NOVEMBER 1977 Price 10P

_JL NOVEMBER 1977 Price 10p Baptist Theological Seminary Libraq 8803 RQschlikon, Switze rland waive baptism in such circumstances but do not thereby accept that such baptism would amount to rebaptism. The book is well worth reading even if a little disappointing. I doubt whether it will make any significant contribution to mutual understanding between denominations with different baptismal traditions and I have to confess that it does not make me warm towards the paedobaptist position. CH the result is only to reveal its poverty, which is hardly the authors' intention. The case for believers' baptism seems to be deliberately watered down, but perhaps this is only how it appears through my Baptist tinted spectacles. The middle section briefly outlines the historical background to the baptismal controversy from the post apostolic age to the present time. To me the history fits together too neatly to ring quite true and some of the facts given are suspect. To suggest, for example, that William Carey opened up India for Christ in 1792 is not only an exaggeration but untrue as he did The Water that Divides, by Donald Bridge not even reach Calcutta untrl November Changing Asia, by Michael Griff!ths and Fritz and David Phypers. Published: Inter Varsity 1793. Nonetheless this is a helpful section. Frankhauser. Published: Lion Publishing Press. £3.95. I have most misgivings with the final section The water that divides' is an intriguing title where the authors attempt to point to ways This book is notable for many beautiful to a book which promises to be interesting. in which Christians from different baptismal photographs both in colour and black and Wisely the authors, Donald Bridge, a Baptist, traditions might 'succeed in worshipping white. The book is lavishly produced and the and Donald Phypers, an Anglican, do not set and working together in one community'. fact that it is printed in Singapore is a out to settle the controversy between infant Baptists ' a~e' tailed in humility to accept that comment in itself on the title. There must and believers baptism. They do aim, however, believer's Gaptism as much as paedobaptism be few books of this technical quality priced to face the issues squarely and point to ways depends on the silence of Scripture, but this so low. The text, however, does not match by which Christians of different traditions is not easy to concede. While it may be true the illustrations. The title is misleading since can work together in this ecumenical age. that there is no New Testament example of the countries of South East Asia only are the baptism of an adult born of Christian discussed, and mainland China, Tibet, the A chatty and readable introduction uses parents, what is more important is the Indian .sub-continent and Russia are given various 'sad stories' to illustrate that, for theology of baptism set forth in the New scarcely a mention. The writer concentrates those seeking to cross denominational lines, Testament. lt is this that convinces Baptists on the . countries where the Overseas the baptismal controversy is far from being of the truth of their position. Again it may Missionary Fellowship is working but these an 'academic luxury of arm-chair theologians'. be right that infant baptism better expresses countries are not discussed in any great The agony of those faced with the thought the sovereign grace of God, but isn't baptism detail or at great depth and the best chapter of 're-baptism' is however perhaps a little as we find it in the New Testament related is entitled The Missionaries'. The style is exaggerated and the problem in the great to man's response in faith to that grace? repetitive and resembles journalese. This majority of cases not quite as acute as the paragraph is a fair example: authors suggest. The authors c·all to Baptists to admit frankly that children of Christian parents enjoy 'Missionaries are no longer white Europeans In the opening section of the book a useful many advantages and that paedobaptists are or Americans. Within the OMF for example examination of baptism in the New concerned to be loyal to the Scriptures can there are missionaries from japan, Korea, Testament leads into a careful consideration more readily be conceded. Baptists are Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, of paedobaptism (infant baptism) and baptism further asked to relax their demand for India and Fiji and Maoris from New Zealand. (believers baptism). As much as possible is rebaptism of people joining from other made of the argument for paedobaptism, but traditions. Open Baptist churches already continued on page 167 162 THE MAGAZINE OF THE BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIET'Y 93/97 Gloucester Place, London WlH 4AA Tel : 01-935 1482 Secretaries Rev AS Clement Rev H F Drake, OBE Editor Rev A E Easter COHHEN1 Enquiries about service to: Rev (Mrs) A W Thomas In our work overseas we are encouraged and England. Then William Staughton, a founder stimulated by the fact that we have working member of the BMS and subscriber at that with us in the field, colleagues from other first meeting on 2 October, 1792, was called Baptist Missionary Societies. In some areas to a church in Georgetown, South Carolina. of joint enterprise we are actually in the same He settled there in 1793 and carried out a Films, slide sets, posters, maps, literature project together in, say, hospital or theological most effective ministry in many parts of are available depicting our work training schemes where missionaries from America. lt was his joy to entertain our sister societies share in the work with missionaries on their way to and from our missionaries. Serampore, and before ever the American Departments concerned with Baptists had their own Missionary Society Young People's, Women's, and Medical There has long been an active co-operation he collected from Baptists in that country support work are always available between the Baptist Societies and an some £3,600 for Carey's work. to offer help and advice enriching fellowship. In this issue, therefore, we have invited the General Secretaries of a lt was only after the judsons and Luther number of these Baptist Missionary Societies Rice accepted Baptist views in India that to share with us their assessment of the American Baptists founded their own present work and how they view the future. Missionary Society to support the work of We share in the work of the Church in : judson in Burma. William Staughton became lt is interesting to note how some of these the first Secretary of what was then known Societies came into being. The Australian as the General Convention of the Baptist Angola Baptist Missionary Society came to birth Denomination in the United States. Bangladesh because one of our own missionaries from Brazil Bengal was on furlough in Australia seeking Carey wrote many letters to America and Hong Kong to regain his health which had been affected received many in return from Baptists in the India by the rigours of service in India in those States. He was also sent seeds and bulbs for Jamaica days. He so inspired our Baptist brethren in his botanical garden and so in that place Nepal Australia by his accounts of the work in American and English flowers grew side by Sri Lanka Bengal that they resolved to form their own side. Tanzania society for the propagation of the gospel Trinidad overseas. lt is interesting to note, also, that pioneering Zaire work by Baptists in Canada received warm One of the earliest contributors to our own support from the BMS but the BMS newly formed Baptist Missionary Society Committee has always been alive to the was an American. Reference has often been possibility of handing over missionary work made to the original collection of £13. 2. 6d to the converts on the spot, and we rejoiced taken up in Fuller's snuff box to finance the with our Canadian brethren when they Printed by new venture, but prior to this a donation of formed their own Society, and continue to Stanley L Hunt (Printers) Ltd one guinea had been received by Carey from rejoice in their fellowship in the work of the Rushden, Northamptonshire the Rev Elkanhan Winchester of New gospel overseas. 163 illnesses, without the kind drugs on which Bangladesh, and fronting on Burma as well, we are so dependent today. In an attempt to the government has been sensitive as to what associate herself with the people she lived as happens there and who works there. Some they did, impairing her health so grievously nationals still further east have protested that she died in Ceylon on her way home in about rule from New Delhi, and the 1891. government has felt it should place some restriction on access to Tripura. At first this Others followed, setting up hospital and meant increased difficulty in getting educational work, and putting considerable expatriates into the territory, and then importance on the visitation of villages and complete prohibition. Our last missionary the distribution of literature. The results came out in 1975. have been limited, for the odds against us have been very great, but churches have been Fortunately the preceding years had been established at Brahmanbaria and Chandpur, marked by a growing sense of responsibility Dr Stan Edgar and from time to time some outstations on the part of the national church. Tribal maintained. men took their place alongside missionaries, When William Carey first contemplated missionary work he had his eyes on the Tripura, India South Pacific, an area of which the world Meanwhile in the nearby State of Tripura had become aware through the voyages of preaching was prohibited by the Maharajah Captain James Cook.

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