RELATIVE TO THE 
 
 & Formal a Solemn Reprimand. an 
 
 “fo which is added, 
 LETTER 
 - TO THE 
 THIRD CHURCH IN PLYMOUTH, MASS. : 
 fs : Ree ON THE | 
 
 SUBJECT OF BAPTISM, 
 
 ‘BY ADONIRAM JUDSON, JUN 
 
 7 
 
 BOSTON : : 
 
 PRINTED AND SOLD BY LINCOLN & BOLAND No. 53 CORI. 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 LET I ha 
 
 TO THE REV. ADONIRAM JUDSON, SEN. 
 
 RELATIVE TO THE 
 
 “© Formal and Solemn Reprimand.” 
 
 To which is added, 
 
 A 
 
 LETTER 
 
 TO THE 
 
 THIRD CHURCH IN PLYMOUTH, MASS 
 
 ON THE 
 
 SUBJECT OF BAPTISM. 
 
 omer 
 
 BY ADONIRAM JUDSON, JUN. 
 
 SS 
 
 BOSTON : 
 
 PRINTED AND SOLD BY LINCOLN & EDMANDS, No. 53 CORNHILL. 
 1820, 
 
 
 

 
 wig 
 
 DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS to wit « 
 District Clerk's Office. 
 
 Bz ry REMEMBERED, That on the tenth of February, “A. De 
 1820, and in the forty-fourth year of the Independence of the 
 United States of America, Lincoln & Edmands of the said dis- 
 trict have deposited in this office the title of a book, the right 
 whereof they claim as Proprietors, in the words following, fo wit : 
 
 s* A Letter to the Rev. Adoniram Judson, sen. relative to the 
 *¢ Formal and solemn Reprimand.” To which is added, ‘* A Let. 
 terto the Third Church in Plymouth, Mass. on the Subject of 
 Baptism.” By Adoniram Judson, jun. 
 
 In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, 
 entitled, ‘* An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by secur- 
 ing the Copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authors and 
 Proprietors of such Copies, during the Times therein mention- 
 ed; and also to an Aet entitled, “* An Act supplementary to an 
 Act, entitled, An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by 
 securing the Copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authors 
 and Proprietors of such Copies during the times therein mention- 
 ‘ed; and extending the Benefits thereof to the Arts of Designing, 
 Engraving and Etching Historical, and other Prints.” 
 
 JOHN W DAVIS, 
 Glerk of the District of Massachusetts: 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 LETTER. 
 
 A. Judson, jr. to the Rev. A. Judson, sen, 
 
 Rangoon, June 1, 1819. 
 My dear and honoured Father, 
 
 YOU will readily conceive, that your change of sen- 
 timents on the subject of baptism, was peculiarly grat- 
 ifying to my feelings. The kindness of God towards 
 me, in regard to my dearest friends, deserves most grate- 
 ful mention. In my first researches on the subject of 
 baptism, I was quite alone. Mrs. Judson joined me very 
 speedily. . My dear friend and brother Rice joined me in 
 less than two months,—influenced, I am certain, not by 
 my persuasions, but by the operations of his own inde- 
 pendent mind. And in the course of a few short years, 
 behold, my father, mother, and only sister, following their 
 Lord and Master into. the liquid grave ! 
 
 T had once hoped, that some of the church, to which I 
 formerly belonged, would have been led into an examina- 
 tion of the subject ; but since your removal from the pas- 
 toral charge, I have no assurance, that my letter to the 
 church in Plymouth, will be fairly laid before all the mem- 
 bers. “This consideration, united with some others, has 
 induced me to commit it to the press, accompanied with 
 this communication. 
 
 In your last, you mention the letter which Dr. Worces- 
 ter has given to the public, concerning the celebrated 
 reprimand, which, it is said, the American Board of Com- 
 missioners for Foreign Missions, gave me, before I left 
 America, and which my Pedobaptist friends endeavour to 
 persuade themselves, influenced me to become a Baptist. 
 
 To you, my father, and others who have passed through 
 the change that I have, I need not dilate on the fact, that 
 when a man opens his eyes, and becomes a Baptist, every 
 endeavour is made to destroy his reputation, and impeach 
 the sincerity of his motives ; for just so far as these points 
 are effected, just so far the mortification, resulting from his 
 change, is allayed, and the deleterious influence of his ex- 
 
 
 
 SS" 
 
 
 

 
 A, 
 
 ample lessened. The culprit must also be beaten with 
 due severity, that others may be deterred from all ap- 
 proaches to the same crime. I was not so ignorant of hu- 
 man nature, when [ became a Baptist, as to suppose, that 
 I should escape with impunity. I well knew that when I 
 descended into the baptistery, I left my former character 
 at the bottom of the water. I did not indeed know what 
 point my friends would fix upon, to administer the casti- 
 gation which was my regular due; _ I certainly did not 
 think of a reprimand, and was somewhat curious to learn 
 what they would say. When I first heard of the repri- 
 mand, i thought I might safely appeal to any member of the 
 Board, for the falsity of the charge, and wrote to the editor 
 of the American Baptist Magazine, as follows :—‘ I would 
 simply state, that the American Board of Commissioners 
 never gave me areprimand. In proof of this, I can ap- 
 peal to any of the members. Furthermore, I never had 
 the most distant idea, that the Board thought me deserv- 
 ing of areprimand.” After several years, Dr. Worcester 
 comes forward, as Secretary of the Board, and declares, 
 that I did receive a formal and solemn reprimand. Why 
 this has been delayed several years, and at last presented 
 to the world, in a controversial work, which professes to 
 be a reply to my sermon on baptism, is too obvious to 
 need explanation, : 
 
 In order to clear up this matter to perfect satisfaction, it 
 will be necessary to make certain statements which may 
 appear boastful—statements, at which my feelings revolt, 
 and. which I should never have been persuaded to present 
 to the public, but in necessary self vindication. I wish, 
 therefore, to bespeak your candour, by saying, that, before 
 God, Iam humbled in the dust, on account of my most 
 unexceptionable and most disinterested missionary efforts. 
 I feel, that my best actions are so polluted with sin, as to 
 require condemnation at the bar of impartial justice. I 
 have no refuge, no hiding place, but the all-sufficient 
 atonement of the Lord Jesus; and desire, therefore, to 
 glory in nothing, but his cross. 
 
