"It"s a natural inquiry, my dear, for one of your age," said the Vicar, "but the reason is evident. Its position there, at the entrance of the material fabric, fitly represents _Baptism_ as the outward form of admission into the Christian Church. The Font, too, thus placed, should ever remind us, as we enter the church, of the vows and promises made in our name when first we were brought in our helpless infancy to be presented to G.o.d, and to be made members of Christ through the grace of our second birth. If people would only accustom themselves to a.s.sociate such thoughts with the baptismal Font, then just a glance at it as they come into the church would be enough to solemnize their minds, and help to fit them for the sacred services in which they are about to take a part. It was once the custom, Constance, to place what were called _stoups_, at the entrances to our churches, and there are still remains of them at the doors of many old churches. These were small basins, made of stone, for the purpose of holding water, which--like the water in the Font--was consecrated by the priest. When persons came into the church, they dipped a finger in the basin, and crossed their forehead with the water, just as the priest now crosses the brow of the person who has been baptized. The _forehead_, you know, is always regarded as the seat of _shame_ or _courage_[75]; and so the person, when baptized, is signed with "the sign of the _Cross_, in token that hereafter he shall _not be ashamed_ to confess the faith of _Christ crucified_." The old custom of frequent crossing with holy water has now for a long time been discontinued by us, the practice was regarded by many as superst.i.tious, nor does there appear to be authority for it in the Primitive Church.
The same motive which prompted the use of the _stoup_, however, still induces some persons to use the sign of the Cross on entering a church: I do not myself do so; not that I see any harm in the practice in itself, as it is intended to remind persons of the Sacred Presence to which they are about to enter, and to drive away worldly thoughts by this memento of the crucifixion of their Lord; but I think it is better, in my own case, as some would be offended by it, to try to accomplish this right object by other means."
"People"s minds have very much changed in late years respecting the use of the Cross," said Mr. Acres. "A few years ago not only was the sign of the Cross in baptism considered superst.i.tious, but it was considered even wrong to use it in church architecture, or as an ornament within the church, or as a part of a memorial in the churchyard; there are few now, I suppose, who regard such use of the sacred symbol as superst.i.tious. I was in a bookseller"s shop the other day when a "Baptist" preacher came in to purchase a Prayer Book to present to a friend; the bookseller said to him, "Of course that will not suit you, sir, as it has a Cross upon it." "I like the book very much," was his reply; "and as for the Cross, why the Puritans may object to that if they like, I don"t." But I am of opinion that people are going a little in the opposite extreme, and, at least as a personal _ornament_, the Cross is become too common."
"Why _do_ you fall into the popular error, my good friend," said the Vicar, reprovingly, "of calling these Anabaptist preachers, _Baptists_?
Surely they ought to be called any thing rather than _Baptists_, for they make more light of Baptism than any other people who can properly be said to believe in Baptism at all. Do let us call things by their proper names;--why, to call them _Baptists_, is almost as bad as to call Roman Catholics, _Catholics_, and so to ignore our own claim to be members of the Christian Church, because we allow them a name which would imply that _they_ are the _only_ Church in the world. I need not tell you that the word ANA_baptist_[76] exactly expresses what they are, namely, they who _baptize a second time_ those who have already been baptized in infancy. The term "Baptist" is far more applicable to Church people than to them."
"I see, I deserve your rebuke: mine is a mistake too often made.
By-the-bye, Mr. Vicar, I was very pleased to hear your reply to Mr.
Dole, when he inquired what was the _fee_ to be paid for his baptism. I heard you tell him that the sacraments of the Church were always _free_."
"Yes, certainly I did; and I confess I cannot understand how any one can dare, in these days, to demand a fee for Baptism; the claim is as _illegal_ as it is _unchristian_, and I believe goes far to make the poor take a low view of this holy rite. I wish, too, I could make the poor understand that _Baptism_ has nothing to do with _Registration_; many of the most ignorant of them really regard them as the same thing.
Some of them, too, will persist in thinking that to be _privately baptized_, is to be "_half baptized_." Of course _they must be altogether baptized, or not baptized at all_; but they do not readily see that the _baptism_ is complete, though the _reception into the Church_ is not perfected till the service is concluded in the face of the congregation."
