THE MENNONITE BROTHERHOOD IN RUSSIA (1789 - 1910), P. M. Friesen, 1911

h, Hannover, Hahnsche Buchhandlung, 1879. “Baptisterion” (from the Greek “baptizein,” to submerse) to baptize; “baptisma”— in Greek, baptism as a sacrament of the church. "Baptismus: “baptismus per immersionem,” through dipping in water, or "per asperaionem,” through sprinkling with water, as we practice it; “Baptisterium” (from the Greek “baptisterion,” actually bathing place)— the bathtub; the baptistery. III. Brockhaus’ Kleines Konversa- tionslexikon, Leipzig, 1886. “Baptisma, Baptismus” (Greek), dipping in water; baptism. “Baptisterium”— baptistery, formerly a building adjoining the bishop’s cathedral, for the performance of baptism, having a baptismal font in the middle of it. s) We see that according to the literal and biblically symbolical meaning as well as according to the scientific research of impartial experts in language and history, immersion was the normal and original mode of baptism, and the M.B. Church has been quite correct in introducing this form of holy baptism. Baptism by Immersion 301 t) However, as far as the utter rejection of pouring and sp rinkling in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost is concerned in the case of believers whose testimony, in word and deed, the church can believe in regard to the renewal of their own hearts through the Holy Ghost, and who give sincere assurance that this act (before or after their conversion) is the equivalent of a baptismal covenant with Christ and God’s church to them, in our own opinion this represents an over-zealous and exaggerated estimate of formal and material elements in the spiritual realm; for baptizein also means pouring, etc. This intolerance has always been painful to us, to which fact we have repeatedly testified, 102 without wanting to cause dispute or offence. Nor did the M.B. Church, at its secession in 1860 as mentioned previously, express this view, and the first official document of the Molotschna congregation, in which it is directly emphasized that only immersion is baptism, is the Promemoria of the petition to the Department of Crown Lands, dated December 20, 1863 (cf. #175). Huebert and Becker were elected and consecrated as ministers, others as deacons, before they or the congregation thought they had to be baptized. And while a few were baptized in private, others continued unrestrained in office without baptism: Huebert until the middle of May, 1861, Claassen and others until late in 1862. The Chortitza-Einlage M.B. Church, however, as we already know, was already immersion-minded before its formal organization. u) Why would the author want to recognize pouring and sp rinkling as valid forms of baptism and yet not consider them to be in keeping with the original form of baptism? And why would he want to have communion at the Lord’s Table with all believers regardless of their differences in respect to baptism and spiritual understanding? First, in view of the Scriptural word “the letter k