taught, and no long study is needed to disclose the fact that infant baptism certainly does not lie on the surface of the New Testament writings.
Those who hold that the Swiss Anabaptists had derived their views from Münzer cannot have read attentively the letter written by Grebel, Mantz, and others, September 5, 1524, in which they request from him a statement of his ideas regarding baptism; and, after expounding their own doctrine at some length, go on to say:
"We believe ... that all children, who have not yet come to know the difference between good and evil ... are saved by the sufferings of Christ, the new Adam.... Also that infant baptism is a silly, blasphemous outrage, contrary to all Scripture. Since ... you have published your protestations against infant baptism,[1] we hope you do not act against the eternal word, wisdom, and command of God, according to which only believers should be baptised, and that you baptise no children."[2]
This is hardly the language of disciples to a master, and the whole letter is similar in tone. In a word,
- ↑ On the practice of Münzer regarding the baptism of infants, see his statement to Œcolampadius in Herzog's biography, i., 302. It did not differ much from that of Hübmaier before Roublin's visit and the definite adoption of Anabaptism—a point to which Münzer never came.
- ↑ Cornelius, Gesch. des Münsterischen Aufruhrs, ii., 240 sq.
