I came across this anecdote recently from 1824 in The New Evangelical Magazine, and Theological Review, Volume 10. A correspondent (Elimelech) includes it saying he had it from Benjamin Francis. (Apologies to any paedobaptist friends).
A poor woman, a member of a neighbouring Independent church, requested me to give her a Bible. I replied, “Yes, Mary, I have no objection to give you a Bible, but it must be on one condition.”
“Well, Sir,” said she, “ and what is it?”
“Why it is this, that you bring me one text from the New Testament that authorises Infant Baptism.”
“Yes, Sir, that I will," was her reply; and she went away apparently very much pleased with the success of her application.
The next day she came again, I said, “How do you do, Mary - have you got the text?”
“Yes, Sir,” said she, “the best I could find.”
She replied, with much seeming satisfaction, “It is in 1 Pet. ii. 13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake Sir.” I do not recollect the close of this short dialogue, except that it contained a promise that the good woman should have the Bible.
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