A request for an authoritative lexicon that gives "sprinkle" or "pour" as a meaning of baptizoo, elicited the following answers: "There is no such lexicon" (Professor Humphreys, of the University of Virginia, and Professor D'ooge, of Colby University); "I know of none" (Professor Flagg, of Cornell); "I do not know of any" (Professor Tyler, of Amherst). "Baptizoo means to immerse. All lexicographers and critics of any note are agreed in this."—Dr. Moses Stuart.
Thus we learn, through the testimony of experts, without consulting all the numerous Greek lexicons, that they define the word baptizoo as meaning to immerse and that none of them say it means to sprinkle or to pour.
The great mass of Christians know nothing about the Greek experts who make the lexicons, but are much better acquainted with and influenced by the great church leaders and church standards. Therefore we present the following quotations:
Scholars and Churches Admit that Christ Taught Immersion.
NOTE.—These quotations are taken from a tract of mine on baptism.
I. Council of Toledo, 633 (Catholic): "We observe a single immersion in baptism."
2. Council of Cologne, 1280 (Catholic): "That he who baptizes when he immerses the candidate in water," etc.
3. Martini (Roman Catholic): "In all of the pontificals and rituals I have seen (except that of Madeleine de Beulieu), and I have seen many, ancient as well as more recent, immersion is prescribed."
4. Dollinger (Roman Catholic): "Baptism was administered by an entire immersion in water." (Chu. History, vol. 2, p. 294.) "A mere pouring or sprinkling was never thought of." (First Age of Chu., p. 318.) "Baptism by immersion continued to be the prevailing practice of the church as late as the fourteenth century." (Hist. Ch., vol. 2, p. 295.)
5. Ritual of Greek Catholic Church: "The priest immerses him, saying the servant of God is immersed, in the name of the Father," etc.