Brownlee, W. C. Letters on Christian Baptism: Addressed to Young People; To which is appended, A Letter on Feet-Washing, by a Minister of the German Reformed Church. Chambersburg, Pa.: Publication Office of the German Reformed Church, 1841. Third Edition. [10456]
Red leather spine with marbled paper boards, binding tight and very good, 5 3/4 x 3 5/8 inches. 164 pp., light foxing, some old paste stains on the end papers and visible on the title page. One front end paper has color pencil scribbles.. Very good. Hardcover.
The Letters on Christian Baptism were written and published by Brownlee in response to some Baptists who were trying to proselytize the young people of his congregation. In his conclusion he castigates the English Baptist William Jones, the author of a History of the Waldnenses and Albigenses, for either leaving out or covering up the fact that these two ancient groups, although separate from the Roman Church, did in fact practice infant baptism. The tract on Feet Washing has its own half-title page and gives the reasons why the German Reformed Church does not practice this tradition.
William Craig Brownlee (1784-1860), born in Scotland. His family had an expansive estate, having been the “Lairds of Torfoot” for many generations. He emigrated to America in 1808 after completing his theological studies in Glasgow, and was the pastor of Associate Churches in Pennsylvania. In 1815 he became rector of the grammar school in what is now Rutgers University. After pastoring a Presbyterian Church for nine years in Baskinridge, New Jersey, he was installed as one of the ministers of the Collegiate Reformed Dutch Church in New York city.
“Stored with knowledge, familiar with almost every department of learning, he possessed a ready facility in bringing his enlarged resources to bear on matters of practical utility with great effect; and, pioneer in the Catholic controversy, he was mainly instrumental in rousing the attention of the community to a system then regarded by him, and now regarded by very many, as fraught with danger to our cherished liberties. In this cause his zeal was ardent, his courage indomitable, his efforts unmeasured, and his ability and eloquence admitted by all. His sermons and lectures were from year to year listened to by eager crowds. Dr. Brownlee usually preached without being trammelled by the use of notes, either extemporaneously, or having written and committed to memory. The general character of his preaching was argumentative, but enlivened and illustrated by flashes of fancy, brilliant and beautiful. His views of Christian doctrine were thoroughly of the Calvinistic School.” – Dr. Knox, in the Christian Intelligencer, Feb. 16, 1860.
