Jarrel - Baptist Church Perpetuity - Landmark Baptist

among these was Balthazar Hubmeyer. Indeed, no one influenced the
Anabaptist movement from 1525 to 1528 more profoundly than he. … His
numerous publications bear witness to his evangelical spirit and his devotion
to Baptist principles. ‘Baptism,’ he says, ‘is an ordinance of Jesus Christ. It is
not enough that one believes in Jesus; he must confess him openly. He who
confesses Christ before men, Christ will confess before his Father. The divine
order is, first, the preaching of the word; second, faith: third, baptism.’ When
it was charged against the Anabaptists that they proposed to establish a church
of sinless persons, Hubmeyer replied: ‘You do us an injustice. If we say we
have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us-’ The charge of
communism he indignantly repels. ‘I have always said with reference to a
community of goods,’ is his testimony, ‘that one should have regard to others,
so that the hungry may be fed, the thirsty receive drink, and the naked be
clothed; for we are not lords but stewards. There is certainly no one who says
that all things should be common.’ When it was said that those who were
opposed to infant baptism hold that no one can be saved without water
baptism, Hubmeyer replied: ‘Salvation is conditioned neither on f441 baptism
nor on works of mercy. Condemnation is the result, not of neglect of baptism,
but of unbelief alone.’ And when it was added that the thief on the cross
believed, and on the same day was with Christ in Paradise, yet he was not
baptized with outward baptism, Hubmeyer replied: “The man who has the
excuse of the thief on the cross will have the favor of God, though
unbaptized.’” f442
W. W. Everts, Jr., who is another of the highest authorities on the subject, says
Hubmeyer says:
“Nothing but Christ can draw the sinner. Nevertheless, as pictures are in the
churches, let no violence be used, but of the preaching of the word let the
people be instructed till they are in favor of their removal. … Among the
reforms which he advocated are justification by faith only, the confession of
sin, the marriage of priests, the proper support of ministers who preach the
gospel, and the right of a congregation to dismiss a minister who does not
preach the gospel. … He used to say: ‘Baptism stands for faith and the supper
for love. If one knew no other word of Scripture, but understood the true
meaning of baptism and the supper, he knows God and angels, faith aid love,
law and prophets.’ ‘Where there is no baptism there is neither church nor
ministry, neither brothers nor sisters, neither discipline, exclusion nor
restoration. As faith is a thing of the heart, there must be an external
confession by which brothers and sisters can mutually recognize each other.’
Replying to Zwingli, Hubmeyer said: ‘We must do as God pleases, consult
the word, not the church; hear the Son, not Zwingli or Luther. … We are not
condemned for not being baptized … but for unbelief. He that believes will be
baptized if he can get to water and a baptizer.’ To Oecolampadius he said:
‘Baptism is a mere sign, but the meaning of the sign namely, the pledging of
faith till death, is the essential part of the sign, and is wanting in