Se-Baptists, a small and obscure sect which struck off from the Brownists (Independents) early in the 17th century. They received their name from the act of their leader, John Smith, of Amsterdam, in baptizing himself. After entertaining several views, he at last declared for the principles of the Baptists. Upon this he left Amsterdam and settled with his disciples at Ley, where, being at a loss for a proper administrator of the ordinance of baptism, he plunged himself and then performed the ceremony upon others. The Se-Baptists maintain that it is lawful for every one to baptize himself; and the Samokrestschentsi (a small Russian sect of self-baptizers) give as a reason that there is no one on earth sufficiently holy w administer the ordinance aright. See Blunt, Dict, of Sects, s.v.; Gardner, Faiths of the World, s.v.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More