Anglican Darwell Stone noted in his 1899 book Holy Baptism that
From the earliest times all
orthodox writers regarded Baptism as the means of entrance into the Church of Christ.
To reject Baptism was a mark of a heretical sect. (Darwell Stone, Holy
Baptism [London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1899], 43)
In an endnote, Stone made reference to Irenaeus and Tertullian;
here they are quoted in full:
For some of them prepare a nuptial
couch, and perform a sort of mystic rite (pronouncing certain expressions) with
those who are being initiated, and affirm that it is a spiritual marriage which
is celebrated by them, after the likeness of the conjunctions above. Others,
again, lead them to a place where water is, and baptize them, with the
utterance of these words, "Into the name of the unknown Father of the
universe-- into truth, the mother of all things--into Him who descended on
Jesus--into union, and redemption, and communion with the powers." Others
still repeat certain Hebrew words, in order the more thoroughly to bewilder
those who are being initiated, as follows: "Basema, Chamosse, Baoenaora,
Mistadia, Ruada, Kousta, Babaphor, Kalachthei." The interpretation of
these terms runs thus: "I invoke that which is above every power of the
Father, which is called light, and good Spirit, and life, because Thou hast
reigned in the body." Others, again, set forth the redemption thus: The
name which is hidden from every deity, and dominion, and truth which Jesus of
Nazareth was clothed with in the lives of the light of Christ--of Christ, who
lives by the Holy Ghost, for the angelic redemption. The name of restitution
stands thus: Messia, Uphareg, Namempsoeman, Chaldoeaur, Mosomedoea, Acphranoe,
Psaua, Jesus Nazaria. The interpretation of these words is as follows: "I
do not divide the Spirit of Christ, neither the heart nor the supercelestial
power which is merciful; may I enjoy Thy name, O Saviour of truth!" Such
are words of the initiators; but he who is initiated, replies, "I am
established, and I am redeemed; I redeem my soul from this age (world), and
from all things connected with it in the name of Iao, who redeemed his own soul
into redemption in Christ who liveth." Then the bystanders add these
words, "Peace be to all on whom this name rests." After this they
anoint the initiated person with balsam; for they assert that this unguent is a
type of that sweet odour which is above all things. (Irenaeus, Against
Heresies 1.21.3 [ANF 1:346])
Happy is our sacrament of water,
in that, by washing away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free and
admitted into eternal life! A treatise on this matter will not be superfluous;
instructing not only such as are just becoming formed (in the faith), but them
who, content with having simply believed, without full examination of the
grounds of the traditions, carry (in mind), through ignorance, an untried
though probable faith. The consequence is, that a viper of the Cainite heresy,
lately conversant in this quarter, has carried away a great number with her most
venomous doctrine, making it her first aim to destroy baptism. Which is quite
in accordance with nature; for vipers and asps and basilisks themselves
generally do affect arid and waterless places. But we, little fishes, after the
example of our ΙΧΘΥΣ Jesus Christ, are born in water, nor have we safety in any
other way than by permanently abiding in water; so that most monstrous
creature, who had no right to teach even sound doctrine, knew full well how to
kill the little fishes, by taking them away from the water! (Tertullian, On
Baptism 1 [ANF 3:669)