" asked Dorothy.

"Not worth talking about; nearly all the denominations agree that the
baptism of the Bible is by sprinkling or pouring."

"Daughter, get your Bible and let's see that passage where you say the
people were put under the water."

"I must not be too sure," she replied. "I know so little about the Book
that I may have been mistaken, but I don't think I can be."

The Bible was brought in, and as Dorothy opened it and began turning its
pages she said: "One passage was the account of the baptism of Jesus."

"What!" exclaimed Mr. Page. "Was he baptized--Jesus Christ? Well, well,
that's one on me."

"Oh, father, how can you speak so?"

"I beg your pardon, daughter. I surely did not mean to be irreverent.
But let us have that passage telling how he was baptized. That ought to
be mighty interesting."

"It is the third chapter of Matthew," said Mr. Sterling.

Dorothy read: "'Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be
baptized of him.'"

"The Jordan was a river, was it not?" asked the father.

"Yes," replied Sterling.

"And you say that Jesus went to that river to be baptized?" asked the
father.

"Yes," answered Sterling.

"And you say he went there to have some water sprinkled on him instead
of being put under the water?"

"Certainly he did."

"Do people generally go to rivers now to be sprinkled?" asked Dorothy.

"I do not know that they do, but they could certainly do so if they
should so desire."

"Did you ever hear of anybody doing so?" asked the father.

"Why, possibly not; but that doesn't prove that it never has been done;
but let us have the rest of the passage."

She read: "'And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of
the water.'"

"Hello!" said the father, "that sounds curious. Why did he go down into
the water, Sterling, if he was simply to be sprinkled?"

"Why, he simply walked a little way into the stream and stood there
while John gently sprinkled the water on him. It must have been a
beautiful ceremony."

Dorothy was consulting her concordance.

"Here is another passage in the third chapter and twenty-third verse."

"Let us have it," said the father.

She read: "'And John also was baptizing in Aenon, near to Salem, because
there was much water there.'"

"Much water!" exclaimed Mr. Page. "What about that, Friend Sterling?"

"I think that is plain. There were great multitudes following John and
camping around him, and he selected a pla