Classic Studies on Baptism (42 vols.)

by Henry Sweetser Burrage; James McDonald Chaney; R. Ingham; Leonard Woods

and

31 more

Publishers:

American Baptist Publication Society; Presbyterian Committee of Publication

and

35 more

, 1815–1901

Overview

This tremendous collection of classic works on baptism presents the history, biblical testimony, and systematic treatment on this topic of perennial importance from eminent scholars and pastors on each side of the debate. What is the biblical mode of baptism: immersion, sprinkling, pouring, or dipping. Or do several find warrant in Scripture? Should Christians practice trine immersion, sprinkling, or pouring? Who are the proper subjects of baptism: only professing adults, or also believers’ children? What is the biblical origin of baptism, and can precursors be found in the Old Testament? What is the significance of baptism: is it a memorial, a sign and seal; does it regenerate? How does all this fit together into a coherent doctrine of baptism? All these questions and more are answered in this remarkable collection. The value of these volumes is enhanced by the fact that many of them reference and interact with each other, giving this collection a dialogic quality that allows you to trace the classic debates on baptism from each view’s leading representatives. The usefulness of these cross-references is maximized by the Logos editions, which allow you to pull up citations between works with a click.

Several works offer multivolume treatments of baptism and all its related topics for a comprehensive overview and orientation, such as William Wall’s massive four-volume The History of Infant Baptism and Abraham Booth’s three-volume Paedobaptism Examined. Other volumes focus on specific issues within the study of baptism, such as its proper mode, subjects, and baptismal regeneration. And others offer in-depth historical analyses of baptism, which trace the development of the doctrine and practice from its earliest precursors up to the modern times. These include works such as A Question in Baptist History, in which former SBTS president William Heth Whitsitt presents historical evidence that, before 1641, Baptists did not immerse, but practiced sprinkling and pouring. For other volumes, the purpose is to analyze the various views of baptism and present the most biblically sound and historically grounded understanding of the ordinance, often from authors who themselves changed from one view to another after diligent study that they now share with their readers.

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Key Features

• Biblical and systematic analysis of the doctrine of baptism
• Comprehensive treatments of the history of baptism in Scripture and extrabiblical texts
• Presentation of the case for infant baptism and believers-only baptism from leading representatives

Product Details

• Title: Classic Studies on Baptism
• Print Publication Dates: 1815–1901
• Volumes: 42
• Resources: 37
• Pages: 14,214
• Language: English
• Resource ID: {CEA60394-5DDC-49FB-A922-D357C83674A9}

The Mystery of Baptism

• Author: John Stockton Axtell
• Publisher: Funk & Wagnalls
• Publication Date: 1901
• Pages: 396

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

In this volume, John S. Axtell presents a comprehensive overview of baptism and its attendant topics. He approaches the subject by employing the imagery of the parts of the Temple. Part one, which looks at the “Outer Court,” includes an introduction setting out the scope and methodology of the work. Following this is a historical and philological analysis of baptism in the Greek language and ideology and within Judaism, as well as the baptism of John. Part two looks at the “Inner Court” and examines the meaning, subjects, benefits, and mode of baptism. This includes a chapter devoted to the historical development of different modes employed in baptism. Part three then considers the “Holy of Holies” with a discussion of the substance and significance of baptism being “into Christ.”

The subject of this book is one which has engaged the deepest attention of men for ages and has cause countless crossings of swords in doctrinal battles, yet, the present author has gone back of the controversies in which the subject has been so long involved and has revealed truths hitherto left hidden, has set forth the old truths in new light, giving them new force and meaning, and has, withal, cast aside the weapons of strife and debate, and clothed the truth in the garments of love.

—Methodist Magazine and Review

John Stockton Axtell (PhD) was a Presbyterian scholar who also wrote The Truth about Baptism and A New-Old Creed: The Confession of Faith and the Larger Catechism.

William the Baptist

• Author: James McDonald Chaney
• Edition: 5th
• Publisher: Presbyterian Committee of Publication
• Publication Date: 1877
• Pages: 144

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

This refreshing little book approaches the controversial topic of baptism in a delightfully palatable way by presenting the issue in as a series of actual dialogues between the author and a man in his congregation: William, a devout Baptist, who is married to a wonderful Presbyterian woman. Unlike so many books that raise and leave unanswered more questions than they solve, this dialogue anticipates and answers your questions as you follow the characters through their conversation. In addition to treating the mode and subjects of baptism, James M. Chaney supplements this important topic with personal and pastoral richness through this narrative of actual events.

James McDonald Chaney (1831–1909) was a Presbyterian minister in St. Louis, Missouri. He received a Doctor of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from King College in Bristol, Tennessee. In addition to his pastoral ministry, he also served as the president of several academic institutions in the United States. Chaney was also an astronomer and invented a planetarium that was frequently used by schools for locating and observing celestial bodies.

