Joseph Kinghorn, Norwich, to John Rippon, Southwark, 24 October 1795.

Dear Sir

      If the Register No 11 be not published I shall esteem it a favor if you will in some mode announce to the World thro that medium that I intend to publish a pamphlet in reply to Peter Edwards Candid reasons  The thought of writing only occurred very lately that I could not give earlier intelligence to you – what I have to say is nearly finished & only needs preparing for the press. – The reason why I must shew my opinion was suggested by the Impression Edwards piece made on my own mind when I read it. I thought it much calculated to confirm weak Padobaptists & to stagger those among us who knew not well the backgrounds of their faith as they might take his Assertions for evidence & not see the unaccountable falsehoods that are couched in what he calls reasons  But as many would still from the force of first impressions say his arguments were plausible I thought it might be usefull to write an answer on this plan viz To grant him all his Propositions to suppose all his statements just on both sides and then prove he either left the Argument for Believers Baptism only in its complete strength or he established a system so contrary to the New Testament that even Paedobaptists themselves must confess his Arguments must be wrong. – I have attempted something on this plan and now that the difficulty of writing is principally over the difficulty of circulating it presents itself. –

      I think of giving it a title like this “A Defence of Infant Baptism its best Confutation being a reply to Mr Peter Edwards Candid Reasons for ^renouncing the principles of^ Antipaedobaptism on his own Ground.”

      It will be out in a few days – I shall put my name to it Mr Button to be the publisher – and if you & he can circulate it I shall esteem it a favor – You will do what you can for a Brother

      Mr Theobald the bearer is a very respectable young man of my Congregation who is in Lonn on business & favours me by handing this to you – If you can favor me with a reply by him I shall be much obliged to you. –

            I am Dear Sir

                         Yours sincerely

                                   Jos Kinghorn

Norwich Octr 24 1795

Address: none.

Postmark: none.

Text: John Rippon Letters, Vol. 2, British Library, Add. Ms. 24287, fol. 400. Peter Edwards was originally a member of the Baptist congregation in Unicorn Yard, Southwark. After ministering to the Baptist meeting at White’s Row, Portsea, 1785-1794, he resigned and became an Independent minister. Shortly thereafter he published Candid Reasons for Renouncing the Principles of Antipaedobaptism (1795). Kinghorn's response appeared as A Defence of Infant Baptism, its best Confutation: Being a Reply to Mr. Peter Edwards's Candid Reasons for Renouncing the Principles of Anti-Paedo-Baptism on his own Ground (1795), printed by William March of Norwich for the Baptist minister and printer/bookseller William Button in Paternoster Row, London.