The following is a letter from Udney Hay Jacob to Oliver Granger, dated March 3, 1840 (CHL Call Number: MS 7045). At the time, Jacob was a critic of the Church (he would later join). In this letter, Jacob assumes that Latter-day Saints (as with the Campbellites) affirm the doctrine of baptismal regeneration and then, based on the Bible (e.g., Acts 2:38), critiques such a theology. He is a “hostile witness” that early Latter-day Saints did teach baptismal regeneration (for more, see, for e.g., Baptism Does Cleanse Us from Our Sins):
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Transcription
of the Letter:
Friend Granger March 3rd 1840
When I left your house you and some others seemed to express
dissatisfaction because I refused to communicate some important truths to you,
which I professed to be acquainted with. The fact is I offered to read the
evening before to you, but you would not hear, No, not so much as the Preface
to my book; it was therefore impossible to communicate any thing to men who had
no ears. Yet I am willing to do you good as far as possible. I therefore send
you an extract from my book on Baptism as follows. — There is a great deal said
in this generation respecting Baptism; and it has become a bone of contention,
I have thought it might be useful to devote a few paragraphs to this subject.
The Campbellites so called, and the Mormonites are remarkably tenacious of water
baptism, and they are constantly harping upon a particular text of scripture
pronounced by Peter. Acts. 2. 38-39, which they evidently misunderstand. It
reads thus. Then Peter said unto them repent and be baptized every one of you
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost for the promise is unto you, and to your children,
and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. They
seem to entertain an idea like this. That they are commanded to repent, and to
be baptized; and in consequence of so doing their sins shall be remitted. And
because of so doing they shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Now it is
evident that this text teaches no such idea. But the reverse.
The ideas inculcated are as follows, Peter had convinced them that
they had denied and crucified their Lord and Master, and Saviour. And now being
greatly alarmed they cried out to him and the rest of the brethren, what shall
we do? Peter answers repent, that is be sorry in your hearts for this, and be
baptized every one of you in his name. Because your sins are remitted. And you
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, or spirit, because God has promised
it to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off. The preposition,
for, in this text signifies the same idea as would the word, because. That is —
because of — for this is the first and most prominent meaning of this word,
written, For, and it is so defined in all English dictionaries. We are not
therefore to be baptized because on that account our sins will be remitted, or
on account of our repentance, or on account of any thing else that we can do.
For says the Lord I blot out your sins for my own sake, Isa. 43.25 and because
Christ was put to death for our sins, and raised again for our justification.
These are the reasons, and the only ones, why our sins are remitted. Any person
who supposes any other reasons why our sins are remitted, either of faith, or
practice, does thereby deny the Lord that bought him, and if he lives and dies
in this false Idea, he can never enter in through the gates into the glorious
city. But eternally remains without, with dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers
and murderers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie, for their doctrine is a
lie, and they love it. The reason here assigned by Peter why God will give us
his holy spirit is because he has promised it to all that are afar off, even as
many as the Lord our God shall call, which is all mankind. hence all mankind
must recieve finally his Holy Spirit — tho not an entrance into the celestial
city; for this plain reason, because he has promised it to all, for whom the
Savior was crucified. And the sins of all men must be remitted wether they are
baptized or not; because Christ has redeemed us all from the curse of the law
(the transgression of which is sin) being made a curse for us except such as
blaspheme against the holy Ghost, who were before. Here take notice that Peter
says the Holy spirit is a gift; now a gift, is not an account of our good
works. For we must first receive that gift, before we can do one single good
work. Our works are all filthy rags, before we recieve that gift and then work
from it and by it. First make the tree good, and then will the fruit absolutly
be good also. but not before. Therefore we do not recieve remission of sins
because we are baptized. but we are baptized for, or because our sins are
remitted through Jesus Christ our Lord. Now do not these people themselves
teach that baptism should not be administered upon any but true believers? most
certainly they do teach this. And they also teach that the sins of true
believers are remitted. Then by their own teaching it follows that we are not
baptized that our sins may be remitted, but because they are already remitted.
And we are not baptized that we may recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost, but
because we have already received it through faith in Christ Jesus. But this
same apostle Peter, has further illustrated this subject 1. Peter 3.21 in words
following. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth now save us; that is
baptism is a figure leading unto an idea of this salvation. Not the putting
away the filth of the flesh this does not save us for it is a figure, but the
answering a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ; By
which resurrection we learn, as is more fully illustrated elsewhere in this
book, that we are freed from all guilt in God’s sight. This resurrection
therefore washes our consciences from all guilt through faith in Christ Jesus,
and a knowledge of the virtue of that resurrection, for, or because he was
raised for our justification. And of this washing baptism is a figure. And I
know that the Son of god is come, and hath given me an understanding that I may
know him that is true; and I am in him that is true, even in his son Jesus
Christ. This is the true god, and eternal life. Little children keep yourselves
from Idols. But the carnal mind is always making to itself idols. These people
who teach that we must be baptized that we may thereby recieve remission of
sins, or that we are to recieve any spiritual blessing whatever in consequence
of our haveing been baptizing, do thereby make an idol of their own works; as
much as if they had made a graven image and worshipped it. For they being
ignorant of god’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own
righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of god. For
Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. For
Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law; that the man which
doeth those things shall live by them. Thus doth this people teach, that we
must be baptized, and we must then and so and we then shall receive the gift of
the Holy Ghost. But such is not the righteousness of god. For it is by faith
and not of our doings. see Romans. 10.
What e’r is done by man’s free will
In works, most certain good or ill.
And what we ere by works we get,
Is not of favor but of debt.
Brethren my hearts desire, and prayer to god is that you might be
saved from the bitterness, and false wrath created in you by sorcery. For I
bear you record that you have a Zeal of god, but not according to Knowledge. As
baptism is now made an idol. It is not meat that the saints should bow to it.
Altho in Peter’s days it might be necessary yet now that it is made an idol,
and neither baptism nor unbaptism availeth any thing in Christ Jesus, but a new
creature. These people who teach that we must be baptized in order to recieve
the Holy spirit might as well teach, that we must first love god in order to
make him love us. It is precisely the same idea in a different form. But we
know better being taught of the spirit. We love god, because he first loved us.
If we were baptized it would be, because our sins were remitted, and because we
had received the Holy spirit, and being dead with used this is the three acts
to the world. This is an extract from my book, and I desire you to shew it to
the young man who sat by the table that evening, and to your Printer, & to
Joseph Smith, and to Sidney Rigdon, and let them refute it if they can. But it
is the truth, and he that denies it as long as he lives in this world, can
never have a right to the tree of life, neither can he enter in through the
gates into the City. Remember you are acting for Eternity, which is now just
before you. — So farewell,
Mr. Granger U. H. Jacob