Agnes, Daughter of William the Baptist; or, The Young Theologian

• Author: James McDonald Chaney
• Publisher: Presbyterian Committee of Publication
• Publication Date: 1894
• Pages: 129

This sequel to Cheney’s popular William the Baptist is a helpful follow-up to the question of baptism. In this book, Cheney follows William’s daughter, a young girl named Agnes, and explores the question of when children baptized in infancy may become communicant members of the church. This important question, often left unaddressed in books on baptism, is engagingly presented and answered through the dialogue between Cheney and Agnes and the narrative of what transpires.

James McDonald Chaney (1831–1909) was a Presbyterian minister in St. Louis, Missouri. He received a Doctor of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from King College in Bristol, Tennessee. In addition to his pastoral ministry, he also served as the president of several academic institutions in the United States. Chaney was also an astronomer and invented a planetarium that was frequently used by schools for locating and observing celestial bodies.

A Review of the Baptismal Controversy

• Author: James Bowling Mozley
• Edition: 2nd
• Publisher: Rivingtons
• Publication Date: 1883
• Pages: 430

This volume assesses the topic of baptism from Scripture, church history, and the Articles and Prayer Book of the Church of England. Much attention is given to the issue of regeneration, its meaning, and its relation to baptism from the early Fathers to the Reformation.

James Bowling Mozley (1813–1878), brother-in-law to John Henry Newman, was a theologian in the Church of England who had an active role in the Oxford Movement. He was a fellow of Magdalen College at Oxford, and later the canon of Christ Church and regius professor of divinity at Oxford. He also authored Eight Lectures on Miracles from the Bampton Lecture Series.

The Primitive Doctrine of Baptismal Regeneration

• Author: James Bowling Mozley
• Publisher: John Murray
• Publication Date: 1856
• Pages: 141

This volume takes a focused look at the doctrine of baptismal regeneration by examining the meaning of “regeneration” in Scripture and tracing its use and significance through patristic writings and the practice of baptism throughout church history. An entire chapter is devoted to an examination of Augustine’s doctrine of baptism. A concluding chapter brings this data to bear on the question of infant regeneration.

James Bowling Mozley (1813–1878), brother-in-law to John Henry Newman, was a theologian in the Church of England who had an active role in the Oxford Movement. He was a fellow of Magdalen College at Oxford, and later the canon of Christ Church and regius professor of divinity at Oxford. He also authored Eight Lectures on Miracles from the Bampton Lecture Series.

Christian Baptism: Its Subjects and Modes

• Author: Stephen Mason Merrill
• Publisher: Hitchcock & Walden
• Publication Date: 1876
• Pages: 311

In this volume, Bishop Stephen Mason Merrill presents a biblical, theological, linguistic, and historical account of the doctrine of baptism. Merrill spends a considerable amount of time discussing the relation of baptism to the Abrahamic covenant and the significance of the oneness of the church for understanding this subject. He also discusses the historical development of the controversy, the meaning of the word “baptize,” baptism in the New Testament, the imagery of being “buried” in baptism, and the meaning of “Spirit baptism.”

Stephen Mason Merrill (1825–1905) was an American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church and an editor of the Western Christian Advocate. His works include The Second Coming of Christ Considered in Its Relation to the Millennium, the Resurrection, and the Judgment, A Digest of Methodist Law, Doctrinal Aspects of Christian Experience, and The New Testament Idea of Hell.

Baptism Tested by Scripture and History

• Author: William Hodges
• Edition: 3rd, Revised and Improved
• Publisher: E. P. Dutton & Co.
• Publication Date: 1875
• Pages: 411

In this careful study, William Hodges presents a detailed biblical and historical analysis of the doctrine of subjects and mode of baptism, including an account of the rise of antipaedobaptism. The book opens with a helpful orientation to the foundation question of the controversy: are children included in the covenant community? Hodges provides the reader with a comprehensive overview of the doctrine from early Christian writings, church councils, and circumstantial evidence from historical accounts. He also addresses at length the relationship between circumcision in the perpetual Abrahamic Covenant (in distinction from the Mosaic) and baptism in the New Covenant. This volume is further enhanced by a concluding summary of the book.

William Hodges (d. 1881) held a Doctor of Divinity degree and was rector of Christ Episcopal Church in West River, Maryland.

An Exposition of the Law of Baptism as It Regards the Mode and the Subjects

• Author: Edwin Hall
• Publisher: Presbyterian Publication Committee
• Publication Date: 1864
• Pages: 221

In this book, professor Edwin Hall lays out a positive case for infant baptism and argues that the mode is adiaphora. He makes his case primarily from Scripture and from an examination of its original language and ancient versions. Hall concludes by presenting and answering the objections against infant baptism leveled by anti-paedobaptists.

