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1526]
Becomes an Anabaptist
113
At about this time Conrad Grebel, one of the chief men of the Anabaptist movement in Switzerland, paid a brief visit to Waldshut, but it does not appear that there was any marked result. The visit is of significance mainly as showing that Hübmaier was now recognised as one of the Anabaptist leaders. Not only did he receive this recognition within the body, but from outside this was henceforth the place of honour or dishonour awarded him. On May 28th appeared Zwingli's tract On Baptism, Anabaptism, and Infant Baptism,[1] and though Hübmaier is not definitely named in it as the adversary against whom it is chiefly aimed, it is plainly his position and his arguments that the Swiss reformer has in mind throughout.
The contents of this tract are summarised by Zwingli himself in three theses: (1) No element or outward thing in this world can cleanse the soul; the cleansing of the soul pertains only to the grace of God. Thence it follows that baptism can remit no sins. Since it cannot do this, and nevertheless has been appointed by God, it must be a sign of allegiance of God's people and nothing else. (2) Christian children are not less God's children than their parents, just as in the
- ↑ Zwingli, Op. II., i., 230-303. No translation of this work into English has yet been published.
