# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_November 1857_S326
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

326 Theses on the Baptism of the Children etc.

For some years now I have exchanged this method for another and more suitable one: namely, I preach — without long tormenting myself over the choice of a special text — Dr. Luther's whole life in the two sermons, in such a way that on his birthday I take up the period to about the year 1530 and on the day of his death the remainder down to his burial, whereby what in one year is only briefly indicated I narrate somewhat more fully in the other year, or the reverse. So I proceed with Luther's childhood, youth, with his life in the monastery, his marriage, his domestic life, his translation of the Bible, etc.

Theses on the Baptism of the Children
of
the Godless, of the Heterodox, of Unbelievers, of Heretics, of the Excommunicated, of Spouses of Unbelievers, and of Such as Do Not Belong to the Congregation of the One Baptizing.

1. God wills that all men be saved, and therefore also that all men be baptized, whereby salvation is conveyed to them.

2. God will compel no man to salvation, and therefore also no man to baptism.

3. The preachers of the Gospel are therefore to baptize no one who does not himself desire baptism, or for whom it is not desired by those who have the right and the duty to desire it in his stead.

4. Children under age cannot themselves desire baptism and come to baptism.

5. It is therefore contrary to God's order to snatch their children from unbelievers by force and to baptize them against their will.

6. Whoever is baptized receives with Abraham the promise that God will be his God and the God of his seed after him.

7. All children born in the bosom of the Church or of baptized Christians therefore have a claim upon baptism; they are in this sense holy.

8. Before God all those children over whom baptized Christians have obtained parental authority are reckoned equal to their own bodily children.

9. Parents have the sacred duty to care for the salvation both of their bodily children and of those children over whom they have parental authority; they therefore also have the right and the duty to bring both their bodily and their adopted children to baptism.

10. Christ calls to all sinners that they should come to Him, promises that He will cast out no one who comes to Him, and commands: Let the little children come to Me and do not forbid them.

11. The preachers of the Gospel have to administer, in Christ's stead, the mysteries of God through which sinners are brought to Christ.