in matters of religion, the ceremony of washing; or a sacrament, by which a person is initiated into the Christian church.—The word is formed from the Greek βαπτισμός, of βαπτίζω, to dip or wash. Baptism is known, in ecclesiastical writers, by divers other names and titles. Sometimes it is called palingenesia, or laver of regeneration; sometimes salus, or life and salvation; sometimes ἐφάρμοσις, signaculum Domini, and Bingham's signaculum fidei, or the seal of faith; sometimes absolutely mysterium, and sacramentum; sometimes the sacrament of faith; sometimes viaticum, from its being administered to departing persons; sometimes facerdotium laici, or the lay priesthood, because allowed, in cases of necessity, to be conferred by laymen; sometimes it is called the great circumcision, because it was imagined to succeed in the room of circumcision, and to be a seal of the Christian covenant, as that was the seal of the covenant made with Abraham: so, in regard that baptism had Christ for its author, and not man, it was anciently known by the name of Δαχος and Χριστιανικὴ Κοινωνία, the gift of the Lord: sometimes it was simply called δαχος, without any other addition, by way of eminence, because it was both a gratuitous and singular gift of Christ: in reference to the making men complete members of Christ's body, the church, it had the name of Τελεσμός, and Τελεσμός, the consecration and consummation; because it gave men the perfection of Christians, and a right to partake of the Τελεσμός, which was the Lord's Supper: it had also the name of μυστήριον and μυστηριακὴ, the initiation, because it was the admittance of men to all the sacred rites and mysteries of the Christian religion.

Baptism has been supposed by many learned authors to have had its origin from the Jewish church, in which, as they maintain, it was the practice long before Christ's time, to baptize proselytes or converts to their faith, as part of the ceremony of their admission: a practice which, according to some, obtains among them to this day; a person turning Jew, is first circumcised, and, when healed, is bathed, or baptized in water, in presence of their rabbins; after which he is reputed a good Jew. Others, however, insist that the Jewish proselyte baptism is not by far so ancient, and that John the Baptist was the first administrator of baptism among the Jews. Of this opinion were Deylingius, J. G. Carpzovius, Boernerus, Werndorfius, Zeltnerus, Owen, Knatchbull, Jennings, Gill, and others.

Grotius is of opinion, that the rite of baptism had its original from the time of the deluge; immediately after which, he thinks, it was instituted in memory of the world having been purged by water. Some learned men think it was added to circumcision, soon after the Samaritan schism, as a mark of distinction to the orthodox Jews. Spencer, who is fond of deriving the rites of the Jewish religion from the ceremonies of the Pagans, lays it down as a probable supposition, that the Jews received the baptism of proselytes from the neighbouring nations, who were wont to prepare candidates for the more sacred functions of their religion, by a solemn ablution; that by this affinity of sacred rites, they might draw the Gentiles to embrace their religion, and that the proselytes (in gaining of whom they were extremely diligent) might the more easily comply with the transition from Gentilism to Judaïsm. In confirmation of this opinion, he observes, first, that there is no divine precept for the baptism of proselytes, God having enjoined only the rite of circumcision for the admission of strangers into the Jewish religion. Secondly, that, among foreign nations, the Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, and others, it was customary that those who were to be initiated into their mysteries, or sacred rites, should be first purified by dipping their whole body in water. That learned writer adds, as a farther confirmation of his opinion, that the cup of blessing likewise, added to the paschal supper, seems plainly to have been derived from a pagan original: for the Greeks, at their feasts, had one cup, called αγαπης αγαπης, the cup of the good demon or god, which they drank at the conclusion of their entertainment, when the table was removed. Since then, a rite of Gentile origin was added to one of the Jewish sacraments, viz. the passover, there can be no absurdity in supposing, that baptism, which was added to the other sacrament, namely circumcision, might be derived from the same source. In the last place, he observes, that Christ, in the institution of his sacraments, paid a peculiar regard to those rites which were borrowed from the Gentiles: for rejecting circumcision and the paschal supper, he adopted into his religion baptism and the sacred cup; thus preparing the way for the conversion and the reception of the Gentiles into his church.

