The Ohio Independent Baptist, April 1957

THE OHIO INDEPENDENT BAPTIST April 1957 ------------- for tl1 e~ t,tlJli. 11 c1 ·l1111· e l1 s of tl1 l)1·oi ,ta11t c>rg:a11izc1tio11s , 0011 tl1r11ec.l to t l1 l)ll . i 11 ~ • f 1 1· - i11ti11 g otl1 1· . J~aJ)t i. t . clis ·ovc1·e 1 tl1at the)r ,,r r 110,, 1 ht111ir l a11cl ..~1ai11 l) t\\' O tor111 11t r. r·atl1 1· • tl1,111 lrv· 011e a l)rfor . • l\ I o l1e1'" gi,, ~ on1 i 11 ci 1 11 t. a. ·a. e i11 poi11t. Th i11fa1no11 " li t of the 7;v; 1 i11~:lia11 al1tl101·iti e. at Z11r– it l1 i11 1530 a111 t l1 . 1 till 11101·e i11- fa1no11 edi t of l1a1·le., V i11 l h34 11ot 011ly de r· e 1 1 ath to tl1 1\ n a– ba1)t ist ,,,itho11t 111e1·r . ' l)11t e, ,e1· plllli l1111e11 t ll po11 a11. r ,v]10 ,JJ Olll 1 fail or h . itat i11 th i1· ~eal i11 h1111ti11g tl1 1n ot1t. Th ,, 11 11orc at1·ocio11 di t f PhiliJ) I I ,,,ho ll ced d harle V i11 15;35 cle- 1na11d tl1at the 1ne11 be J)t111i hed ,vith tl1e ,,,ord · a11d the ,vo1ncn by • bei11g· bur~ied alive if th y lo not mai11tai11 or d f e11d th ii· ri-·or . Bl1t i11 cal th y p 1-- i.·t i 11 tl1 i1· error opi11 io11. or l1e1·e. ie tl1 y hall b exec11t d lJy fi1"e a11 cl cl e– clare that if a11y fail to 111alce the111 l{110,v11 or hall ha1--bo1· tl1c111 i11 a11y ,vay they .·hall b pt111 i 11ed ,vi th the ame pl111i h1n 11 t a tl1 ~ her etic or ri111i11al ,,Tot1l l be if l1e ,ver e take11 a11d in1pri 011ed. Thi ever e p er e t1tio11 wa. x– erted by Prote. ta11t ag·ai11. t Bap– ti. t principally b a11. of th ir" r ej ectio11 of i11fa11t bapti. n1 a1 cl it in1pli atio11 . The official r eport of the Ve– netian amba ador t o l1arle i11 1546 ay In Ilolla11cl and Frie - la11d more than thi1"ty tholl, a11 l per 011 ha,,e uffer ecl d eatl1 at th ha11d of ju. ti ·e for A.11aba l)ti ·t error ·. ' ' By ,~{ay of 11mmarizatio11 of the ,vhole p eriod coveri11g ev- eral ce1 turie l\1o her . tate ' What Bapti t . have 11ffer cl i.· t <)o . icke11i11g~ to l"'ead a11d too l1or– rilJle to t ell: in ermany i11 witz– r1·Iand i11 IIol1an 1, in l\l oravia, in ..t\u: t1·ia, i11 Italy, i11 F 1"an ce i11 Engla11d. Even in merica they suffered , , , To get some idea of the awfulness of the persect1tion of Baptists, consider how wide spread and numerous they were and then remember that except in Holland, they were utterly exterminated ... For generation after generation it \\'a, as much a crime to be a Bap– tist as to be a murder er~. ay mor tl1a1J a <'ri1nr; fo1· thP1·e ,,,as ofte11 r11 er <!Y for tl1 e 111t1rde r c r 01· tl1 P ]pc·l1e r ou s villaj11, l)11t for tl1e BaJ)– t ist, 110 11 <~. 