lies," said my wife,
"are gathered together in heaven! I cannot think of them as the
unfortunate subjects of a superstitious or corrupt observance, at the
hands of the ministers of Jesus, in all ages of the world. There must
seem to them, as they increase in knowledge, a beautiful fitness in
their having had those adorable names inscribed upon them, with God's
own initiatory seal of his covenant. What loving-kindness it must appear
to them, that God gave them the ordinance of baptism, and became their
God! How it will stand out before their minds as a principal
illustration of being saved by grace!"

"And then, again," said Mr. Blair, "think of the millions of children in
heaven who were not baptized,--saved, the most of them, from heathen and
pagan lands. How 'the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ,
hath abounded unto many.' Baptism is not an austere law. There is
nothing austere or rigid, in any sense, connected with it; but it makes
me think of the water itself, scattered in so many beautiful and pliable
forms all over the earth, in fountains, water-falls, dew, rain-drops;
and, when it cannot 'stand before His cold,' it comes down softly upon
us, in crystal asteroids and all the geometrical forms of snow. I love
to think that God has associated that beautiful element, the water, with
religion. And now it does not seem accordant with the works and ways of
Him, of whom we say, 'How great is his goodness, how great is his
beauty,' to make one obdurate mode of bringing the water in connection
with us essential to an ordinance, whose element seems everywhere to
shun preciseness."

"Water is certainly a beautiful emblem of open communion," said one of
the ladies. "It must be conscious, one would think, of violence done to
its ubiquitous nature, to be made the occasion of separating beloved
friends, at the Table whose symbolized Blood has made them one in
Christ."

But we had to part. I told them that my wife and I would certainly be
sponsors for little Philip, in the best sense; we would make a record of
its history, thus far, among our family memorials; tell our children
about him, and charge them in after life to inquire for him, and lose no
opportunity of doing him good. Though, as to that, I could not help
saying, no one knows in this world who will be benefactor or
beneficiary.

"Our children will always be interested in each other," said his wife,
"for their parents' sake."

"Can we not sing a hy