Brethren Elder Peter Nead [1796-1877] was definitely a man of distinction. Living in a time when few Brethren were authoring books, Brother Nead chose to do so. In penning his theological point of views there was evidence in the words and phrases that his writing abilities were a little amateurish; especially when held in contrast to the deep theological writings of those with scholarly backgrounds. But yet his books often showed a bit of polish for those Brethren from the rural areas of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. As one would read, simple images and even splendid statements could be discovered.
Peter Nead was truly a blessing amid the Brethren, especially during the mid part of the nineteenth century. It has been stated that his book entitle, "Theological Writings of Various Subjects," published in 1850, he has definitely encouraged many individuals to join with the Brethren more so than any other writers. He also is credited as the author of the Brethren’s first published title on faith and practice, called "Primitive Christianity."
In the previous publication one can find this theological statement: “The Church, which is the body of Christ, will be found in a state of self-denial, walking in all the ordinances and commandments of the Lord, blameless.” What a profound statement penned by such a modest man: Definitely here is a series of phrases challenging all its readers to live in a life of “self-denial” and above that to be found “blameless” in their daily walk with the Christ.
How can anyone of us live such a life? Better yet, is it really possible to do? After all, we live in a faster paced world than Nead. We Brethren of today don’t all live in the rural setting that our ancestry did. Gone are the days of simple dress and living. Past are the times of slower modes of transportation and communication. And above all, living such a life in most of today’s societal venues would be almost unacceptable by one’s peers.
Nead’s diary includes record of a visit he had made to Elders Daniel and Samuel Arnold in Hampshire County (then Virginia, now West Virginia) in July of 1823. At that time he had traveled there to request a rebaptism (had come from the Lutheran faith).
He had been led to these two elders of the Brethren or Tunkers in his search for a people who practiced their Christianity the right way. It seems that the Brethren were the first that had met his test of faith. In his diary he wrote: “I made known my business to him immediately. I told [Daniel] I wanted to conform to the ordinances of Christ church I therefore wanted to be baptized.”
Even though the request had now been made by Peter he still had to wait for a period of time to pass before he could enter the waters of baptism. It was the custom of the Brethren to follow a purposeful, yet precautious process. Elder Arnold, even though a sincere man of faith stood before him with such a request, would not begin to baptize Nead without first making contact with his brethren and have their consensus to perform this rite. Such caution was rare even at this time in history among most evangelistic groups.
Finally, almost a year later, Nead returned to the home of Elder Arnold. On June 14th in the Potomac River he was immersed three times forward by Daniel Arnold. He then returned to preaching and traveling. Later he settled in the area of Broadway, VA and married. In 1827 the Linville Creek congregation got around to electing Nead to the ministry. At this same council meeting, John Kline, another influential Brethren leader of the mid-nineteenth century, was made a deacon.
But what is it that influenced persons like Nead and Kline to join the Brethren through the ordinance of trine immersion? Why have other great leaders of the Brethren like Anna Mow, Dan West, Ted Studebaker, and Sister Sarah Riter Major made the same choice? Why is it that those of us here that also have entered the waters of baptism either here in this baptistry or at a nearby stream made such a choice? I guess the answer is right beneath our noses in this morning’s bulletin.
If you take a close look at the heading and there just beneath the date is a little key to why we practice this mode of baptism we call trine immersion. Our founder, Alexander Mack and seven other brothers and sisters entered the Eder River near Schwarzenau, Germany 300 years ago, today.
Yes, it is a part of our religious heritage, but yet it far exceeds that as well.
You may also recall that according to Matthew and Mark’s Gospel accounts, Jesus had entered the Jordan River to be baptized by John the Baptist, just prior to beginning his earthly ministry. In the Gospel according to Mark we read: “And when He came up out of the water…” These few words speak abundantly about the mode of baptism administered by John and thus made the choice by Jesus, the Son of the Loving God.
Many may say, “Why did Jesus have to be baptized? He didn’t even commit a sinful act or ever had a sinful thought.”
That my friends, is one hundred percent correct. But yet Jesus, trying to please his heavenly Father, chose to do so before he embarked upon his ministry to the people of Israel and the surrounding nations. Therefore, should you and I feel any different? We, too, have been given the “ministry of reconciliation” to accomplish in this world of ours. So, before we can begin to do the tasks we are charged with, we need God’s blessing as well.
On the day Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a Dove. As this beautiful, pure bird lit upon Jesus the clouds rolled back and a voice was heard from heaven, “This is my Son in whom I am well pleased.” Don’t you feel that God does something similar to you and me? I can assure you, that God will be caught up in our making the choice of being baptized through immersion that as we come up out of the water, he will bestow a great blessing upon us and then continue to anoint us with his Spirit.