 When my attention was first turned to the subject of 
 foreign missions, I stood entirely alone. ‘The professors at 
 Andover, neighbouring ministers, and my fellow students, 
 all, toa man, discouraged and discountenanced the pro- 
 posal. Even the fact, that, at a distant literary institution, 
 the minds of several students had, for some time, been 
 subject to similar exercises, was unknown to me. In this 
 situation, | remained several months, condemned by all, 
 and not unfrequently ridiculed and reproached. And 
 even after the Wiliams college students removed to An- 
 

 
 
 
 5 
 
 dover, and fell in with my views of an Eastern mis- 
 sion, (their views having been previously confined to the 
 West,) and even after some of my own standing were 
 awakened on the subject,—at the time, when, despairing 
 of all countenance and support in my native country, I 
 opened a correspondence with the London Missionary 
 Society, nota single student would so far commit him- 
 self, as to unite his name with mine. But in time, I 
 gained the ear of a dear classmate, whose family circum- 
 stances, however, prevented his personally engaging, and 
 through him, the ear of his venerable father; and on the 
 encouragement received from him, I ventured (in which I 
 ‘was joined by three of my fellow students) to lay before 
 the Massachusetts Association, the paper, which first made 
 our missionary designs public. ‘This paper, with my 
 representations and conversations, and those of my associ- 
 ates, originated the Board of Commissioners. But the 
 Board has probably forgotten its origin, and Dr. Wor- 
 cester lost sight of the hand, which furnished him with the 
 Secretary’s chair. 
 
 At the time of the first meeting of the Board, several of 
 us had finished our course at Andover, and with the ex- 
 amples of the London and English Baptist societies be- 
 fore us, certainly expected to be appointed without delay. 
 Week after week passed away, without bringing us any 
 reply to a formal communication, which we had forward- 
 ed; and at length our hopes were completely disposed of, 
 by an article in the printed copy of the minutes of the 
 meeting, which directed the young men to pursue their 
 studies, and wait for further information, &c ! On learning 
 this result, I feared, that years might elapse, before a mis- 
 sionary spirit would be excited in America, and made 
 every effort to proceed to England, pursuant to a letter 
 from the London society, which arrived just at this crisis, 
 in reply to mine. After many urgent solicitations, 
 and as frequent repulses, I finally obtamed leave to go, as 
 the messenger of the Board. The money, however, for 
 the expenses of the undertaking, I collected myself, except 
 that, on account of my capture and detention in Spain and 
 France, some considerable bills were paid after my return. 
 
 ‘The instructions of the Board directed me to ‘‘ ascertain, 
 as distinctly as possible, whether any and what arrange. 
 ments could be made for a concert of measures, between 
 the Board of Commissioners and the London society,”’ 
 and particularly, whether any and what sort of assistance 
 could be obtained from that society, without committing 
 ourselves wholly and entirely to their direction. 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 _ In my conferences, with the London society, they con- 
 sidered the proposal for a concert of measures, as 1m- 
 
 “practicable and visionary. If their Secretary, from polite- 
 
 ness, has. not stated this, in his reply, is the blame oi «he 
 omission imputable to me? Mr. Burder had Dr. Wor- 
 cester’s letter and my instructions before him. ‘They re- 
 plied, however, that if the Board was unable, “ at pres- 
 ent,” to undertake the support of the missionaries, they 
 would allow them the same support, as they aliowed their 
 own. I, accordingly, received instructions from the 
 London society, addressed to me and my associates, to 
 be used at our option.* 
 
 ~ On my return, I met the Board at Worcester, accom- 
 panied with two of my missionary brethren, one only of 
 whom was immediately concerned. The apathy which 
 still pervaded that honourable body, contrasted with the 
 fervour and fire, which I had witnessed at the annual 
 mecting in London, and in repeated conferences with the 
 directors of the London society, was truly affecting. A 
 whole day, the principal day of the session, passed away, 
 without giving us any encouragement to hope, that we 
 
 should not be detained another year. In this predicament, 
 
 we felt it necessary, after mutual consultation, to state, that 
 as we had, for some time, finished our theological studies, 
 and were extremeély anxious to be on heathen ground, 
 learning the language, with which we were to be con- 
 versant for life, we must earnestly beg to be sent forth 
 without delay. When this petition produced no effect, 
 we were driven to the last resort. We stated decisively, 
 that we were determined to embark on the first ship ; that 
 if the Board would please to appoint and support us, we 
 should certainly prefer their patronage ; but if otherwise, 
 we must avail ourselves of the instructions we had received 
 from the London society. This intelligence produced a 
 deep impression on all the members. ‘Vhree of them ap- 
 peared to be considerably offended. This we were sorry 
 to occasion, but our dearest interests were now at stake. 
 On breaking up for the night, all the members felt, I 
 
 
 
 * The only circumstance, which can, in the slightest degree, justify Dr. 
 Worcester’s assertion, that I neglected the instructions of the Board, is 
 my not having committed to writing, for their use, such missionary in- 
 formation, as I obtained in England. The truth is, that on account of my. 
 previous detention, and the necessity of embracing what was deemed, in 
 view of the non-intercourse system, the last’ opportunity of returning to 
 America, my stay in England was very short. The missionary information 
 that I collected was little more than what was summarily contained in the 
 newly issued report of the Directors, and the official letter of the Secretary. 
 These documents I presented to the Prudential Committee, stating, at 
 the same time, my reasons for’ not haying complied with the lefter of theiz 
 instructions, in this one particular, 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 ‘3 
 
 believe, that they must take some decisive measure, with 
 the dawn of another day. The next morning, on our ap- 
 pearing before the Board, we were informed, that it was 
 decided, that we should not place ourselves under the 
 London society ; and that the Board considered the very 
 proposal of such a measure disrespectful! We now felt 
 relieved. We saw that we had gained our object. T hey, 
 
 accordingly, proceeded to vote our appointment as their 
 
 missionaries, our salaries, and the places of our destination. 
 In the interval of these votes, some desultory conversation 
 passed ; some members expressed sentiments, in their pri- 
 vate capacity, which I considered the ebullition of the last 
 evening’s irritation. After the votes were all passed, f 
 consulted apart with my missionary brother, and then, in 
 the name of us both, warmly thanked the Board for hav. 
 ing complied with our wishes, and assured them, that we 
 vastly preferred their patronage, to that of any foreign soci- 
 ety. Our final disposal was assigned to the Prudential 
 Committee. We parted about noon, on the best terms, 
 as I supposed. It never entered my mind, that the Board 
 had given me a reprimand, or thought me deserving of 
 gone. I knew, that some of the members thought me too 
 forward and driving ; but I had no doubt, that a little time 
 and experience would set them right. 
 
 Between the meeting at Worcester, and our embarka- 
 tion, several months intervened. During this time, my 
 exertions were unremitting. The excellent Dr. Spring, 
 ‘whose name I mention with great respect, and Dr. Wor- 
 cester, who were the principal agents in the business, said 
 one to another, before.me, in way of pleasantry, ‘‘ we had 
 better send them out, for this Judson will never let us rest.’? 
 This may serve as a clue to the latter part of Dr. Worces- 
 ter’s letter. 
 
