Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 01.djvu/506

LEFT BAPTISTS 414 BAPTISTS custom of 10th century origin — continues to this day. Being an initiatory rite, baptism is only administered once to the same person. The Roman and Greek Catholics consecrate the water of bap- tism, but Protestants do not. The act of baptism is accompanied only with the formula that the person is baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; but, among most Christians, it is preceded by a confession of faith made by the person to be baptized, if an adult, and by his parents or sponsors if he be a child. The Roman Catholic form of baptism is far more elaborate than the Protestant. This church teaches that all persons not baptized are damned, even unbaptized infants are not admitted into heaven; but for those with whom the absence of baptism was the chief fault, even St. Augustine himself believed in a species of mitigated dam- nation. Protestants hold that though the neglect of the sacrament is a sin, yet the saving new birth may be found without the performance of the rite which symbolizes it. Naming the person baptized forms no essential part of the ceremony, but has become almost uni- versal, probably from the ancient custom of renaming the catechumen. BAPTISTS, a Protestant denomination based on the belief that immersion is the only Scriptural mode of baptism, and that those only are proper subjects for this ceremony who are converted and profess personal faith in Christ. They thus reject both infant baptism and baptism by sprinkling or pouring of water as invalid. There are, however, other sects, including the Mennonites, the Christians, the Disciples of Christ, etc., who accept the prominent prin- ciples of the Baptists in whole or in part, and yet are not classified with them, owing to some minor differences. The Baptists first appeared in Swit- zerland, in 1523, and soon spread to Germany, Holland, and other continental countries, whence they were driven to England by persecution on account of their rejection of infant baptism. The first regularly organized church was Arminian, and was established in 1610 or 1611. A Calvinistic Baptist Church was founded about 1633. Those holding Arminian views received the name of General Baptists, and those holding Calvinistic views, the name of Particular Baptists. The Baptists in the United States spring historically from the English and Welsh Baptists; but the first Baptist Church was organized by Roger Wil- liams, who was a minister in the Massachusetts Colony previous to his immersion. After being immersed, in 1639, by Ezekiel HoUiman, whom he in turn immersed with 10 others, he organized a Baptist Church in Pro'.i* dence, R. I. There were other Baptists^ however, who emigrated from England in the 17th century, and, before the end of the 18th century, became numerous in New England, New York, Penn- sylvania, Virginia, Georgia, and other States. In all the British colonies, ex- cepting Rhode Island, the Baptists were persecuted for a long time. After the Revolutionary War the Baptists increased with great rapidity, espe- cially in the South and southwestern States, and have steadily increased ever since. There are at present three principal bodies of Regular Baptists, the Northern, the Southern, and the Colored, all of whom agree in doctrinal and ecclesias- tical principles, but each has its own associations, State Conventions and general missionary and other associa- tions. In 1845 a controversy concern- ing slavery, caused a division between the Baptists in the Northern and those in the Southern States, after which the Northern Baptists continued to support the Home Mission Society and the American Baptist Missionary Union, on an anti-slavery basis. The Southern Division is the largest branch of white Baptists. After the division of 1845 the Southern churches established the South- ern Baptist Convention, which holds annual meetings. It is composed of representatives from associations, other organizations, and from the churches. The Colored Baptists compose the largest body of Regular Baptists, those being included who have separate churches, State Conventions, and associa- tions. The Colored Baptists of the North are generally members of churches belonging to white associations. In 1866 the first State Convention of Colored Baptists was organized in North Carolina. Besides these associations there are the American National Con- vention, which deliberates upon ques- tions of general concern; the Consol- idated American Missionary Convention, the General Association of the Western States and Territories, the New Eng- land Missionary Convention, and the Foreign Missionary Convention of the United States. Besides the three large divisions of Baptists, there are several smaller ones: The Six Principle Baptists, Seventh Day Baptists, Free Will Baptists, Original Free Will Baptists, General Baptists,