_CHAPTER XVI_
THE PULPIT
"He commanded us to preach unto the people."
_Acts_ x. 42
"The pulpit, therefore (and I name it, fill"d With solemn awe, that bids me well beware With what intent I touch that Holy thing), I say the pulpit (in sober awe Of its legitimate peculiar powers) Must stand acknowledged, while the world shall stand, The most important and effectual guard, Support and ornament of virtue"s cause.
There stands the messenger of truth: there stands The legate of the skies! His theme divine, His office sacred, his credentials clear.
By him the violated law speaks out Its thunders; and by him, in strains as sweet As angels are, the Gospel whispers peace."
COWPER.
Ill.u.s.tration: Stone Pulpit in Dartmouth Church
THE PULPIT
"I suppose we must not expect you to conform to all our usages at first, Mr. Dole," said Mr. Acres, as they walked out of the churchyard one Sunday, after the Afternoon Service; "but no doubt you will soon see the fitness of our several forms and ceremonies, and then you will do as we do. Of course these things are--compared with others--of no great importance; but still it is better, even in small matters, to avoid differences in our mode of worship."
"Yes, that is so, sir; but you must give me time, and I shall be glad if you will tell me what you have specially noticed in my manner different from others? I don"t wish to seem particular."
"Well, to be candid then, Mr. Dole, it seems strange to us to see a man when he comes into church _stand up_ and say his prayers in his _hat_, instead of reverently _kneeling down_."
"I never thought of that before, but I dare say it does; but then you know, sir, that is our way at the _meeting_. I see, however, that it is much more proper in G.o.d"s house to obey the precept of His Holy Word, and "fall low on our knees before His footstool.""
"Then for the same reason you will, I am sure, see that, instead of _sitting_ during the other prayers, as I notice you do, it is proper to _kneel_ at those times too. You will find that all in our church, from the oldest to the youngest, except poor Old Reynolds and Tom Barham (who are too infirm to kneel), do so. Then again, when the _Creed_ is said, I see you do sometimes stand up, but not always; and I notice you don"t turn to the _East_, as all the rest of the congregation do."
"No, I confess I don"t do that. I like the idea of repeating our Confession of Faith whenever we meet at church: I suppose the want of this practice is one reason why the different leading sects of Dissenters are constantly being broken up into fresh divisions. Yes, there is certainly something very supporting to a Christian in so declaring with the Church every where, his belief in the great doctrines of their common Faith; but the fact is, I have some scruples about turning to the East at that time. Even old Mrs. Tubbs, who, you know, is a Church-woman, says she thinks it is superst.i.tious."
"All I can say, then, is, that Mrs. Tubbs doesn"t know the meaning of the word she uses; and in this she is like a great many more people who think themselves very wise about these matters. Now, my good friend, when you next come to church, stand up with the rest, and turn to the East as the others do, and first say to yourself some such words as these:--"We all _stand_, to signify that we are _not ashamed_ of our Belief, and that, if need be, we will manfully defend it. We all _turn in one direction_, to signify that we all hold _one and the same faith_.
We all turn to the _East_, because there in the east of our churches every thing reminds us of the presence of Him in whom we profess our belief; because there, in remembrance of Him, we celebrate the highest and most sacred mysteries of our Faith; and because the East specially reminds us of the holy life, the Divine teaching, the miracles, the suffering, the death of our Blessed Lord--"the _Sun_ of Righteousness,"
"the _Day-spring_ from on high"--_in the East_[77]." Do this, Mr. Dole, and you will never again be disposed to regard this custom as superst.i.tious. Why, some people even think it is superst.i.tious to bend the head reverently at the name of Jesus, when it is mentioned in the Creeds and the other parts of the Service."
"I don"t think so, though once I did. Since I have considered more about it, it has seemed to me that some outward show of reverence at the mention of the Sacred Name is quite Scriptural[78]. But as I am yet only a learner about these outward forms, will you kindly tell me, sir, whether there is any rule of the Church about this custom?"
