The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology - Saint Mary ...

is entirely false. The two sentences which are quoted are connected by
these words, which are NOT QUOTED: "And although in many places it
is no longer the custom to plunge and dip (stossen und tauchen) the
children in the font (die Tauf), but they are poured upon (begeusst) with
the hand, out of the font (aus der Tauf)." Here, over against immersion, as
the very word to mark the opposite mode, is used that "begiessen," which,
it is pretended, refers to immersion. It seems to us inconceivable that any
one could read the passage in the original, without having the falsity of the
former position staring him in the face.
On the whole passage we remark:
First. That the sermon was published in 1519, among the earliest of
Luther's writings, ten years before the Catechism, and when he had not yet
made the originals of Scripture the subject of his most careful study, and
when his views were still largely influenced by the Fathers and Romish
theology. It was published five years before he began his translation of the
New Testament, and more than twenty before he gave his Bible its final
revision. This raises the query whether his views, after the thorough study
of the Bible, connected with his translating it, remained unchanged. We
have given, and can give again, ample proof that if Luther's meaning in
1519 implies the necessity of immersion, his opinion had undergone a total
change before 1529, when the Larger Catechism, whose words are in
question, was published.
Secondly. The passage is not pertinent to the proof of that for which
it is urged. Luther designs to give what he supposes to be the
etymological force of Baptismos and Taufe--not to show their force in
ACTUAL USE. That Luther affirms, not that Baptismos and Taufe in
actual use mean “immersion," but only etymologically, is clear. 1. From
the whole vein of argument. As an argument concerning the etymology of
the words, it is pertinent; as an argument on the actual use of either, it
would be in the highest degree absurd. 2. From his limitation by the word
"Laut," which means "Etymology," as Luther himself translates it in the
Latin, "Etymologia." 3. By the fact that twice, in these very sentences,