Edwin Hall (1802–1877) held a Doctor of Divinity degree and was professor of theology at Auburn Theological Seminary from 1854 to 1876 after which he was appointed professor emeritus of theology. He also authored The Puritans and Their Principles and The Ancient Historical Records of Norwalk, Conn.

A History of the Modes of Christian Baptism

• Author: James Chrystal
• Publisher: Lindsay & Blakiston
• Publication Date: 1861
• Pages: 324

This volume offers an in-depth look at one of the key aspects of the debate surrounding the doctrine of baptism by specifically focusing on the history of the modes employed in baptism throughout history. James Chrystal begins his analysis with the traces of baptism before and during the time of Christ and specifically the proselyte baptisms practiced in Second Temple Judaism. He also examines the scriptural and ancient versional evidence before moving on to examine the practice in church history from the Fathers and ecclesiastical documents. Chrystal also traces the practice through each major tradition up to his present day, including the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican churches. This valuable volume also includes an extensive appendix containing passages from church documents and authors relating to baptism.

Rev. James Chrystal (1832–1908) was a presbyter of the Protestant Episcopal Church.

Is the Mode of Christian Baptism Prescribed in the New Testament?

• Author: Moses Stuart
• Publisher: Graves and Marks
• Publication Date: 1855
• Pages: 264

This influential work by renowned pastor-scholar Moses Stuart garnered respect from Presbyterians and Baptists alike and, despite its position in favor of infant baptism, was actually republished and distributed by Baptists for its scholarly integrity. Stuart offers a comprehensive account of the meaning of “baptize” and its cognates from the Greek New Testament, as well as its uses in ancient extrabiblical writers in Greek, Hebrew, Syriac, and other ancient versional evidence. He also includes an appendix with an overview of each versional witness from Latin and Persian to Coptic and Turkish.

Prof. Stuart was in his day the brightest luminary in the constellation of Presbyterian scholars . . . This work is not republished by Baptists primarily for the sake of Prof. Stuart’s reasoning, but for the authorities and facts which he submits.

—James Robinson Graves, Southern Baptist Convention

Moses Stuart (1780–1852), a Presbyterian pastor and professor of sacred literature at Andover Theological Seminary, is designated as the “father of exegetical studies.” He trained over 100 missionaries and authored several commentaries.

Baptism: A Treatise on the Nature, Perpetuity, Subjects, Administrator, Mode, and Use of the Initiating Ordinance of the Christian Church

• Author: Thomas Osmond Summers
• Publisher: John Early
• Publication Date: 1853
• Pages: 252

In this unintimidating volume, professor Thomas Osmond Summers presents a comprehensive, yet accessible and restrained, account of the doctrine of baptism. While giving due attention to issues of language and history, Summers competently discusses the subject without burying the reader in Greek etymologies and obscure writers. He covers the nature, proper subjects, administrators, mode, and use of baptism.

Thomas Osmond Summers (1812–1882), DD and LLD, was professor of systematic theology at Vanderbilt University and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Baptism, with Reference to Its Import and Modes

• Author: Edward Beecher
• Publisher: John Wiley
• Publication Date: 1849
• Pages: 342

Edward Beecher lays out his analysis of the meaning of “baptize” and its cognates, and presents focused exegesis of passages that are central to the debate surrounding the doctrine of baptism, such as Romans 6:3–4 and Colossians 2:12. Beecher also interacts extensively with several of his contemporaries, critiquing their work or responding to their critiques of his, offering a window into the development of this debate in nineteenth-century America.

Edward Beecher (1803–1895), the son of Lyman Beecher and brother of Henry Ward Beecher, was a noted theologian and Congregational pastor. He studied at Yale and Andover and earned a Doctor of Divinity. He was the editor of The Congregationalist and associate editor of the Christian Union.

A Dissertation on the Scriptural Authority, Nature, and Uses of Infant Baptism

• Author: Ralph Wardlaw
• Edition: 3rd
• Publisher: James Maclehose
• Publication Date: 1846
• Pages: 347

In this volume, Ralph Wardlaw argues for the continuity of placing the sign of covenant membership on the children of believers on the basis of the fact that it was established in the Abrahamic Covenant and was not abrogated in the New Covenant. This volume also contains an appendix discussing John’s baptism and its relation to Christian baptism.

Ralph Wardlaw (1779–1853), DD, was a Scottish Presbyterian clergyman and author of several other works on biblical studies.

The History of Infant Baptism, vol. 1

• Authors: William Wall and John Gale
• Edition: 2nd
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication Date: 1844
• Pages: 535

One of the most significant exchanges in the scholastic period following the Reformation is presented in this classic of classics. In the wake of the Reformation, many also wanted to abandon the traditional practice of infant baptism. This occasioned William Wall’s monumental The History of Infant Baptism, which presents one of the most exhaustive treatments of baptism ever written. Also included is John Gale’s critique of Wall, arguing that the history of infant baptism is uncertain, and Wall’s final rejoinder. This work offers a valuable look into the controversy over baptism in the generation immediately following the Reformation.