'l' h 'Y )1ad 110 J)r ot 0c·– t i cJ11 f o r lj fp or fJr o1Je r ty. I 1 ,,,a ~· a c· r i r11 f or tl1 'nl to 111 e t a11d JJrc1y <>gPt11rar • . . I~'or t l1 Pse t l1i11 g·s l t(1_Y ,v ~1·c~ b i}1 pacl e 1, t l1 e) 1 \\T(i r p <}l'()\\T lJ cl, t}1t~y \\ 1 (! l' P Sf-1 1111<) tll ( 1 g'(l l– ] ~)' S, tl1 e1y \\' P l' P b11r11 1 cl ali ve, tl1 P)~ \\'(\)' (' l)t lJ'i C' cl ,1 li ve , . PH , f; ()tl1 (' \Vl 't'P H< • 1 t 1 a l I\' 1 J <J j I r cl ,1 liv c ! • 'l l1i s J1orr i1J1\ talc~ c>f H11ffe ri11 g ec1111 11 ot ct l o11 c fro111 th e ){01nc111 s. Ht c1.11 btti Ht ra 11 g el)' 11<>t1 g·li ai t l1c 1 a 11c.ls of 1 h r I <' f o r1ne l'H as \ Ve 11 . 1 0 H 11 () J' CO 11 t j l l ll P8 l) y Hi <l 1 j 11 g ' rf'l1 l' ,,v,tH 11ot <t ]-{ fo1·rn r r <)f' ,111 • 1 l' 111i11r 11 e r ,,rl10 c(i cl 11 C) t ,' lR.111 hj R ]1<111cL· ,vitl1 tl1 ))loofl of l1iH ]3aJ>- 1iRt l)1·r tl11·r11 ~ f1L1th 01· 1Pl <111c·tl1c>11 , 7i,vi 11 g li l~t1ecr 13t1ll i11 g· r , ( 1 ,1lv it1 I{ 1 1 ox , C 1 r ,1, 111 11P r I .1 a t i r11 c> r f{ i c 11 e y c1 11 cl 111a11y tl1r1·s ,,,110 e11 clo1-. ·r cl t]1rsr e1·11r 11i c8 a11cl i1.1 tJ1 r f(1 ee of \\ 1 }1ose Ol)l)OSii lOll tJ1 py \V()lllfl llOl ha,r b rr11 01n111iti <' 1. No1· dicl J) r s et1tio11 c· r asP V\ 1 i1h th acl,,r 11 t of 1\111 riec1 11 eol<>11i za– tio11 c1 11 cl its Ol) ])Ortl111jti rs of 1· r l – ati,, fr crcl o111 . Rog·pr \\ i]lia111s wa~ ba11ishecl f1·0111 l\ I ctssaeh11setts i 11 16;35 cl 11 cl ( b a 1 i <l h I I l 1 ne. ,vas J) t1l li ·l y ,,,hiJ)pe l i11 tl1P .,t re t8 of I~ st o11 f or 1)1' a ·J1i11g c1g·<ti11:t i11- fa11t lJa1)ti ·111 i11 1651 . 111 c>tl1 r pla ·e~· i11 tl1 1 ·olo11ies i11 t lt1 cli11g l)e1111.·) 1 lva11i a e,,, Yorl<, cl111 "\' ir- ginia I apti.·t . ltffcl'ccl l) 1· ·ec·11- tio11 at th l1a11d. of R o111a11i: t or 1 rote.. t a11t fo1·1118 of c> ·clesia,. tical – polit i 1 al go, 1 r11111e 11t. r1' }1i: Sl1f– f eri11g· \\r a : 0 ' ·asio11e 11) 1 Rll. e tl10 I) opl l<n o,,·11 a. aJ tist. i11 . ·i: t ec1 0 11 1 ri11 ·ipl ,vhieh th e)r : a,v i11 the v\ 01· l of (:}ocl a11cl )Jc ·at1.·e th y • ,,1 0111 l 11ot ·011£01--111 t o t 1·a(1 itio11 01· 11a11-111ade la'\·v , I""e. p e ·t i11 g· t}1e ,vo1--– l1i l) of iO l . It i. in1 JJOtta1J t f t11·tl1 )r t o 110- tice t }1a t Ba ptir.;;t., 011ti11 l10ll,'l.)r i11- si. t e 1 l l 1)01 1·e l i gio11 , f 1· ce ] 0111 a11 l that t l1 ol1gh t l1e)' . 