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TALKING down a city street

I heard the sound of little feet,
And turning, saw, not far away,
A tiny, chubby, baby sweet,

Clattering along the flagged pathway. But as she nearer came, I saw

The tears were streaming down her face;

She sobbed and cried, but all the more She quickened, as she ran, her pace To catch a man who, far before,

Walked on apace, as for a race. Call to him, little one,' I said, 'You'll never catch him in that way.' The baby turned her dainty head,

To hear what I might have to say. 'Call him,' I cried, as on she sped, Before he is too far away.'

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BAPTISM BY IMMERSION.

BY THE REV. GEORGE VENABLES, VICAR OF GREAT YARMOUTH.

T is found in some country places, that Anabaptists sustain their views much more by loud declamations upon the necessity of total immersion, than by any disputation against the baptism of infants.

Indeed, there is reason to believe that if infants were baptized by immersion, the objection to the administration of this Sacrament to infants would, in many instances, cease.

Thus wonderfully do extremes meet, and men who little suspect themselves of such opinions are found to be both 'high' in their views of the value of the Sacrament of Baptism, and Ritualistic' in their anxiety to display or teach those views by means of the ritual.

In the Church's view, the amount or quantity of water used is of no more importance than is the size of the bread or the quantity of wine used in Holy Communion, but according to some notions there must be total immersion in order to baptism: such baptism being, then, in the view of many of the promoters of those notions, as precious and important as any assertion of the Church's formularies declares it to be.

It is not our intention, now, to combat these opinions; but inasmuch as they are held, in some few parts of Great Britain, with singular tenacity, and since, in consequence of this circumstance, many infants are withheld from Holy Baptism, and even dying unbaptized adults are dissuaded from baptism because they cannot be immersed,' it may be well to consider the subject of total immersion, as it refers alike to the infant of a week old as to the unbaptized adult who draws nigh to the grave.

It is nearly a quarter of a century since the writer met, one afternoon, with a very determined Anabaptist-a great professor in his way, who possessed considerable influence amongst the people of his persuasion in the neighbourhood.

After some introductory remarks the subject of Baptism was mooted, and the worthy man declaimed against baptism by sprinkling. The declamation, for a colloquial farm-house chat, was long, loud, and lusty; but it, too, came to an end. It was then suggested to the good man, first, that although sprinkling' is undoubtedly scriptural, and therefore permissible; still, the Church of England provided two methods only of administering Holy Baptism, viz. Immersion,' or, as the permitted exception, Pouring.' This latter is called in the thirtieth Canon, 'laying water upon the face.' The sentence of the

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Canon is, When the minister, dipping the infant in water, or laying water upon the face of it (as the manner also is), hath pronounced these words, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, the infant is fully and perfectly baptized.' A Prayer-book was proffered in support of the former assertion, but the good man put it from him; he would not touch such a book. A little persuasion, however, overcame his resolution, and he was astounded to find, as he had been told, that the Church's normal mode of baptism was 'Immersion,' and that her permitted exceptional mode was 'Pouring.'

Baptism by Immersion.

Now here, assuredly, lies our first duty. It is to plainly show the people that the Church of England not alone permits immersion, but enjoins it. She permits pouring as the exception to immersion; but her rule is immersion. And the rubrics plainly declare that this regulation applies to the baptism of an adult or of an infant. The rubric in the office for the Public Baptism of Infants is, 'He shall dip him in the water discreetly and warily.' In the case of the baptism of such as are of riper years it is, Then shall dip him in the water, or pour water upon him;' but with significant consistency the rubric for the private baptism of children in houses (meaning, of course, for a sick or weakly child), says, 'The minister shall pour water,' and makes no allusion to immersion. So then pouring is permitted, dipping is enjoined, and every ancient font within our churches shows that dipping was practised in earlier days.

These things being so, it may do good everywhere to take care to make them known, for the only hindrance of any importance to our Prayer-book is ignorance concerning it.

It may well be doubted, however, whether it will suffice in all cases that we show how plainly the Church not only allows but enjoins baptism by immersion. Wherever it is desired by the people interested, the infant or the adult ought to be baptized by immersion. This has been done recently in some parishes in Wales, and from time to time there appear records of this method having been adopted in all ages. One interesting case of adult baptism by immersion may be found in the memoir of the excellent Spencer Thornton, Vicar of Wendover. As to immersion, there seems no doubt that it was often practised in the early Church; and indeed, down to about the time of Queen Elizabeth, it was the practice throughout England. The Rev. W. Wall, in his learned History of Infant Baptism, not only asserts this, but he himself strongly advocates the practice of immersion.

Under such circumstances, therefore, no Churchman can be wrong in openly avowing that the Church fully recognises the propriety of immersion, whether of infants or adults, and also in practising this mode of administering Holy Baptism wherever it is desired. And this cannot be too generally made known.

Having made these remarks, however, it is right to offer some reasons why, as it appears to us, baptism by pouring, or even by sprinkling, is, according to Scripture, as completely baptism as by immersion. The Scriptures tell us what is the thing signified by baptism. It is the work of the Holy Spirit upon the individual soul of each Christian. And this work is likened to pouring' (Isa. xliv. 3); outpouring' (Acts, ii. 17); coming down like rain,' or, 'like the dew (Ps. lxxii. 6); and being washed' (Tit. iii. 5); and buried' (Rom. vi. 4). In any of these similitudes, except one, the last, there is nothing to suggest immersion. Washing' may be effected with or without immersion, and the previous similitudes imply processes which do not allow of it.