"The Vicar will be able to answer that better than I can."
"I could not help overhearing our friend"s question," said Mr. Ambrose, "as I was close behind you, and I will answer it at once. The rule of our Church is very plain on this point; it is this: "All manner of persons present shall reverently kneel upon their knees, when the general Confession, Litany, and other prayers are read; and shall stand up at the saying of the Belief, according to the rules in that behalf prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer; and likewise, when in time of Divine Service the Lord Jesus shall be mentioned, due and lowly reverence shall be done by all persons present, as it hath been accustomed: testifying, by these outward ceremonies and gestures, their inward humility, Christian resolution, and due acknowledgment that the Lord Jesus Christ, the true eternal Son of G.o.d, is the only Saviour of the world[79].""
"Thank you, Mr. Ambrose, nothing could be plainer, or more reasonable than that direction; but, you see, I have for so many years _sat under_ Mr. Scole, who never taught us any thing of this sort, that you will forgive me if I seem a little more ignorant than those who have been all the time _sitting under_ you."
"What do you mean by "sitting under," my friend?" said the Vicar, very innocently.
"I mean _hearing you preach_," was Mr. Dole"s reply. "It"s a curious expression, now I come to think about it."
"It certainly is so, and the meaning of it is not very clear. But in our Church we don"t talk about _sitting under_, or _hearing_ this or that preacher. We simply say we attend this or that church, as the case may be. And the reason is, that--although very important in its proper place--we consider preaching of little moment (and the preacher of far less), when compared with the other objects of Christian worship,--_Prayer_ and _Praise_. We look upon G.o.d"s House as pre-eminently "a House of Prayer.""
"Well, I do think we used to make too much of the sermon at the meeting; and I remember all our conversation afterwards was about the sermon or the preacher. One Sunday we had a young gent. from London, Mr. Sweetly, to preach, and our people never ceased to talk about him. I believe, however, none of them recollected a word he said; but they could remember well enough "his lovely voice," and "how nice he looked in his beautiful black silk gown" (you know, sir, our people always preach in black gowns), "and those charming lavender gloves! and then the sweetest embroidered white lawn pocket-handkerchief imaginable!" It had just been presented to him, he told me, by a young lady--Miss Angelina Gushing--who sat under him at his London meeting-house. I never was a preacher-worshipper myself, sir."
"Save me from the man with the _lavender gloves and the white embroidered pocket-handkerchief_, I say," said Mr. Acres. "If there is one thing in nature I shrink from more than another, it is a _fop_, and a _fop_ in the pulpit is beyond endurance."
"A most offensive person, indeed," said the Vicar, "and one that brings great discredit upon the ministry; but it can be no matter of surprise that men sometimes a little over-estimate themselves in some of our fashionable towns, where the people (specially the ladies) flock to _hear_ "dear" Mr. Somebody, and so abundantly supply him with those articles of personal furniture which are usually the reward of a popular preacher. It is not so very long ago that in our own church every thing was made to give way to the sermon. You remember, Mr. Acres, when many of the people in St. Catherine"s used to sit and sleep through the prayers[80], and just wake up for the sermon. Then the pulpit was every thing, and little else could be seen by the people; the galleries were built so that the people might sit and see the preacher, and the pews were likewise built up only with a view to sitting comfortable during the sermon. It is all different now, I am thankful to say, and the pulpit takes once more its old and appropriate position. But we must take care not to esteem too lightly the office of the preacher, in our contempt for one who preaches merely to _please the people_. To "preach the Word" is one of the solemn duties laid upon us at our ordination; and woe be to us if we neglect to do so earnestly and faithfully!"
_CHAPTER XVII_
THE PULPIT
"Because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs."
Eccles. xii. 9.
"Unskilful he to fawn, or seek for power, By doctrines fashion"d to the varying hour; Far other aims his heart had learn"d to prize, More bent to raise the wretched than to rise.
At church, with meek and unaffected grace, His looks adorn"d the venerable place; Truth from his lips prevail"d with double sway, And fools, who came to scoff, remain"d to pray."
GOLDSMITH"S _Country Parson_.