 We sincerely regretted the necessity of taking such high 
 and apparently unbecoming ground, in the presence of the 
 Board. We felt that the delicacy of our situation was un- 
 fortunately aggravated, by the consciousness which per- 
 vaded every member, that we, young men, were the mov- 
 ers of the mission, not they ; that we were urging them, 
 not they us. But what could we do? Far be it from me 
 to cast any reflection on the persons who then composed 
 the Board of Commissioners. ‘The missionary spirit was, 
 at that time, at a_very low ebb, throughout the country. 
 The Board was the best set of men, that could be selected 
 from among the Pedobaptists, to answer our purpose. 
 Hence, “ it afforded me much comfort, that I came out 
 under the patronage of such men.” The excellence of 
 their individual characters, gave us fuil assurance, that they 
 
 ee 3 RSE ST GS Wa a a a rt I REL 
 
 
 

 
 
 8 
 
 would move with energy and zeal (as the event has prov- 
 ed,) as soon as their eyes were fuliy opened to the miseries 
 of the heathen world, and the practicability of affording 
 relief. But the ungrateful task of presenting and pressing 
 these subjects, had, from the beginning, devolved on us. 
 
 At that time also, the Board had no funds, and were ig- 
 norant of their own strength. It was our object to make 
 them feel their strength, by putting forth an effort. In or- 
 der to effect this, we were obliged to hold up to their view 
 the instructions of the London society. 
 
 One principal circumstance, also, which forced us to a- 
 dopt decisive measures, was the prospect of war. And 
 though one of the members, who had filled the guberna- 
 torial chair of a neighbouring state, pledged me his word, 
 that there would be no war, I had received other informa- 
 tion, and was unwilling to hazard my dearest missionary 
 hopes on his pledge. ‘The event proved, that we, young 
 men, were correct. The Board were constrained to 
 make the dreaded effort, and found their strength and 
 resources very ample. And had they not made the ef- 
 fort, and sent us out that season, the war, which was de- 
 clared ina few months after our departure, would have 
 broken up the mission, dispersed the missionaries, and 
 
 ’ most probably neither the Pedobaptists nor the Baptists of 
 
 America, would have had a mission in the East, to the 
 present day. The energy or ‘* waywardness,’”’ (call it 
 which you will) displayed before the Board, saved the 
 mission. ‘To you, therefore, my dear father, my Baptist 
 friends, and the public, I cheerfully submit the following 
 
 uery :— Suppose that I did receive a reprimand from the 
 Hope. who ought to be the more ashamed, I, for having 
 received it, or the Board, for having given it ? 
 
 But you will ask, If no reprimand was ever given, how 
 could Dr. Worcester assert most decidedly, that there 
 was ? I cannot find it in my heart to believe, that Dr. 
 Worcester, or any person hopefully possessed of divine 
 
 race, can be guilty of a deliberate and public falsehood. 
 
 Whether J shall be able to make out an apology, which 
 will completely exonerate his character, in the minds of 
 all parties, I am rather doubtful. However, I will make 
 the attempt. And the apology, such as it is, must be 
 charitably applied, with certain modifications, to every 
 member of the Board, who shall come forward in his 
 support. 
 
 Mortified at the secession of a considerable part of the 
 first mission, from his favourite system, and agonized at 
 
 
 
 — ee 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 a] 
 
 9 
 
 the bare idea, that men, on whom he might find it diff. 
 cult to fix the charge of mental imbecility, or utter illiter- 
 acy, had discovered the fallacy of his elaborate publica- 
 tions, and become Baptists from principle, he looked a- 
 round, with an imploring eye, for some relief. Ruminat- 
 ing for months and years on the scanty materials afforded 
 him, by the momentary irritation of some members of the 
 Board, their unguarded speeches, and, for aught I know, 
 some secret vote*—striving, with all his might, to make 
 much of a little, and something of nothing—stretching 
 one part, and patching another, and clipping another, he, 
 at length, succeeded, in conjuring up, and decking out a 
 darling phantom, whose soft and balmy hand might allay 
 the anguish of his bleeding heart ;—or, in plain language, 
 he worked himself up almost to believe, that a formal and. 
 solemn reprimand was administered to me, in presence of 
 the Board. I say almost, for 1 do think, that with his ut- 
 most efforts, he cannot fully and unequivocally believe all 
 that he has published on this subject. Ido believe that 
 when he is alone before God, his conscience whispers, 
 have you not pushed this matter a little too far? He 
 probably replies, have I not dene it for the great 
 cause ? 
 
 After all,—it is evident, that the great object in get- 
 ting up this reprimand, -is to account for my change, in a 
 manner discreditable to the Baptist cause. The popular 
 ground taken in all circles of my former acquaintance, is 
 this,—“‘ He was so offended by the reprimand, that he 
 resolved to have no more to do with the Board, and in no 
 way could he escape so honourably, as by becoming a 
 Baptist.” Now listen to a statement, which will, I know, 
 set this matter forever at rest, in every mind, whether can- 
 did or uncandid. 
 
 Tt is a well known fact, that [ had received instructions 
 from the London Society. It is fortunate for me, that to 
 prove this, Iam not under the necessity of appealing to 
 the Board of Commissioners. When Dr. Worcester 
 says, that ‘it was a serious question, whether Mr. Jud- 
 son should not be dismissed,’’ he labours under a slight - 
 mistake. The question was rather, how they should re- 
 tain, in their service, the two missionary brethren before 
 
 > 
 
 ei a 
 
 * The publishers learn that nucthing relative toa reprimand of Mr. 
 Judson, is to be found on the record of the meeting of the Board at 
 Worcester. 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 them, who insisted on accepting the patronage of the En- 
 glish, unless the Board came forward to their satisfaction. 
 
