About the Year 910

In our account of holy baptism for the year 910, we introduced Giselbert, a very learned man, but much accused by his adversaries, who by the necessity of that time had to live under the Roman church, though he firmly opposed her superstitions, especially in the matter of baptism. He taught about holy baptism as connected with regeneration and a good will. He also added, by way of explanation (on John 3, verse 5): "If anyone (through obstacles, or otherwise) cannot receive external baptism, it is in God's power to graciously accept his good will." From Cent. Magd. 10, chapter 4. Bapt. Hist., part 2, page 567.

So when Giselbert here comforts, in some measure, those who out of necessity had to remain without baptism, with the mercy of God, who has it in His power to show mercy, even where baptism is absent, to those who are of a good will, it seems that at that time there must have been an oppression or persecution of the Christian believers. For at such times it frequently happens that there are people of a good will, namely, people who desire to be baptized upon the true faith in Jesus Christ, but who nevertheless, because of the persecution and the scattering of the churches and their teachers, cannot reach it, as we have shown by living examples, in different places of our account of the martyrs.

So when people who had not been baptized, yet had a desire to be baptized, were arrested and put in bonds for the testimony of the Lord, it was frequently seen that they could not obtain complete peace in their hearts, though they firmly believed in the Lord, and had resolved to express and confirm such faith not only by words, but also in deed, indeed, with their blood and steadfast death. On these occasions, or against these emergencies, the pious and soul-seeking teachers often comforted such people, strengthened their hearts, and led them to hope instead of despair; since God has it in His power to show mercy to such people, indeed, to save them, even without baptism, for the sake of their good will or intention, if it has not been neglected on purpose and presumptuously.

This is what the above-mentioned Giselbert taught, and in this way he comforted the well-disposed unbaptized. So our conclusion above may be regarded as true, namely, that there was, at that time, a persecution on account of the word of the Lord, which made it necessary to add this comfort for the aforementioned persons. But as this rests merely on a probable conjecture, since it is not stated in clear words, we will leave it, and give an account of a certain persecution which, about thirteen years after this, was raised by the Arabians against the Christians, and ended after much misery and distress.