Some person,—name not known—writing from Ripley, Ohio, inquires
whether persons baptized when very young, under excitement, having but
little understanding of the import of baptism; and, after coming to
mature years, become dissatisfied and desire to be baptized over again,
should he then be baptized again? This question is entirely outside of
the New Testament, and purely a question of opinion. Among the many
thousands baptized by the apostles, there were many, evidently, who
had but an imperfect understanding of the whole matter, not only of
very young persons, but many very illiterate persons. Yet there is
no account of any, on coming to a fuller understanding, who desired
to be baptized in the name of the Lord. It matters not how little
understanding persons have, if they believe in the Lord, repent of
their sins, confess and obey the Savior. Nor is the circumstance that a
person afterward understands the matter more fully, a reason why such
an one should be baptized again; but simply an evidence of a proper
growth in knowledge. There has been much said about the measure of
understanding that must be had before baptism, that would cut off one
half of the apostolic converts. Conversion is simply _turning to God_,
and there are but few who aim not to do this.