 This is evident from the vote, in the printed minutes, 
 which disapproves of that measure. Now if I had receiv 
 ed treatment from the Board, which offended me, how ea- 
 sily might I, in the interval of the meeting and my em- 
 barkation, have retired from their service, in a manner un- 
 exceptionable and honourable. However low I stood, in 
 their estimation, I stood as high as I desired, in that of 
 the London society. ‘The directors of that Society were 
 also extremely desirous of securing some of us. During 
 my last interview with one of the Secretaries, on my state- 
 
 ing, that the Board might ultimately be able to support us. 
 
 all, he replied, “No, you must not all leave us. And 
 whatever your brethren do, stay you by us, at all events.” 
 On my_ arrival in Bengal, when ‘ mortified pride and 
 cramped ambition were powerfully stimulating me to re- 
 venge,”’ I received a letter from the Rev. Mr. Gordon, of 
 the missionary éstablishment at Vizagapatam, and some 
 of my brethren received another, inviting us, if under or- 
 ders of the London society, to hasten to him, previous to 
 fixing on our ultimate destination, and hold a consulta- 
 tion. What a felicitous opening was here ! In case I had 
 been so stupid as to have forgotten the London instruc- 
 tions, what a seasonable memento ! Now, is there a man 
 
 - on earth, who can believe me to have been so mad, as to 
 
 do violence to my conscience, break with my parents and 
 all my friends in England and America, and embrace the 
 cause of the despised Baptists, with whom I had no ac- 
 quaintance or interest, in either hemisphere, when, without 
 these sacrifices, I could have attained my end, in the most 
 honourable and triumphant manner 2? What could I have 
 hoped to gain, by becoming a Baptist 2? I had instructions 
 im my hand, from the London society, authorizing me to 
 go, if I chose, to Burmah,* the very place to which I had 
 always intended to go, and to which I did go, far away 
 from that “prosperous establishment,” where it is sup- 
 
 posed, I wished to settle, and where indeed I might ulti- 
 
 mately have settled, had I not preferred remaining a soli- 
 
 tary exile, in this savage land, 
 
 And can any man on earth believe, that when I heard 
 the story of the réprimand, I should have been so infatuat- 
 ed as to appeal to the Board, if I had not known the story 
 to be false, —when I might, in an instant, have effectually 
 
 repelled the odium of the charge, as I do now ? 
 
 * The instructions specified, Burmah, Surat, and Penang. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 il 
 
 And again, when Dr. Worcester knew these incontesti- 
 ble facts, knew that, with one stroke of my pen, I could 
 forever annihilate his darling phantom,—that he and his 
 friends should, nevertheless, attempt to foist it on the pub- 
 lic, discloses the distressing predicament in which they 
 were placed. I did suppose, that my change would occa- 
 sion some sensation among my friends; but I had no idea, 
 that the effect would be so tremendous. 
 
 T have now done with the celebrated reprimand—The 
 reprimand is not, however, the only thing of the kind, that 
 the Pedobaptists have been entertained with. Witness the 
 attempt to prove, with a vast parade of dates and names, 
 that, at the time of my change, I concealed my views from 
 all my missionary brethren. It is said, particularly, 
 that Mr. Newell, on embarking for the Isle of France, *‘ had 
 no knowledge of my change.” Mr. N. knew that my 
 mind had been exercised on the subject, for several months, 
 
 ‘both on board the Caravan, and at Serampore. Some- 
 
 time before his departure, I removed to Calcutta. Wheth- 
 er he was apprized of the exercises I experienced, in the 
 interval of my removal and his departure, and which still 
 left my mind undecided, I really do not know. We had 
 but one considerable interview, during that interval. If 
 the subject was not then introduced, it certainly was not 
 through any desire of concealment on my part, but be- 
 cause we had discussed it so much in past times, that it 
 had become rather unpleasant, particularly to him. 
 
 It is said again, that, when I went to Serampore, “ for 
 the purpose of being immersed,” my brethren in Calcutta, 
 who arrived «after Mr. Newell’s departure, “ were unap- 
 prized of the object of my visit, and received their first in- 
 telligence on the subject, two days afterwards, from Dr. 
 Marshman.” I never went to Serampore to be immers- 
 ed. I always intended to be baptized at Calcutta, in the 
 face of day, and the presence of my brethren. At the time 
 of the visit alluded to, which was nothing more than one 
 of our common excursions to Serampore, my brethren 
 must have known, that I was a Baptist in sentiment, and 
 intended to be baptized ere long; for with every one of 
 them, except Mr. Hall, with whom my personal acquaint- 
 ance was very slight, I had conversed hours and hours on 
 the subject. ‘They did not indeed know, that I should re- 
 quest baptism at that precise time ; for on leaving Calcut- 
 ta, 1 did not know it myself. This, however, was the 
 case ; and it was determined, by the Serampore brethren, 
 that I should be baptized in Calcutta, the first Sunday in 
 the next month, It appears that Dr. Marshman went 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 down to Calcutta before me, and meeting first with the 
 brethren, informed them of this circumstance. And hence 
 it is sagaciously inferred, that they knew nothing of my 
 previous views and intentions. 
 
 So much for the feeble counterpart of the reprimand, 
 which would have been far beneath my notice, had not 
 men of some note hazarded their names and credit to give 
 it currency, and in consequence, every declaimer thought 
 himself privileged to imtrude it on the public, as a most 
 solemn affair. But let us look a little further into the “ or- 
 igin and causes of things.”’ 
 
 How is it, that men of sense should be driven to such 
 extremities, by the defection of a few individuals? Can 
 this be explained in any other way, than as an additional 
 illustration of the fact, that the thinning ranks of Pedobap- 
 tism are filled with consternation. Every year, many in 
 England, Scotland and America, open their eyes anc be- 
 
 ~ come Baptists. Our system wants only to be known and 
 
 examined. Now and then an instance may occur of ex- 
 amination terminating in error; but ninety nine in a hun- 
 dred, who really examine the subject, become Baptists. 
 Every book that is published (no matter on which side) 
 makes Baptists. “The controversv, in which Dr. Wor- 
 cester has been engaged for many years, has multiplied the 
 ** pernicious sect” all around him. 
 
 It is a most encouraging fact, that the Baptist sentiments 
 have spread, with unprecedented rapidity, since the era of 
 the commencement of modern missions. And I doubt 
 not, that their spread will keep pace with the advance of 
 millennial light, until the last lingering relic of the man of sin 
 shall be banished from an injured world. 
 
 Your affeetionate Son, 
 ADONIRAM JUDSON, Jon. 
 
 ene oame 
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 In regard to the publication, which contains the letter of 
 Dr. Worcester, on which I have been animadverting, I 
 have only to beg, that those whose minds are exercised on 
 the subject, will candidly read the work, to which it pro- 
 fesses to be areply. Ifthey will not read that, they would 
 not read any thing else that I should publish. I? they will 
 read that, with discrimination and candour, and fervent 
 prayer, I rest satisfied with the hope, that through the en- 
 
 
 
 — a oO 
 
 
 
 dans Le ee ae 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 Fa 
 
 lightening influences of the Holy Spirit, their labour will 
 not be in vain. 
 
 To such readers, it is hardly necessary to suggest, first, 
 that long lists of Pedobaptist testimonies, in favour of Pe- 
 dobaptist sentiments, cannot possibly be admitted by an 
 impartial mind ; it would be like admitting the testimony 
 ofa criminal, in his own defence ; and secondly, that if 
 their minds are really desirous of discovering the truth, 
 they will not wish to embarrass the subject, with a mass 
 of personalities and extraneous matter. 
 
