THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
pedobaptists and the Mennonites respecting the act of baptism, it seems highly probable that Smyth practised affusion. Deep-seated prejudice against Anabaptists, unfamiliarity with the Dutch language, and the attitude of aloofness assumed by the Mennonites, furnish a sufficient explanation of the failure of these English antipedobaptists to secure baptism at the hands of the Dutch brethren with whom they had so much in common.
Shortly before or shortly after the introduction of believers' baptism, in sympathy with the Arminian movement then current and with the Socinianized Mennonism of the time, Smyth adopted Socinian (Pelagian) views, denying original or hereditary sin and the redemption of infants by Christ. He also adopted the Mennonite view that Christ did not derive " the first matter of his flesh " from Mary, that •' an elder of one church is an elder of all the churches in the world," and that " magistrates may not be members of Christ's church and retain their magistracy." Smyth's church, led by Thomas Helwys and John Murton, then excommunicated him and his followers because of their departure from the principles on which the church had been constituted. These (thirty- 3. Smyth three in number) now sought admis- Excommu- gion intQ th(J fellowship of the Men.
bv his nonite church in Amsterdam of which Church. Lubbert Gerrits was pastor. In their application they " confess this their error, and repent of the same, viz.: that they undertook to baptize themselves contrary to the order laid down by Christ," and express the desire " to get back into the true church of Christ as speedily as may be." Helwys and his associates besought the Mennonites to take " wise counsel, and that from God's word," how they should deal " in this cause betwixt us and those who are justly, for their sins, cast out from us. And the whole cause in question being succession, . consider, we beseech you, how it is Antichrist's chief hold, and that it is Jewish and ceremonial, an ordinance of the Old Testament, but not of the New." They cite the case of John the Baptist to prove that an unbaptized person may inaugurate baptism. They claim that " whosoever shall now be stirred up by the same Spirit to preach the same word, and men thereby being converted, may, according to John's example, wash them with water, and who can forbid ? And we pray that we may speak freely herein, how dare any man or men challenge unto themselves a preeminence herein, as though the Spirit of God was only in their hearts, and the word of God now only to be fetched at their mouths, and the ordinance of God only to be had from their hands, except they were apostles? Hath the Lord thus restrained his Spirit, his word, and ordinances, as to make particular men lordly over them, or keepers of them? God forbid. This is contrary to the liberty of the gospel, which is free for all men, at all times and in all places. And now for the
other question, that elders must ordain elders; or if this be a perpetual rule, then from whom is your eldership come ? And if one church might once ordain, then why not all churches always? "
It might have been expected that the Mennonites
Mennonites.
of Amsterdam would receive with open arms these English brethren who were seemingly so thoroughly at one with them in doctrine and practise. Several considerations led them to hesitate. The connectional church order of the Mennonites made it necessary for the Amsterdam church to secure the approval of other churches in fellowship. An unwise act might easily rend the entire brother-
4. Attempts hood, as unhappy experiences in the *w'L°i^ihe Past had abundantly demonstrated.
The Amsterdam Mennonite congregation found Smyth's party so thoroughly in accord with themselves that they were prompted to express to their brethren at Leeuwarden the opinion that " these English, without being baptized again, must be accepted." Yet, if the Leeuwarden brethren thought otherwise, Smyth and his associates were willing to accept and the Amsterdam brethren to administer a new baptism, if it could be proved from Scripture and reason to be necessary. The Leeuwarden brethren could not be induced to commit themselves as to the validity of Smyth's baptism or to assume any responsibility for what their Amsterdam brethren might do in the premises. One of the Mennonite brethren furnished Smyth's party with a meeting-place in the Great Cake House; but they were not received into full fellowship until 1615, three years after Smyth's death.
In 1611 Smyth and his followers put forth a declaration of their faith in one hundred articles. The confession sets forth just views as to the nature of saving knowledge of God as involving conformity in character to God's attributes. Arminian views are clearly and moderately set forth with respect to God's relation to the fall and to human sin. " Adam being fallen did not lose any natural power or faculty, . . and therefore . still retained freedom of
will " (17). " Original sin " is declared to be " an idle term," there being " no such thing as men intend by the term, . because God threatened death only to Adam, not to his posterity, and because God created the soul " (18). It is accordingly maintained that " infants are conceived an bor i in innocency without sin " (20). It is asserted that " Adam being fallen, God did not hate him, but loved him still and sought his good " (22). " The new creature which is begotten of God needeth not the outward Scriptures, creatures, or ordinances of the church, . yet
he can do nothing against the Law or Scrip-
5. Smyth's tures, but rather all his doings shall serve to Declaration the confirming and establishing of the Law "
of Faith. (61-63). " The outward church visible " is declared to consist " of penitent persons only, and of such as believing in Christ bring forth fruits worthy of ame dment of life " (65). " All penitent and faithful Christians are 1 rethren in the communion of the outward church, . though compassed with never so many ignorances and infirmities; and we salute them all with a holy kiss, being heartily grieved that we which follow after one faith, and one spirit, one Lord, and one God, one body, and one baptism, should be rent into so many sects and schisms: and that onl for matters of less moment " (69). It is taught " that the outward baptism of water is to be administered only upon s ch penitent and faithful persons as are [aforesai ], and not upon innocent infants, or wicked persons " (70); th t " in the outward supper which only baptized persons must partake, there is presented and figured before the eyes of the penitent and faithful that spiritual supper which Christ maketh of his flesh and blood: which is crucified and shed for the remission of sins . and which is eaten and drunken . . only by those which are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone, in the communion of the same spirit " (72); that " there is no succession in the outward church, but that all the succession is from heaven, and that the new creature only hath the thing signified and substance, whereof the outward church and ordinances are shadows, and therefore he alone hath power