A Concise History of the Baptists – G.H. Orchard

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Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives – The Paterines of – Ancient Baptists

The public religion of the Paterines consisted of nothing but social prayer, reading, and expounding the gospels, baptism once, and the Lord’s supper as often as convenient. Italy was full of such Christians , which various names, from various causes. They said a Christian church ought to consist of only good people: a church had no power to frame any constitutions, i.e. make laws; it was not right to take oaths; it was not lawful to kill mankind, nor should he be delivered up to the officers of justice to be converted; faith alone could save a man; the benefit of society belonged to all its members; the church ought not to persecute.

They had no connection with the (catholic) church, nor with the Father, considering them as corrupters of Christianity. They called the Cross (the crucifix, worshipped as an image) the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place; and they said it was the mark of the beast.

During the kingdom of the Goths and Lombards, the Anabaptists, as the Catholics called them, had their share of churches and baptisteries, during which time they held no communion with any hierarchy. The language of the Paterines is very strongly expressed against infant baptism.

(Copied and presented by Thomas E. Kresal from G.H. Orchard, Concise History of the Baptists, pg.142, 147)