Volume 1 contains Wall’s extensive presentation of evidence for infant baptism from the Apostolic and Early Church Fathers.

William Wall (1647–1728) was a priest in the Church of England who was at the forefront of the dialogue between the Anabaptists of the Radical Reformation and the Church of England. He studied at Oxford and served as the vicar of Shoreham, Kent. In 1720, Oxford awarded him a Doctor of Divinity degree for his enormous contribution to scholarship on baptism. Despite his extensive defense of infant baptism, he eagerly sought unity and argued that the question of baptism should not be grounds to divide.

John Gale was a British Baptist theologian and member of the Society for Promoting Primitive Christianity. He is best known for his debate with William Wall on infant baptism. He received an MA and PhD from Leiden.

The History of Infant Baptism, vol. 2

• Authors: William Wall and John Gale
• Edition: 2nd
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication Date: 1844
• Pages: 580

One of the most significant exchanges in the scholastic period following the Reformation is presented in this classic of classics. In the wake of the Reformation, many also wanted to abandon the traditional practice of infant baptism. This occasioned William Wall’s monumental The History of Infant Baptism, which presents one of the most exhaustive treatments of baptism ever written. Also included is John Gale’s critique of Wall, arguing that the history of infant baptism is uncertain, and Wall’s final rejoinder. This work offers a valuable look into the controversy over baptism in the generation immediately following the Reformation.

Volume 2 continues Wall’s extensive presentation of evidence for infant baptism from church history, including the writings of important figures like the Cappadocian Fathers, up to the present state of the controversy in his time.

William Wall (1647–1728) was a priest in the Church of England who was at the forefront of the dialogue between the Anabaptists of the Radical Reformation and the Church of England. He studied at Oxford and served as the vicar of Shoreham, Kent. In 1720, Oxford awarded him a Doctor of Divinity degree for his enormous contribution to scholarship on baptism. Despite his extensive defense of infant baptism, he eagerly sought unity and argued that the question of baptism should not be grounds to divide.

John Gale was a British Baptist theologian and member of the Society for Promoting Primitive Christianity. He is best known for his debate with William Wall on infant baptism. He received an MA and PhD from Leiden.

The History of Infant Baptism, vol. 3

• Authors: William Wall and John Gale
• Edition: 2nd
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication Date: 1844
• Pages: 584

One of the most significant exchanges in the scholastic period following the Reformation is presented in this classic of classics. In the wake of the Reformation, many also wanted to abandon the traditional practice of infant baptism. This occasioned William Wall’s monumental The History of Infant Baptism, which presents one of the most exhaustive treatments of baptism ever written. Also included is John Gale’s critique of Wall, arguing that the history of infant baptism is uncertain, and Wall’s final rejoinder. This work offers a valuable look into the controversy over baptism in the generation immediately following the Reformation.

Volume 3 contains John Gale’s response to Wall’s work in 13 letters in which he critiques Wall’s historical reconstruction and philological conclusions and offers a positive case for the Baptist perspective.

William Wall (1647–1728) was a priest in the Church of England who was at the forefront of the dialogue between the Anabaptists of the Radical Reformation and the Church of England. He studied at Oxford and served as the vicar of Shoreham, Kent. In 1720, Oxford awarded him the Doctor of Divinity degree for his enormous contribution to scholarship on baptism. Despite his extensive defense of infant baptism, he eagerly sought unity and argued that the question of baptism should not be grounds to divide.

John Gale was a British Baptist theologian and member of the Society for Promoting Primitive Christianity. He is best known for his debate with William Wall on infant baptism. He received an MA and PhD from Leiden.

The History of Infant Baptism, vol. 4

• Authors: William Wall and John Gale
• Edition: 2nd
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication Date: 1844
• Pages: 555

One of the most significant exchanges in the scholastic period following the Reformation is presented in this classic of classics. In the wake of the Reformation, many also wanted to abandon the traditional practice of infant baptism. This occasioned William Wall’s monumental The History of Infant Baptism, which presents one of the most exhaustive treatments of baptism ever written. Also included is John Gale’s critique of Wall, arguing that the history of infant baptism is uncertain, and Wall’s final rejoinder. This work offers a valuable look into the controversy over baptism in the generation immediately following the Reformation.

This final volume contains Wall’s defense in response to Gale’s critique, offering the most in-depth dialogue possible which not only presents each view, but also how leading representatives respond to specific and direct challenges.

William Wall (1647–1728) was a priest in the Church of England who was at the forefront of the dialogue between the Anabaptists of the Radical Reformation and the Church of England. He studied at Oxford and served as the vicar of Shoreham, Kent. In 1720, Oxford awarded him a Doctor of Divinity degree for his enormous contribution to scholarship on baptism. Despite his extensive defense of infant baptism, he eagerly sought unity and argued that the question of baptism should not be grounds to divide.

