The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-03-17
EXCITING RAPTIsMAL SCENE
A FragileDaugther Baptized Against
the Protest Of Her Father, Whil'
He Is Held by Two OficeFss

A FragileDaugther Baptized Against
the Protest of Her Father, While
He Is Held by Two OfhceTs.
On Sunday afternoon last a scene
traspired on the banks Of White Riv-
er, in this city, which has caused a
large amount of discussion in religi
GUS and other circles, and which ere
ated an intense excitement while it
was being enacted. The facts, as
related to us by various persons, are
as follows:
Some weeks ago a daughter Of
Mr.. S. Rodman, of this city, while
attending services at the Baptist
Curch, became deeply interested in
religious questions, and finally ex-
pressed desire to become q mem
Der of that church by being baptized
in accordance with its ussge-that is
by immersion.
The young lady is in very delicate
state of health, and her father reques-
ted her to postpone the rite till a
more propitious condition of the
weather should arrive, he fearing
that the shock of an immersion in
ice cold water water would seriously,
if not fatally, injure her. She still,
however, expressed a desire to have
the rite administered, and Rev. j.
NJ. Bennett, pastor of the Baptist
Church, agreed to receive her into
the church, by immersion, on last
Sabbath. Hearing this, her father
took her to the residence Of Mr..
Bennett, showed him how fragile was
her physical condition, and urged
him to postpone the ceremony to q
more propitious season. He had no
other objection, he said, to the i'm
mersion of his daughter but the one
his fears that her health would be
permanently injured by it.
Elder Bennett, however, deter
mined to proceed with the affair,
and appointed last Sunday after
noon as the time, and White River,
at the foot Of High street, as the
place. Mr.. Rodman then endeavor-
ed to prevent his daughter from be-
ing present, but in this he was un-
successful, and at the hour appointed
Elder Bennett, with number Of his
parishioners, male and female, and
Miss Roadman, repaired to the banks
of White River, and prepared for the
administration of the sacred ordin-
ance. Mr.. Rodman heard of it, and
at once hurried to the spot, and for
bade the minister from proceeding
any further in the matter. His pro-
test was disregarded, however, and
the young lady stepped into the
water. Mr. Rodman's protest be-
came more and more emphatic and
determined, and finally Mr.. Martin
Galither, one of the members Of the
church present, ordered Sheriff Swain
and City Marshal Robinson to seize
and hold him until the ceremony was
over, which they did, he continuing
his verbal protest, however, in which
he was seconded by an eldest sister
of the penitent.
Before, however, the ceremony was
over Mr.. Rodman asked the minister
to desist till his lawyers could be
present and his rights in the premi-
ses determined by them, promising
to cease his opposition if they should
decide that he had no right to con-
troll his daughter in the matter. He
accordingly sent for Messrs. Klgore
& Gregory, but before they arrived
on the scene the ceremony was over.
As soon as the young lady was
baptized she was put into carriage
and driven rapidly away, and the
crowd dispersed.
The affair excited considerable
feeling and discussion, and one or
two law suits will probably grow
out of it, as Mr.. r. says he is deter
mined to know Wether the law gives
him the right to control his minor
children or not. If the affair takes
this cours e it will make one of the
most interesting and important ca
ses ever tried in our State courts
Maneie, Ind, Times, March 2.