Sir Edward Hall Alderson

“ That Baptism is an effectual sign of grace by which God works invisibly in us, but only in such as worthily receive it: in them alone it has a wholesome effect: and that without reference to the qualification of the recipient it is not in itself an effectual sign of grace. ”

“ It is clear that any future Judicial Committee could overrule this decision; and so might even any inferior court subject however to the consequences of an ultimate appeal against their decision, to which appeal the Judicial Committee itself is not liable. In truth, where the House of Lords makes in a civil suit, a decision contrary to the rules of law, the courts of law very soon, although they do not expressly overrule it, make it practically inoperative by distinguishing every case which comes before them from it, however minute such distinctions may be ”

“ It merely asserts, “that in no case is regeneration in Baptism unconditional.” Nor does the Church, as I believe, say otherwise. There is always the condition of being a worthy recipient. If Mr. Gorham thinks all infants are so, and he nowhere in this statement of his opinions says the contrary, I do not think the Church will disagree with him, for it may well be holden that a condition of p. 10worthiness is both required and fulfilled in infant Baptism. ”

“ Gorham’s opinions be a true, full, and complete statement of them, and he holds nothing more adverse to the Church than these exact words necessarily import, you cannot with justice impeach or complain of the decision in his favour. ”

“ It would have been determined that Clergymen holding the specified opinions must be instituted—and no injury could arise to the Church from such a decision. Our complaint p. 7would be that Mr. Gorham did not hold these opinions in fact. This wrong would only apply to his individual case.
Let me now call your attention to what the Judicial Committee have done. They begin by stating, as I have suggested, Mr. Gorham’s opinions as they collect them from the documents laid before them. They are these.
1. That Baptism is a Sacrament generally necessary to salvation ”