---
title: Times and Seasons
description: Issues of 1845 to 1846.
authors:
  - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
editors:
  - Ebenezer Robinson
  - Don Carlos Smith
  - Smith, Joseph, Jr.
  - Taylor, John
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - newspaper
  - times-and-seasons
  - nauvoo
  - nineteenth-century
periodical: Times and Seasons
volume: 6
number: 20
published: 1846-01-01
publisher: E. Robinson and D. C. Smith; later John Taylor
publisher_place: Commerce and Nauvoo, Illinois
language: en
type: article
reference: "“M. M. Noah's Reply,” *Times and Seasons* 6, no. 20 (January 1, 1846): 1083."
printed_title: M. M. Noah's Reply.
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1846-01-01_6_20
  transcription: Text from the Centerplace.org transcription (https://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v6n20.htm), with its page breaks; this Internet Archive scan is the reference copy (its OCR was used only as a witness for OCR repair)
  identifier: per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1846-01-01_6_20
start_page: 1083
end_page: 1083
curator_note: A Mormon newspaper published by the church in Nauvoo; included for historical study. Inclusion does not imply endorsement.
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1846 (Nauvoo, Illinois); published before 1931, so public domain in the United States
  source: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1846-01-01_6_20
  publication_year: 1846
---

# M. M. Noah's Reply

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I shall proceed cheerfully to reply to Mr. Herring's questions seriatim.

Circumcision ands baptism were the initiatory rites for the admission of Hebrew children into the established religion; and these two rites were inseparable from the earliest periods, but they are not both of the same divine authority. The impression I know prevails, that baptism received its original form, and derived its observance from the apostle John, who baptized Jesus in the Jordan, but it is evident that the baptism by John was the induction to a new faith and not a new practice, Jesus, born a Jew, had received the initiatory rites in infancy, and understood them well;. Maimenides-great authority always among Jews and Christians, as a wise interpreter of the law- says, (Issue Biah Cap. 13.) Israel was admitted into the covenant by three things: by Circumcision, by baptism and by sacrifice. Circumcision was in Egypt, as it is said, none uncircumcised shall eat the passover. Baptism was in the wilderness, before the giving of the law, as it is said, "Thou shalt sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their garments;" and sacrifice as it is said, "and he sent the young men of the Children if Israel, and they offered burnt offerings, they offered them for all Israel."

The origin of baptism dated from the time of Jacob, when he received into the church the young women of Sichem, and other heathens who lived with him. Jacob said to his family, (Gen xxxv. 2,) and to all that were with him, "put away from you the strange Gods and be ye clean, and change your garments." Eben Ezra, also a great authority, applies the words "be ye clean" to the washing and purification of the body;-hence the origin of baptism.

It is certain that heathens who become converts to the religion of the Jews, were admitted by circumcision, and baptism was inseparably joined to it.

"Whenever," says Maimenides, "a Heathen is willing to be joined to the covenant of Israel, and place himself under the wings of the Divine majesty, and take the yoke of the law upon him voluntarily, Circumcision, Baptism, and Ablution are required." This practice continued to the reign of Solomon; but at that period, other nations became proselytes in such vast numbers that they were received by baptism or washing only. Some time elapsed, say thirty days, between circumcision and baptism, in order to give time for the wound to heal; the child was then brought to a running stream, called "gathering of the waters," and plunged in. If a man, the Triumviri or the Judicial Consistory charged with this duty, when placed in the water, instructed him in some of the weightier obligations of the law, and plunged him in, so that every part of the body was immersed, not the tip of a finger was (page1082)

left exposed;-hence the difference between sprinkling and immersion in baptism. If an Israelite, says Maimenides, finds a Heathen infant and baptizes him for a proselyte, he becomes a member of the church, and baptism was always administered by persons regularly ordained, or appointed for that purpose, and witnesses and written testimony were necessary to prove the fact. Proselytes however were unwillingly made at all times, for many were tenacious of their old customs, and fell again to idolatry, so that finally Baptism was gradually abandoned, and it is only now practiced when a christian female desires to become a Jewess, and then under very considerable restrictions and ceremonies.

You will thus perceive that the rite of baptism dates from the time of Jacob, and by the wisest interpreters of the law, was pronounced a Jewish rite and followed circumcision.

"A Proselyte of the Gate," is the next point about which you ask for information. There were two kinds of proselytes-the first of the covenant-the second of the Gate. The first, though of gentile birth, were admitted to all the privileges of the Jews; they worshipped in the same Court of the Temple with the Hebrews, while others were prohibited, and were partakers of all privileges, Divine and human. The proselytes of the Gate were Gentiles, who were admitted to the worship of the God of Israel, and the hopes of a future life, but who were not circumcised. These proselytes, although permitted to worship in the Temple, could not enter the same Court with the Proselytes of the covenant, but were deemed unclean and a special court assigned to them, called the "Court of the Gentiles"-they had a distinct place where the law was expounded to them, they were not denizens of Jerusalem. In the New Testament, Proselytes of the Covenants are called merely Proselytes, and Proselytes of the Gate are called worshipers [worshippers]; and it is a curious fact, and but little known, tha the first proselytes to christianity were the Proselytes of the Gate. Their condition being free and unconstrained, mere semi-Jews, the transition to another faith was easy and natural, and as they were most numerous in the Roman States, they were the first cause of the spreading of the gospel; although Jesus of Nazareth never addressed himself to them, but always to his brethren who, like himself, were born Jews, and were not so by adoption.

The seven precepts of the sons of Noah, of which, as you say, Masonry knows only three, commonly called the Noachides, are as follows:

I. A Renunciation of all Idols;

II. The worship of the true and only God;

III. To commit no murder;

IV. Not to be defiled by incest;

V. To avoid rapine, theft and robbery;

VI. To administer justice;

VII. Not to eat flesh with blood in it.

This was the Common Law that prevailed from the time that Noah left the ark unto the arrival of the Jews at the foot of Mount Sinai. The law of Moses is the codification of the Common Law, as given by the sons of Noah, amplified, extended, and made to apply in justice and in mercy, in good faith and principle, to the whole civilized world which now live under those laws, with some immaterial local amendments.

I am, dear sir, Yours, &c., &c.

M. M. N.