The design of the Jewish baptism, if baptism be practised by them, is supposed to be, to impart a regeneration, whereby the proselyte is rendered a new man, and of a slave becomes free. The effect of it is, to cancel all former relations; so that those who were before akin to the person, after the ceremony ceased to be so. It is to this ceremony Christ is supposed to have alluded, in his expression to Nicodemus, that it was necessary that he should be born again, in order to become his disciple.—The necessity of baptism to salvation is grounded on those two sayings of our Saviour; He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; and Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. The ancients did not generally think the mere want of baptism, where the procuring it was impracticable, excluded men absolutely from the hopes of eternal salvation. Some few of them, indeed, are pretty severe upon infants dying without baptism; and some others seem also, in general terms, to deny eternal life to adult persons dying without it: but when they interpret themselves, and speak more distinctly, they make some allowances, and except several cases, in which the want of baptism may be supplied by other means. Such are, martyrdom, which commonly goes by the name of second baptism in men's own blood, in the writings of the ancients; because of the power and efficacy it was thought to have to save men by the invisible baptism of the Spirit, without the external element of water. Faith, and repentance, were also esteemed a supplement to the want of baptism, in such catechumens as died while they were piously preparing themselves for baptism. Constantly communicating communicating with the church, was thought to supply the want of baptism in persons who had been admitted to communion, on a presumption of their being duly baptized, though the contrary afterwards appeared. For infants dying without baptism, the case was thought more dangerous; as here, no personal faith, repentance, or the like, could be pleaded, to supply the defect, and wash away original sin: on this account, they who spoke most favourably of them, as Greg. Nazianzen, and Severus bishop of Antioch, only assigned them a middle state, neither in heaven nor hell. But the Latins, as St Augustin, Fulgentius, Marius Mercator, &c. who never received the opinion of a middle state, concluded, as they could not be received into heaven, they must go to hell. Pelagius, and his followers, who denied original sin, affirmed, that they might be admitted to eternal life, and salvation, though not to the kingdom of heaven; between which they distinguished. Where the fault was not on the side of the child, nor his parents, but of the minister, or where any unavoidable accident rendered baptism absolutely impossible, Hincmar, and others, make an exception, in holding the child saved without baptism.

The receiving baptism is not limited to any time, or age of life. Some contend for its being administered like circumcision, precisely on the eighth day, as Greg. Nazianzen; and others would have it deferred till the child is three years of age, and able to hear the mystic words, and make answer thereto, though he do not understand them. In the canon law we find divers injunctions against deferring the baptism of infants beyond the 37th day, 39th day, and the 9th day; some of them under pecuniary forfeitures.

Salmatus, and Suicerus from him, deliver it as authentic history, that for the two first ages, no one received baptism, who was not first instructed in the faith and doctrine of Christ, so as to be able to answer for himself, that he believed; because of those words, He that believeth and is baptized; which, in effect, is to say, that no infant, for the first two ages, was ever admitted to Christian baptism. But, afterwards, they own, that pedo-baptism came in, upon the opinion that baptism was necessary to salvation. But Vossius, Dr Forbes, Dr Hammond, Mr Walker, and especially Mr Wall, who has exactly considered the testimony and authority of almost every ancient writer that has said anything upon this subject, endeavour to evince, that infants were baptized even in the apostolical age. It is certain, Tertullian pleads strongly against giving baptism to infants; which shows, at least, that there was some such practice in his age, though he disapproved of it. It is certain, the ordinary subjects of this sacrament, in the first ages, were converts from Judaism and Gentilism, who, before they could be admitted to baptism, were obliged to spend some time in the state of catechumens, to qualify them to make their professions of faith, and a Christian life, in their own persons: for, without such personal professions, there was ordinarily no admission of them to the privilege of baptism. Those baptized in their sick-beds were called clinic; and were held in some reproach, as not being reputed true Christians. Hence several censures, in councils and ecclesiastical writers, of clinic baptism. This clinic baptism was not sufficient to qualify the person, in case of recovery, for ordination. Some had their baptism put off by way of punishment, when they fell into gross and scandalous crimes, which were to be expiated by a longer course of discipline and repentance. This was sometimes 5, 10, 20 years or more; even all their lives to the hour of death, when their crimes were very flagrant.

In the earliest ages of the church, there was no stated time or place for the reception of baptism. Afterwards Easter, Whitunside, and Epiphany, became solemn feasts, out of which baptism was not administered, except in cases of necessity. The catechumens who were to receive it at these times, were called competentes: and to these it is that St Cyril addresses his catecheles. In the apostolical age, and some time after, before churches and baptistries were generally erected, they baptized in any place where they had convenience; as John baptized in Jordan, and Philip baptized the eunuch in the wilderness, and Paul the jailor in his own house. But in after ages, baptistries were built adjoining to the church; and then rules were made, that baptism should ordinarily be administered nowhere but in these buildings. Justinian, in one of his novels, refers to ancient laws, appointing that none of the sacred mysteries of the church should be celebrated in private houses. Men might have private oratories for prayer in their own houses; but they were not to administer baptism or the eucharist in them, unless by a particular license from the bishop of the place. Such baptisms are frequently condemned in the ancient councils, under the name παραβατικά βαπτίσματα, baptisms in private conventicles.

