Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 29:116 (Oct 1872)
Article: Infant Baptism And A Regenerated Church-Membership Irreconcilable
Author: William H. H. Marsh

BSac 29:116 (Oct 1872) p. 665

Infant Baptism And A Regenerated Church-Membership Irreconcilable

Rev. W. H. H. Marsh

Two remarkable Articles on the subject of Infant Church-membership appeared during the past year — the first, in the “Methodist Quarterly Review” for January, from the pen of the late Rev. B. H. Nadal, D.D., Professor in the Drew Theological Seminary, New Jersey, entitled, “The Logic of Infant Church-membership”; and the second in the Bibliotheca Sacra” for April, written by the Rev. Lewis Grout, formerly missionary of the A. B. C. F. M., entitled, “The Church-membership of Baptized Children.” The appearance of these two Articles on the same topic, in two prominent and widely circulated quarterlies, written by men (members of large, influential, and growing denominations) who, in all probability, knew nothing of each other’s views on the subject, and who reached their conclusions by indepen-

BSac 29:116 (Oct 1872) p. 666

dent investigation, is,, we say, remarkable. The coincidence in time, in argument, and in the main conclusion, is striking. We are aware that Dr. Nadal and Mr. Grout do not speak for the denomination they respectively represent. We do not believe the majority, nor even a large minority, of the Methodists would accept Dr. Nadal’s conclusion. In fact, the editor of the Methodist Quarterly Review, in a foot-note at the close of his Article, says: “We insert the above Article in cordial respect for the eminent character of the lamented writer, and not from any coincidence with his views.” As for our Congregational brethren, neither do we think a large proportion of them are prepared to accept the position stated and defended by Mr. Grout. Yet we cannot but regard the nearly simultaneous appearance of these two Articles, — one in January, and the other in April of the same year, — as a most significant fact. They appear as the views of individuals, it is true, and their authors alone are responsible for the presentation and advocacy of those views before the religious public; still, we regard their authors as representative of a class, more or less numerous, among our Paedobaptist brethren, who are thinking deeply on the question relative to the status of baptized children, and who are not satisfied with the present indefiniteness. The significance, therefore, we attribute to the Articles we have referred to is, that they indicate most decidedly a state of uncertainty, and hence of unrest and dissatisfaction, in the minds of many Paedobaptists on the relation of baptized children to the church. That there exists this feeling of indefiniteness on the subject, Mr. Grout concedes at the outset, and evidently he designs his Article to be a contribution toward the solution of this pressing and perplexing problem.You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
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