Of a Certain Ancient Confession of Faith of the Waldensian Brothers

Jacob Mehrning, writing on the fourteenth century, concerning baptism, says: "I have had in my hands a very old confession of some Waldensian brothers in Bohemia, printed in the German language, in which they expressly confess that in the beginning of Christianity no infants were baptized, and that their forefathers did not do it either," as John Bohemius writes. Book 2, Gentium Moribus

"In former times baptism was usually administered only to those who had first been instructed in the faith, and examined seven times in the week before Easter and Whitsuntide; these were then baptized upon the confession of their faith. But when baptism was afterwards held to be necessary to salvation, it was also ordained, by the papists, that newborn infants should be baptized, and that sponsors should be assigned to them, who confessed the faith, and renounced the devil, in their place." Bapt. Hist., page 738.

About the year 1400. D. J. Vicecomes cites from this century (from Nicephorus Callistus), book 1, chapter 23, that in Thessalia baptism was administered only on Whitsuntide;** and for this reason many died without baptism. [n467-2]

"Thus," remarks Jacob Mehrning on this, "we are informed that even at this day there are brothers and Christians in Thessalonica, who agree with the Mennists in all articles of religion." These are J. Mehrning's own words (page 739), of which we shall speak more fully later.