As to the attendant ceremonies and manner of baptism in the ancient church: The person to be baptized, if an adult, was first examined by the bishop or officiating priest, who put some questions to him; as, first, Whether he abjured the devil and all his works; secondly, Whether he gave a firm assent to all the articles of the Christian faith: to both which he answered in the affirmative. If the person to be baptized was an infant, these interrogatories were answered by his sponsors, or godfathers. Whether the use of sponsors was as old as the apostles days, is uncertain: perhaps it was not, since Justin Martyr, speaking of the method and form of baptism, says not a word of them.—After the questions and answers, followed exorcism; the manner and end of which was this: The minister laid his hands on the person's head, and breathed in his face, implying thereby the driving away or expelling of the devil from him, and preparing him for baptism, by which the good and holy spirit was to be conferred upon him.—After exorcism, followed baptism itself: and first the minister, by prayer, consecrated the water for that use. Tertullian says, "any waters may be applied to that use: but then God must be first invoked; and then the Holy Ghost presently comes down from heaven, and moves upon them, and sanctifies them." The waters being consecrated, the person was baptized "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;" by which "dedication of him to the blessed Trinity, the person, (says Clemens Alexandrinus) is delivered from the corrupt trinity, the devil, the world, and the flesh." In performing the ceremony of baptism, the usual custom (except in clinical cases, or where there was scarcity of water), was to immerse and dip the whole body. Thus St Barnabas, describing a baptized person, says, "We go down into the water full of sin and filth, but we ascend bearing fruit in our hearts." And this practice of immersing the whole body was so general, that we find no exceptions made in respect either to the tenderness of infants, or the balsifulness of the other sex, unless in case of sickness or other disability. But to prevent any indecency, men and women were baptized apart. To which end, either the baptistries were divided into two apartments, one for the men, the other for the women, as Bingham has observed; or the men were baptized at one time and the women at another, as is shewn by Vossius, from the Ordo Romanus, Gregory's Sacramentarium, &c. Add, that there was anciently an order of deaconesses, one part of whose business was to assist at the baptism of women. The precautions, however, rather indicate a scrupulous attention to delicacy, than imply any indecency in the circumstance of immersion itself. From the candidates being immersed, there is at least no reason to infer that they were naked: The present Baptists never baptize naked, though they always immerse. After immersion, followed the unction; by which (says St Cyril) was signified that they were now cut off from the wild olive, and were ingrafted into Christ, the true olive tree; or else to shew that they were now to be champions for the gospel, and were anointed thereto, as the old athlete were against their solemn games. With this anointing was joined the sign of the cross, made upon the forehead of the person baptized; which being done, he had a white garment given him, to denote his being washed from the defilements of sin, or in allusion to that of the apostle, "As many as are baptized in Christ have put on Christ." From this custom the feast of Pentecost, which was one of the annual seasons of baptism, came to be called WhitSunday, i.e. White-Sunday. This garment was afterwards laid up in the church, that it might be an evidence against such persons as violated or denied that faith which they had owned in baptism.—When the baptism was performed, the person baptized, according to Justin Martyr, "was received into the number of the faithful, who then sent up their public prayers to God, for all men, for themselves, and for those who had been baptized."

The ordinary ministers, who had the right of administering this sacrament, that is, of applying the water to the body, and pronouncing the formula, were presbyters or bishops; though on extraordinary occasions laymen were admitted to perform the same.

