(4) Anglican Book of Common Prayer. But the careful student of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer can hardly fail to perceive that the enormous influence which as a liturgical form constantly repeated, it exerts, is manifestly on the side of those who hold that the gift of the new birth is inseparably tied to the outward act of Baptism with water. The office for the admin istration of the rite imperatively requires the clergyman to say, after the allusion of water. "Seeing now, dearly beloved, that this child (or person) is regenerate." What the person was before the baptismal act is seen by the Church Catechism in its declaration that "we are born the children of wrath." Consequently this creative act of the Holy Ghost is inseparably in volved in a ceremony performed by a mortal and sinful man. Of course, the principal Scripture basis alleged for such a belief, is St. John iii:5; "Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." Clearly Christ required a baptism both physical and spiritual.
(5) Objections. But He does not assert, as does the Baptismal Office referred to, that the outward washing ensures the inward. An im migrant may be told, "Except you be naturalized, and receive the spirit of your adopted country, you cannot be an American." But who shall dare assure him, "Take the step of legal naturaliza tion, and the spirit of patriotism will necessarily accompany it?" Other passages are used as proof-texts. In Titus iii :5, St. Paul says, cording to His mercy he saved us by the wash ing of regeneration, and the renewal of the Holy Ghost." But the assumption that the "washing (laver) of regeneration" is Baptism, is only a manifest begging of the question. Moreover, it is alluded to as something in strong contrast to "works of righteousness which we have done." But outward Baptism is surely among these "works of righteousness" of human performance. St. Peter's language in I Pet. 111:21, "Baptism doth also now save us," is often employed to en force Baptismal Regeneration. But the remain
der of the verse reads as a corrective of such a theory: "Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God." (6) Explanations. Various explanations have been put upon the language of the Anglican Prayer Book which appears to teach so mechan ical a theory. Low churchmen have sometimes taken refuge in what is styled "The hypothetical," or "charitable" explanation. On the supposition that the person baptized would fulfill the promises of repentance and faith, the clergyman is speak ing as though they had been actually fulfilled. So clumsy a defense of plain words hardly needs notice or refutation here. Some have satisfied scruples about the language of the service by as serting that the regeneration assumed, was a mere ecclesiastical term for admission into the church. As an infant is at his nativity brought into a new world, so the baptized person enters a new world of church privilege by an act which therefore may be called a new birth. No moral change is involved. The Bishops of the Protes tant Episcopal Church in 1871, endeavored to quiet conscientious souls with this explanation. Un fortunately, however, the thanksgiving following the act of baptism defines what this regeneration is. "We thank Thee that it hath pleased Thee to regenerate this person by Thy Holy Spirit." It is therefore spiritual regeneration which is supposed to be wrought, and certainly one cannot conceive of a change effected upon a human soul by the Holy Spirit of God, which shall not be a moral change.
(7) Reformed Episcopal Attitude. In the revision of the Book of Common Prayer made by the Reformed Episcopal Church, all this labored attempt to interpret a phrase of the baptismal service was superseded by the entire omission of any statement which could possibly convey the idea that regeneration was inseparably connected with water baptism. C. E. C.