The expression of St. Paul to the Corinthians, when he says that the Israelites were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea,' shows that to pass under or through a cloud is recognised as baptism; and even the passage of Israel through the sea is so regarded, although it

Baptism by Immersion.

would appear that in neither case were the children of Israel actually in contact with water, or cloud, but passed beneath the cloud and through the water, the waters being a wall to them on either side.

Now, if walking beneath the cloud, or in the midst of waters piled up on each side, can be quoted as being baptized,' surely the quantity of water brought into actual contact with the body is a thing indifferent.

If, then, the thing signified is equally suggested or illustrated by the pouring,' or the 'outpouring' of water, or by the 'coming down like the rain,' there seems no more reason for requiring the entire immersion of the body in baptism than there is for making the efficacy of the Lord's Supper depend upon the quantity of bread or wine taken and eaten or drank in that Sacrament.

Once more, if we look to the Acts of the Apostles, it is improbable that three thousand could be baptized by immersion on the day of Pentecost. It is not very likely that a man on a journey would stay on the roadside and be totally immersed in water, and then proceed on his way (Acts, viii. 36). The expression of St. Peter (Acts, x. 47), 'Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized?' strikes one as not the natural or probable expression if persons were to be led to immersion, but it is the natural and probable expression if water were to be brought or applied to them.

The circumstances of the baptism of St. Paul render it unlikely that he could have been immersed, and the baptism of the keeper of the prison at Philippi with all his family, in the dead of the night, after an earthquake, and under circumstances which argue great precipitation, suggests that in such cases some other mode than immersion was adopted.

It is, however, right to recollect that St. Paul twice uses the expression buried with Him in baptism,' in his Epistles, and it is not probable he would have used those words if immersion was not known and practised in his day. In one of these cases, too (Col. ii. 12), it is plain that children are included, for the whole argument which follows and forms the whole of the 3rd and part of the 4th chapter would be meaningless if those addressed had not been baptized.

It appears also highly probable that the Jews, who baptized all proselytes (including all children of the proselytes who were under thirteen years of age in right of their parents' profession), baptized frequently, if not invariably, by immersion.

It would be well to ascertain how infant baptism by immersion is managed by the Church in Russia or other countries, in order to secure a thoroughly safe and decent celebration of this mode of administering baptism, if it should be desired.

It is satisfactory to know that the Church prescribes immersion as its normal recognised mode of baptism; that it permits pouring-not, indeed, as an alternative, but rather as an exceptional method; and there seems no reason why either method, or even sprinkling, may not be regarded as 'Scriptural.'

It would probably do much to secure a right estimate of Christ's Sacraments if everywhere they were administered with all possible solemnity; much harm has certainly been done in places where they have been neglected or carelessly performed. It is feared that hundreds of

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Bishop Wilson and the Soldier.

baptized children never, throughout life, hear one word about their baptismal standing or covenant from their parents or sponsors. And, considering the strong prejudice prevailing in some parts of England in favour of dipping,' or 'immersion,' it is well worth the consideration of the clergy and laity, (1.) That the Church distinctly prescribes immersiou; and (2.) Whether it would not be wise to show that we are quite ready to adopt immersion, whether to adult or infant, whenever it is requested.

B

BISHOP WILSON AND THE SOLDIER.

ISHOP WILSON'S manner in his Confirmations was most impressive, and the words used by him most earnest and affecting. While Bishop of Calcutta he usually gave two addresses. The full assent of the catechumens he almost always required to be repeated twice, and sometimes thrice, till the church resounded with the words 'I do.'

In the second address he was accustomed to deliver 'Seven Rules,' which were to be repeated after him at the time, and afterwards written in the Bible or the Prayer-book of those that had been confirmed.

They were as follows:

1. Pray every day of your life for more and more of God's Holy Spirit.

2. Prepare at once for receiving aright the Holy Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ.

3. Read every day some portion of God's Holy Word.

4. Reverence and observe the Lord's Day.

5. Keep in the unity of the Church.

6. Avoid bad company, and seek the company of the good.

'7. When you have got wrong, confess it, and get right as soon as you can.'

In many a Bible and Prayer-book throughout India these words may still be found written. Please, sir, will you give us our 66 Seven Rules?" was the constant request to the Bishop's chaplain after service. On one occasion,' says his biographer, when the Confirmation was concluded in a large military station, and the Bishop was resting for a few minutes in the vestry, a young English soldier hastily entered and made his military salute. On being questioned, it appeared that he had been a candidate for Confirmation. and was duly prepared, but having been on guard he was too late for the ceremony, and he came now to express his sorrow, and to see if his case admitted of no remedy. For a while the Bishop doubted, but his interest was aroused by hearing the soldier plead that he had been a boy in the Islington Parochial Schools, that he had often been catechised in that church, and that he had heard the Bishop's last sermon on leaving London.'

'Kneel down,' said the Bishop. He knelt down and was confirmed, and admitted to the full Communion of the Church militant on earth.' -From Firm unto the End, by the Rev. G. W. BENCE.

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