As to the present form of administering baptism, the church of Rome uses the following. When a child is to be baptized, the persons who bring it wait for the priest at the door of the church, who comes thither in his surplice and purple stole, attended by his clerks. He begins with questioning the godfathers, whether they promise, in the child's name, to live and die in the true catholic and apostolic faith, and what name they would give the child. Then follows an exhortation to the sponsors; after which the priest, calling the child by its name, asks it as follows: What doth thou demand of the church? The godfather answers, Eternal life. The priest goes on: If you are desirous of obtaining eternal life, keep God's commandments, thou shalt love the Lord thy God, &c. After which he breathes three times in the child's face, saying, Come out of this child, thou evil spirit, and make room for the Holy Ghost. This said, he makes the sign of the cross on the child's forehead and breast, saying, Receive the sign of the cross on thy forehead, and in thy heart. Then taking off his cap, he repeats a short prayer; and laying his hand gently on the child's head, repeats a second prayer: which ended, he blesses some salt; and putting a little of it into the child's mouth, pronounces these words, Receive the salt of wisdom. All this is performed at the church-door. The priest, with the godfathers and god-mothers, coming into the church, and advancing towards the font, repeat the apostles creed and the Lord's prayer. Being come to the font, the priest exorcises the evil spirit again; and taking a little of his own spittle, with the thumb of his right hand, rubs it on the child's ears and nostrils, repeating, as he touches the right ear, the same word (Ephatha, be thou opened) which our Saviour made use of to the man born deaf and dumb. Lastly, they pull off its swaddling-clothes, or strip it below the shoulders, during which the priest prepares the oils, &c. The sponsors then hold the child directly over the font, observing to turn it due east and west: whereupon the priest asks the child, Whether he renounces the devil and all his works? and the godfather having answered in the affirmative, the priest anoints the child between the shoulders in the form of a cross. Then taking some of the consecrated water, he pours part of it thrice on the child's head, at each perfusion calling on one of the Persons of the Holy Trinity. The priest concludes the ceremony of baptism with an exhortation.—The Romish church allows midwives, in cases of danger, to baptize a child before it comes entirely out of its mother's womb: where it is to be observed, that some part of the body of the child must appear before it can be baptized, and that it is baptized on the part which first appears: if it be the head, it is not necessary to rebaptize the child; but if only a foot or hand appears, it is necessary to repeat baptism. A stillborn child thus baptized may be buried in consecrated ground.

The Greek church differs from the Romish, as to the rite of baptism, chiefly in performing it by immersion, or plunging the infant all over in the water.

The forms of administering baptism among us being too well known to require a particular description, we shall only mention one or two of the more material differences between the form, as it stood in the first Liturgy of King Edward, and that in the English Common Prayer Book at present. First, the form of consecrating the water did not make a part of the office, in King Edward's Liturgy, as it does in the present, because the water in the font was changed, and consecrated, but once a month. The form likewise itself was something different from that now used; and was introduced with a short prayer, that Jesus Christ, upon whom (when he was baptized) the Holy Ghost came down in the likeness of a dove, would send down the same Holy Spirit, to sanctify the fountain of baptism; which prayer was afterwards left out, at the second review.—By King Edward's first book, the minister is to dip the child in the water thrice; first, dipping the right side; secondly, the left; the third time, dipping the face toward the foot. This trine immersion was a very ancient ciant practice in the Christian church, and used in honour of the Holy Trinity; though some later writers say, it was done to represent the death, burial, and resurrection, of Christ, together with his three days continuance in the grave. Afterwards, the Arians making an ill use of it, by persuading the people that it was used to denote that the three Persons in the Trinity were three distinct substances, the orthodox left it off, and used only one single immersion.

By the first common-prayer of King Edward, after the child was baptized, the godfathers and godmothers were to lay their hands upon it, and the minister was to put on him the white vestment commonly called the chrysome, and to say, "Take this white vesture, as a token of the innocency, which, by God's grace, in this holy sacrament of baptism, is given unto thee; and for a sign, whereby thou art admonished, so long as thou livest, to give thyself to innocence of living, that after this transitory life thou mayest be partaker of the life everlasting. Amen." As soon as he had pronounced these words, he was to anoint the infant on the head, saying, "Almighty God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath regenerated thee by water and the Holy Ghost, and hath given unto thee remission of all thy sins; may he vouchsafe to anoint thee with the unction of his Holy Spirit, and bring thee to the inheritance of everlasting life. Amen." This was manifestly done in imitation of the practice of the primitive church.

The custom of sprinkling children, instead of dipping them in the font, which at first was allowed in case of the weakness or sickness of the infant, has so far prevailed, that immersion is at length quite excluded. What principally tended to confirm the practice of affusion or sprinkling, was, that several of our Protestant divines, flying into Germany and Switzerland during the bloody reign of Queen Mary, and returning home when Queen Elizabeth came to the crown, brought back with them a great zeal for the Protestant churches beyond sea, where they had been sheltered and received; and having observed, that at Geneva and some other places, baptism was administered by sprinkling, they thought they could not do the church of England a greater piece of service than by introducing a practice dictated by so great an oracle as Calvin. This, together with the coldness of our northern climate, was what contributed to banish entirely the practice of dipping infants in the font.

