OF CHRISTIAN BAPTISM, AS TO ITS SUBJECT, ITS MODE, ITS HISTORY, AND ITS EFFECTS UPON CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS SOCIETY. IN OPPOSITION TO THE VIEWS OF MR. ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, AS EXPRESSED IN A SEVEN DAYS' DEBATE WITH THE AUTHOR, at AND IN HIS SPURIOUS PUBLICATION OF THAT DEBATE, AND OF A PREVIOUS ONE, OF TWO DAYS, WITH THE AND IN OPPOSITION TO THE VIEWS OF THE CELEBRATED MR. ROBINSON, AND OTHER BAPTIST AUTHORS. IN TWO VOLUMES. BY W. L. M'CALLA, W Pastor of the Eighth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, and VOL. I. Philadelphia : PUBLISHED BY GEORGE M'LAUGHLIN. 74122 BV811 Eastern District of Pennsylvania, to wit: BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the seventh day of August, in the fifty third year of the independence of the United States of America, A. D. 1828, W. L. M.Calls, of the said District, hath deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as author, in the words following, to wit: "A Discussion of Christian Baptism, as to its subject, its mode, its history, and its effects upon civil and religious society. In opposition to the views of Mr. Alexander Campbell, as expressed in a seven days debate with the author, at Washington, Kentucky, October, 1823, and in his spurious publication of that Debate, and of a previous one of two days with the Rev. John Walker, of Ohio. And in opposition to the views of the celebrated Mr. Robinson, and other Baptist authors. In two volumes. By W. L. M'Calla, Pastor of the Eighth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, and author of A Discussion of Universalism.' In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, intituled, " 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 mentioned ;-And also to the 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 mentioned," and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." D. CALDWELL, Clerk of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Russell & Martien, Printers. PREFACE. In consequence of a general challenge, long published by Mr. Alexander Campbell, and at last accepted by the Author, a debate was held in Washington, Kentucky, in October, 1823, on Christian Baptism. With the expectation that it would last three hours, or a day at most, Mr. Campbell came prepared with a printed prospectus, promising that "All the arguments on both sides shall be faithfully and impartially detailed." As there was no stenographer, a detailed report was literally impossible; and, as the debate occupied seven days, instead of one, a detailed report would have been a losing, instead of a lucrative enterprise. He therefore published 6000 copies of the promised volume, in which all the speeches were composed by one man, in such a way as to answer the purpose of one party. Providence enabled me afterward to expose this forgery, in an Octavo volume of 150 pages, entitled "The Unitarian Baptist of the Robinson School exposed." To this he replied in a Duodecimo of 24 pages. An exposure of this pamphlet, and of the book which it is intended to support, is prefixed to the argument in this volume. The public are already informed that want of time compelled me to omit, in the debate, much matter which had been prepared for it. This need not be suppressed in a printed publication. As Mr. Campbell's report has taken the liberty of making new speeches, in part, for himself, as well as entirely new ones for me, I shall, when necessary, answer such interpolations, or, at any time, strengthen the cause of truth, by introducing new matter on my part, and by very freely condensing the matter delivered on the stage, As the audience who attended the debate was chiefly composed of plain men, so it is my wish to adapt this publication to the plainer class of readers. This may account for some things which would otherwise appear very incorrect. One of these things is, that all my references to the Bible are made to suit that division of chapters and verses which is found in our English Translation, although hundreds of those references are professedly made to the Hebrew and Septuagint Scriptures. Without this method, ordinary readers would be utterly perplexed, in searching authorities, whereas, those of better opportunities need be at no great loss by the adoption of this plan. In quoting uninspired works, whether ancient or modern, second hand authorities are often more accessible than originals. To the use of them, both parties were compelled, in a great measure, by necessity, during the debate; and where the credit of the reporters is untouched and almost intangible, the plan may be sometimes continued in this publication. Detections of errors will be thankfully received. If my friends and the friends of truth knew the difficulty with which I write, they would no longer censure me for unavoidable delays, but help me to give thanks to that God, whose mercy has enabled me to progress thus far in the work. To him it is sincerely and solemnly dedicated. May he be pleased to accept the humble offering; to pardon its faults and imperfections, through the atoning blood of the divine Redeemer; and to grant the influence of his divine Spirit, to bless that portion of truth which it contains, to the good of all denominations. MR. CAMPBELL'S LATE PAMPHLET. It is amusing to observe the time and labour which Mr. Campbell and his testifying satellites have spent, in assigning to him and his Antagonist, their respective grades in the scale of talents; without being able to come to any certain estimate, at last. If I were in his place, it seems to me, that I could settle this darling question, upon a firm basis in a few words. I would sit down and write a certificate declaring that Alexander Campbell was a Solomon, and that his Antagonist was a Simpleton. This certificate should be signed by Alexander Campbell himself, and by a competent number of NEUTRAL Unitarians and Baptists, and Non-professing sons and brothers of Baptists and Baptist preachers. If it were then published without another word about the matter, it would save the party and his witnesses, from the unhappy appearance of inconsistency and selfcomplacency which they now assume, At present they certify that he could change sides and beat me; whereas he says that he did once advocate my side, and was overcome by an old woman. During the debate, he often represented me as incom petent and inadequate to the task which I had undertaken; in his book written afterward, he represented me as competent and adequate in his late pamphlet his witnesses certify that I am incompetent and inadequate; yet in the same pamphlet he extols my defence so far as to say that "nothing better has ever been said, and nothing better can be said," on my side of the question. After thus exalting me to a level with any Pedobaptist who ever wrote, he gets three of his witnesses to certify, that "Mr. Campbell was successful in argument, and greatly the superior of Mr. M'Calla in point of talents." Therefore, of course, he is greatly superior to any Pedobaptist who ever wrote. |