John Gale was a British Baptist theologian and member of the Society for Promoting Primitive Christianity. He is best known for his debate with William Wall on infant baptism. He received an MA and PhD from Leiden.

Christian Baptism: In Two Parts

• Author: Freeborn Garretson Hibbard
• Publisher: G. Lane & P. P. Sandford
• Publication Date: 1843
• Pages: 218

In this work, Rev. Freeborn Garretson Hibbard approaches the issue of baptism primarily from the perspective of ecclesiology. He argues that there has been one church, one visible people of God, from the Abrahamic Covenant to the New Covenant, and that just as the children of believers were members of that church before, so too are they now. Thus, Hibbard presents baptism, like circumcision, as an ordinance of initiation into the visible church.

Freeborn Garretson Hibbard (1811–1895) was a reverend in the Methodist Episcopal Church and a member of the Genesee Conference.

An Appeal to the Candid of All Denominations, in which the Obligation, Subjects, and Mode of Baptism Are Discussed

• Author: Henry Slicer
• Publisher: Armstrong & Berry
• Publication Date: 1836
• Pages: 321

This volume was written to assure ordination candidates of the biblical foundation on which the doctrine of infant baptism rests. Henry Slicer was promoted to write this book after reading a pamphlet by Elder W. F. Broaddus which presented arguments against infant baptism. This books if Slicer’s effort to answer those objections and present a case for the biblical grounding of the modes of sprinkling or pouring and infants of believers as the proper subjects of baptism.

Henry Slicer (1801–1874) was a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church and served as chaplain of the Senate for three terms. He was instrumental in bringing about the ban on dueling in the District of Columbia.

Infant Baptism Scriptural and Reasonable: And Baptism by Sprinkling or Affusion the Most Suitable and Edifying Mode

• Author: Samuel Miller
• Publisher: Joseph Whetham
• Publication Date: 1835
• Pages: 148

This succinct volume covers major issues surrounding the subject of baptism through several sermons and additional notes. Samuel Miller begins by presenting a positive case for infant baptism, and then answers objections from anti-paedobaptists. He also spends several sermons addressing the proper mode of baptism. His notes contain very helpful material, such as the background to the Westminster Assembly’s conclusion to affirm infant baptism, and explain various practices associated with baptism, including giving a name in baptism, sponsors in baptism, and confirmation. Miller also includes a section arguing against baptismal regeneration.

Samuel Miller (1769–1850) was professor of ecclesiastical history and church government at Princeton Theological Seminary. He grew up in the Presbyterian Church and attended the University of Pennsylvania where he earned his Doctor of Divinity. Miller was at the forefront of many of the controversies in the Presbyterian Church in America, such as the Old and New School controversies, and wrote many influential works dealing with the issues of the time, such as A Treatise on Mercersburg Theology, or, Mercersburg and Modern Theology Compared.

Lectures on Infant Baptism

• Author: Leonard Woods
• Edition: 2nd
• Publisher: Mark Newman
• Publication Date: 1829
• Pages: 222

This volume includes eight in-depth lectures on baptism from professor Leonard Woods. These lectures cover important foundational considerations when approaching the subject of baptism, such as: the nature and degree of evidence necessary for a biblically warranted conclusion on baptism, and the Old Testament as the proper starting point of the study of baptism that organically leads to the New Testament account.

Leonard Woods (1774–1854) was the Abbot Professor and chair of Christian Theology at Andover Theological Seminary. After graduating from Harvard, he was ordained and called to pastoral ministry in the Congregational Church. He was the first professor at Andover Theological Seminary. Woods is well-known for his defense of Calvinism against Universalism. He also helped found several organizations, such as the American Tract Society and the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.

An Essay on Baptism: Being an Inquiry into the Meaning, Form, and Extent of the Administration of That Ordinance

• Author: Greville Ewing
• Edition: 2nd Enlarged
• Publisher: Glasgow University Press
• Publication Date: 1824
• Pages: 257

This second and enlarged edition of Greville Ewing’s work not only examines the subject of baptism, but also interacts with his contemporary Baptist opponents and contains a defense of his treatment of the topic in his Greek grammar and lexicon.

Greville Ewing (1767–1841) was a noted Scottish Congregational minister in Glasgow. He was instrumental in the founding of the Edinburgh Missionary Society and served as editor for the Missionary Magazine. Originally a member of the Church of Scotland, Ewing joined the Congregational Church of Glasgow after becoming convinced of that form of church polity. He was also a tutor at the Glasgow Theological Academy, where he promoted the study of biblical languages and wrote a Greek grammar and lexicon.

