their infancy, are not
able to confess.” Thus for Strabo.

N. B.—Concerning these words, D. Vicecomes
writes thus: “Since Walafridus Strabo removes the
custom of infant baptism from the primitive church,
he also recognizes no older origin of the godfather’s
than which dates from a period subsequent to the
times of Augustine.” Bapt. Hist., pp. 525, 526.

Thus, in the first two centuries, and long afterwards,
infant baptism was not known by the Romanists
101
even, according to the above mentioned
testimony of W. Strabo. Shortening this, we shall
conclude with a statement contained in the H. Doophistorie,
at the end of the second century, page 211,
cap. 7, de Ratione Gubernationis Ecclesiæ: “Since
also the administration of the Sacraments belongs to
the government of the church, we see from the
history of the time, that the bishops and teachers
did not deem it burdensome to baptize, not bells
and altars, but men whom they had instructed in
the principal articles of the Christian religion; and
to them they also administered the holy Supper.”
We shall now proceed to the martyrs, who, during
this time suffered for this same faith.





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