 Lconclude with three remarks to my Baptist friends, on 
 certain points, in my sermon, which have been so miscon- 
 strued, as to pervert my real sentiments. ~ 
 
 1. Lhave said that “* going into the water does not, 27 2¢- 
 self, imply immersion.” Now if one should exhibit this 
 sentence, in its insulated state, I should be made to say 
 something foreign to my yntention. It should be remem- 
 bered, that I have added, “* but the phrase implies, y con- 
 
 sequence, that the subjects were immersed.” 
 
 2. Whatever be the precise meaning of the passage in 
 Col. ii. 11, 12, it appears to me, that the phrase, buried in 
 baptism, clearly proves immersion; for it never could 
 have been used, in any connection, figurative or literal, if 
 the primitive christians were not immersed. 
 
 3. When I say that Christ instituted the ordinance of 
 baptism, I do not intend to use the word in such a sense, 
 as to set aside the baptism of J ohn. My idea is, that the 
 baptism of John was_ the initiatory ordinance of the chris- 
 tian dispensation, in its incipient state, under the harbinger 
 ofthe Messiah. Our Lord, during his life-time, sanction- 
 ed this ordinance, by receiving it himself, and directing his: 
 disciples to administer it. Just before his ascension, he 
 added his final sanction, or set his broad seal to it, institut- 
 ing it the initiatory ordinance of the christian dispensation, 
 not only in its incipient state, but in every successive state. 
 “to the end of the world.” 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 

 
 LETTER. 
 
 Adoniram Judson, jr. Missionary in India 
 beyond the Ganges, to the Third Church 
 an Plymouth, Massachusetts— 
 
 Dearly Beloved in our common Lord, 
 
 WHEN I remember my early connection with your beloved 
 church, the pleasant seasons which I formerly enjoyed with many 
 dear indiyiduals, the interest which you took in my welfare, and 
 the affection with which you commended me to God, on leaving 
 my native land for these Eastern shores, together with the cer- 
 tainty, that I shall see your faces no more, I cannot suppress my 
 feelings, or restrain my tears. 
 
 Ihave several times had it in my heart to address you a few 
 lines, but feared, that it would be presuming in me, who am but 
 ‘a youth, to call on the attention of those, who, in a spiritual 
 sense, are men of war from their youth. 
 
 Ihave particularly desired to say a few things, in regard to 
 the change of sentiment, which I have experienced, since leaving 
 you, to state some of the exercises of my mind on that subject, 
 and to solicit a continuance of your candour and affectionate re- 
 gards. And I hope, that this desire will appear to your minds a 
 sufficient apology for addressing you at this time. 
 
 You will readily believe me, when I say, that on leaving my 
 country, | little imagined, that Ishould ever have become a Baptist. 
 I had not indeed candidly examined the subject of baptism; but I 
 had strong prejudices against the sect, that is every where spo- 
 ken against. ; 
 
 It was on board the vessel, in prospect of my future life among 
 the heathen, that I was led to investigate this important subject. 
 {was going forth to proclaim the glad news of salvation through 
 Jesus Christ. I hoped, that my ministrations would be blessed to 
 the conversion of souls. In that case, I felt that I should have 
 no hesitation concerning my duty to the converts, it being plainly 
 commanded in scripture, that such are to be baptized, and re- 
 ceived into church fellowship. But how, thought I, am I to treat 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 the unconverted children and domestics of the converts? Are 
 they to be considered members of the church of Christ, by virtue 
 of the conversion of the head of their family, or not? If they 
 are, ought I not to treat them as such? After they are baptized, 
 can I consistently set them aside, as aliens from the common- 
 wealth of Israel, until they are readmitted? If they are not to 
 be considered members of the church, can I consistently adminis- 
 ter to them the initiating ordinance of the church? 
 
 If I adopt the Abrahamic covenant, and consider the christian 
 church a continuation of the Abrahamic or Jewish system, I must 
 adopt the former part of the alternative. I must consider the 
 children and domestics of professors, as members of the church, 
 and treat them accordingly. Abraham, according to the terms of 
 the covenant which God made with him, circumcised not only his 
 own sons, but all the males, that were born in his house, or 
 bought with méney. His male descendants, in the line of Isaac 
 and Jacob, were entitled to the same ordinance, by virtue of nat- 
 ural descent; and, together with their domestics, composed the 
 ancient church, and were entitled to all its privileges. This is 
 put beyond a doubt, by the single fact, that, in the Abrahamic com- 
 munity, or the society of Israel, there was no separate party, call- 
 ing themselves, by way of distinction, the church, and saying to 
 others, who were equally circumcised with themselves, Stand by, 
 touch not the passover, we are holier than you. No. All’the 
 members of the community or nation, were, of course, members 
 ofthe church. They were entitled to church membership, by 
 birth or purchase. ‘Their church membership was recognized, 
 or they were initiated into the church, by circumcision; and in 
 subsequent life, they partook of the passover, which was the 
 standing sacrament of the church, analagous to the Lord’s supper, 
 and enjoyed all the rights and privileges of the church, unless they 
 were excommunicated, or, in scriptural language, cut off from the 
 people. If any one should be inclined to doubt the right of cir- 
 cumcised children to the passover, let him consider the following : 
 
 Witsius. ‘In those companies” (that partook of the passover) 
 **men and women sat down together, old men and young, whole 
 and sick, masters and servants, in fine, every Jew that could eat a 
 morsel of flesh, , not excluding even young children.” 
 Cicon. Fed. L. iv. C. ix. § 14. 
 
 Dr. Scott. ‘“* Every person, in each household, including 
 women and children, ate this first passover, none being excepted, 
 but uncircumcised males; and afterwards all, who were not cere- 
 monially unclean, partook ofit. The women and children were 
 not radeed commanded to go up to the tabernacle, where it was 
 celebrated; but when they did, they joined in this sacred feast.” 
 Note on Exodus xii. 43—45. 
 
 After the tabernacle, where alone the passover could be eaten, 
 was established at Jerusalem, young children, on account of dis- 
 tange, not on account of any personal disqualification, were seldom 
 
 
 
 
 
 Y 
 
nr. 
 
 
 
 17 
 
 brought to partake of the passover. This neglect, however, was 
 riot allowed after they had attained the age of twelve years. 
 
