Of A Certain Ancient Confession Of Faith Of The Waldesian Brethren.

Jacob Mehnring, writing on the fourteenth century, touching baptism, says: “I have had in my hands a very old confession of some Waldesian brethren in Bohemia, printed in the German language, in which they expressly confess that in the beginning of Christianity no infants were baptized; and that also their forefathers did not do it,” as John Bohemius writes. Lib. 2, Gentium Moribus: “In former times baptism was wont to be administered only to those who were previously instructed in the faith, and examined seven times in the week before Easter and Whitsuntide; these were then baptized upon the confession of their faith; but when baptism was afterwards deemed necessary to salvation, it was also ordained, by the papists, that newborn infants should be baptized, and that sponsors should be assigned them, who confessed the faith, and renounced the devil, in their stead.” Bapt. Hist., p. 738.

About A. D. 1400.—D. J. Vicecomes cites from this century (from Nicephorus Callistus), lib. 1, cap. 23, that in Thessalia, baptism was administered only on Whitsuntide;184 on which account many died without baptism.

“Thus,” remarks Jacob Mehrning on this, “we are informed, that even at this day there are brethren and Christians in Thessalonica, who agree with the Mennists in all articles of religion.” These are J. Mehrning’s own words (page 739), of which we shall speak more fully hereafter.