Dissertations on Christian Baptism

• Author: Micaiah Towgood
• Publisher: J. Dennett
• Publication Date: 1815
• Pages: 141

In this book, Micaiah Towgood, a contemporary and friend of John and Charles Wesley’s, presents a case for infant baptism, focusing on its scriptural foundation and historical practice in every age of the church. This work offers a valuable look into the controversy over baptism in the early generations following the Reformation.

Micaiah Towgood (1700–1792) was a notable dissenter from the Church of England and wrote many controversial works on the subject.

A History of Anti-Pedobaptism from the Rise of Pedobaptism to AD 1609

• Author: Albert Henry Newman
• Publisher: Philadelphia American Baptist Publication Society
• Publication Date: 1897
• Pages: 414

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

This volume offers a comprehensive historical overview of the practice of baptism in the church from the earliest times to the Reformation. Most importantly, it follows the traces of antipaedobaptism throughout all of church history, well before the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Professor Newman argues that baptismal regeneration and infant baptism were errors introduced into the early church through aberrant sects and philosophies, but that traces of antipaedobaptism can be seen throughout this sordid history. Most of the work focuses on the anti-paedobaptist movement during the Reformation all throughout Europe.

Albert Henry Newman (1852–1933) was professor of church history at Baylor University and later at McMaster University. He wrote much on Baptist history, including Baptist Churches Apostolical and the article on baptism in the Encyclopedia Britannica.

A Question in Baptist History: Whether the Anabaptists in England Practiced Immersion before the Year 1641?

• Author: William Heth Whitsitt
• Publisher: C. T. Dearing
• Publication Date: 1896
• Pages: 164

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

This intriguing volume examines an interesting phenomenon of Baptist history. William Heth Whitsitt, former president of The Southern Baptist Seminary, argues that English Baptists themselves did not practice immersion before 1641, but rather baptized by pouring or sprinkling.

William Heth Whitsitt (1841–1911) was the third president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary from 1895 to 1899. After graduating from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Whitsitt went to study at the University of Leipzig and the University of Berlin and received his Doctor of Divinity from Mercer University. Before becoming a professor, Whitsitt pastored a church in Albany, Georgia.

The Act of Baptism in the History of the Christian Church

• Author: Henry Sweetser Burrage
• Publisher: American Baptist Publication Society
• Publication Date: 1879
• Pages: 252

In this historical study, Henry S. Burrage distills a large body of literature into an accessible presentation of the practice and development of baptism in the church. Burrage begins with the New Testament period and examines each subsequent period of church history up to the nineteenth century. Important church councils and documents are surveyed, including the Westminster Assembly.

Henry Sweetser Burrage (1837–1926) was a Civil War veteran, Baptist pastor, author, and editor. Burrage studied at Brown and Newton Theological Seminary. Brown later awarded him a Doctor of Divinity. He served as the editor of the Baptist journal Zion’s Advocate.

The Baptism of the Ages and of the Nations

• Author: William Cathcart
• Publisher: American Baptist Publication Society
• Publication Date: 1878
• Pages: 222

This unique book offers a concise, yet far-reaching, account of the history of baptism from a wide variety of times throughout church history and places all over the world. William Cathcart recounts significant ancient, medieval, and modern baptisms of and by notable figures from Ireland, England, France, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, Egypt, and other places across the globe.

William Cathcart (1826–1908) was raised in and became a member of a Presbyterian church in Scotland. As a boy, he studied Greek and Latin and later attended the University of Glasgow and Horton (now Rawdon) College in England. The University of Lewisburg later conferred Cathcart with a Doctor of Divinity degree. He became a Baptist and was ordained as a pastor in the church of Barnsley, near Sheffield, England. He later moved to the United States, where he served as the pastor of the Second Baptist Church of Philadelphia. Cathcart is also the author of The Papal System.

Pedobaptism: Is It from Heaven or of Men?

• Author: James M. Frost
• Publisher: Elm Street Printing Company
• Publication Date: 1875
• Pages: 199

This book contains James Frost’s biblical and historical arguments for believers-only baptism. Frost’s treatment of biblical texts is largely focused on the Gospels and especially the Great Commission. Frost also appeals to several “concessions” of paedobaptists in support of the Baptist view and addresses the putative connection between circumcision and baptism. A particularly interesting aspect of this volume is that Frost addresses the paedobaptist appeal to the unity of the people of God in both testaments in support of infant baptism.

James M. Frost was pastor of Pilgrim Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky. He is also the author of Baptist: Why and Why Not.

A Handbook on Christian Baptism, Part I

• Author: Richard Ingham
• Publisher: Simpkin, Marshall, and Co.
• Publication Date: 1865
• Pages: 624

A unique quality of this first volume of Richard Ingham’s handbook on baptism is the near exhaustive treatment of paedobaptist objections on dozens of subjects, such as the etymology of “baptize,” Old Testament types of baptism (e.g., the flood and the Red Sea Crossing), circumstantial arguments, and various scriptural appeals. In addition to his defense of believers-only baptism against paedobaptist objections, Ingham also presents an introductory orientation to the subject and an extended discussion of its importance.