Another one of Nead’s theological statements can be found in his writing of "Primitive Christianity": “…it is very necessary, before entering the water, for the Administration to kneel down with the candidate, and supplicate a throne of mercy; after which, let the Administrator lead the subject into the water, and when they arrive to a suitable place, let the candidate kneel down in the water. …After the candidate had bowed himself, he must then make a good profession, before God and many witnesses, as Paul tells us Timothy did [1 Tim. 6:12]. …The Administrator will then proceed to baptize the believer, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, by immersing him three times in the water.”
Baptism was essential, yet uncommon in the mid 1800s. When those outside to faith would begin to think or converse with others about the Brethren, they thought their mode of baptism somewhat peculiar. Even the early Brethren’s formal name alluded to this form of baptism. They called themselves German Baptists. Those about them, not of the Brethren, used various slang names that often became a common label even used by the Brethren themselves: “Dunkers, Tunkers (German), and Dunkards.”
I am sure it was an oddity to their neighbors and the nearby townspeople to experience the sight of the long beards and bonnets, gathering near a stream off in the distance of a nearby meadow. There, the elder in charge would immerse a new sister or brother. This of course was a strange and unusual method to those from other Christian denominations.
It was even not uncommon for ministers of other religious backgrounds to want to challenge the Brethren practice of trine immersion. Some even became abusive in their prosecution of the charge and often would even turn into persecution. Yet most opponents of the belief of the Brethren were courteous. When such debates took place, the majority of the time the Brethren Elders were victorious, at least when a brother of sister would speak to another as he or she retold the story of the event.
The early Brethren were utterly certain that immersion was the most accurate and therefore the only method. To back up their point of view they often appealed to what they concurred as the most reliable of sources, their leadership. After all Peter Nead would take quotes from John Calvin, Martin Luther and John Wesley. Even these early leaders of the Protestant movement helped to support the case of the Brethren. Even though the Brethren’s points of argument were good ones, these thoughts of prominent non-Brethren made their statements even more solid.
The debates were often successful in two very important aspects: (1) the Greek word for baptize [baptizo] has the meaning of “to dip repeatedly into or to cover multiple times with water completely”; and (2) the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist was a total immersion of Jesus’ body into the waters of the Jordan River after which he came “straight way…up out of the water” [Mark 1:10].
Laying aside all the debating and discussion, trine immersion was considered the correct method by the Brethren for baptism because it was done so according to tradition. It had been practiced in such a way since the first baptism of the eight in Schwarzenau in 1708.
Nead often contended that the method of choice for baptism should always be trine immersion according to Jesus’ own words to his disciples just before his ascent into heaven. In the Great Commission found in Matthew’s Gospel, that Brethren should immerse all applicants once for each of the names of the trinity. Jesus said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” [28:19]. There again, the Brethren actually had very little proof of their belief except their own traditional ways.
Three times face-forward in the water from a kneeling position remains the practice of the Church of the Brethren to this very day. One differing belief from our early Brethren ancestry had changed. According to polity the Brethren now accept individuals coming from other denomi-nations no matter the mode of baptism.
The age of the candidate was no less vital than the manner. It has always been based upon when a person become mature enough to make the choice for him or her own self and no that of the parents. Most would wait until their early twenties or even not until they had married. “Why?” you might be asking. They knew it was very important as any other adult related choice and were able to exercise their own independent judgment. Also important, was their willingness to leave behind their youthful rambunctiousness which often included worldly ways.
Brethren wanted its membership to be authentic Christians that had become so by their own choice. To them it was a very serious choice; to the point that anyone doing so knew beforehand what the Brethren expected of them once this option had been chosen.
The following three questions were always asked of the candidate for baptism:
1. Doest thou believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he had brought from Heaven a saving gospel?
2. Dost thou willingly renounce Satan, with all his pernicious ways, and all the sinful pleasures of this world?
3. Dost thou covenant with God, in Christ Jesus, to be faithful until death?
To each of these, if the applicant for baptism agreed with each vow he or she would acknowledge with an affirmative “Yea!”
Upon this confession of faith, which the candidate had made before God and the witnesses gathered, the individual would be immersed “for the remission of sins.” Then while still on their knees in the water, the administrator would lay hands on the head of the person, and offer up a prayer to God in his or her behalf. Then the members would be received, by hand and a holy kiss into the church-fellowship.
In closing let join together in renewal of our baptismal vows. Only answer “Yeah!” if you are truly willing to do so.
[I then closed with a renewal of Baptismal Vows for all those wishing to do so and used the previous 3 questions for that process.]
Amen and amen!
