ave had a very trying visit from my own pastor, and he says
that I am too sick to be baptized by immersion, and that it is,
therefore, too late for me to receive Christian baptism. It is not
necessary, he says, in order to being accepted of God. I was born and
brought up in that Communion, and never thought much of the subject of
baptism till I hoped that I began to love God, here in my sick-room. If
baptism is so important as our ministers tell us it is, in their
preaching and by their practice,--for you know how important they deem
it, in times of religious attention, to have people baptized in our
way,--I cannot see why it is not important to me. If it is man's
ordinance, and merely for an effect on others, very well; but if God has
anything to do in it, I feel that I need it as much as though I were in
health. So my husband asked your minister to come and see me, and he
did; and he is to baptize me and my children on Saturday afternoon, and
administer the Lord's Supper to me after church the next day."

I asked her what ground of objection her pastor had in her case.

_Mrs. P._ My minister tells me it is superstition to be baptized on a
sick-bed, and that they are careful not to encourage such Romish
practices.

"But, O," I said to him, "Mr. Dow, I am afraid it is because your form
of baptism will not allow you to baptize the sick and dying, so you make
a virtue of necessity." He colored a little, but said, pleasantly,
though solemnly, "We see how important it is, Mrs. Peirce, to attend to
the subject of religion in health, when we can confess Christ before
men, and follow the Saviour, and be buried in baptism with him."

That made me weep, though perhaps it was because I was weak; but I said,
"God is more merciful than that, Mr. Dow. I know that I have neglected
religion too long, but God has brought me to him, by affliction, and now
I do not believe that the seals of his grace are of such a nature that
they cannot be applied to people in my condition. I feel the need of
those seals, not as my profession to God, but as his professions of love
to me. I believe you are wrong, Mr. Dow. You seem to make baptism our
act toward God, chiefly; now I take a different view of it. My sick and
weak condition makes me feel that in being baptized, and in receiving
the Lord's Supper, I submit myself to God's hand of love, and take from
him infinitely more than I give him."--"O, that is rather a Romish view
of ordinances," said