a white garment put upon a child by the priest immediately after baptism, accompanied with this devout prayer: "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 life everlasting. Amen."

From this circumstance the white garment got the name of *chrism*, which, after being worn a few days, was delivered to the priest as a sacred deposit, to be produced in future as an evidence against the person, should he be so impious as to renounce his baptismal engagements. This ceremony continued in use for a considerable time after the reformation in the church of England, which required the mother of the child, when churched, to offer the chrism and other customary oblations. On pronouncing the above mentioned prayer, the priest anointed the head of the infant, 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 the remission of all thy sins, vouchsafe to anoint thee with the unction of his Holy Spirit, and bring thee to the inheritance of everlasting life. Amen."