Sentence:  What I do regret is the non-intelligent and almost superstitious way in which baptism is still regarded by many of our people. They think of it too much as a mere <WSD>"terminus ad quem</WSD>" which should call forth their energies up till the time it is obtained, and then leaves them waiting to see what sort of substantial worldly good may afterwards come along. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  an objective or goal