The Ministration of Public Baptism of Enfants, To be used in Church. THREE PRELIMINARY RUBRICS. Cautela Baptismatis; i.e., Instructive Cautions as to "convenience" (suitability, propriety) of Time, Place, Person, Manner, Matter, &c., of Baptism. I. Baptisms in the Sunday Service. (a) Sundays, &c. "The first or second Sunday after birth, or other Holy Day falling between;" to minimize the danger of losing what is " necessary to salvation." (Rubric Priv. Bapt.; Canon 68.) (b) "In Church." "Children not to be baptized at home, without great cause and necessity." (Rubric Priv. Bapt.) (c) "Most number." Admission of young Recruits into Christ's Army should take place on Parade, when fellow soldiers are present in full strength; (1) to welcome new comrades; (2) to testify that the ceremony is duly performed as to the Three Essentials, viz., " Ministry, Matter, Words;" and (3) to be reminded of their own cramentum" or Oath of Allegiance, with its attendant obligations. "Sa (d) "Vulgar Tongue." Native language, which is common to all the Vulgus or mass of Q population; so that the Service may be instructive. (e) "Necessity, &c." Admission into God's Kingdom, Household, Army, &c., too solemn and important to be thrust into a corner or got through anyhow at any odd time. (f) "Convenient, &c." The objection to Morning Baptisms, on the score of "lengthening the Service," has weight only from the unseemly and unrubrical practice of "Lumping" together three distinct Services, which were intended to be said at three distinct times, as their distinct character and separate places in the Prayer Book sufficiently indicate. In 1575, Abp. Grindal, a disciple of Calvin, to save himself and others the "trouble" of attending church thrice, so as to give (say) Holy Communion at 8, Mattins at 10, and Litany at 12, enacted that all three should be said simultaneously; just as men of his school have been known to fulfil the letter of the law by saying Mattins and Evensong together between the hours of 11 and 1; thus at once converting children, aged, invalids, and servants, i.e., three-fourths of the population, into "Aggrieved Parishioners;" introducing the irreverence of non-Fasting Communion, as well as of Sitting to Hear instead of Kneeling to Pray, and building "comfortable" Pews to do it in ; and "offending" into absence and hostility a large proportion even of the strong and healthy, by the intolerable weariness of "Three single Services rolled into One;" an anomaly as great and absurd as would be the supplying of Breakfast, Dinner, and Tea, in close conjunction, without a reasonable interval for the recovery of appetite between meals. II. God-Fathers and God-Mothers. (a) God = Good. So in "Gospel," i.e., Good News, or Glad Tidings; "Gossip," i.e., God, Sib, a Good Relation, &c. (b) God Parents, Male and Female, for the child's Soul; as "Blood Parents" are for its Body. (c) To bring about the Child's New Birth and introduction into the family of God; as Blood Parents effect his Birth and introduction into their own family. (d) To stand in loco Parentis to the child as a Christian," and give him his new name. (e) To do the Child the utmost "good," by (1) Bringing him to the Font; (2) Acting as his mouthpiece; so that through them as a Speaking-trumpet his voice may be heard in responses and promises; (3) Helping the Blood Parents to bring him up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; and (4) Bringing him to the Bishop for Confirmation, so soon as he can say the Creed, &c. (f) They must be Communicants: (1) To have Divine aid for their work; and (2) Because parents cannot teach children duties which themselves neglect. (Canon 29.) (g) "Blood-Fathers" not to be admitted as "GodFathers;" because (1) it is additional help and securities (sureties) that the Church requires; and (2) Fathers are already so tied by the claims of Parentage, that nothing can make their responsibilities more binding. (Canon 29.) (h) This restriction has been relaxed recently by Convocation, on account of the difficulty in many cases of finding suitable Sponsors. But, like Divorce, Monthly Communions, &c., it only indicates spiritual decay, and love grown cold. "From the beginning it was not so." (i) Mothers are not expected to be present at all; because (1) Baptism is to be eight days after birth; and (2) Churching or Purification (40 days after) should precede her appearance for any public act. (k) "Two Godfathers for every male, &c."; because men are more likely to be of use to a boy; women, to a girl. (7) Four Titles, descriptive of Duties: 66 I. God-parents;" Good for child's soul. VOW. Securities for Christian Education. 3. "Sureties ;" 4. "Witnesses;" especially in Adult Baptism. (m) Sponsors, not essential to Baptism. For there are none in Private Baptism, which is perfectly valid. (2) Their Promises" or Responsibilities not, as vulgar error has it, either (1) That the child shall believe and do this or that; or (2) To be answerable for the child's repentance, faith, obedience; still less, for its sins; or (3) To relieve the child from the responsibility of keeping its own vows up to the time of Con firmation; or (4) To do anything impossible, (1) To say for the child at the Font in its 66 (3) Bring him to the Bishop for Confirmation, so soon as he can say, &c." (0) Hence no Communicant need or should hesitate about undertaking so "good" a work; and it may well form one of the special duties of a Church Gulid, formed for the purpose of searching out unbaptized children and bringing them to the Font. III., The Curate and the Font. (a) "Give Knowledge," or Notice; make it known; that water, &c., may be in readiness, and perhaps the Font wreathed with White Flowers, as emblems of Innocence and Purity. (b) "The Curate"; i.e., the Priest who has the "cura," care, or charge of the Parish. (c) "After the last Lesson" at Mattins. Three reasons: (1) "Most number of people" present; even late comers. (2) Old and New Testament Lections just read and claimed as authorities. (3) Benedictus and Jubilate, most appropriate hymns, immediately follow; as |