11ffer e 1 t e1·1·ibl y f or t l1ei1· f aitl1 th rougl1 t l1e ee1 t111· – ie t h y 11 ver lJe · a111 l) e 1·. ll tor .· of ot h t' . rr) j JT \\ 1 1' € 1) l' .'e 11 t c.1 fo1"' ~That tl1e ·tal1li }1 1 ·l111r ·h e: t e r111 ] l1er csy. Yet t l1 )' t l1 111 - e l, 1 e ,\ .. 1· a 1110 ·t IJea ·e,1 l)lE I e - J)le 0·11ilt)Tof llO ·1·i111 1) Ll t l" f 11sc1 l to bo,v be .f 0 1· l1111n a11 ]a ,,1' , 1·e ~ pc 1 t - i11g faitl1. Mo l1eim, i11 hi Eeel ia - tical History ay , \ Ta t nt1mber of these people, in nearly all the countries of Europe, \Vould rather perish miserably by drowning, hanging, burning, or decapitation, than renounce the opinions they had embraced. . . . It i indeed t1·ue that many 11abapti t ,ver e put to cl eatl1 11ot a: be i11g· bacl r iti– ze11H 0 1· i11jl1rio11s 111e 111l10 1·s of ei,· il so ·ict y l>11t aH l)ri11 g· i11c t1r<tlllc J, rr– cl ics , \,·11 0 \\' \ l' l'O ll Cl ClllllC'(l l) ) " t l1P • ol <.l ·,t11011 la,,,s. t~"o r t li e\ t1 rrc)r <>f (l (l ll ll l> (IJJlisJJI \\' cl 8 i11 1l1Ht Hg<' loo l< cl tl])0 11 as a l1 <J1·ribl P <> f'f p11 c· '. ' , ( 1 ,1rcli11 ,1l ll <>,·s i11 s, <> f 111 <' l{ c) 111n 11 ( 1 l 1l l l' ( ' l 1 Ra i ( l , ' I r 1} l (' t l ' l l t l 1 () r 1· t \_ lig iOll \\' ' l' (' i (> ]>P jttclg·pcl (J f' l>)r t]l l' r e<t li11e.·s a11cl r l1 e>rft1l11c ·. ,,l1ielt --------- Page Twenty- One ,l 111Hll <>f ,l tl.Y H >C-1 f .. d l 0\\' 8 111 S it f'f' ca 1·– i11 g· 1}1 P ll ih r. l> !)itllC>ll S cl l1 (l J>P l'– S llcl S iC)tl ()r Jl<) 8C'C' 1 earl }>P 1 ?'11 0 1' () t' 8 1l l'P l' 111 }l 11 i h 0 , r Or t ~l (' ~ l 11 (J b r,p– I i .\ I s ; s i11 c·P tl1 <> r<" h<t\rP hc>rn llf> l1P, i'<Jr 1}1 c\sP lt~ (' f Vf /1111 trl1·erl .'J (' (J1·s J,rt sl, t hc)y t1a vc 1 l) P<' 11 1n c) r r g r i<'v– < > 11 H l y TJ t 111 i s h r c 1. ' ( ~ 1 t <> 1 r cl i 11 r- c·har<l 8 11 istc)ry or l~ar>tiHiH) . J/ ll JI S I (!1' I t i H s o1l1<11itn P8 ,1llPgrc l lJy tl108e v,,}1 0 <>J>J)Ose il1 c I~clJ >tists tl1ai i l1c 1 ir histo r.v \\' ,lS 011<1 <)f <' 0 11ti11,t c) 11 s li r t'– Ps.v ct1 1cl tl1 , tt th r J>Pr 8<1<' 1t1icJ 1 \\ 1 HH t '1 P l' r I l y j t 1st i f' i c\ cl . W It i l r 11 <> J > r c\s– r 11 t -cla r J>rot r .· t,t11t \\' Ol tlcl C'll Cl o r .