INSCRIPTION ON THE FONT AT CHELMORTON. II 



case, it would be, " Salus ex baptismate Sancti Johannis, 

 martyris" — "Salvation (is) from the baptism of St. John, the 

 martyr." This seems to be the more appropriate rendering, as 

 it more closely represents the generally accepted meaning of 

 baptism. 



It is some confirmation of these solutions, that either of 

 them agrees exactly with the capitals and small letters. For 

 in either, e b would be small letters, and the rest capitals. 



The only difficulty that occurred to us in this solution, was 

 that we were impressed with the supposition that the Christian 

 baptism rested altogether upon the express mandate of the 

 Saviour Himself. But the representations of the baptism of 

 the Saviour by St. John upon the baptisteries and fonts seemed 

 to show that the Baptist was considered to be the author of 

 baptism, so far as to have churches dedicated to him in that 

 character ; and all doubt has been removed by notes to " The 

 Newe Testament of our Saviour Jesu Christe," 1552, on which 

 the Saturday Revieiv of Feb. 2, 1878,* thus comments: "The 

 Reformers have asserted in these notes, as many of them do 

 in their works, that the baptism of St. John and the baptism 

 instituted by Christ are absolutely identical ; that therefore the 

 latter no more conveyed grace than the former, and that 

 neither of them in this respect differed at all from the rite of 

 circumcision. On this point the following note is sufficient — 

 'Acts xix. Baptism in this place is taken for the doctrine, 

 and not for the laver of baptism. For the baptism of Christ 

 and the baptism of John, which is done in the water, is all 

 one ; else Christ, who was baptised by John, ought to have 

 been baptised again.' " This completely explains the reason 

 why churches were dedicated to St. John as the author of 

 baptism ; and in churches so dedicated the same reason would 

 naturally lead to his being treated as the author of baptism in 

 any inscription on the font ; indeed, it would only be by such 

 means that a complete harmony would be created between the 

 church and the font. 



* Page 153 



