Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1859-07-14
(From Lights and Shadows of Scottish Life.)
The Baptism.

II
country church, there takes place the gentle
stir and preparation Of baptism. A sudden
air of cheerfulness spreads over the whole con-
gregaton the more solemn expression of all
countenances fades away aud it is at once
felt that rite is to be performed, which,
although of solemn and awful kind is vet con-
nected with thousand delightful associations
of purity, beauty, and innocence. Then here
is an eager bending of smiling faces over the
| humble gallerieS-an unconscious rising up in
affectionate curiosity-and a slight murmuring
sound in which no violation of the Sabbath
/ sanctity of Gods house, when in the middle of
| the passage of the church the party of women
are seen, matronS and maids, who bear in their
bosoms, or in their arms, the helpless beings
| about 10 be made members Of the Christian
| Communion.
| There sit, all dressed becomngly in white,
the fond and happy baptismal group. The
| babies have all been entrusted for precious
! hour to the bosomS of young maidens, who ten
| derly fold their yearuing hearts, and, with en-
/ dearments taught by nature, are stlling, not
always successfully, their plaintive cries Then
! the proud and delighted girls rise up one after
! the other in sight of the whole congregation
aud give up the infants arrayed in neat caps
and long flowing linen, into their fathers hands
/ For the poorest of the poor if he has a heart
at all, will have his infant well dressed on such
u day, even although it should scant his meals
for weeks to come and force him to spare fuel
to his winter fire.
And now the fathers are all standing be-
low the pulpit, with grave aud thoughtful
faces Each has tenderly taken his infant into
/ his toll hardened hands, and supports it in
gentle and steadfast affection They are all
the children of poverty, and, if they live, are
/ destined to a life of toll. But now poverty
puts on its most pleasant aspect, for it is be-
| held standing before the altar of religion with
contentment and faith This is a time when
the better nature of man must rise up with
him and when he must feel mere especially,
that he is a spiritual and immortal being, max
ing covenant with God He is about to take
upon himself holy charge ; TO promise to look
after the childs immortal soul aud to keep his
little feet from the paths Of evil, aud in those
| ofiGnocence and peace. Such thought elevates
the lowest mind above itself-dffGses additional
tenderness over the domestic relations, aud
makes them who hold up their infants to the
/ baptismal font, better husbands, fathers and
sons by the deeper insight which they then
D
The minister cOnsecrates the water, and as
it falls on his infants face, the father feels the
great oath in his soul. As the poor helpless
creature is wailng in bis arms. he thinks how
ncedfuI indeed to human infaucv is the love of
/ Providence. And when after delivering each
/ child into the arms Of the smiling maiden from
/ whom ne aad received it, he again takes his
/ place for admOhition and advice before the
I IL i III -. /
/ the perfect beauty Of that religion of whom
! the Divine founder said. Suffer little child
! rem 10 come unto me, for such IS The kingdom
/ of Heaven
! The rite of Baptism had not been thus ner-
/ formed for several months in the Kirk of
I Lanark 1t was now the hottest time of per
/ Secution and the inhabitants of that parish
| found other places in which to worship God
/ and celebrate the ordinances of religion 1t
was now the Sabbath day. aud a small congre-
/ CATION Of about a hundred souls, had met for
divine service in place of worship more mag
/ nifceut than any temple that human hands had
ever built to Deity Here, too, were three
children about to be baptized The cougrega-
/ ton had not assembled 10 the toll OF the bell.
but each heart knew the hour. and observed
it for there are a hundred sun dialS among the
/ hills, woods, m0ors aud field, and tue shepherd
of the peasant see the hours passing by them
in the sunshine and shadow.
The church in which they were assembled
was hewn by Gods hand, lut of eternal rocks
\ river rolled lis way through mighty chaSm
af cliffs. several hundred feet high. OF which the
/ one side presented enormous masses. and the
other corresponding rece>>es, as if the great
stone Cirile had been vent by convulS0a.-
The channel was Over>pread with the pr0digiOus
fragments Of rock, or large loose stones. some
. of them smooth and bare, others containing
soil and veudure in their rents aud fsSureS aud
here and crowned with shrubs aud trees. The
eve colld al once command q loaC stretching
vista, seemingly closed and shut IN at both
eXt-emities bv the cOa'eS,ing cliffs This ma
jestic reach & river contained pools, streams
rushing shelves and waterfalls inuumera6ie /;
and when the water was low. which i now
was ia the common drought. il was easy tu
walk up this scene, with the calm blue SKY over
head an utter and sublime solitude. On look
I ing up, sonl was bowed down by the feeling OF
+ that prodigous height OF uDScaleable aud often
Oyerhangiug cliff. Between the channel aud
the summit of the far extended precipiceS were
perpetually flying rocks and wOodpigeons. and
and now aud then hawk filling the profound
abyss with their wild cawing deep murmar. or
shrilly shrek Sometimes heron would stand
erect aud still on some little stone island. or
rise up Ike white cloud along the black wall
Of the chasm, and disappear. Winged crea
/ tgreS alone could iuhabit this region The fox
and wildcat chose more accessible hauats-
Yet here came the prosecuted Christians AID
worshpPers of God, whose hand hung over
their heads those magnificent pillars and srches,
scooped out those galleries from the solid rock
and laid ST their feet the calm water in IT'S
transparent beauty. in which they could see
themselves sitting in reflected groups, with