Julia settled on the cushions beside Uncle Montanus and tucked her sandaled feet under her robe. A scowl marred her uncle's face. Of late, it seemed more present than the smiles he used to give her when she was a child. She sighed and picked at lint upon her clothing.
She had been very young when he was once the priest of the pagan cult of Cybele. She didn't remember much, but she did remember the anger. When he was saved by Christ their entire household was saved, and he zealously followed the teachings of Christ.
Julia's mother swept into the room, a bright blue sash wrapped around her cream tunic and bangles tinkled upon her wrists. The scent of lavender drifting into the room with her. "Montanus, please do not brood so." Julia's mother settled on the cushions on the other side of her brother. "The village of Pepuza is safe, as is Arclabau. You are here to ensure it is so."
"All of Phrygia rolls with the false doctrines." He groused, yet took his sister's hand and patted it, warm affection apparent in his eyes. "Those who seek to grip our church in false doctrines, in lies…" he slashed his hand in front of him, "Cannot my people see that to believe these is to condemn one to eternal death?"
A servant girl came in carrying a tray of grapes and olives. She set it before Uncle Montanus, nodded and backed out of the room. Julia sighed again. "Uncle, can we thank the Lord for our food and eat. I am starved."
He scowled at her, though the corner of his mouth tilted up. "Let us pray then." He took her hand and Mother's then began, "Oh Gracious Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit all one, thank you for providing our needs, for saving our souls, and for giving us life. May we serve You as faithfully as You have protected and provided for us. In Your Son's Holy Name we ask this."
He picked up the tray and handed it first to Mother and then to Julia before helping himself to a cluster of grapes.
"How can I impress upon my people the need to have faith for salvation. They'd rather have the act of baptism. Why can they not see that only by grace are we saved, through faith, as the Apostle Paul taught us? Why do they add to it by saying one must be baptized to be saved?" He tossed a grape into his mouth, chewed, swallowed and tossed the rest of the cluster on the tray. "I speak and say thus, then someone who deems himself greater than I, who has somehow fooled the people into believing he has the authority of God even as an apostle, contradicts me, and poof! The person is condemned to damnation."
"Really, Uncle. Do you think that is true? Do you really think that of Flavius Justinus," Julia paused, her mind running over the men she'd seen her uncle argue with. "And what of Hermas? Is he really teaching false doctrines?"
Uncle Montanus whipped around at her, his face as red as a fireball. "Justin Martyr demands baptism for the washing away of sin. Nothing but the blood of Christ can do this." He tilted his head, then patted her hand as though to apologize for his anger. "Flavius travels in a philosopher's robe, not in robes of righteousness. He thinks of Christianity only in terms of philosophy, not in terms of a personal relationship with our Lord God. How can he even be taken seriously when he has no faith, just philosophy? How can saving faith come from the work of baptism he promotes? It is a ritual, not a surrendering of all to our Lord and Savior."
Julia frowned. She did understand this. Did not the Apostle Paul warn of this in his letter to the Colossians? Did he not say, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."?
Mother shook her head. "Montanus, I'm not sure that Flavius believes a person is only saved by baptism."
Uncle jumped to his feet and pointed a finger at Mother. "That is what he wishes you to think, to doubt."
Julia stood as well, but she didn't know why, just felt the stress of the moment, the fear of the anger of her uncle. She never wanted to see him upset. But he was so passionate, so quick to insist on truth.
"And even if you choose not these men to confront," Uncle Montanus began to pace, "Even the apostle John warned of antichrists amongst us. There are those that present God as unreachable, and Christ as an emanated being. Don't get me started on those that believe that evil must be overcome by indulging it! What foolishness!"
He stopped and his cheek twitched. "Ritualism." He spat the word out as though it were a poor tasting fruit. "Not to mention these men who believe only certain chosen ones can teach. That is not at all what the Scriptures say. And it feels at times that the Holy Spirit has left us, there is such a great lack of...of..." he shook his finger in the air, "Spirituality." He growled and then moaned as though he were mourning a great loss. "I choose to be a mortal enemy to philosophy and religion. Only in Christ, do I stand."
Mother reached for Uncle's robe. "Calm down, Brother. We do not have the power to change the hearts of men. That is the work of the Holy Spirit." She tugged on his robe, and he turned to her. "Please, come sit. We'll pray. Yes, there are many enemies of the true Gospel. But let's not become as them in our behavior. Please." She patted the cushion beside her. "Come sit again. We will call on those who believe as we do to pray and fast and spread the truth through the preaching of the true Gospel."
Julia took a deep breath. Her uncle nodded to the gentle urgings of Mother. He'd settle, but he was much burdened.
The Apostle Paul warned, that was true, but it was up to them, to the church, to hold to the truth. "Yes, Uncle. Send out messengers, and let's bring our church together for prayer and fasting. I am sure Maximilia and Priscilla will help." The two prominent women were great supports of Uncle. "You have already begun a great work, and the Holy Spirit has brought you great success."
He shook his head. "It is the least of what I can do. I must do more." He pulled Mother and Julia to their feet. "Come, we'll call the believers together and fast and pray." He paused, as though deep in thought. Then with a thrust of his fist in the air, he said, "We must fast and pray or we'll lose this battle. God be with us. Oh, Holy Spirit, lead us." He waved his hands and marched to the door. "Come! Come! We must hurry."
Montanus was a leader of a group of believers in Asia Minor who resisted the teachings of many who drifted from the original teachings of the Apostles. He was and continues to be reproached as a heretic, even though he fought for baptism only by immersion, purity of communion, holiness of life, church discipline, trinitarian theology, the complete Word of God, and premillennial eschatology. Charges have been brought against him by those who claim Catholic, Anglican, or Lutheran views on early church history. According to some historians, these charges cannot be proved.
Bibliography:
Hammett, Doug. The History of Baptists. Emmaus, Pa, Challenge Press, 2004.
Jarrel, W.A. Baptist Church Perpetuity. Dallas, Texas, The Baptist Standard Bearer Inc., 1894.
