Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1893-12-15
THE BAPTISM.

should be carried to the font by young
maidens. After the ceremony the in
fants wero delivered into the arms Of
their fathers.
The rite Of baptism had not been per-
formed for several months in the kirk
of Lanark. Il was the hottest time of
persecution, and the inhabitants Of that
parish found other places in which 70
worship God and celebrate the ordi-
nances of religion. 1t was now the Sab
bath day, and a small congregation Of
about a hundred souls had met for di-
vine service in u place of worship more
magnificent than any temple that hui
mar hands had ever built to deity.
Here, too, were three children about to
30 baptized. The congregation had not
assembled to the toll of the bell, but each
heart knew the hour and observed it,
for there are n hundred sundials among
the hills, woods. moors and fields, and
the shepherd and the peasant see the
hours passing by them in sunshine and
shadow.
The church in which they were assem-
Uied wa hewn by Gods hand out of
the eternal rocks. A river rolled itsway
Through a mighty chasln of cliffs several
hundred feet high, Of which the one side
presented enormous masses and The 9TH
or corresponding recesses, as if the great
stone girdle had been rent by a cOnyul
sion. The channel was o%verspread with
prOdigious fragments of rock or large
loose stones, some of them smooth and
bare, others containing soil and verdure
in their relts and assures and here and
there crowned with shrubs and trees.
The eye could at once command a long
stretching vista seemingly closed and
shut up at both extremities by the CO
alescing 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 vas easy to walk
up this scene with the calm, blue sky
overhead, an utter and sublime solthde.
On looking mp the soul was bowed down
by the feeling of that prodigious height
of ~unscalable and often ~overhanging
elf. Between tho channel and the sum
init Of the far extended precipices were
p%erpetually flying rocks and wood pi-
geons and now and then n hawk, filling
the profound abyss with their wild cav
ing. deep murmur or shrill shrek.
Sometimes a heron would stand erect
and still on some little stone island OF
rise mp Ike a white cloud along the
black walls Of the chasm and disappear.
Winged creatures alone could inhabii
this region. The fox and wildcat chose
more accessible haunts. Yet here came
the prosecuted Christians and worshipej
God, whose hand hung over their heads
those magnificent pillars and arches
scooped out those galleries from the solo
rock and laid at their feet the caln
waterin its transparent beauty, in which
they could see themselves sitting in re
fiected groups. with their Bibles in theil
hands.
Here upon a semicircular ledge o.
rocks, over n narrow chasm, through
which the tiny stream played in a muir
muring waterfall and divided the con
gregation into equal parts, sat about
hundred persons all devoutly listening
to their minister, who stood before then
on what might well be called a small
natural pulpit Of living stone. Up to /
there led a short flight Of steps, and owe.
it waved the canopy Of a tall, graceful
birch tree. This pulpit stood on tn,
middle Of the channel directly facing
that congregation, and separated from
them by the clear, deep sparkling poo
into which the scarce heard water poured
over the blackened rock.
The water ms it left the pool separated
into two streams and flowed on eacl
side Of that altar, thus placing it in N
island. whose large. messy stones wer'
richly empowered under the golden bios
SONS and green tresses Of the broom
Divine service was closed, and a row O
maidens. all clothed in purest white
came gliding of from the congregation
and crossing the stream on some step
ping stones arranged themselves at thu
foot Of the pulpit. Vitht the infants aboul
70 be baptized.
The fathers Of the infants, just as /
they had been in their own kirk, haC
been sitting there during worShip, anC
now stood up before the minister. Th'
baptismal water, taken from. that pei
lucid pool. was lying ~consorated in Z
small hollow Of one of the upright stones
that formed one side or pillar OF the pull
pit, and the holy rite proceeded. Som'
OF the younger ones IN that belhcllcl'
kept gazing down into the pool, in which
the whole scene was reflected, and nov
and then, In spite Of the grave looks d
~admonishing whispers Of their elders
letting a pebble fall into the water tha'
they might judge Of its depth from thu
length Of time that elapsed before thl
clear air bells lay sparkling on the agi
tated surface.
Tho rite was over, and the religious
service q the day closed by a psalm
The mighty rocks hemmed in the holJ
sound and sent 1t in a more compactsi
volume, clear, sweet and strong, up L