tism of infants is wholly without Scriptural foundation, and is one
of the erroneous teachings of the apostasy, a doctrine that aided in
darkening the pure light of the gospel.

Sprinkling And Pouring.

These forms of baptism originated among the heretics of the second
century. "_Ego men baptizo humas en hudati._" Mat. 3:11. To give this a
true literal translation, we have: "I indeed immerse you in water."
Immersion is a mode of baptism, and the only Scriptural one. We have no
account of sprinkling and pouring until the third century. The Novatians
practised it in the third century. When we understand the true object of
baptism, and what it represents, we find that sprinkling and pouring would
be altogether inappropriate.

Trine Immersion.

This is another doctrine of the apostasy. We have before stated that
baptism represents a burial. Rom. 6:4. We can at once see the
inappropriateness of three immersions. So far as we know all trine
immersionists immerse forward. This does not fitly represent a burial. The
baptismal formula of Mat. 28:19 is the trine immersionists strongest
proof-text. "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost." These three, we are told, are one. 1 John 5:7. There are three
personages in the Godhead, but these three are one. It does not require
three acts of faith for pardon, yet we are told to believe in God, and to
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, etc. To be baptized in the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ is to be baptized in the name of the full triune God,
because in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead. Col 2:9.

The disciples well understood the Savior in his commission in Mat. 28:19.
They baptized under his direction before the commission. One act in the
name of the Lord Jesus is all we can find them practising. "And he
commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." Acts 10:48. "When
they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." Acts
19:5. "They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." Acts 8:16.

Tertullian in the third century in writing on the subject of baptism says,
"We solemnly profess that we disown the devil and his pomp and his angels.
Hereupon we are thrice immersed, making a somewhat ampler pledge than the
Lord has appointed in the gospel."--_The Crown._

Trine immersionists make use of such historical records to establish the
doctrine of trine immersion. Instead of being in its favor, it is against