Dorothy PageHatcher, Eldridge B. (Eldridge Burwell)
Religion
Dorothy Page
Hatcher, Eldridge B. (Eldridge Burwell)
Christian fiction
"Another thing," said Sterling: "Supposing that they had enough
administrators for the ordinance that day, where could they have
performed the baptisms? Do you think they all marched off to the river
Jordan? Of course not. But they did not need to go off anywhere in order
to be sprinkled. Besides, what about a change of clothing for the three
thousand persons if they were all put under water? Remember most of
them--according to the account--were strangers from different countries
visiting Jerusalem."
"I hope," said Dorothy, "that they had not come from their different
countries without some change of clothing."
"Isn't it true," asked the brother, "that over in these Eastern lands,
with their loose garments and their sunny climate, they could have
arranged for a dipping if they had so desired it? But that other point
mentioned by Mr. Sterling has not been answered."
"What is that?" asked Dorothy.
"He asked where in Jerusalem could so many have been baptized?"
"Does it say they were baptized in Jerusalem?" asked Dorothy.
"No, it does not say so, but do you think they went off to a river?"
asked Sterling.
"The passage does not state. But are you sure there were not places in
Jerusalem where they could have been immersed?" asked Dorothy.
"Wait," said the brother, "let me get an encyclopedia." He went to the
shelf and was soon examining the article on Jerusalem. "Here is a long
article on Jerusalem," he said, running his eye down the pages. "Hello,
here is something about its water facilities. Here is a reference from
Strabo in these words 'Jerusalem a rocky, well-enclosed fortress;
within, well watered; without, wholly dry'."
"Now you are making discoveries, son," said Mr. Page. "Give us some more
about the water."
"Here is another statement. Dr. Robinson states there were six immense
public pools in the city, the largest being five hundred and ninety-two
feet long and two hundred and seventy-five feet broad."
"That is enough, son," exclaimed the father. "Sterling, history seems on
the side of the immersionists there. I think that five hundred and
ninety-two foot pool could have taken care of the whole three thousand."
"I think the important question," said the brother, "is the meaning of
the Greek word originally used for baptism. In other words, does the
word baptize mean to sprinkle or to immerse? When the people in Christ's
day used the word, what did they mean by it--sprinkle or immerse?"
"That hits the target exactly," said the father. "What does the word
baptize mean? Let's see, I think you said that the Bible was written in
Greek."
"The New Testament was," said Sterling.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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