baptism. But infants are capable of coming to Christ, of admission
into the Church, and solemn dedication to God.

That infants ought to come to Christ, appears from his own words:
"They brought little children to Christ, and the disciples rebuked
them. And Jesus said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and
forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."--Matt. xix.
13, 14. St. Luke expresses it still more strongly: "They brought
unto him even infants, that he might touch them."--xviii. 15. These
children were so little, that they were brought to him; yet he
says, "Suffer them to come unto me:" so little, that he "took them
up in His arms;" yet he rebukes those who would have hindered their
coming to Him. And his command respected the future as well as the
present. Therefore His disciples or ministers are still to suffer
infants to come, that is, to be brought, unto Christ. But they
cannot now come to Him, unless by being brought into the Church;
which cannot be but by baptism. Yea, and "of such," says our Lord,
"is the kingdom of heaven;" not of such only as were like these
infants. For if they themselves were not fit to be subjects of that
kingdom, how could others be so, because they were like them?
Infants, therefore, are capable of being admitted into the Church,
and have a right thereto. Even under the Old Testament they were
admitted into it by circumcision. And can we suppose they are in a
worse condition under the Gospel, than they were under the law? and
that our Lord would take away any privilege which they then
enjoyed? Would He not rather make additions to them? This, then, is
a third ground. Infants ought to come to Christ, and no man ought
to forbid them. They are capable of admission into the Church of
God. Therefore they are proper subjects of baptism.--Vol. x.,
English Edition, pp. 195, 196. Vol. vi., American Edition, pp. 17,
18.

Upon these Wesleyan and Scriptural grounds, I believe that the promise
and privileges of membership in the Church belong to the baptized
children of our people as well as to their parents; that the parents
have a right to claim this relationship and its privileges for their
children until such children are excluded from the Church by the lawful
acts of its executive authorities. Otherwise, the youth baptized by our