conviction of the truth of Christianity, and of their desire that their children be brought up under its influence, and on their engagement to instruct them and set before them a good example. This, however, has generally been discarded. In the Baptist churches baptism is administered only to adults on the profession of their own faith and vows. The form is by immersion. No other baptism is recognized by them. In this country the Baptist churches hold to close communion; that is, they do not receive persons of other churches to their communion, and often forbid their members communing in other churches. Does excommunication of a church member vitiate his baptism? and on his restoration should he be rebaptized? The Assembly of 1881 answered both questions in the negative.* How is baptism to be administered? 66 "Washing with water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost."† 'Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; but baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling water upon the person." "He is to baptize the child with water, by pouring or sprinkling it on the face of the child, without adding any other ceremony; and the whole shall be concluded with prayer."§ In 1834 the Assembly was asked, "Is it expedient, in the present state of the Church, for a Presbyterian Minister to baptize by immersion in any case?" and replied, that it saw no cause for adding anything to the doctrine of the Confession on this subject. † Shorter Catechism, Q. 94. *Minutes G. A. 1881, p. 586. Where may baptism be administered? "It is usually to be administered in the church, in the presence of the congregation; and it is convenient that it be performed immediately after sermon."* (The more general custom now is to have the baptism before the sermon.) "Although it is proper that baptism be administered in the presence of the congregation, yet there may be cases when it will be expedient to administer this ordinance in private houses; of which the Minister is to be the judge."† What is the Lord's Supper? "The Lord's Supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ's appointment, his death is showed forth, and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace." It was substituted by Christ for the passover of the Old-Testament Church (Matt. 26: 17-30). Who may administer the Lord's Supper? "Neither of which (baptism nor the Lord's Supper) may be dispensed by any but by a Minister of the word lawfully ordained." § Who may be admitted to the Lord's Supper? Communicants in good and regular standing. But the ignorant, the profane, the scandalous, and those who secretly indulge in any known sin, are to be warned not to come to the Lord's table. || Persons under charges *Directory for Worship, ch. vii., sect. ii. Shorter Catechism, Q. 96. Confession of Faith, ch. xxvii., sect. iv. Confession of Faith, ch. xxix., sect. viii.; Directory for Worship, ch. viii., sect. iv. † Ibid., sect. v. See p. 83. Larger Catechism, Q. 173; may be prevented, by the order of Session, from communing until the charges can be examined; "provided, that in all cases a speedy investigation or trial shall be had."* Communicants may also be advised by the Session not to partake whenever it is deemed expedient for their edification or that of the church that such advice be given. The Session are to receive into the membership of the church those professing faith in Christ and obedience to him, and those presenting regular certificates of dismission from other churches.† "The years of discretion in young Christians cannot be precisely fixed. This must be left to the prudence of the eldership. The officers of the church are the judges of the qualifications of those to be admitted to sealing ordinances, and of the time when it is proper to admit young Christians to them."I It is customary to invite all Christians present to unite in the service who are in good and regular standing in other evangelical churches. But "it is not in accordance with the spirit and usage of the Presbyterian Church to extend such invitations" to persons who are not members of any evangelical Church. § "The language of the book ("Directory for Worship," ch. viii., sect. iv.) relied upon by some to authorize indiscriminate communion is not correctly interpreted by them. Although in describing the persons there invited to the Lord's table churchmembership is not expressed, it is clearly implied." || What are tokens ? Tokens are pieces of metal, bone or cardboard, some *Book of Discipline, sect. 32. † Form of Government, ch. ix., sect. vi.; Directory for Worship, ch. ix., sect. ii. Presbyterian Digest, p. 669. Presbyterian Digest, p. 130. Minutes G. A. 1876, p. 79. times with a text of Scripture written thereon, which were formerly in this country, and still are in Scotland and Ireland, given by the Session to each communicant before the administration of the Lord's Supper, to indicate the approval by the Session of their presence at the table. What kind of wine may be used? In answer to several overtures on communion wine, the Assembly answered, "that the control of this matter be left to the Sessions of the several churches, with the earnest recommendation that the purest wine attainable be used." * In 1881 the Assembly was asked "if the use of fermented wine is necessary to the proper observance of the Lord's Supper, and if our churches are at liberty to use unfermented wine if they can get it," and replied, "The General Assembly has always recognized the right of each church Session to determine what is bread and what is wine." "No new legislation is needed on the subject."† Where may the Lord's Supper be administered? In the church, on the Sabbath, after due notice and after some preparatory service. ‡ "It was moved that the restriction laid by the last General Assembly on our Missionaries, which confines them to adminster the ordinance of the Lord's Supper in such places only where there are church officers regularly appointed, be repealed, and it is hereby repealed accordingly" (1798). As a general principle, a Minister may not administer the communion within the bounds of a congregation with which he is not connected, without the consent of the Minister and Session; yet there may be exceptions under peculiar circumstances. * Minutes G. A. 1877, p. 542, 1885, p. 639. † Ibid., 1881, p. 548. Directory for Worship, ch. viii., sect. iii. The O.S. Assembly in 1863, while reasserting the doctrine of the "Confession of Faith," ch. xxix., sect. iv., that the "receiving of this sacrament by a Priest or any other alone" is "contrary to the nature of this sacrament and to the institution of Christ," yet in cases of protracted sickness or approaching death, the Pastor, with an Elder, may adminster the sacrament to the sick and other communicants, having given proper instruction concerning the ordinance. A record of the fact must be entered on the minutes of the Session.* How frequently should the sacrament be administered? "It is to be celebrated frequently, but how often may be determined by the Minister and eldership of each congregation, as they may judge most for edification." + Should days for fasting and thanksgiving be observed? "It has been customary, in some parts of our church, to observe a fast before the Lord's Supper." "There is no day, under the gospel, commanded to be kept holy, except the Lord's Day, which is the Christian Sabbath. Nevertheless, to observe days of fasting and thanksgiving, as the extraordinary dispensations of Divine Providence may direct, we judge both scriptural and rational." + How should the Sabbath be observed? "All worldly business should be so ordered, and seasonably laid aside, as that we may not be hindered thereby from sanctifying the Sabbath as the Holy Scriptures require." "The whole day should be kept holy to the Lord, .... abstaining from those recreations which * Presbyterian Digest, pp. 667, 668. + Directory for Worship, ch. viii., sect. i. Ibid., ch. viii., sect. vi.; ch. xiv., sects. i. and ii. |