Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1893-06-03
THE BAPTISM.

custom that infants about to be baptized
should be carried to the font by young
maidens. After the ceremony the In
fants were delivered into the arms of
their fathers.
The rite of baptism had not been per-
formed for several months in the kirk
of Lanark. It was tho hottest time Of
persecution, and the inhabitants Of that
parish found other places in which to
worship God and celebrate the ordi-
nances Of religion. 1t was now tho Sab
bathsday, and small congregation of
about q hundred souls had met for dl-
vine service in q place Of worship moro
magnificent. than any temple that hui
man hands had ever built to deity.
Here, too, were three children about to
be baptized The congregation had not
assembled to the toll Of the bell, but each
heart knew the hour and observed it.
for there are hundred sundia|s among
: the hills, woods, moors and fields, and
the shepherd and tho peasant sec the
hours passing by them in sunshine and
shadow.
The church in which they were assem-
bled was hewn By Gods hand out Of
the eternal rocks. a river rolled Its way
through mighty chasm Of cliffs several
hundred feet high, Of which the one side
presented enormous masses and the 9th
er corresponding recesses, as If the great
stone girdle had been rent by convul-
sion. The channel was overspreao with
prodigious fragments Of rock or large
loose stones, some of them smooth and
bare. Others containing soil and verdure
IN their rents and assures and here and
there crowned with shrubs and trees.
The eye could at once command @ long
stretching vista seemingly closed and
shut up at both extren1ities by the CO.
slescing cliffs.
This majestic reach of river contained
pools, streams. rushing shelves and
waterfalls innumerable, and when the
water was low, which it now was in the
common drought, it was easy to walk
I'D this scene with the calm, blue sky
overhead, an utter and sublime solitude.
On looking up the soul was bowed down
by the feeling of that prodigious height
OF unscalable and often overhanging
cliff. Between the channel and the sum-
NIT of the far extended precipices were
perpetually flying rocks and wood pl-
Veons and now and then hawk, filling
the profound abyss with their wild cav
ing, deep murlnur or shrill shrek.
Sometimes Il heron would stand erect
and still on some little stone island or
rise up like white cloud along the
black walls OF the -chasm and disappear.
Winged creatures alono could inhabit
this region. The fox and wildcat chose
more accessible haunts. Yet here came
the prosecuted Christians andworshiped
God. whose hand hung over their heads
those magnificent pillars and arches,
scooped out those galleries from the solid
rock and laid at their feet the calm
wateriu its transparent beauty, in which
they could sec themselves sitting in re-
Elected groups. with their Bibles in their
hands.
Here upon a sernicircular ledge Of
rocks, over narrow chasm, through
which the tinyStream played In muir
1nuripg waterfall and divided the con-
gregation into equal parts, sat about
hundred persons al devoutly listening
to their minister, who stood before them
on what might well be called small,
natural pulpit Of living stone. Up to It
there led short fight of steps, and over
it waved the canopy Of tall, graceful
birch tree. This pulpit stood On the
middle OF the channel directly facing
that congregation. and separated from
them by the clear, deep sparkling pool
into which tho scarce heard water poured
over the blackcned rock.
The water as 1t left the pool separated
into two streams and flowed on each
side Of that altar. thus placing it In an
island. whose large. messy stones were
richly EMPOWERED under the golden bios
SONS and green tresses of the broom.
Divine service was closed. and row Of
maidens. all clothed In purest white,
came gliding off from the congregation,
and, crossing the stream on some step
ping stones arranged themselves at the
foot of the pulpit. with the infants about
TO be baptized.
The fathers OF the infants. just as if
they had been in their own kirk, had
been sitting there during worship, and
now stood up before the minister. The
baptismal water, taken from that pei
lucid pool. was lying consecrated in o
small hollow of one Of the upright stones
that formed one side or pillar Of the pull
pit, and the holy rite proceeded Some
OF the younger ones in that semicircle
: tept gazing down into the pool. in which
the whole scene was reflected, and now
and then, In spite Of the grave looks or
!. admonishing whispers of their elders,
letting a pebble fall into the water that
they might Judge of Its depth from the
length OF time that elapsed before the
clear air bells lay sparkling on the agi-
tated surface.
The rite was over, and the religious
service Of tbs day closed by psalm.
The mighty rocks hemmed in the holy
sound and sent 1t in more compacted
volume, clear, sweet and strong. up to
heaven When the psalm ceased, n
echo like spirits voice was heard dying
away high up among the magnificent
architecture Of the cliffs, and once more
might be noticed in the silence the re-
riv1ng voice Of the waterfall
Just then large stone fell from tho
top Of the cliff into the pool, a loud
voice was heard, and a plaid hung over
on the point of shepherds staff. Their
watchful sentinel had deserted danger,
End this was warning. Forthwith the
congregation rose There were paths
dangerous to Impractical feet along the
Lodges Of the rocks leading up to several
caves and places of concealment. The
more active and young assisted the elder
more especially the old pastor and the
women with the infants-and many min
utes had not elapsed till not living
creature was visible In tho channel of
4 Ill L.