DEAR

EARLY beloved, I beseech you to call upon God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that of his bounteous goodness he will grant to these persons that they may be baptized with water and the Holy Ghost, and received into Christ's holy Church, and be made lively members of the same.

¶ Then shall the Minister say:

Let us pray.

A

LMIGHTY and immortal God, the aid of all who need, the helper of all who flee to thee for succor, the life of those who believe, and the resurrection of the dead; we call upon thee for these persons, that they, coming to thy holy Baptism, may receive remission of their sins, by spiritual regeneration. Receive them, O Lord, as thou hast promised by thy well-beloved Son, saying, Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. So give now unto us who ask; let us who seek, find; open the gate unto us who knock; that these persons may enjoy the everlasting benediction of thy heavenly washing, and may come to the eternal kingdom which thou hast promised by Christ our Lord. Amen.

T Then the Minister shall say:

Hear the words of the Gospel, written by Saint John, in the third chapter, beginning at the first verse:

T

HERE was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof; but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

The Minister shall then demand of the persons to be baptized as follows, the questions being considered as addressed to them severally, and the answers to be made accordingly.

Question.

Dost thou renounce the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the sinful desires of the flesh, so that thou wilt not follow, nor be led by them?

Ansrer. I renounce them all; and, by God's help, will endeavor not to follow, nor be led by them.

Question. Dost thou believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith, as contained in this book?

Answer. I do.

Question. Wilt thou be baptized in this Faith?

Answer. That is my desire.

Question. Wilt thou then obediently keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of thy life? Answer. I will, by God's help.

Then shall the Minister say.

ALMIGHTY, ever living God, whose most dearly beloved Son Jesus

Christ, for the forgiveness of our sins, did shed out of his most precious side both water and blood; and gave commandment to his disciples, that they should go teach all nations, and baptize them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; regard, we beseech thee, the supplications of thy congregation; sanctify this water to the mystical washing away of sin; and grant that the persons now to be baptized therein, may receive the fulness of thy grace, and ever remain in the number of thy faithful children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then shall the Minister take each person to be baptized by the right hand; and placing him conveniently by the Font, according to his discretion, shall ask the name; and then shall dip him in the water, or sprinkle water upon him, saying:

N.

I BAPTIZE thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Then shall the Minister say:

WE receive this person into the Congregation of Christ's flock;

in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under his banner, against sin, and to continue Christ's faithful soldier and servant unto his life's end. Amen.

¶ Then shall be said the Lord's Prayer.

OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy king

dom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

WE yield the humble thanks, O heavenly Father, that thou hast

vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace, and faith in thee; increase this knowledge, and confirm this faith in us ever

more. Give thy Holy Spirit to these persons; that, through our Lord Jesus Christ, they may continue thy servants, and attain thy promises; through the same Lord Jesus Christ thy Son. Amen.

¶ And then, speaking to the baptized persons, the Minister shall proceed, and say:

A

ND as for you, who have now by baptism put on Christ, it is your part, and duty also, to walk answerably to your Christian calling, and as becometh the children of light; remembering always that baptism representeth unto us our profession; which is to follow the example of our Saviour Christ, and to be made like unto him; that as he died, and rose again for us, so should we, who are baptized, die from sin, and rise again unto righteousness; continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt affections, and daily proceeding in all virtue and godliness of living. Amen.

THE CHRISTIAN CATECHISM.

To be learned by every person before he makes his first Communion.

Question. What is your name?

Answer. M. or N.

Q. Who gave you this name?

A. My parents, when I was baptized, or dedicated to a Christian life.

Q. What did they then desire and pray for you?

A. That I might shun everything that is evil; that I might receive and love Christ as my Saviour; follow him as my Example, and obey him as my divine Teacher, and partake of his blessed Spirit.

Q. Do you wish to confirm their prayers for you?

A. Yes; and I trust to be able by God's blessing so to do.

Q. What are the Articles of your belief?

A. I believe in One God, the Father Almighty, the Maker of all things:

And in Jesus Christ his Son, our Lord, who is the true Teacher, Example, and Saviour of men.

