Evils of Dr. Howell's book on the "Evils of infant baptism"

Front matter

Ilibrary of congress.

UNITED STATES OP AMERICA, f

E V I T. S

Preface

This Review of Howell's Evils of Infant Baptism was first publishedj in consecutive numbers, in the True Baptist. It was written by the Rev. E. McMillan, of Grallatin, Tennessee. It is believed to be richly worthy to appear in this more acceptable and permanent form, and is now offered to the friends of truth as a most satisfactory and unanswerable refutation of the pretences of the objectors to

Infant Baptism.

The Editor.

Introduction

The volume^ entitled, '' The Evils of Infant Baptism," was written by one of the ablest ministers in " the Southern Baptist Church," and it is issued by two public societies approved and supported by the denomination. We are well certified by these facts that the work is approved by the Immersionist church, and that it is the ablest they can produce on the subject upon which it treats. We are happy here to meet the whole strength of the denomination, and to be able to measure the length, breadth, depth, and height of the argument against infant baptism.

We do not admire the style in which the work is written. It is easy and plain ; but there is a vast

* The Evils of Infant Baptism, by Robert Boyte C. Howell, D.D., (pastor of the Second Baptist Church in Richmond, Va.) Third edition. Charleston, S. C. : Southern Baptist Publication Society. Richmond, Va. : Baptist Sunday School and Publication Society. A. D. 1852.

VI INTRODUCTION.

deal of repetition, and frequently the author betrays great carelessness in contradicting his own statements. There is very little of the suaviter in modo towards his opponents. They are sometimes called " pious/' and that sweet word '' brethren" is several times applied ; but there are so many abrupt and gruff sentences, that the reader can hardly give the author the credit of much sincerity in the use of that endearing term. The estimate of the argument can be better made out, when we shall have completed our review. We may, however, be permitted here to say, that on receiving the work we expected to meet something of a much higher order, in an argumentative point of view, than we have found.

The work consists of twenty chapters. Nineteen of these treat of the same number of supposed " evils of infant baptism ;" and the twentieth chapter recapitulates, and concludes with a pathetic address to Immersionists to labor for the conversion and salvation of Pedo-baptists and the world.

We propose to review the work chapter by chapter in the order pursued by the author.