floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water-courses. One shall say, I am the Lord's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. LUKE 3: 16. MATTHEW 28: 18-20. JOHN answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. And Jesus came, and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. ISAIAH 40: 9-11. JOHN 10: 14-16. O ZION, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain: O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall : gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. I am the good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. After reading one or more of the above passages, and prayer, the minister invites the parents to present themselves with the child. Then coming to the font, he says: AND they brought young children to him, that he should touch them; and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.-MARK 10: 13-16. Then the minister, addressing himself to the parents, says, Thus encouraged, you bring this child* to be solemnly entered into the covenant of grace by baptism, which holy sacrament now takes the place of the ancient bloody rite of circumcision. As this ceremony is to be observed, heartily, sincerely, and as an act of religious faith and love, I ask you, therefore, before God and in the presence of these witnesses, Do you present and give up this child unto God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to be baptized in the faith, and engaged in the covenant of God professed by this church? * Child or children. Do you solemnly promise, in the presence of God, that by the grace of Christ you will discharge your covenant and duty towards your child, so as to bring him up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, teaching and commanding him to keep the way of God, that he may be able,-through the grace of Christ,—to make a personal profession of his faith, and to own the covenant himself in due time? Here a brief prayer is offered, after which the ordinance of baptism is administered. The minister then says: YOU have now made a voluntary dedication of this your child to God in Christ; and have solemnly engaged so to train him, that from a child he may know the HOLY SCRIPTURES, which are able to make him wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. I seriously and earnestly charge you, as you would secure the blessings of the covenant for your household, that you REMEMBER the promises this day made in the presence of many witnesses. The words that God hath commanded you, these you shall teach diligently unto your children; you shall talk of them when you sit in the house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. And because children are more ready to be influenced by our examples than by our precepts, take heed that you show them the copy of a holy life in your own conversation. Thus Abraham, the father of the faithful, entered into covenant with God for himself and his seed after him; and commanded his children and his household to keep the way of the Lord. Thus Joshua resolved: As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. A hymn is then sung, and the service is concluded with the following BENEDICTION. THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. BAPTISMAL HYMNS. HYMN I. 7s. Administration. Perfect what thou hast begun : At the parents' hands receive; With the purifying flood Now the Holy Spirit give. 2 We on this dear infant's head Pour, in faith, the crystal stream: HYMN II. L. M. Institution.-Matt. 28: 18-20. 1 Devoting now this little one To God the Father, God the Son, 2 We own thy just authority, 3 These parents guide by thy command, And train their children, in thy fear. 4 We on thy gracious word depend, |