 Now let me be consistent. Since I ami exhorted to 
 walk in the steps of father Abraham, let me follow him, with the 
 same faithfulness, which procured him eminent prdise. Let me 
 not adopt some parts of his covenant, and reject others, as suits 
 my own convenience, or accords with the notions, in which I have 
 been educated. Nor let me complain for want of example and 
 prescription. Behold the established church of England. She 
 proves herself, in many respects, a worthy daughter of the Abra- 
 hamic or Jewish church. She receives into her charitable bos- 
 om, all the descendants of professors, and all those, who, though 
 not of her seed, belong to the families of professors; and these 
 collectively come, in process of time, to comprise the whole na- 
 tion. This is truly Abrahamic. This is the very system, which 
 the ancestors of the Jewish race, and their sucéeeding rulers and 
 priests uniformly maintained. And if I claim an interest in the 
 Abrahamic covenant, and consider the christian church a continu- 
 ation of the Jewish, why should I hesitate to prove myself a true 
 child of Abraham, and a consistent christian, by adopting this sys- 
 tem, in all its parts, and introducing it among the heathen? 
 
 But I considered again—How does this system accord with the 
 account of the church of Christ, given in the New Testament ? 
 It appeared to me, from the manner in which this church com- 
 menced, and was continued, from the character of its members, 
 and in fine, from its whole economy, So far as detailed in the New 
 Testament, that it was a company, consisting of select individuals, 
 men and women, who gave credible evidence of being disciples 
 of Christ ; and that it had no regard to natural descent, or acci- 
 dental connection with the families of professors. 
 
 When I proceeded to consider certain passages, which are 
 thought to favour the Pedobaptist system, I found nothing sat- 
 
 isfactory. 
 
 The sanctification, which St. Paul ascribes to the children of 
 a believer, (1 Cor. vii. 14.) I found, that he ascribed to the 
 unbelieving parent also; and therefore, whatever be the meaning 
 of the passage, it could have no respect to church membership, or 
 a right to church ordinances. 
 
 The declaration of St. Peter, “ The promise is unto you and 
 to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the 
 Lord our God shall call,” (Act. ii. 395) appeared not to bear at all 
 on the point in hand, because the apostle does not command his 
 hearers to have their children baptized, or acknowledged mem- 
 bers of the church, but to repent and be baptized themselves. 
 There is indeed a promise made to their children, and to all 
 others that God shall call; but it does not follow, that they were 
 
 to procure the bap 
 
 afar off, until they gave evidence that God had called them. 
 © 
 
 tism of their children, or of those that were | 
 
 
 

 
 18 
 
 When Christ said, concerning little children, that “of such is 
 the kingdom of heaven,” (Mat. xix. 14,) it appeared to me, that 
 his comparison had respect, not to the age or size of little chil- 
 dren, but to the humility and docility which distinguish them from 
 adults. This seemed to be put beyond a doubt, by his own ex- 
 planation, in a similar passage, in which he says, “ Except ye be 
 converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into 
 the kingdom of heaven.” (Mat. xviii. 3.) 
 
 The baptism of households, which is mentioned, in three in- 
 stances, I could not consider, as affording any evidence one way 
 or the other, because, in a household, there may be infants and 
 unbelieving domestics, and there may not. Besides, I discovered 
 some circumstances, in each of the cases which led me to con- 
 clude, that the members of the households were real believers. 
 ‘They are expressly said to be so, in the case of the jailer, (Acts 
 xvi. 34,) and the same is evidently implied, in the-case of Ste- 
 phanas, when it is said, that they addicted themselves to the min- 
 istry of the saints, (1 Cor. i. 16.) 
 
 in a word, I could not find a single intimation, in the New Tes- 
 tament, that the children and domestics of believers were mem- 
 bers of the church, or entitled to any church ordinance, in con- 
 sequence of the profession of the head of their family. Every 
 thing discountenanced this idea. When baptism was spoken of, 
 it was always in connection with believing. None but believers 
 were commanded to be baptized; and it did not appear to my 
 mind that any others were baptized. 
 
 _ Here, then, appeared a striking difference between the Abra- 
 hamic, and the christian systems. The one recognized the mem- 
 bership of children, domestics and remote descendants of pro- 
 fessors, and tended directly to the establishment of a national 
 religion. The other appeared to be a selective system, ac- 
 knowledging none, as members of the church, but such as gave 
 credible evidence of believing in Christ. 
 
 This led meto suspect, that. these two systems, so evidently dif- 
 ferent, could not be one andthe same. And now the light began to 
 dawn. The more I read, and the more I meditated on the subject, 
 the more clearly it appeared to me, that all my errors and diffi- 
 culties had originated, in confounding these two systems. I began 
 to.see, that since the very nature and constitution of the church of 
 Christ excluded infants and unregenerate domestics, repentance and 
 faith being always represented as necessary to constitute a disci- 
 ple, we had no right to expect any directions for, or any examples 
 of, the initiation of such unqualified persons into the church. To 
 search for such directions and examples in the New Testament, 
 would be, as if the citizen of a republic should go to search his 
 national code, for laws concerning the royal family, which, by 
 the very nature and constitution of a republic, is excluded. 
 Suppose, that such a citizen, disappointed in his search, should 
 have recourse to the constitution and laws of a neighbouring 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 — RF ae ee 
 SS erence tsa teen 
 

 
 19 
 
 monarchy, for the desired information. This, it appeared to me, 
 would aptly represent the proceeding of those, who, unable to 
 find, inthe New Testament, satisfactory proof of the right of in- 
 
 fants, or unregenerate domestics, should have recourse to the 
 
 Abrahamic and Jewish codes. 
 
 At length, I adopted the following sentiments, concerning the 
 two churches, and the concern, which we have, at present, with 
 the old dispensation. ‘The Abrahamic church was preparatory 
 to, and typical of, the christian. ‘The constitution was radically 
 different; but it was, nevertheless, wisely adapted to answer the 
 ends which God hadin view. Natural descent or purchase was 
 sufficient to introduce a person into this church ; but still it ap- 
 pears, that, in every age, there were some, who were truly 
 pious; who embraced the gospel promise made to Abraham, be- 
 fore the covenant of circumcision was instituted; who also look- 
 ed beyond the literal meaning of the requirements and promises, 
 contained in that covenant, to the glorious things typified thereby, 
 and thus exercised true faith in the coming Messiah, and in a 
 better country, that is, the heavenly. When the Messiah ap- 
 peared, this preparatory and typical system, having answered its 
 end, was destined to cease; and the Lord Jesus set up his king- 
 dom on earth, the gospel church, composed of such only as re- 
 pent and believe, or rather give credible evidence of these gra- 
 cious exercises. The bar of separation between the Jews and 
 the rest of the world, was removed ; thenceforth, none were to 
 plead, that they had Abraham for their father; none were to 
 rest in the covenant of circumcision, assured that if they did, 
 Christ would profit them nothing; but it was distinctly declared, 
 that, thenceforth, there was neither Jew nor Greek, bond 
 nor free, male nor female, but all were one in Christ, (Gal. in. 
 98.) 
 