Many different notions have been entertained concerning the effects of baptism, which it would be endless to enumerate.—The Remonstrants and Socinians reduce baptism to a mere sign of divine grace. The Romanists, on the contrary, exalt its power; holding, that all sin is entirely taken away by it; that it absolutely confers the grace of justification, and consequently grace ex opere operato. Some also speak of an indelible character impressed on the soul by it, called character dominicus, and character regius: but this is held, by others, a mere chimera; for that the spiritual character, conferred in regeneration, may easily be effaced by mortal sins. Dodwell maintained, that it is by baptism the soul is made immortal; so that those who die without it will not rise again. It must be added, he restrains this effect to episcopal baptism alone. From the effects ordinarily ascribed to baptism, even by ancient writers, it should seem, that the ceremony is as much of heathen as Jewish origin; since Christians do not refrain the use of it, like the Jews, to the admission of new members into the church, but hold, with the heathens, a virtue in it for remitting and washing away sins. The Bramins are still said to baptize with this latter view, at certain seasons, in the river Ganges; to the waters whereof they have annexed a cleansing or sanctifying quality; and hence it is that they flock from all parts, even of Tartary, driven by the expectation of their being eased of their load of sins. But, in this point, many Christians seem to have gone beyond the folly of the heathens. It was only the smaller sins of infirmity which these latter held to be expiable by washing; for crimes of a blacker dye, they allowed no water could efface them, no purgation could discharge them. The Christian doctrine of a total remission of sins by baptism could not fail, therefore, to scandalize many among the heathens, and furnished Julian an occasion of satirizing Christianity itself: "Whoever (says he) is guilty of rapes, murders, sacrilege, or any abominable crime, let him be washed with water, and he will become pure and holy."

In the ancient church, baptism was frequently conferred on Jews by violence; but the church itself never seems to have allowed of force on this occasion. By a canon of the fourth council of Toledo, it is expressly forbid to baptize any against their wills. That which looks most like force in this case, allowed by law, were two orders of Justinian; one of which appoints the heathens, and the other Samaritans, to be baptized, with their wives and children and servants, under pain of confiscation. By the ancient laws, baptism was not to be conferred on image-makers, flageplayers, gladiators, aurige or public drivers, magicians, or even frolicking beggars, till they quitted such professions. Slaves were not allowed the privilege of baptism without the testimony and consent of their masters; excepting the slaves of Jews, Heathens, and Orig. Eccles. heretics; who were not only admitted to baptism, but, lib. xi. c. 5. in consequence thereof, had their freedom. Vossius has a learned and elaborate work De Baptismo, wherein he accurately disusses all the questions concerning baptism according to the doctrine of the ancients.

BAPTISM by Fire, spoken of by St John the Baptist, has occasioned much conjecture. The generality of the fathers held, that believers, before they enter paradise, are to pass through a certain fire, which is to purify them from all pollutions remaining on them unexpiated. Others, with St Basil, understand it of the fire of hell; others, of that of tribulation and temptation. Others, with St Chrysostom, will have it denote an abundance of graces. Others suppose it to mean the descent of the Holy Ghost on the apostles, in form of fiery tongues. Lastly, others maintain, that the word fire here is an interpolation; and that we are only to read the text, He that shall come after me will baptize you with the Holy Ghost. In reality, it is not found in divers manuscript copies of St Matthew.

The ancient Socilians and Hermians, understanding the passage literally, maintained, that material fire was necessary in the administration of baptism. But we do not find how or to what part of the body they applied it, or whether they were satisfied with obliging Baptism, the person baptized to pass through the fire. Valentine rebaptized all who had received water-baptism, and conferred on them the baptism of fire.

Bis docuit tingi, traductoque corpore flamma. TERTULL. Carm. contr. Marc. I. 1.

Heracleon, cited by Clemens Alexandrinus, says, that some applied a red-hot iron to the ears of the person baptized, as if to impress some mark upon him.

