Baptism

¢¡¤£¦¥¨§©¢ £¦ ¡¦
CHAPTER NINE
HISTORICAL EVIDENCES.
Historical Evidences from the writings of Early Church Fathers.
Everett Ferguson, Early Christians Speak: Faith and Life in the First Three
Centuries; Revised Edition (Abilene: ACU Press, 1984) .
Polycarp (69-155), a disciple of the Apostle John, was baptized as an infant.
This enabled him to say at his martyrdom. "Eighty and six years have I served
the Lord Christ" (Martyrdom of Polycarp 9: 3).
Justin Martyr (100 - 166) of the next generation states about the year 150,
"Many, both men and women, who have been Christ’s disciples since
childhood, remain pure at the age of sixty or seventy years" (Apology 1: 15).
Further, in his Dialog with Trypho the Jew, Justin Martyr states that Baptism
is the circumcision of the New Testament.
Irenaeus: (120-202 AD) "He came to save all through Himself - all I say,
who through Him are reborn in God-infants, and children, and youth, and old
men. Therefore He passed through every age, becoming an infant for infants,
sanctifying infants; a child for children, sanctifying those who are of that age,
and at the same time becoming for them an example of piety, of
righteousness, and of submission; a young man for youths, becoming an
example for youths and sanctifying them for the Lord.". (Against Heresies
II.22.4)
In his Homily on Luke he again states his beliefs on infant baptism:
153