A BAPTISMAL SCENE IN THE EARLY CHURCH.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3178, 5 September 1881, Page 4

A BAPTISMAL SCENE IN THE EARLY CHURCH.

Let us conceive ourselves present at those extraordinary scenes, to which no existing ritual of any European Church offers any likeness. There was, as a general rule, but one baptistery in each city, and such baptisteries were apart from the churches. There was bufc one time of the year when the rite was administered—namely, between Easter and Pentecost. There was but one personage who could administer it — the presiding officer of the community, the bishop, as the chief presbyter was called after the first century. There was but one hour for the ceremony ; it was midnight. The torches flared through the dark hall as the troops of converts flocked in. The baptistery consisted of an inner and outer cltamber. In the outer chamber stood the candidates for baptism, stripped to their shirts; and, turning to the west as the region of sunset, they stretched forth their hands through the dimly lit chamber, as in a defiant attitude towards the Evil Spirit of Darkness, and, speaking to him by name, said : " I renounce thee, Satan, and all thy works, and all thy pomp, and all thy service." Then thoy turned, like a regiment, facing right round to tho east, and repeated, in a form more or less long, the belief in the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, which has grown up into the so-called Apostles' Creed in the West, and fche so-called Nicene Crepd in the East. They then adYance into the inner chamber. Before them yawned the deep pool or reservoir, and standing by the deacon, or deaconess, as the case might be, to arrange that all should i-e done with decency. The whole troop undressed completely as if for a bath, and stood up, naked, before the bishop, who put to each the questions, to which the answer was returned in a loud and distinct Toice, as of those who knew what they h;i' undertaken. They then plunged into th water. Both before md after tbe immersion their bare limbs were rubbed with oil from head to foot; they were then clothed in white gowns, and received, a? token of the kindly feeling of their new brotherhood, the kiss of peace, and a taste of honey and milk • and they expressed their new faith by using for the first time the Lord's Prayer.—Christian Institutions, by Dean Stanley.