d. If baptism had taken the place of circumcision, would it not
have been natural for one of the apostles to have said something like
this: 'Why, of course it is not necessary to be circumcised, because
baptism has taken the place of circumcision.' That would have settled
the question."

"I have another point," said Doctor Vincent, "but let's wait a few
moments for Miss Dorothy's return."

In a few minutes Dorothy rejoined the party and the Doctor remarked:

"I can show you that the Bible teaches plainly that God will take the
faith of the Christian parent for that of the child."

"Do show it to us," said Dorothy, eagerly.

"Paul declares that the faith of a parent makes the child holy and
sanctifies the child."

"I don't know what you mean by sanctifying the child, but show us that
passage, Doctor."

"Let me see if I understand your point, Doctor Vincent," said Mr. Page.
"You assert that the Bible declares that the faith of a parent will make
the child holy?"

"Yes."

"I want to see that passage."

The Doctor turned to 1 Cor. 7:14 and read: "'For the unbelieving husband
is sanctified by the wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the
husband; else were your children unclean but now are they holy.'"

"Hello," said Mr. Page, "that sounds like it."

"It is very plain," said the Doctor. "The apostle has said that a
believer must not marry an unbeliever; but then someone may say:
'Suppose a believer has already married an unbeliever, must the
believing wife leave her unbelieving husband?' 'No,' says Paul. 'The
believing wife sanctifies the husband and thus the marriage is not
unclean, but a proper one.' The fact that one of the parties is an
unbeliever does not make the union an unclean one, but he says the child
of such a union is holy. Note that. What does he mean by that word
'holy'? The Jews, according to the old covenant, regarded all who were
not Jews as unclean or unholy; that is, as not partakers of the holy
covenant. But all of Abraham's descendants were holy; that is, were
partakers of the covenant, and Paul here states that the children of
Christian parents, even though only one of the parents was a believer,
were holy."

"But, Doctor," said Dorothy, "I do not see anything about infant baptism
in all that."

"This is related to infant baptism. The point before us now is as to
whether the faith or belief of a parent makes the child holy, and Paul
says it does. The question was asked where