THE BAPTISEMENT OF THE BAIRN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1878, 2 January 1885, Page 2

THE BAPTISEMENT OF THE BAIRN.

An amusing scene occurred at a wellknown church in Paisley on "baptism Sunday." Five mothers eat dandling the|r five lifctJe Senilis waiting for the performance of. the rite admitting jjie little ones wjtliin the pale of the visible Ohurch, With slow -and revered mien the pastor descended the steps of the pulpit, and, one after another, besprinkled the faces of four of the little ones. The fifth father turned round to '"lift 1 ' his little charge, when, to the surprise of everybody present, the minister wiped his hands, and walked deliberately up the pulpit stair. Father No 5, unconscious of the situation, advanced to the front of the child, and on finding he was abandoned blushed up as red as a penny rose, antj soift after the retreating form of tlie minister an interrogatory "Ahemf This, 1 Howevci' was' unheard by .'the minister, who entered"the pulpit, and with closed eyes proceeded to invoke tlie (Jiyine Messing' upon the children just admitted into the boson) pf tl>e Church. Audible titter? at the expense of the embarrassed father now ran through tHe jshijrch; still the service proceeded. The man sat down with his baby and wiped the sweat front), his face,, on seeing which a worthy member sitting near the pulpit vented a loud whisperpulpitwards—'"Mr C—l Mr —!" Still the solemn tones flf the minister flowed on uninterruptedly. The beadle, now prompted to action by the hilarity of the younger members of the congregation, crept up the pulpit stairs with cat-like tread and with nervous hand twitched the gown sleeve of the only person }n the church unconscious of what was gqlng on, With surprise he stopped his prayer, and bent his ear towards the beadle's mouth, A quick flush mounted to his face, and gathering together his robe he once more descended the steps, and whispering an apology into the ear of the patient father, performed the omitted rite, aacendeijtjie pulpit, and finished the the service,