JUSTIN MARTYR,

Because he was nearest to the apostles. Mr. Moore quotes and comments as follows:—TOB 145.2

“Justin wrote ‘An Apology for Christians, Addressed to the Emperor, the Senate, and the People of Rome.’ In this work he describes the doctrines and ordinances of the church of Christ; and on baptism has the following passage: ‘Then we bring them to some place where there is water, and they are baptized by the same way of baptism by which we were baptized; for they are washed in the water in the name of God the Father, Lord of all things, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit.’TOB 145.3

“Justin’s works were written in the Greek language, and are translated by Mr. Reeves, who, when speaking of the confession usually made in those early times, says of the above passage: ‘The candidates were thrice plunged under the water at the naming of the Three Persons in the blessed Trinity.’TOB 146.1

“This is the candid opinion of the learned translator, that when Justin writes of the Christians being washed in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, he means nothing short of trine immersion. We give Mr. Reeves’ convictions and candid opinion as a fair argument in support of the fact that the above passage refers to trine immersion.”TOB 146.2

Mr. Moore makes his quotations in the above from Pengilly on Baptism. And here, reader, we have the first stone, the very corner-stone of the edifice of trine immersion; the first witness—the one nearest to the apostles—to prove that trine immersion existed in the very days of the apostles. Here we have several points of interest.TOB 146.3

1. Justin says nothing at all about trine immersion! We are reminded of the case of the lawyer who said he had five reasons to give why his witness was not in court. First, he was dead. The Judge here excused him from giving the other four. So we might stop right here with a clear case, but we will examine a little further.TOB 146.4

2. It is Mr. Reeves’ candid opinion that Justin meant trine immersion, though he says nothing about it. Upon what this opinion is based, and what it is worth, we shall presently see.TOB 146.5

3. Mr. Reeves’ opinion is offered as a fair argument in favor of the fact that the passage refers to trine immersion.TOB 147.1

It must be remembered that no other author of Justin’s day is cited to prove the existence of the fact assumed. The whole burden of evidence lies in Mr. Reeves’ opinion.TOB 147.2

In the “Ante-Nicene Library,” published by Clark, Edinburgh, the works of Justin are translated by Dr. Dods. From chap. 61 of his first Apology we copy as follows:—TOB 147.3

“I will also relate the manner in which we dedicated ourselves to God, when we had been made new through Christ; lest if we omit this, we seem to be unfair in the explanation we are making. As many as are persuaded and believe that what we say and teach is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly, are instructed to pray and to entreat God with fasting, for the remission of sins that are past, we praying and fasting with them. Then they are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the same manner in which we ourselves were regenerated. For in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the Universe, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water. For Christ also said, “Except ye be born again, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven.”TOB 147.4

If the translation of Dr. Dods is correct, and Dr. Schaff gives it the same way, then the term baptism is used by Mr. Reeves only by implication. However, the idea of baptismal regeneration is strongly favored by the language of Justin; so early did erroneous views of baptism begin to find their way into the church. But by no possible construction can trine immersion be inferred from his language.TOB 147.5

The next witness quoted nearest to the time of the apostles isTOB 148.1