ntage, religious or otherwise, that it was
possible to obtain. She took great pains to starch and iron the
clothes it was to wear on the appointed day.

Gerhardt sought out the minister of the nearest Lutheran church, a
round-headed, thick-set theologian of the most formal type, to whom he
stated his errand.

"Your grandchild?" inquired the minister.

"Yes," said Gerhardt, "her father is not here."

"So," replied the minister, looking at him curiously.

Gerhardt was not to be disturbed in his purpose. He explained that
he and his wife would bring her. The minister, realizing the probable
difficulty, did not question him further.

"The church cannot refuse to baptize her so long as you, as
grandparent, are willing to stand sponsor for her," he said.

Gerhardt came away, hurt by the shadow of disgrace in which he felt
himself involved, but satisfied that he had done his duty. Now he
would take the child and have it baptized, and when that was over his
present responsibility would cease.

When it came to the hour of the baptism, however, he found that
another influence was working to guide him into greater interest and
responsibility. The stern religion with which he was enraptured, its
insistence upon a higher law, was there, and he heard again the
precepts which had helped to bind him to his own children.

"Is it your intention to educate this child in the knowledge and
love of the gospel?" asked the black-gowned minister, as they stood
before him in the silent little church whither they had brought the
infant; he was reading from the form provided for such occasions.
Gerhardt answered "Yes," and Mrs. Gerhardt added her affirmative.

"Do you engage to use all necessary care and diligence, by
prayerful instruction, admonition, example, and discipline that this
child may renounce and avoid everything that is evil and that she may
keep God's will and commandments as declared in His sacred word?"

A thought flashed through Gerhardt's mind as the words were uttered
of how it had fared with his own children. They, too, had been thus
sponsored. They too, had heard his solemn pledge to care for their
spiritual welfare. He was silent.

"We do," prompted the minister.

"We do," repeated Gerhardt and his wife weakly.

"Do you now dedicate this child by the rite of baptism unto the
Lord, who brought it?"

"We do."

"And, finally, if you can conscientiously declare before God that
the faith to which you have asse