why not go and be baptized, "Going down into the water, and coming up out of the water?"Such an act will not be validate the sprinkling, if you have faith in that system, and you will be by way of showing yourself faithful, and lay yourself open to receive the blessings that millions of us can testify to.

Not long since a young man who had been baptized some time previous, attended a baptismal service down at the ocean where there was much water. As the candidates for baptism were lined up holding hands, and singing the praises of God, just at the beginning of the service, this young brother came up to me and exclaimed, "Can't I be baptized again?—his soul was so refreshed and blessed by the thought of all that his first baptism had meant to him.

The Methodist Church, whom we usually think of in connection with "Sprinkling," are accustomed to giving candidates for baptism their choice, either sprinkling, or water baptism. The sprinkling is much easier, and by far the majority choose that method. I wish all the Presbyterians, and the Congregationalists, and the Methodists, and the whole world, could just realize the blessing of being baptized IN WATER.

I go to one of the famous restaurants in New York. I get a meal that I remember all the days of my life. The table is amply supplied with spotless linen and handwrought silver. The appetizer is a salad that whets the appetite like the first look at the big brown turkey wallowing in its own gravy on Thanksgiving morning. Then comes a tempting soup, and a half lobster with its succulent tenderness waiting at the side to minister to your joy-and then-and then-O revelation of happiness-comes the chauteaubriand! And what is a chauteaubriand? Ah, I will tell you. The chauteaubriand is a noble piece of flesh three inches in

thickness, and so tender that the thumb, when pressed against it lightly, is buried in the yielding tissues. Against the upper and the lower sides are fastened thin pieces of less precious beef, and a bit of butter, and the whole is then broiled over the coals. The two thin slices are consumed in the cooking, but their presence has preserved all the juices in the great piece. At the end the great piece is lightly browned on each side, and when it is brought to you it melts in your mouth. Oh, with potatoes to your liking, and a salad lettuce, cress and endive--for every five minutes that I devote to telling about it, I spend two hours thinking of it and swallowing hard!

And I come to you telling you about that wonderful meal, and say that you can have it too, as you are going to be near that wonderful restaurant. I can almost see you fairly licking your lips and rolling your tongue around and your mouth watering uncontrollably.

That is just the way about baptism in water. Oh, if you could realize the sweet thoughts of deeper consecration and devotion as you go down into the water, perhaps with a little burden, and prayer. And the faithful minister taking you by the hand leads you down where there is water deep enough, and lifts his hands toward heaven and says:

"In obedience to the command of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ, I baptize you, my brother, in
the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost. Amen!"

And down, down you go, buried with Christ in baptism, but as surely you rise again, the light falls full upon your face. The feeling of consecration is complete, and instead of the hesitant, just a little burdened and down

cast step, all the world seems clothed in the brightness of the sun, the faces of the Christians shine as the firmament, sparkling with the fire of God's Love, for they realize just how you feel and all seems happiness, you are light as a feather-you have been buried with Christ in baptism in the symbol, and you have risen in newness of life. And about all you can say, is "Glory to God in the highest." What a shout there must have been on the banks of the Jordan when John was baptizing there, and the disciples of Jesus also!

I tell you about this, and how I wish you would prove this for yourself. It is not necessary to take my word for it or that of the millions of others who have had the same experience. Why not take the matter like the Eunuch did, when Philip pointed out to him the blessings of Salvation, and the necessity for water baptism-he immediately suggested. "See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?" If you haven't been baptized in water, and you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in your heart, and confess him with your mouth, look around now for water, and get a minister like Philip who was full of the Holy Ghost, and ask the minister what hindereth that you be baptized.

The witnesses are unanimous in their testimony that they received a blessing by being baptized in water. You are taking no chances, no risk whatever; you have everything to gain, and nothing to lose.

Infant Baptism. There is no mention in the Scriptures of infant baptism. It would therefore not seem essential. Perhaps one reason why it is not mentioned is because it would be quite impossible for an infant to "go into the water and come up out of the water." However, there is certainly nothing to be lost by consecrating an infant to Christ, in a definite ceremony, that fixes the minds of the

parents upon the consecration of the infant to Christ. And if this includes touching its forehead with water, it certainly can do no hurt.

But it should be remembered that this does not take the place of water baptism after the child has reached the years of accountability, when it is able to grasp the truths of the gospel and to believe in its heart the words of the Lord Jesus, and to confess Him with the mouth-and then be baptized. For the command to repent and be baptized is made to all people, and that certainly includes the children who come to the years of accountability.

Baptism for the Dead. This is mentioned by early church writers, and it appears to have been practiced to some extent. We have reference to it in 1 Corinthians 15: 29, in Paul's teaching concerning the resurrection.

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The Good Form for a Baptismal Service

Singing is always in order at a baptismal service. Scripture reading, prayer, and usually a preaching service, is appropriate before the Baptismal service itself, bringing the doctrine of water baptism before the people.

Some congregations have specially prepared robes for the baptismal services for both men and women. If these are not obtainable it is quite as satisfactory for the men to wear their regular clothes, usually a suit quite worn; and the women frequently add a pleasant appearance by all dressing in white. Should they dress in white, they should wear an underskirt of heavy material so that when wet it will not cling to them in such a way as to embarrass them.

If the service is out doors, it is often made extremely picturesque and blessed, to have the group of candi

dates for baptism form in line and take each other's hands and march together into the water.

5. Various forms are used by ministers of the gospel in administering water baptism. Some ministers ask each candidate to reaffirm his faith in Christ and then baptize him. Others accept them as believers, as they stand, else they would not have gone to the trouble of preparing for the baptismal service. Two representative forms used by our ministers as they stand ready to plunge the candidate under the water are:

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"In obedience to the command of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I now baptize you, my brother, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

"Upon your confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, I now baptize you, Brother Davis, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Either of these make a blessed ceremony.

The minister who does the baptizing at the baptismal service may be an Evangelist, an ordained Deacon or a Bishop. Wasn't Philip one of the seven and also an Evangelist?

7. The following hint will be worthwhile to those who

are newly called upon to administer water baptism: Ask the Candidate to lock his hands in front of him. Then ask him when you start to baptize him, just to lift his hands to his nose and hold it, thus preventing any occasion for strangling. The minister can hold him by his locked hands with his left hand, and place the right hand at the back of the neck. This will aid greatly in bringing the candidate up out of the water. 8. The singing may well go on intermittently during the service, and there are of course assisting brethren and