CHAPTER VII
The First Baptism in Illinois
[p. 24]
One Lord's day in January, 1794, while Judge Bond was conducting the meeting at James Lemen's, there came into the assembly a large, portly man, with dark hair, florid complexion, and dress somewhat in advance of the deerskin shirt and moccasins of the settlers. From his appearance the leader of the meeting judged him to be a believer, perhaps a preacher, and said to him at the close, "We invite you, sir, if you are a praying man, to offer a closing prayer." The stranger kneeled, the others kneeling with him, and prayed very devoutly and impressively. The story is that a Methodist brother was present who always responded to a Methodist prayer, but was more cautious concerning Baptist prayers. The stranger's prayer, however, was so earnest that he soon gave him the benefit of the doubt and cried, "Amen, at a venture!"
The stranger proved to be Elder Josiah Dodge, from Kentucky. He was on a visit to his brother, Dr. Israel Dodge, of St. Genevieve, Mo., and hearing of a religious neighborhood across the river entirely destitute of ministerial instruction he decided to make them a visit. He remained there for some time preaching, and visiting from house to house. He found James Lemen and his wife desirous of receiving baptism. On inquiry two others, John Gibbons and Isaac Enochs, were found who were likewise waiting. Notice was accordingly given that on a certain Lord's day in February the ordinance of baptism would be administered in Fontaine creek, a stream flowing from a remarkable spring near Waterloo, the county seat of Monroe county.
On the appointed day a great multitude gathered from all parts to witness the first baptism in Illinois. It was cold weather, and a place to baptize was cut through the ice. At the water's edge a hymn was sung, the scripture authority for the proceeding was read and explained by the preacher, and prayer was offered. James Lemen was first baptized, his wife Catherine next, followed by the two others. As they came up out of the water another stanza was sung, the benediction was pronounced, and the multitude dispersed.
These baptisms were without direct church authority, other than that of the church of which, Elder Dodge was a member; but that in the circumstances, and in all such circumstances, is regarded among us as
[p. 25]
sufficient. Baptism is an ordinance committed to the local church, to be administered by church authority; but where no church exists the general authority given to a brother by an ordaining church is accepted as ample. It was so when Dr. Sears baptized Oncken and his associates in Hamburg, and it is so in the case of missionaries on foreign fields. An ordinance is merely a matter of order, not of life. It is sometimes the duty of an employe to act on his own responsibility, but he who should claim the right to do so always would come into collision with his employer.
Thus was introduced into our state the ordinance of believer's baptism. We observe it on scriptural grounds, because we are so commanded; that is all, and that is enough. It is not a saving ordinance. We are not saved by baptism but by faith: "justified by faith without the deeds of the law,'" viz, deeds of the law as the reason for our salvation. That is sufficient.
By infant baptism, bringing to baptism little children too young to make a confession, the entire community is brought into the church, and made "religious." Mr. Hubbard, in an election sermon preached at Boston in 1676, said, "It is morally impossible to rivet the christian religion into a nation without infant baptism." It is supported by a misunderstanding of scripture. Abraham had two sons but only one heir. He does not represent christian parents but Christ and his spiritual children. "If ye are Christ's THEN are ye Abraham's seed;" Gal. 3:16, 29. There is considerable confusion here. It is not settled whether infants are born christians, or whether baptisms makes them christians, or whether they are baptised on the agreement of their parents to see that they become christians.
An imitation of infant baptism was at one time common among Baptists in some places. The child was brought to church for the minister to lay on his hands, pronounce the Child's name and pray. It was called "devoting children to God," and by outsiders "the dry christening." A similar practice was the "laying on of hands" in the welcoming of members after baptism. In the old church of Providence, R. I., this was practiced from the beginning, and was only gradually dropped. Practices founded on tradition are harder to drop than scriptural practices, as weeds are more tenacious of life than useful plants. Isaac Backus, the Baptist histonan, says of himself: I was a dull scholar in Christ's school, for I was thirty-two years in learning a lesson of six words, viz, 'One Lord, one faith, one baptism.'
[p. 26]
It took me ten years to get clear of the custom of putting baptism before faith."
A pathetic illustration of the force of early habit is seen in the case of the Mennonites, a branch of the old German Baptists. They do not now immerse. In the days of government persecution they were so much in prison where water for baptism was not to be had, yet they continued to be faithful and made converts even in their bonds, that they finally came to pour water on the heads of those they would baptize, as a temporary expedient. They did this so long that the expedient became the rule and gradually acquired for itself the support of tradition. In the case of a divine command it is always better to wait until obedience is possible, rather than attempt to obey by doing something else. Like a deformed limb, the Mennonite pouring tells a story of past suffering.
In a similar manner some Baptist churches have had no singing in their worship. David Benedict tells us that in his travels among the Baptists of Rhode Island he was often asked, "Are you a singing Baptist?" That also dated back to persecuting times when dissenters were obliged to conduct their worship as quietly as possible for fear of discovery and arrest. Thus they omitted singing altogether, and at last the practice adopted from necessity became fixed in a rule.
For some reason which we do not now know Mr. Lemen and his company were not constituted into a church at this time, but were left as an unorganized band in the wilderness. They could be depended on however to be faithful, and to maintain their meetings for worship. At these meetings no doubt prayer was continually offered, for the coming of an "under shepherd," and after two years he came. ============== [Edward P. Brand, Illinois Baptists -- A History, 1930, pp. 24-26. -- jrd]
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