& if I may be allowed to use the expression it has been a mysterey
to me how so many great divines that have been so long holding
up the light of the gospel & still continue in so gross an error with
respect to babtism. for if I am not greatly mistaken I find no account
of John or any of the apostles administering the ordinance of babtism
untill they become believers in Christ or at least untill they considered
them true believers & that appeared to be all that was required of them
in order to be babtized was to believe that Jesus Christ was the son
of God & if they spiritually believed this they must be penitent believers
& respecting the mode of babtism it appears plain to me that their is no
room for one a moment to doubt but that our saveiour was buried
in babtism in the river Jordan and that all that the Apostles babtized
ware buried with Christ in babtism & setting aside evry other example
but the one that Christ left us that alone ought to be sufficient
to convince mankind that emmersion was the rite & ownly mode
of babtism (to use the language of Dr Daddridge Jesus had no sin to
was[h] away & yet he was babtized and God owned this ordinance so far as to make
it a season of pouring forth the spirit uppon him & this ought to silence
evry objection to the practice)

many advance the argument
that those things are not escential but may we mot with the same
propriety say that when Abraham was called to offer his son Isaac
that it was not essential whether he offered his son or a lamb out
of his flock & who of decided virtue will admit that the Lord would
have received Abrahams offering with a blessing & given a blessing in
return had he offered a lamb in stead of his son, & why should any believe
that infant sprinkling will be as acceptable in the sight of God for
babtism as to follow the example that our saveiour hath given
has not Christ plainly told us that he is the way ^the truth life^ & if mankind ever
enter in to the kingdom of heaven must it not be by him [John 14:6] isf so
then ought we not to obey his commands and follow his precepts
& not climb up some other way.

Mr Phippen as I am
convinced of the mode of baptism, & believe it to be essential to
my prosperity & happiness the information that I wish you to communicate
to me respecting this subject is whether it is against your principle & discipline
to administer the ordinance of babtism to those that you consider to be
proper subjects without joining the Church for I at preasent am not
prepared to unite ^join^ with any church still I feel it a duty to be babtized
& would wish to take up the cross when I have a fair opportunity
I have premeditated a conversation with you uppon this subject
but have delayed it as my brother is expecting to be babtized & I
have rather been waiting for him. sir I have ^not^ intended any harm
by asking those questions & I wish you to excuse all you see amiss in
my remarks & by answering me you will confer a great favour
uppon Willford Woodruff

& if I may be allowed to use the expression it has been a mysterey to me how so many great divines that have been so long holding up the light of the gospel & still continue in so gross an error with respect to babtism. for if I am not greatly mistaken I find no account of John or any of the apostles administering the ordinance of babtism untill they become believers in Christ or at least untill they considered them true believers & that appeared to be all that was required of them in order to be babtized was to believe that Jesus Christ was the son of God & if they spiritually believed this they must be penitent believers & respecting the mode of babtism it appears plain to me that their is no room for one a moment to doubt but that our saveiour was buried in babtism in the river Jordan and that all that the Apostles babtized ware buried with Christ in babtism & setting aside evry other example but the one that Christ left us that alone ought to be sufficient to convince mankind that emmersion was the rite & ownly mode of babtism (to use the language of Dr Daddridge Jesus had no sin to wash away & yet he was babtized and God owned this ordinance so far as to make it a season of pouring forth the spirit uppon him & this ought to silence evry objection to the practice)

many advance the argument that those things are not escential but may we mot with the same propriety say that when Abraham was called to offer his son Isaac that it was not essential whether he offered his son or a lamb out of his flock & who of decided virtue will admit that the Lord would have received Abrahams offering & given a blessing in return had he offered a lamb in stead of his son, & why should any believe that infant sprinkling will be as acceptable in the sight of God for babtism as to follow the example that our saveiour hath given has not Christ plainly told us that he is the way the truth life & if mankind ever enter in to the kingdom of heaven must it not be by him John 14:6 if so then ought we not to obey his commands and follow his precepts & not climb up some other way.

Mr Phippen as I am convinced of the mode of baptism, & believe it to be essential to my prosperity & happiness the information that I wish you to communicate to me respecting this subject is whether it is against your principle & discipline to administer the ordinance of babtism to those that you consider to be proper subjects without joining the Church for I at preasent am not prepared to unite join with any church still I feel it a duty to be babtized & would wish to take up the cross when I have a fair opportunity I have premeditated a conversation with you uppon this subject but have delayed it as my brother is expecting to be babtized & I have rather been waiting for him. sir I have not intended any harm by asking those questions & I wish you to excuse all you see amiss in my remarks & by answering me you will confer a great favour uppon Willford Woodruff