The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-24
BAPTISM WAS THE PREACHERS THEME Rev. Father Kerrigan on the
 First Sacrament. IMMERSION IN EARLY DAYS Catholic Teaching on Baptism Clearly Set Forth-Father Giles of St.
 Bernard Breaches at Our
 Lady of Sorrows.
IMMERSION IN EARLY DAYS

At-st. Paurs church yesterday the Rev. Father OReilly said the 7:90 o'clock mass and the Rev. Father Kerrigan was the celebrant at o'clock and HOBO o'clock. At the last mass Father Kerrigan deliv- cred the following discourse:
 My instruction today will treat of the sacrament of baptism, and I will consider that sacrament. first, in itself and then in its administration.
 The word baptism comes from a Greek word slgnifying immersion and indicates the mode of baptlzing most in use priml- tive church, viz, by immersion. There are three kinds of baptlsm-of blood or mar tyrdom, of desire. or an ardent wish to receive baptism coupled with sorrow for sin; and baptism of water Any one of these three will cleanse the soul of sin and reopen heaven, but baptism by water alone is sacrament and it alone imprints the baptismal character of the soul
 Baptism is the first and most necessary of the sacraments. The first, because without it no other sacrament can be re- ceived. The most necessary-by necessity
 
 if deprived of 1t through no fault of his own can enter heaven. In the case of adults baptism may be supplied by bap- tism of blood or desire.
 Modes of Baptism.
 The matter of baptism Is real and nat ural water with which the ablution is performed by pouring it on the head of ho frN 1.a ko1 would be equally valid if the catechumen were sprinkled with or plunged into the water, as in the primitive age. These modes are called baptism by aspersion and immersion. The church teaches that. while no doubt immersion was the usual form In the primitive church, still it was not, from the very necessity of things, the only one, and that infusion and as- persion were likewise used as equally valid After St. Peters first discourse, three thousand persons were baptized. So many could hardly have been immersed in one day, especially since 1t was neces- sary also to instruct them. In the account of the baptism of St. Paul and the tailor, the context would persuade that both were baptized by aspersion or infusion Early ecclesiastical history records many cases of baptism conferred on sick persons in 1 their beds prisoners in their cells and l persons on shipboard.
 We cannot believe that persons in such situations could be baptized by immersion nor have the fathers of the church ever l questioned the validity of these cases. | Baptism has always been declared neces- sary for salvation, therefore it Is reason | able to believe that our Lord would have l afforded the greatest facility for the re- ception of so essential a sacrament Indeed moments reflection will convince one 1 that, if immersion be he only valid bap- 1tism, the most absurd consequences fol- low. The church uses infusion, because | it is the most convenient from every point of view.
 The Formula.
 The form or formula is the invocation of the Blessed Trinity, viz, "I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost" to be pronounced by the minister at the same time the water is poured
 The minister is priest consecrated for this office, but in case of necessity any one having the use of reason-man, wo- man or child-heretic or infidel-the two latter having the intention of course may baptize.
 The effects of baptism are two: Gen. eral and particular. The general effect is spiritual regeneration; man is born a second time to a new life, the life of the children of God and hence baptism is sometimes called the sacrament of re- generation. The particular effects are three: The remission of all sins, both original and actual. and also all the pun ishments due to sin; the infusion of sanctifying grace with the three theolog- ical virtues-faith. hope and charity, as well as the other virtues and gifts of the Holy Ghost; the impression of the character by which the baptized person becomes the adopted son of God and His heir; a member of Jesus Christ and His holy church.
 With regard to the total remission of punishment, 1t must be remarked that baptism does not remove the punishment of original sin during this life. The nap- tized person is still subject to death and to all the miseries consequent to orig inal sin, which miseries, after baptism. are called penalties. God wills that these shall remain as memorials of our fall and as occasions of combat, merit and triumph By the virtue of baptism we shall be totally delivered from them al | the resurrection.
 Old Ceremonial. | This sacrament was prefgured In the | old law by the ark of Noah. The waters of the Red sea, which were death to the Egyptians but salvation to the Islaelites the waters of the Jordan, which cleansed Haaman from leprosy: circumcision, which marked the Israelite as the child l ren of Abraham. None of these figures. however, approached the reality so close | ,, as did the baptism of St. John. the