Richard Ingham (1787–1843) was the pastor of the General Baptist Church in Belper, Derbyshire.

A Handbook on Christian Baptism, Part II

• Author: Richard Ingham
• Publisher: Elliot Stock
• Publication Date: 1871
• Pages: 651

A distinctive value of this second volume of Ingham’s handbook on baptism is its discussion of the biblical covenants and their bearing on the issue of baptism from a Baptist perspective. Ingham also addresses the paedobaptist argument that infant inclusion in the covenant community continues unless explicitly abrogated. Other issues Ingham addresses are the nature of John’s baptism, Christ baptizing through his disciples, the institution of baptism in the Great Commission, and the apostolic baptisms. He also presents an examination of explicit and supposed Scriptures that refer to baptism.

Richard Ingham (1787–1843) was the pastor of the General Baptist Church in Belper, Derbyshire.

The Meaning and Use of Baptizein Philologically and Historically Investigated

• Author: Thomas Jefferson Conant
• Publisher: American Bible Union
• Publication Date: 1868
• Pages: 163

In this helpful volume, Thomas Jefferson Conant offers an overview of the analysis of “baptize” and its cognates in Greek and ancient versional languages through extensive citations that show how the words were used in context. Conant also discusses the practice in the church fathers and Eastern, Western, and Anglican traditions.

Thomas Jefferson Conant (1802–1891) was a renowned biblical scholar and professor of several universities. After graduating from Middlebury College, he served as a tutor at Columbia University and took his first teaching position as professor of Greek, Latin, and German at Waterville College (now Colby College). His subsequent professorships included appointments as professor of biblical literature and criticism at Hamilton Theological Institute and professor of Hebrew and biblical exegesis at Rochester Theological Seminary. He also worked on a revision of the New Testament for the American Bible Union and contributed to Lange’s Commentary on the Holy Scriptures.

Baptism in Its Mode and Subjects

• Author: Alexander Carson
• Edition: 5th American
• Publisher: American Baptist Publication Society
• Publication Date: 1860
• Pages: 500

This large volume offers not only Alexander Carson’s work on baptism, but also a sketch of his life for a look into the thought and person of this classic Baptist scholar. This valuable work not only provides an extended presentation of the mode and subjects of baptism from the Baptist perspective, but also includes several exchanges between Carson and notable proponents of infant baptism in nineteenth-century Christianity.

Alexander Carson (1776–1844) was a minister in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. He later became a Baptist through his studies to defend infant baptism.

The Progress of Baptist Principles in the Last Hundred Years

• Author: Thomas Fenner Curtis
• Publisher: Gould and Lincoln
• Publication Date: 1856
• Pages: 422

In the first part of this important work, Curtis thoroughly presents quotes from paedobaptist authorities representing a variety of denominations in support of Baptist doctrine. As Professor Curtis writes in the opening paragraph of the preface, “This volume might almost be called ‘Concessions of Pedobaptists as to the Errors of Infant Baptism and the Importance of Baptist Principles.’” The second part discusses the most entrenched debates, and the third presents the views that every Christian tradition has in common, but are more consistently held by Baptists.

Thomas Fenner Curtis (1816–1872) was professor of theology at the University of Lewisburg.

Christian Baptism: With Its Antecedents and Consequents

• Author: Alexander Campbell
• Publisher: Alexander Campbell
• Publication Date: 1852
• Pages: 444

This volume by the significant figure Alexander Campbell examines the Old Testament antecedents of baptism from a Baptist perspective. Campbell examines the linguistic and historical data on baptism, and discusses baptism’s subjects, mode, and effects. Lastly, he presents extensive reviews of paedobaptist works, including those of William Wall, Moses Stuart, Samuel Miller, and others.

Alexander Campbell (1788–1866) was educated at the University of Glasgow and heavily influenced by Scottish Enlightenment philosophy. He was a leading figure in the Restoration Movement in America, also known as the Stone Campbell Movement, from which came the Churches of Christ and Disciples of Christ. Campbell also founded Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia.

Arguments for Infant Baptism Examined

• Author: J. Torrey Smith
• Publisher: American Baptist Publication Society
• Publication Date: 1850
• Pages: 206

This volume is particularly valuable for its focused treatment of the biblical covenants and circumcision in relation to baptism and the church from a Baptist perspective. After considering the Old Testament data related to baptism, Smith also examines the New Testament data and the early Fathers’ witness to the subject.

 

A History of Baptism from Inspired and Uninspired Writings

• Author: Isaac Taylor Hinton
• Publisher: American Baptist Publication Society
• Publication Date: 1849
• Pages: 348

Unlike many other volumes on baptism, this book not only presents a linguistic, historical, and biblical examination of baptism, but also offers a discussion of the proper methodology and application of linguistic and historical study on this issue.