· • tl 1r 1> r r8<1t 11 t io11 i11 ,,,Jii ch his r<' - (•l rHi,tst i · ,l l ,111 <' <'sto1·s c 1'1 g,1grcl a– o·,1 i 11 .1 t il1 r I ,1ptists tl1 c 1 y ,11·r 11 ev– c1 1·thcJ0:-;s <>fte11 i<>l<l t h,tt th e1 hPr P– s i Ps cl 11(1 (>XC'C8SP8 () f thP 1\ l ) H l >ap - 1i:is }1otJ1 l>c for e ,t 11 cl ,1 ft <> r t hP I r for111 c1tio11 ,,,cr e1 s11C' l1 as tc> i11 v<1l– iclatr th eir t r .·ti1110 113r . 111 SltpJ >O rt of tl1is all rg·atj o11, acll1 r r rnts of J efor111ati o11 'l' h rc)l og'y fr ec1 ll 11tly poi11t t o t}1 tr rril >l r i11 c i c1 11t of .\I1111.1 t 1· a.· i11 li ·ati,'P of 1\11al)ctJ)– tist , , i cvv8. I llllSt p1· i11 1s;34 \ \ ' cl S t h (' SC: r 11e of cl l>loo I\" m,l.·sae1· 1 v, 1 hieh fol- • lo,,· 1 t }1 e f a 11 at ie i. in p o}),gamy a1 l rioti11g C) l a g·r ot1p of ze,1lot.· \\ 1 ]10 l)lll'J)OSr 1 to . et llP t l1c l<i11g- lo111 of 1 h rj ·t 0 11 t l1 e,11·t l1 b gi11- 11i11g i11 t hat l)lae . Religio11.. ,,,a1' e 11. ·11e 1 a11cl 1 1a1 y ,,, re ·la i11. 11e- • eal1 ,· t l1e. peo1)le pra ·tieecl i1n- 11101-. ·io11 a 11 c1 r ej ·tecl i 11 fa1 t l)a 11- tis111 it ha .· l)e 11 a11 gec.l t l1at t l10y \"{e1·e r t11)1"e:e11tati, 1 of t J1c i\11al)ap– t ist 1110, ·e111e11t , ,t11 cl tl1erPfor c t l1at . 11t 11 i. · i11clit at i,, of 13a I)t i8t tl1ol1g,ht . r111c e1·1·or of ~·11 ·11 a.s- : 111111)1io11 i. ,v ]1 })Oi 11 t ecl 011 t l>y :\[o. h e1·: ' Th . tro11g . t prot ._ t ' '' <L. 111 ade a~rai 11. t t hr . e fa11atic.. l) ) ' t l1 tlvo hl111 c.l1· rc.l Bapti t . ,,,h o c1,, 1 elt t}1 1·e, l111 t il b3r t}1ei1· Of)p O. it i 11 0 11r fo111·th of th m lo. t t l1 ir li,lr a11c.l the I"'e t ,ve1·e drive1 f1,on1 t 11e it) 1 • Like,, 1 i e the principle an d t each~ i11g of the e fanatic ,vere r ept1di– ated both before and after the ~11,nster t1proar, by the great ma. jority of Anabapti t throt1ghot1t Et1rope. ' ' (f 1o her cite ... rmit– age. I-Ii tory of Bapti t p. 375, a a ll t h Ol"i t,r) . • • It i 11ot fair t o 1·r f01· to .. 11cl1 111- <' i c 1 r 11 t s i 11 fl 11 ,1 t 1 e 1111) t 1 o cl is e r r < l i t 1lie hi st c> ri ' T al t ist tt'\st i111<)ll) ,ll l .' lll (l f (' t }t,lll it is l' PclSl)llHl>l ('\ f (> l' l fP 1 l1rc>lc>o· ic-,1 l li l>P r ,1 l is111 of s<)llt (\ ,, 110 r-- \ \ ' () l l lcl <'n ll t l1P111sel, e"' 11H1)tists to- <l,1, · ns i11 <l i ·nti,,~ ()t' tll l' 111i11l\i11g· of • ( )1( \ \ }1()} l' (' ()} 11 l) cl l l _\ . ..\ l l l () \ 7 l 11 l p l l t 11..; 11c>t jttc lg·t cl b) P '\ C' l' l >lt<)llS , 11 t:iil1- l' l ' is it l' \,t l1u1t ecl l>.,, tl1c , t (1l<lllS ( ( 1 l)t11 i11 ttt cl () Jl J),tg't' :!~)