Baptism
From BrethrenPedia
[edit] Household And Believer's Baptism
Since their beginning, the Assemblies have practiced two modes of baptism: Believer's Baptism and Household Baptism. Believer's Baptism is the baptizing of believing adults, and is always performed by immersion. All Open Assemblies and some Exclusive Assemblies (in the USA) practice Believer's Baptism. Household Baptism is generally baptism by immersion; it includes infant baptism either by immersion or sprinkling. Some Exclusive Assemblies practice Household Baptism.
[edit] History
J. N. Darby and many of the early Plymouth Brethren who came out of the National Church of England held the doctrine of Household Baptism. George Mueller who had been a Baptist minister before becoming Brethren taught Believer's Baptism. Some first generation Assemblies practiced Household Baptism while others practiced Believer's Baptism. The story goes that a theological lady once asked Darby what Mr. Wigram held as to Baptism. Darby, though probably annoyed, had the wit to answer, "Madam, he holds his tongue."[citation needed]
After the 1848 division between Open and Exclusive Assemblies, those that sided with George Mueller and the Bethesda Assembly at Bristol mostly accepted Believer's Baptism. Those who remained in fellowship with J. N. Darby were not all in agreement on this issue. Some continued to practice Household Baptism, while others practiced Believer's Baptism. When the London Exclusives excommunicated William Kelly in 1881 the Exclusive Assemblies divided more or less along the lines of preferred modes of Baptism. Those which practiced Household Baptism generally remained with J. B. Stoney while those which practiced Believer Baptism sided with William Kelly.
F. W. Grant who remained in fellowship with the London Exclusives until 1883 practiced household baptism. The exclusive party that followed Grant maintained the practice. H. A. Ironside who for a time was in fellowship among Grant exclusives campaigned earnestly in favor of believer baptism in the early 20th century. It was through the efforts of Ironside and others who joined him that almost all assemblies in North America have been settled on believer baptism by immersion as the correct method. Notwithstanding some gatherings - most notably those exclusives meetings known as Taylorite still practice household baptism but it is practiced amongst Exclusives generally in Europe and the UK although increasingly (with the exception of Taylor/Symington/Hales Brethren) the decision is left to the parents themselves rather than any fiat in a local meeting.
Exclusive Brethren accept all trinitarian baptism and christenings as a fait accompli even though they would reject the notion of regenerational baptism. Re-baptism would only be countenanced if the fact of the baptism of a convert was not clear.
Open meetings greatly differ as to whether they will receive into fellowship or to the Lord's Table those who are not baptised as believing adults. Exclusive Brethren do not make the mode or means (ie whether by immersion or sprinkling or as child or adult) a test of fellowship but would insist that those who are received to the breaking bread should have been baptised as a precondition.
[edit] Additional Information
- An exposition of Exclusive Brethren practice and exposition on Household Baptism giving some of the views of early exclusives can be found at Oliver on Baptism
