Pres. Snow said that Apostle Merrill, president of the Logan Temple, had ruled that the baptism of a certain man who had been baptized a few days before he was 8 years of age was of no virtue. The effect of this decision would be to make null and void the ministrations in the priesthood of this brother in after life. Pres. Merrill had also ruled that he should be rebaptized and that his membership in the church should date from his second baptism. The matter was discussed and it was decided to set aside Pres. Merrill's ruling and to affirm the man's first baptism. To hold that a child in all cases must absolutely be eight years of age before administering the ordinance of baptism was regarded as rather too narrow and technical a view to take.
[Source: Stan Larson (editor), A Ministry of Meetings: The Apostolic diaries of Rudger Clawson, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1993, http://bit.ly/rudgerclawson]
Journal History (images 79-80 at link below) state that the man's name was William W. Astle and that he was baptized 1 month and 13 days before he was age 8 yrs. Also that Apostle [Marriner W.] Merrill went ahead and rebaptized, reconfirmed, and reordained him.
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In The Church of Jesus Christ (WHQ: Monongahela, Pennsylvania), we baptize only those who are AT LEAST THIRTEEN years of age.
ReplyDeleteBaptizing 8 year old AND YOUNGER little children is an abomination in God's eyes.