The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

""""THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM. 317Jesus Christ our Saviour, that being justified by Hisgrace, we may be heirs according to the hope of*life everlasting."Here we plainly see that the forgiveness of sin,the adoption into the family of God, the sanctificationof the soul, and the pledge of eternal life, areascribed to the due reception of Baptism not, in;deed, that water or the words of the minister haveany intrinsic virtue to heal the soul, but becauseJesus Christ, whose word is creative power, is pleasedto attach to this rite its wonderful efficacy of healing the soul, as He imparted to the pool of Bethsaidathe power of healing the body. 2From what has been said, I ask you candidlywhat are you to think of the decision rendered in1872 by the Bishops of the Protestant EpiscopalChurch, who, in their convention in Baltimore, declared that by the word Regeneration we are not tounderstand a moral change. If no moral changeiseffected by Baptism, then there is no change at allfor, certainly Baptism produces no physical changein the soul.Is it no change to pass from sin to virtue, froma child of wrath to be a child of God from;corruption to sanctification from the condition of;heirs of death to the inheritance of heaven ? If allthis implies no moral change, then these words havelost their meaning.Modes of baptizing.The Baptists err in asserting1 Tit. iii. 3-7.27*aJohn v.