 But whereas the Abrahamic system was typical of the chris- 
 tian, ¥o the spiritual meaning of the requirements and promises 
 still remains in force. Thus, by looking beyond the letter, and 
 regarding the spiritual import, according to the example of the 
 pious Jews, a great part of the Old Testament is still applicable 
 to us, though the New Testament is emphatically the christian’s 
 Jaw book. he natural seed of Abraham typifies the spiritual seed. 
 The land of Canaan typifies the heavenly land. External cir- 
 cumcision typifies the circumcision of the heart, a circumcision 
 made without hands, that is, the putting off the hody of the sins 
 of the flesh, even the circumcision of Christ, (Col. i. 11.) Be- 
 lievers, therefore, may embrace the promise of Canaan, in its 
 spiritual application, as made to themselves, the spiritual seed, 
 who have received the spiritual circumcision. Hence, also, all 
 ihe deyotional parts of the Old Testament, particularly ‘the 
 Psalms of David, the modern believer can make his own, adopting 
 the language, as the genuine expressions of his own devout feel- 
 ings. 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 & 
 
 
 
 20 
 
 {n the same way are to be explained all the New Testament 
 allusions to the ancient dispensation. When, for instance, the 
 apostle says, “If ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and 
 heirs according to the promise,” (Gal. iil. 29,) we are to under- 
 stand, not Abraham’s natural seed, surely, but his spiritual seed, 
 those who, by faith, are assimilated to him, and thus become his 
 children; not heirs of the land of Canaan, in the literal accepta- 
 tion of the words, but heirs of the blessing of justification by faith, 
 concerning which the apostle had been discoursing, and conse- 
 quently, of the spiritual Canaan, the city of the living God, the 
 heavenly Jerusalem. 
 
 Icannot describe to you, dear brethren, the light and satis- 
 faction, which I obtained, in taking this view of the matter, in 
 considering the two churches distinct, and in classing my ideas 
 of each in their proper place. I became possessed of a key, that 
 unlocked many a difficulty, which had long perplexed me. And 
 the more I read the Bible, the more clearly I saw, that this was 
 the true system therein revealed. 
 
 But while I obtained light and satisfaction on one side, T was 
 plunged in difficulty and distress on the other. If, thought I, this 
 system is the true one, if the christian church is not a continuar 
 tion of the Jewish, if the covenant of circumcision is not precise- 
 ly the covenant in which christians now stand, the whole founda- 
 tion of Pedobaptism is gone; there is no remaining ground for 
 the administration of any church ordinance, to the children and 
 domestics of professors; and it follows inivitably, that 1, who was 
 christened in infancy, on the faith of my parents, have never yet 
 received christian baptism. Must I, then, forsake my parents, the 
 church with which I stand connected, the society under whose 
 patronage I have come out, the companions of my missionary un- 
 dertaking ? Must I forfeit the good opinion of all my friends in my 
 native land, occasioning grief to some, and provoke others to an- 
 ger, and be regarded, henceforth, by all my former dear ac- 
 quaintance, as a weak, despicable Baptist, who has not sense 
 enough to comprehend the connexion between the Abrahamic 
 and the christian systems? All this was mortifying ; it was hard 
 to flesh and blood. But I thought again—lIt is better to be guid- 
 ed by the opinion of Christ, who is the truth, than by the opinion 
 of men, however good, whom I know to be inan error. The 
 praise of Christ is better than the praise of men. Let me cleave 
 to Christ at all events, and prefer his favour above my chiefjoy. 
 
 There was another thing, which greatly contributed, just at 
 this time, to drive me to an extremity. I knew, that I had been 
 sprinkled in infancy, and that this had been deemed baptism. 
 But throughout the whole New Testament, I could-find nothing, 
 that looked like sprinkling, in connexion with the ordinance of 
 baptism. It appeared to me, that ifa plain person should, with- 
 out any previous information on the subject, read through the 
 New Testament, he would never get the idea, that baptism consist- 
 ed in sprinkling. He would find, that baptism in all the cases par- 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 2) 
 
 licularly described, was administered in rivers, and that the par- 
 ties are represented, as going down into the water, and coming up 
 out of the water, which they would not have been so foolish as to 
 do, for the purpose of sprinkling. : 
 
 In regard to the word itself, which is translated baptism, a very 
 little search convinced me, that its plain, appropriate meaning was 
 immersion or dipping ; and though I read extensively on the sub- 
 ject, I could not find, that any learned Pedobaptist had ever been 
 able to produce an instance, from any Greek writer, in which it 
 meant sprinkling, or any thing but immersion, except in some fig- 
 urative applications, which could not be fairly brought into the 
 question. The Rev. Professor Campbell, D. D. of Scotland, 
 the most learned Greek scholar, and biblical critic of modern times, 
 has the candour to declare (though he was no Baptist, and there- 
 fore, not to be suspected of partiality to the Baptist system,) that 
 the word was never, so far as he knew, employed in the sense of 
 sprinkling, in any use, sacred or classical. See Note on Matt. i. 11, 
 
 But my limits will not permit me to enter further into detail, on 
 this part of the subject, | must beg leave to refer you to my ser- 
 mon, a copy of which will accompany this letter. Suffice it to 
 say, that whereas a consideration of the nature of the church con- 
 vinced me, that [had never received christian baptism, so a con- 
 sideration of the nature of baptism, convinced me, that I had nev- 
 er been baptized at all, nothing being baptism but immersion. 
 
 Reduced to this extremity, what, dear brethren, could I do? I 
 saw, that, ina double sense, I was unbaptized, and I felt the com- 
 mand of Christ press on my conscience. Now if I quieted my 
 conscience, in regard to my own personal baptism, and con- 
 cluded, that on account of my peculiar circumstances, it was 
 best to consult my own convenience, rather than the command of 
 Christ, still the question would return, with redoubled force,— 
 How am I to treat the children and domestics of converted heath- 
 en? This was the beginning of all my difficulties, and this, on Pe- 
 dobaptist principles, I could not resolve, by the Bible, or by any 
 books that { consulted. 
 
