Se-baptists

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.