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Becomes an Anabaptist
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such is the kingdom of heaven,' not 'of them.' I have sent letters to Zwingli by the captain of our volunteers. Instead of baptism, I have the church come together, bring the infant in, explain in German the gospel, 'They brought little children'; then a name is given him, the whole church prays for the child with bended knees, and commends him to Christ, that He will be gracious and intercede for him. But if the parents are still weak, and positively wish that the child be baptised, then I baptise it; and I am weak with the weak for the time being until they can be better instructed. As to the word, however, I do not yield to them in the least point. I have written twenty-two theses with sixty-four remarks, which you will soon see."[1]
The last sentence seems to imply a purpose of publication, but, so far as is known, it was not fulfilled. On February 2nd, however, he did issue a leaflet entitled The Open Appeal of Balthazar of Friedherg to All Christian Believers, which shows the increasing firmness of his tone regarding the baptism of infants:
"Whosoever wills, let him show that one ought to baptise young children, and let him do this in German, with plain, clear, simple Scriptures, relating to baptism, without addition.
"Balthazar of Friedberg pledges himself, on the other hand, to prove that the baptism of infants is a work without any ground in the divine word, and that he will
- ↑ Zwingli, Op. II., i., 338.
