The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-24

llt SdtTdIitul OL lHt ltW AdNb DhN AAAC most striking image of 1t. But especial ly was 1t prefgured when our Lord Him. self was baptized. Then the heavens opened, the Holy Ghost descended and the voice of the Heavenly Father was heard proclaiming, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"
 In receiving baptism at the hands of St. John, our Lord preluded the institu- tiop of the baptism of the new law. He then, say the fathers, by contact with His divine flesh, communicated to the waters the virtue to sanctify our souls; and shortly after that time He institut- ed the sacrament. It was not. however, till after His resurrection that the Saw for solemnly promulgated the law of bap- tism and extended it to the whole world. "Go," said he to his apostles, teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. He that believeth and Is baptized shall be saved; but he that be- 1ieveth not shall be condemned" (Mat- thew and Mark, last chapter).
 Administration.
 As regards baptism in it's administra- tion, two things are to be considered the subject to be baptized and the man ner in which the baptism must be con- ferred on him. The subject of baptism is the adult or the child. The disposi- tions necessary for the adult are desire, faith with proper instruction, sorrow Tor sins and resolution to lead Christian life. The child brings no obstacle to bap- tism and SO necessary is this sacrament that he fig dispensed by divine mercy from any positive dispositions of which he is incapable. So absolute Is the ne- of Ia rfi that children dVin q without baptism, though innocent of all actual sin, are excluded forever from heaven on account of the original stain which they bear in their souls. Hence our Lord has permitted them to be bap- tized as soon as they are born and has given the utmost facility to the admin istration of so indispensable a sacra- ment
 That an unbaptzed child cannot enter heaven is evident from the words Of St. John iii:5; sUnless man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost he cannot enter the Kingdom of God" Now this word man" is represented in the origf- nal Greek of St. Johns gospel by the indefinite pronoun meaning anyone-man' woman or child. That children are ca- pablo of being baptized Is evident, not to mention many other proofs, from the WOf0S or 6I. Iuket &Nlllslo ohiAcA iAetiO children to come unto me and forbid them not, for of such Is the kingdom of heaven"
 No Infant Damnation.
 When the church says that unbaptized children never enter heaven, understand she Is not teaching infant damnation- far from 1t. None are condemned to hell but such as merit divine vengeance by | their personal sins. All that the churcf | holds on this point Is that unresenerat' | children are deprived of the beatin' vision of God. which is the essentis 1 happiness of the blessed. Now, betweei
 this essential or supreme bliss of heavei and the suffering of hell, there Is a very wide margin. All admit that the condi- l ton of unbaptzed infants Is better thar non-existence. Some authorities of dis tinction teach that God will provide 2 place for them where they will not suffer and will never see God in heaven. God, through his holy revelations, has given us a knowledge of Himself and of heaven and, although we had every na- tural happiness, we would be miserable if deprived of these. Those who die without baptism are deprived of heaven and God, but not knowing what they have lost are naturally happy.
 But what a crime it must be to will lully dllOW dHyOH6 lo WithCbh OcP tism! How reprehensible the conduct of Catholic parents who neglect to have their children baptized at the earliest possible moment, thereby risklng their own souls as well as those of their in- nocent offspringl This Is falling that is especially, if not solely peculiar to the south-the last place In the world where it should be found. In cold, northern attitudes, in the very dead of winter. the child is brought to the font never later than the third or fourth day after its birth, and no noticeable infant mortality has resulted. But down here where the climate is so, soft and mild the year round, what Is the practice? One, two. three six months age, often whole year go by before the child Is baptized and in not few instances the poor child is never baptized. And this is the com mon custom. understand An exception to this is a rarity. This Is not Catholic practice and there is no sufficient apclo- gy for 1t. 1t is the result of an anaemie catholicity; weak. backboneless, milk and-water brand of religion in contra distinction to rugged. open. lively faith Parents who act thus are committing | grievous sin; are lacking In real parental love for their offspring; are perpetuatins
 an evil custom; and are causing most | depressing effect on religious effort in l this section.
 Let me then impress upon you these l facts most emphatically. If you love your religion, if you love your babies, fl you value your immortal souls, bring
 your children to the cleansing font at the
 earliest possible moment. It isn't nee
 essary for the mother to come Don't
 make the mother an excuse. This is the current one and it Is rediculous. Either | that or the Sunny South is a misnomeI
 which Is equally ridiculous. Therefore
 If there be any children In the parish not yet baptized, in Gods name bring then 1 in and in future act in this matter a: | good, genuine, sincere Catholics should | act
 | This little Aggression prevents me say | ing more today on this sacrament, but | will reserve some very important infor. | nation for next Sunday fin regard fo th.