salt, and spittle.^812 He defeated Carlstadt, Muenzer, and the Zwickau Prophets, who rejected
infant-baptism, and embarrassed even Melanchthon. Saxony was cleared of Anabaptists; but their
progress in other parts of Germany induced him a few years later to write a special book against
Huebmaier, who appealed to his authority, and ascribed to him similar views.
Balthasar Huebmaier, or Huebmör, was born near Augsburg, 1480; studied under Dr. Eck
at Freiburg-i. -B. and Ingolstadt, and acquired the degree of doctor of divinity. He became a famous
preacher in the cathedral at Regensburg, and occasioned the expulsion of the Jews in 1519, whose
synagogue was converted into a chapel of St. Mary. In 1522 he embraced Protestant opinions, and
became pastor at Waldshut on the Rhine, on the borders of Switzerland. He visited Erasmus at
Basel, and Zwingli at Zuerich, and aided the latter in the introduction of the Reformation. The
Austrian government threatened violent measures, and demanded the surrender of his person. He
left Waldshut, and took refuge in a convent of Schaffhausen, but afterwards returned. He openly
expressed his dissent from Zwingli and Oecolampadius on the subject of infant-baptism. Zwingli
was right, he said, in maintaining that baptism was a mere sign, but the significance of this sign
was the pledge of faith and obedience unto death, and such a pledge a child could not make; therefore
the baptism of a child had no meaning, and was invalid. Faith must be present, and cannot be taken
for granted as a future certainly. Instead of baptism he introduced a solemn presentation or
consecration of children before the congregation. He made common cause with the Anabaptists of
Zuerich, and with Thomas Muenzer, who came into the neighborhood of Waldshut, and kindled
the flame of the Peasants’ War. He is supposed by some to be the author of the Twelve Articles of
the Peasants. He was rebaptized about Easter, 1525, and re-baptized many others. He abolished the
mass, and removed the altar, baptismal font, pictures and crosses from the church.
The triumph of the re-action against the rebellious peasants forced him to flee to Zuerich
(December, 1525). He had a public disputation with Zwingli, who had himself formerly leaned to
the view that it would be better to put off baptism to riper years of responsibility, though he never
condemned infant-baptism. He retracted under pressure and protest, and was dismissed with some
aid. He went to Nikolsburg in Moravia, published a number of books in German, having brought
a printing-press with him from Switzerland, and gathered the Baptist "Brethren" into congregations.
But when Moravia, after the death of Louis of Hungary, fell into the possession of King Ferdinand
of Austria, Huebmaier was arrested with his wife, sent to Vienna, charged with complicity in the
Peasants’ War, and burned to death, March 10, 1528. He died with serene courage and pious
resignation. His wife, who had strengthened him in his faith, was drowned three days later in the
Danube. Zwingli, after his quarrel with Huebmaier, speaks unfavorably of his character; Vadian
of St. Gall, and Bullinger, give him credit for great eloquence and learning, but charge him with a
restless spirit of innovation. He was an advocate of the voluntary principle. and a martyr of religious
freedom. Heretics, he maintained, are those only who wickedly oppose the Holy Sciptures, and
should be won by instruction and persuasion. To use force is to deny Christ, who came to save, not
to destroy.
(^812) See above § 45, p. 218, and the two editions of the Taufbüchlein in the Erl. ed. XXII. 157, 291. In both editions dipping is prescribed
("Da nehme er das Kind und tauche es in die Taufe"), and no mention is made of any other mode. The Reformed churches objected to
the retention of exorcism as a species of superstition. The first English liturgy of Edward VI. (who was baptized by immersion) prescribes
trine-immersion (dipping); the second liturgy of 1552 does the same, but gives (for the first time in England) permission to substitute
pouring when the child is weak.