Baptism, the initiatory rite, or the act of entering the church, is a command. All commands must be preceded by faith. The divine authority, requiring baptism, must be recognized, before the command can be obeyed; and the divine authority can only be recognized by faith. How, then, can a command be obeyed by one without faith, without a consciousness of divine authority, or even the knowledge that the command exists? Such a practice subverts the command of God in every case where it obtains, and if it should become universal, would set aside and annihilate all obedience to the command to be baptized. In every case, where an infant is baptized, and prevailed upon, in after life, to be content with its baptism and infant membership, one person is effectually prevailed upon never to obey the command to be baptized, and never, personally, to bow to the authority of Jesus in voluntarily entering into covenant with him. The person is deceived, and made to think, when come to the years of accountability, that two things have been done that never have been done, viz: 1. That the command to be baptized has been obeyed. 2. That the requirement to enter into the church has been complied with. Neither the one nor the other has been complied with at all. THE KNOWLEDGE NECESSARY BEFORE BAPTISM. Some person,—name not known—writing from Ripley, Ohio, inquires whether persons baptized when very young, under excitement, having but little understanding of the import of baptism; and, after coming to mature years, become dissatisfied and desire to be baptized over again, should he then be baptized again? This question is entirely outside of the New Testament, and purely a question of opinion. Among the many thousands baptized by the apostles, there were many, evidently, who had but an imperfect understanding of the whole matter, not only of very young persons, but many very illiterate persons. Yet there is no account of any, on coming to a fuller understanding, who desired to be baptized in the name of the Lord. It matters not how little understanding persons have, if they believe in the Lord, repent of their sins, confess and obey the Savior. Nor is the circumstance that a person afterward understands the matter more fully, a reason why such an one should be baptized again; but simply an evidence of a proper growth in knowledge. There has been much said about the measure of understanding that must be had before baptism, that would cut off one half of the apostolic converts. Conversion is simply _turning to God_, and there are but few who aim not to do this. PAUL AND JAMES, ON JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH.