stance of baptism in the New Testament by
immersion. Pouring, whether more or less copiously, has this probability
in its favor, in addition to the impression which the narratives make,
viz., The Lord's Supper typifies the death of Christ. Burying in
baptism, then, would be superfluous; it is more likely that the form of
this other sacrament would represent something else, and that is, the
Holy Spirit's cleansing influence, because Christ speaks of being "born
of water and of the Spirit," thus associating water with the Spirit. We
moreover read of "the water and the blood," water thus being
distinguished from blood. Now, the Holy Spirit is always named in
connection with being poured out. We are baptized with, not in, the Holy
Ghost. It would do violence to our feelings to hear one speak of our
being immersed in the Holy Spirit. So that I fully believe in sprinkling
as the original New Testament mode of baptism. And, still, I am inclined
to agree with your friend, the professor, who spent New-year's evening
with us, and has just published a book on baptism.

_Mother._ What ground does he take?

_Mr. M._ He writes somewhat in this way: As to the mode, I believe it to
be unessential; for it seems to me contrary to the genius of
Christianity to make a particular form of doing a thing essential to the
thing. What else is there in Christianity, if we are to except baptism,
in which modes are regarded or made essential? It is not so, he says,
with the Lord's Supper, surely; the upper room, night, sitting or
reclining, unleavened bread, a particular kind of wine, and all such
things, are not regarded by any as necessary to the ordinance. It is
very interesting, he says, to notice, that, whereas the old dispensation
prescribed the mode of every religious act, minutely, and a departure
from it vitiated the act itself, Christianity threw off everything like
prescriptive modes altogether. Considering the attachment of the human
mind to forms and ceremonies, he knows of nothing in which Christianity
shows its divine origin and supernatural power more, than in its sublime
triumph, so immediately, in the minds of great numbers, over forms and
ceremonies. We can hardly conceive, he says, what a revolution a Jew
must have experienced in giving up Aaron, and altars, and times, and
seasons, and all the minute regard for his religious ceremonies, at
once. Even if it were the original practice to baptize only by
immersion, he cannot think