Isaac Taylor Hinton (1799–1847) was the pastor of the First Baptist Church in New Orleans. Hinton was born in Oxford, England and was educated at Oxford University. He had a printing business in London before moving to the United States where he began pastoring in various churches and finally settled in New Orleans.

Essay on Christian Baptism

• Author: Baptist W. Noel
• Publisher: J. Nisbet & Co.
• Publication Date: 1849
• Pages: 321

According to Noel, he didn't study the issue of baptism while in the Anglican Church because he was afraid of what he might find. After finally taking up the subject, he became convinced of the Baptist position. In this volume, he lays out the reasons that led him to realign his stance on baptism. After presenting a positive case for believers-only baptism, focusing on the New Testament evidence and early church practice, Noel responds to the paedobaptist arguments.

Baptist W. Noel (1798–1873) was an Anglican minister at St. John’s Chapel in Bedford Row, London. He later became a Baptist minister and president of the Baptist Union.

The Scripture Guide to Baptism

• Author: Richard Pengilly
• Edition: 9th Revised and Improved
• Publisher: American Baptist Publication Society
• Publication Date: 1840
• Pages: 86

In this accessible volume, Richard Pengilly presents all the New Testament passages related to baptism and offers reflections on them, along with explanatory quotes from eminent writers on the subject. Pengilly also includes appendixes that address the basic argument for infant baptism and deal with objections to believers-only baptism.

 

Paedobaptism Examined, vol. 1

• Author: Abraham Booth
• Edition: 3rd
• Publisher: Ebenezer Palmer
• Publication Date: 1829
• Pages: 443

This massive three-volume work, one of the most extensive critiques of infant baptism, is considered a standard work on the subject. In these volumes, Booth interacts with the most prominent paedobaptist authors and their best defenses of infant baptism.

Volume one discusses the mode and subjects of baptism.

Abraham Booth (1734–1806) was an English Baptist theologian and pastor. He was baptized in an Arminian Baptist congregation but was later convinced of the doctrines of grace; he published his findings and experience in Reign of Grace. He also helped found Stepney College.

Paedobaptism Examined, vol. 2

• Author: Abraham Booth
• Edition: 3rd
• Publisher: Ebenezer Palmer
• Publication Date: 1829
• Pages: 454

This massive three-volume work, one of the most extensive critiques of infant baptism, is considered a standard work on the subject. In these volumes, Booth interacts with the most prominent paedobaptist authors and their best defenses of infant baptism.

Volume two presents Booth’s treatment of the paedobaptist argument from the distinction between internal and external covenant membership and the unity of the Old and New Testament covenant communities. Booth also discusses Jewish proselyte baptism and presents an extended critique of contemporary paedobaptist writings.

Abraham Booth (1734–1806) was an English Baptist theologian and pastor. He was baptized in an Arminian Baptist congregation but was later convinced of the doctrines of grace; he published his findings and experience in Reign of Grace. He also helped found Stepney College.

Paedobaptism Examined, vol. 3

• Author: Abraham Booth
• Edition: 3rd
• Publisher: Ebenezer Palmer
• Publication Date: 1829
• Pages: 478

This massive three-volume work, one of the most extensive critiques of infant baptism, is considered a standard work on the subject. In these volumes, Booth interacts with the most prominent paedobaptist authors and their best defenses of infant baptism.

Volume three continues Booth’s critique of contemporary paedobaptist writings and his reply to challenges from paedobaptists’ critiques of his writings.

Abraham Booth (1734–1806) was an English Baptist theologian and pastor. He was baptized in an Arminian Baptist congregation but was later convinced of the doctrines of grace; he published his findings and experience in Reign of Grace. He also helped found Stepney College.

The History of Baptism

• Author: Robert Robinson
• Editor: David Benedict
• Publisher: Lincoln & Edmands
• Publication Date: 1817
• Pages: 550

Robert Robinson’s classic tome on baptism has long been a standard of international acclaim. This extensive, erudite work contains Robinson’s meticulous research on this important topic, including numerous citations from not only Scripture but also notable authorities from church history and translations of ancient versions of Scripture in various languages. All of the major issues are addressed in this impressive work, including discussions of ancient Jewish and pagan parallels to baptism, the proper subjects and modes of baptism, its significance, the negative consequences of infant baptism, and more.

Robert Robinson (1735–1790) was a notable English Baptist scholar and pastor. Through the study of Scripture, Robinson became convinced of the Baptist view and was converted to Evangelical Methodism after hearing George Whitefield preach. Soon after, he pastored a Congregational church before settling at Stone-Yard Baptist Chapel in Cambridge. In addition to his scholarly work, he authored the hymns “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” and “Mighty God, While Angels Bless Thee.”