I believe in the Holy Ghost: the Holy Church: the forgiveness of sins: the certainty of retribution, the resurrection from the dead, and the life everlasting.

Q. What do you particularly learn in these Articles of your belief? A. First, I learn to believe in God the Father, who hath made me and all things.

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Secondly, in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who hath redeemed me and all mankind.

Thirdly, in the Holy Spirit, the Comforter and Sanctifier; which is from God.

Fourthly, in the forgiveness of my sins, when I am truly sorry for, and do heartily repent of the same.

Fifthly, in the certainty of retribution, or the punishment due to sin: that is, for all the sins which I commit I must suffer the consequences, either in this world or in the world of spirits.

Sixthly, in the resurrection from the dead: that is, at death my soul will be disengaged from my material body, and raised up in a spiritual body, that it may grow and act in freedom in the world of spirits.

Q. Does God's forgiveness immediately remove all the consequences of sin ?

4. No. Forgiveness immediately removes only one of the consequences or penalties of sin, viz: the sense of the Divine displeasure, or the feeling of “alienation" from God, and everything which separates me from his love, whether the obstacle be on my part, or on the part of my heavenly Father.

Q. What is the second natural consequence of sin?

A. A bad, or depraved character, which results from the practice of evil.

Q. Will forgiveness ever remove this consequence of sin?

A. Yes. Not immediately, but mediately and indirectly, by impart ing new energy to the moral nature, and by creating a power of grateful affection in my soul, which will enable me to form new habits of virtue.

Q. Will the opportunity of a right choice be denied the soul after it enters the world of spirits?

A. No. The relations of the human spirit to God, the Divine Spirit, are not changed by death. Wherever and whenever the soul heartily repents, and turns to God, he will mercifully hear and bless.

Q. Which are the ten commandments?

A. The following:

1. Thou shalt have none other gods but me.

2. Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven images, nor worship them.

3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

4. Thou shalt remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy.

5. Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother.

6. Thou shalt do no murder.

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

8. Thou shalt not steal.

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

10. Thou shalt not covet anything that is thy neighbor's.

Q. What do you chiefly learn in these commandments?

A. I learn two things: my duty towards God, and my duty towards my neighbor.

Q. What is your duty towards God?

4. My duty towards God is, to believe in him, and to love him with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my soul, and with all my strength; to worship him; to give him thanks; to put my whole trust in him; to call upon him; to honor his holy Name and his word; and to serve him truly all the days of my life.

Q. What is your duty towards your neighbor?

A. My duty towards my neighbor is to love him as myself, and to do to all men as I would they should do unto me.

Q. How will you be able to keep these laws?

A. By diligent attention and watchfulness not to do anything which is forbidden; and by prayer to God to help my weakness.

Q. Can you repeat the Lord's Prayer?

A. Yes. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Q. What do you learn in this prayer?

A. That God is to be adored and loved as my heavenly Father; that all things necessary for my life and comfort are his gift; that he will be merciful unto me, and forgive my sins; that he is able to save and defend me in all danger both of soul and body.

Q. How many sacraments are there in the Church?

A. Two: Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Q. What means the word Sacrament?

A. An outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. Q. What is the outward sign in baptism?

A. Water, which is either used by dipping the person in it, or pouring or sprinkling it upon him; and the Minister at the same time saying, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Q. What inward grace does this outward sign represent?

A. A death unto sin, and a new spiritual birth unto righteousness. Q. What is required of persons to be baptized?

A. Repentance of all their sins, and faith in Christ as their Saviour. Q. Why then are infants baptized?

A. That their parents may bind themselves to train them up to a Christian life, and as children of God.

Q. For what was the ordinance of the Lord's Supper ordained? A. To be a continual remembrance of him; of all he did and said; of his sufferings, his death, his resurrection; and of all the benefits which the world enjoys in the completion of his mission on earth. Q. What are the outward signs of this ordinance?

A. Bread and wine.

Q. What is the signification of these elements?

4. They are to represent the body and blood of Christ; and while