and thereby admitted into the Jewish church, and so in the
Christian church every male child--"

"No, not simply every male child, but every child, both male and
female, who was baptized was admitted into the Christian church."

"Well, why this difference? If they circumcised only the males in the
old church, why do you not baptize simply the males in the Christian
church if baptism is put in the place of circumcision?"

"There is no reason why the females, as well as the males, should not be
baptized, but there was a difference in the matter of circumcision."

"This is surely a new kind of argument for infant baptism."

"I think it is a very natural one. God does not change his plans of
dealing with his people. In the first covenant all Jewish children were
admitted into the covenant simply because their parents were members of
the commonwealth or church, and the condition of their admission was
their circumcision. Now if God would admit the children in the old
dispensation, would he not admit them also in the new? And what is the
sign under the new dispensation? Is it circumcision? Oh, no; it is
baptism. That seems plain and unanswerable."

"So then it is not the inherent heavenly nature of the child, but the
fact that one of the parents is a Christian that makes you baptize his
little ones."

"Yes, that is the reason. The parent must of course promise to train the
child aright. Circumcision was the door to the Old Testament church,
while baptism is the door to the New Testament church."

"Here is a foot note in this family Bible on this passage," said the
father. "It says that 'in the old dispensation all the natural children
of Abraham were by circumcision admitted into the Jewish church; so now
all who are the spiritual children of Abraham are by baptism admitted
into the Christian church'."

"Exactly so," exclaimed the brother. "The contrast is between the
natural and the spiritual children of Abraham. The natural descendants
of Abraham, who were of course Jews, were admitted by circumcision. I
think if you wish to run the parallel you must follow that line. In the
Old Testament it was a natural relationship and in the New Testament it
is a spiritual relationship."

"Son, you are surely on the right track. This foot note here says 'all
believers are the spiritual children of Abraham'. Christ said he could
raise up children unto Abraham, who was the father of the faithful.
Every such believer is entitled