 In order that you may feel the trying situation, in which I was 
 placed, I beg you to make the case your own, particularly m re- 
 gard to this one point, the treatment ofthe families of believers. 
 You may thus be brought to feel the gripe of this Gordian knot, 
 as Thave felt it. Itis true, you have not the prospect of convert- 
 ed heathen and their families to trouble you; yet permit me to 
 submit the case of your own families. In what light do you con- 
 sider and treat them? Do youstrictly comply with the terms of the 
 Abrahamic covenant? Does your conduct perfectly accord with 
 the Abrahamic system? Do you baptize (if baptism is in the place 
 of circumcision) your male children, and those only, on the eighth 
 day after their birth? Do you baptize your male domestics, and 
 if you had slaves, would you have them also baptized? Still fur- 
 ther,—Do you consider your baptized children and servants, 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 22 
 
 members of the church; as circumcised Jewish children and sex- 
 vants were members of the Jewish church ? Do you acknowledge 
 their right to the Lord’s Supper, as soon, at least, as they are ca- 
 pable ; and do you feel your own ‘vbligations to require their at- 
 fendance, and to discipline and exclude them, if they do not at- 
 tend? Circumcision was the initiating ordinance of the Abrahamic 
 or Jewish church ; baptism has been regarded, in every age, and 
 by all parties, as the initiating ordinance of the christian church. 
 Baptized persons are, therefore, members of the church. And if 
 80, is it not wrong and dangerous to treat them, as if they were 
 not? Ineed not inform you, that among yourselves, and among 
 allthe Congregational churches in New England, children and ser- 
 vants, who are baptized on account of the head of their family, 
 are considered no more members of the church, than before,—no 
 more members of the church, than others, that have not been 
 baptized. They are, in fact, considered and treated, as out of the 
 church altogether, and as having no right to any further church 
 privilege, until they give evidence of possessing religion, and 
 make a personal public profession. Do you not hesitate, my 
 brethren, at pursuing a course so antiabrahamic, so unscriptural ? 
 How can you plead the promises made to Abraham, when you so 
 flagrantly violate the covenant, in which they are contained, and 
 depart from the course, divinely prescribed in his family, and in 
 subsequent generations? But on the other hand, if you adopt and 
 practise the Abrahamic system, you will inevitably confound the 
 church and the world; you will receive into the ‘church multi- 
 tudes who are destitute of those qualifications, which are repre- 
 sented, in the New Testament, as requisite to constitute a member 
 of the kingdom which Christ set up; you will ultimately establish 
 a national religion: and this will be as contrary to the system laid 
 
 down in the New Testament, as your present system is to the Abra- 
 bamic. 
 
 Brethren and Fathers, I have now given you a slight sketch of 
 the difficulties, in which I became involved, while contemplating 
 my missionary work, and which forced me, at last, to adopt the 
 Baptist system as alone consistent and scriptural. If I have done 
 wrong herein, I shall be very grateful to any one, who will point 
 eat my error,—who will inform me what course I could have tak- 
 en to extricate myself out of my difficulties, without becoming a 
 Baptist. And in order to facilitate the matter, | beg leave to state 
 
 the several points, on which I must obtain good satisfaction, or 
 remain as I am. 
 
 1. Does it appear from the New Testament, that the unconvert- 
 ed children and servants of believers are members of the church 
 of Christ, according to the terms of the Abrahamic covenant? If 
 this could be proved, it would go far towards proving, that the 
 christian church is a continuation of the Jewish ; but if this cannot 
 
 be proved, it appears to me, that no little incidental similarities 
 are sufficient tp establish the point. 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2. If the children and servants of believers are members of the 
 church, by virtue of belonging to the families of professors, ought 
 they not, after being initiated into the church, by baptism, to be 
 considered and treated as members? Ought they not to be consid- 
 ered members of the christian church, in the same manner, as the 
 circumcised children and servants of the Jews were members of 
 the Jewish church, and similarly entitled to the privileges and dis- 
 cipline of the church? ,And is it right or consistent to class them 
 with aliens, until they come forward and join the church, to which 
 it would seem, by the supposition, they had always belonged? 
 
 3. If the children and servants of believers are not real mem- 
 bers of the church, by what right, is one of the ordinances of the 
 church, yea, even the initiating ordinance, administered to them? 
 Do we discover any intimation, in the Old Testament, or the New, 
 of any persons, who, not belonging to any church whatever, 
 were yet entitled to the privileges of a church, and particu- 
 larly to the ordinance of initiation, they bemg no more mem- 
 bers of the church after they wereilinitiated into it and acknowl- 
 edged members, than others who were never thus initiated? 
 And if a person should venture to maintain such a position, 
 on any other subject than that of Pedobaptism, would not the 
 soundness of his intellects be justly suspected? 
 
 4. If the children and servants of believers are not entitled 
 to the ordinance of baptism, must not those who have been 
 baptized, on the faith of their parents or masters, necessarily 
 regard their baptism as a nullity, and consider themselves, of 
 course, in an unbaptized state ? And when such persons believe 
 in Christ, and hope that they have received divine grace, how 
 can they refrain from obeying the express command of their 
 Lord and Master. 
 
 Submitting these questions, dear Brethren, to your candid 
 and impartial consideration, | take my leave. You will not, I 
 hope, be displeased with any expressions in my letter, that may 
 seem to bear hard on the system which you profess. Perhaps 
 there are some such expressions. I have found it impossible to 
 avoid them all, in stating my difficulties in their full force. And 
 the same reasons, which induced me to take up my pen at first, 
 made me unwilling to soften and smooth those difficulties, through 
 fear of giving offence. I have been sensible, that my change of 
 sentiment would give much pain to many whom I loved and re- 
 spected, to the members of the church I am now addressing, and 
 to my honoured father, your pastor. ‘This reflection was the 
 greatest trial attending my baptism. It was natural for me, there- 
 fore, to be desirous of showing you clearly the extremity to which 
 I was reduced, and the potency of those arguments which con- 
 strained me to become a Baptist ;—hoping that you would, by that 
 means, be led to sympathize with me, im the exercises of mind, 
 that Ihave experienced, and be willing to admit, that my conduc? 
 

 
 Ee emer ea PoP sti a sd 
 j fe W. : wd *« 
 » Fe 
 f gc: 
 j 24 
 has not been the result of momentary caprice, or the still moré “ 
 
 reprehensible effect of interested and sinister motives. 1 solemn- 
 ly profess to have done this thing, from a single regard to truth 
 and duty. Ihave not altered my sentiments, on any point of doc- 
 trine,yor christian experience. My heart tells me, dear brethren, 
 that [ am still one with you, though we differ on the subject of 
 baptism. May every blessing, temporal and spiritual, rest on you, 
 and on your children. 
 
 May the God of truth lead you and me into all the truth; and. 
 may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. 
 
 Yours, affectionately, 
 
 ADONIRAM JUDSON, Jon. 
 
 Sgr me soee aia a Se ERAS Lene 
 
 Rancoon, Aug. 20, 1817. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
4 suas & nahin No. 53 Cornhill hae just published 
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 ey Vatts. Psalms’ & Hymns Arranged,} 2 
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 of more cia three hundred: Hymns, of approved excel- 
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 “ 
 
 By JAMES M; WINCHELL, A i. Mf. 
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