3. The original words used to denote the ordinance of baptism do not uniformly signify immersion.-It is conceded that the controversy respecting the mode of baptism rests very materially on the meaning of these words. Says a distinguished Baptist writer, "had the Greek word ẞantico been translated in the English version of the New Testament, there would have been no dispute among English readers concerning its import."* And why, then, was not this Greek word translated? If it has, as is pretended, one plain and uniform signification, why was not this signification given? On Baptist principles, no answer can be returned to these inquiries, which will not be a reflection on the translators. Will it be said that they did not know the import of the word? Then they were inadequate to their great undertaking. Will it be said that knowing it, they chose not to give it? Then they weakly shrunk from the duty assigned them, and are in a measure chargeable with all the evil that has ensued. Why was not this Greek word translated? On the ground taken by Pedobaptists, the whole matter is plain. It was because the translators knew of no word in our language, which fully answered to it in signification. They did not render it immerse, because they knew it did not uniformly signify immerse. And they did not render it pour or sprinkle, because they knew that such was not its uniform signification. They chose in most cases to transcribe the word, and not translate it -to leave it as they found it-and thus leave every one at liberty to practise that mode of baptism which he judged to be right. The fact, that not only the translators * Judson's Sermon, p. 3. It should be observed, that our English translators have sometimes translated the words denoting baptism; and in every instance have given to them the sense of washing. See Mark vii. 4. Luke xi. 38. Heb. ix. 10. In the Peshito, or old Syriac version of the New Testament, faлticw® is rendered by a word which signifies to confirm or establish. of our English Bible, but translators and lexicographers generally, have chosen to transcribe rather than translate this word, is proof enough that they have not considered it as uniformly implying immersion. There are three sources from which light may be obtained in regard to the signification of disputed terms, viz. etymology, authority, and general use. (1.) It appears from the etymology of the word BanTigo, that it does not uniformly denote immersion. It is a derivative from Banto-a word which, it is now by all admitted, does not always signify immerse. Scapula renders Banto (mergo, immergo, tingo, lavo,) to immerse, to dye, to wash. Coulon renders it (mergo, tingo, abluo) to immerse, to dye, to cleanse by washing.* Ursinus says, aлto signifies to dip, to dye, to wash, to sprinkle (abluo, aspergo.)† Keckerman tells us that Banto signifies, not only to dip, but also to sprinkle (aspergo.)‡ But it is needless to multiply authorities, since Baptist writers admit that Banto does not uniformly denote immersion. Mr. Carson insists, that this word signifies to dye, as well as to dip, and to dye or color in any manner. In proof of this, he cites a number of incontestable examples. A learned Baptist, the author of Letters to Bishop Hoadly, also says, "that Banto signifies to sprinkle," and that it "is not used in the Septuagint in any one place where the very frequent ceremony of washing the whole body occurs."|| . It is obviously used in a number of places where it does not imply immersion. "The priest shall wet (Bayɛı) his finger anо Tov aluatos with the blood." Lev. iv. 17. Lexic. Homeric. + Explic. Catech. Pars ii. Quest. 69. Syst. Theol. Lib. iii. Cap. 8. Carson and Cox on Baptism, p. 59. || Ib. pp. 27, 28. "And he (the priest) shall wet (Baye) his right finger απο του ἐλαίου with the oil.” Lev. xiv. 16. (6 Wetting it (the bundle of hyssop) with the blood, Bayartes αло του αίματος.” Ex. xii. 22. The preposition aло, used in each of these cases, absolutely forbids the idea of immersion. In Dan. v. 21, Bano is rendered by our translators was wet. "His body (εagn) was wet with the dew of heaven." Certainly, the body of Nebuchadnezzar was not immersed in the dew. "Ex In Ezek. xxiii. 15, this word is rendered dyed. ceeding in (augußurra) dyed attire upon their heads." Other Greek writers furnish numerous examples in which aлT does not signify immerse. Sophocles says (Bayas e) "thou hast well stained or glutted thy sword лgos Agεш σigaro with or by means. of the Grecian army."