The Act of Baptism in the History of the Christian Church

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1879 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER V. FROM THE COUNCIL OF RAVENNA TO TSE WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY.. A.. D. 1311-1644. Though the Council of Ravenna recognized trine aspersion and trine immersion as equally valid, the latter was only gradually superseded. Yet it is worthy of mention that the latest baptistery erected in Italy, that of Pistoja, which stands opposite the cathedral and is known as San Giovanni Rotondo, was built in 1337. The Council of Prague, in 1355, made the foblowing decree: "Let the presbyters take heed lest any negligence be committed, either in the putting together or in the expression of the proper form of words, as well as in the immersion in water, with which the whole value of baptism is connected. As to the form, let the immersion be trine, in this manner--that at once, when the administrator begins to utter the prescribed form, he does that which is first, and that which is last when he finishes." 12 124 John Wickliffe, who died in 1384, in a sermon on the necessity of baptism in order to salvation, based on the words in John iii. 5, says: "The church has ordained that in case of necessity any baptized person may administer the ordinance;" and adds: "Nor is it material whether they be dipped once or thrice, or water be poured on their heads; but it must be done according to the custom of the place where one dwells."121 In 1420, John Gerson, Chancellor of the University of Paris, in answer to the question, "How many times should one be immersed?" answered: "According to the usage of the church, either once, to denote the unity of the divine essence, or three times, to represent the trinity of the Persons."1M Lyndwood, who was Dean of the Arches in 1422, and the author of a valuable work on the English Constitutions (Provinciate, lib. iii., tit....