BAPTISM of the Dead, a custom which anciently prevailed among some people in Africa, of giving baptism to the dead. The third council of Carthage speak of it as a thing that ignorant Christians were fond of. Gregory Nazianzen also takes notice of the same superstitious opinion prevailing among some who delayed to be baptized. In his address to this kind of men, he asks, whether they stayed to be baptized after death? Philastrius also notes it as the general error of the Montanists or Cataphrygians, that they baptized men after death. The practice seems to be grounded on a vain opinion, that, when men had neglected to receive baptism in their life-time, some compensation might be made for this default by receiving it after death.

BAPTISM of the Dead was also a sort of vicarious baptism, formerly in use, when a person dying without baptism, another was baptized in his stead.

St Chrysostom tells us, this was practised among the Marcionites with a great deal of ridiculous ceremony; which he thus describes: After any catechumen was dead, they hid a living man under the bed of the deceased; then coming to the dead man, they asked him whether he would receive baptism; and he making no answer, the other answered for him, and said, he would be baptized in his stead: and so they baptized the living for the dead.

Epiphanius assures us, the like was also practised among the Corinthians. This practice they pretended to found on the Apostle's authority; alleging that text of St Paul for it, If the dead rise not at all, what shall they do who are baptized for the dead? A text which has given occasion to a great variety of different systems and explications. Vossius enumerates no less than nine different opinions among learned divines concerning the sense of the phrase, being baptized for the dead.

St Ambrose and Walafrid Strabo seem clearly of opinion, that the apostle had respect to such a custom then in being; and several moderns have given into the same opinion, as Baronius, Jof. Scaliger, Justellus, and Grotius.

Several among the Roman Catholics, as Bellarmin, Salmeron, Menochius, and a number of schoolmen, understand it of the baptism of tears, and penance, and prayers, which the living undergo for the dead; and thus allege it as a proof of the belief of purgatory in St Paul's days.

Hypothetical BAPTISM, that formerly administered in certain doubtful cases, with this formula: If thou art baptized, I do not rebaptize; if thou art not, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, &c. This sort of baptism, enjoined by some ancient constitutions of the English church, is now fallen into disuse.

Solemn BAPTISM, that conferred at stated seasons; such, in the ancient church, were the Paschal baptism, and that at Whitsuntide. This is sometimes also called general baptism.

Lay BAPTISM, we find to have been permitted by both the Common-prayer Books of King Edward and that of Queen Elizabeth, when an infant is in immediate danger of death, and a lawful minister cannot be had. This was founded upon the mistaken notion of the impossibility of salvation without the sacrament of baptism: but afterwards, when they came to have clearer notions of the sacraments, it was unanimously resolved in a convocation, held in the year 1575, that even private baptism, in a case of necessity, was only to be administered by a lawful minister.

BAPTISM is also applied, abusively, to certain ceremonies used in giving names to things inanimate.

The ancients knew nothing of the custom of giving baptism to inanimate things, as bells, ships, and the like, by a superstitious consecration of them. The first notice we have of this is in the Capitulars of Charles the Great, where it is only mentioned to be censured: but, afterwards, it crept into the Roman offices by degrees. Baronius carries its antiquity no higher than the year 968, when the greatest bell of the church of Lateran was christened by Pope John III. At last it grew to that superstitious height, as to be thought proper to be complained of in the Centum Gravamina of the German nation, drawn up in the public diet of the empire held at Nuremberg anno 1561; where (after having described the ceremony of baptizing a bell, with godfathers, who make responses as in baptism, and give it a name, and clothe it with a new garment as Christians were used to be clothed, and all this to make it capable of driving away tempests and devils) they conclude against it, as not only a superstitious practice, but contrary to the Christian religion, and a mere seduction of the simple people.

in the sea language, a ceremony in long voyages on board merchant ships, practised both on persons and vessels who pass the tropic or line for the first time. The baptizing the vessels is simple, and consists only in washing them throughout with sea-water; that of the passengers is more mysterious. The oldest of the crew, that has past the tropic or line, comes with his face blacked, a grotesque cap on his head, and some sea-book in his hand, followed by the rest of the seamen dressed like himself, each having some kitchen utensil in his hand, with drums beating; he places himself on a seat on the deck, at the foot of the mainmast. At the tribunal of this mock magistrate, each passenger, not yet initiated, swears he will take care the same ceremony be observed, whenever he is in the like circumstances: Then, by giving a little money by way of gratification, he is discharged with a little sprinkling of water; otherwise he is heartily drenched with streams of water poured upon him; and the ship boys are enclosed in a cage, and ducked at discretion.—The seamen, on the baptizing a ship, pretend to a right of cutting off the beak-head unless redeemed by the captain.