* The preposition gos is inconsistent with the idea of immersion. Callimachus and his commentators use Banto in the sense of them, to draw up. "To-day, ye bearers of water, un Buxtεie draw up none."+ Neander, in his note on this passage, says, σε αὐτην αλα βαπτε draw up the sea water." In Suidas de Hierocle we have an account of a person. who was severely scourged before the tribunal; and "while flowing with blood, (upus) having filled the hollow of his hand, he sprinkled the judgment seat." He surely could not have immersed his hand in the blood that was flowing from his own body. Hippocrates, speaking of a certain liquid, says, "when it drops upon the garments, (Santε1a) they are dyed."‡ Here, the word can neither signify immerse, nor dying by immersion. The liquid drops upon the colored garments. * Ajax v. 95. Hymn. in Lavaer. Pallad. 45. In Carson and Cox on Baptism, pp. 26, 60, 61. Eschylus says,." This garment (ebayev) stained by the sword of Ægisthus, is a witness unto me." The garment must have been stained by the blood flowing down over it. Homer, in his Battle of the Frogs and Mice, says, "He fell, and breathed no more, and the lake (bαдTεто) was tinged with the purple blood."+ "What a monstrous paradox in rhetoric," says Mr. Carson, "is the figure of the dipping of a lake in the blood of a mouse! Never was there such a figure. The lake is not said to be dipped in blood, but to be dyed with blood." Aristophanes says, that "Magnes, an old comic poet of Athens, used the Lydian music, and shaved his face, (Barrouεvos) smearing it with tawny washes." He did not dip his face into the wash, but rubbed the wash upon his face.‡ Aristotle speaks of a substance which, "being pressed, (BaлTE) staineth the hand." Here, surely, there is no reference to dipping. The hand is stained or colored, by pressing the coloring substance. BaлTо was often used by the ancients to signify a coloring of the hair or beard; in none of which instances can it denote immersion. Ælian, speaking of an old coxcomb, says, "He endeavored to conceal the hoariness of his hair by (Baon) coloring it.S Appollonius, disproving the claims of certain false prophets, and ridiculing their attention to dress, asks, "Does a prophet (Santεw) color his hair ?"¶ Nicolas of Damascus, contrasting the conduct of a parasite and of his patron, asks, "Does a patron affect to be * In Carson and Cox on Baptism, pp. 26, 60, 61. t Batrach. v. 248. Aristoph. Hipp. v. 520. Aristot. de Hist. Anim. § Lib. vii. Cap. 20. T Euseb. Ecc. Hist. Lib, v. Cap. 18. younger than. he is? Or does he (BaлTETα) color his hair?'"'* "Some say, Nicylla, that you (ẞurte) color your hair."+ "You (Bantεis) color your head, but you can never (Bayes) color old age."+ Lucian speaks of those (Bayovies) dying purple; and Aristophanes of (opris Barros) a colored or speckled bird.‡ In view of these examples, the meaning of Burть caпnot be mistaken. That it is often used to signify immerse, I have no doubt; but that this is not its uniform meaning is certain. In the instances above cited, we see it used to denote filling; wetting by distillation; and coloring,-by the dropping, the sprinkling, the flowing, the rubbing, and the pressing, of the coloring substance. Such, then, is the primitive word, Buro. And what are we to infer from it respecting the sense of the derivative Bango, the word used in reference to the ordinance of baptism? Pedobaptist writers have generally insisted that uno is not only a derivative, but a diminutive, of a more gencral signification than Baл10, and importing less strongly the idea of immersion. Most Baptist writers, on the contrary, allege, that the two words are essentially synonymous; at least, that the latter implies immersion no more strongly than the former. It is not important. to discuss this matter here. It cannot be supposed that Carson and Cox on Baptism, p. 61. Ewing's Greek Lexicon. || Mr. Judson says that "the word denoting baptism is derived from the verbal of the primitive word (BoT) by a change in the termination which never affects the primary idea." Accordingly he renders · βαπτω to immerse, βαπτος immersed, and βαπτίζω to make immersed, to imSermon on Baptism, pp. 3, 4. merse." "" Dr. Gale, in his Reflections on Wall's History of Infant Baptism, decides that βαπτω and βαπτίζω are (ioodvvauai) exactly the same as to signification." |