BAPTISM IN TIDE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20006, 25 January 1927, Page 10

BAPTISM IN TIDE.

UNUSUAL SURROUNDINGS. CEREMONY AT AUCKLAND. (Special to Dailk Timbs.i AUCKLAND, January 24. Two baby girls, aged one month and five months respectively, were baptised on the shores of Rangitoto Island y® morning. Carried in the arms ot tneir godparents, the mothers and fafhers standing bv and protected from the heat ot he approaching noon by a nally-coloured sunshine, the two babies, one fast asleep, formed the centre of a large group on t rocky scashor© of th© island. Ya y chtemen. in all the quaint arrav of their holiday garb, dwellers on the island, nicnickers gathered to witness the unusua proceeding, and the scene became kt in a befitting atmosphere of reverence. t S. OdSer, »tJ ; conducted the ceremony it was an u "®^ service at which over 200 yachtsmen and campers joined heartily in the singing and Ustened attentively to the end of the service. When the gather■ ng was about to disperse two young nnnroachod the missioner and asked mm to P christen their babies. This was something of a problem. The missioner was on the teach some distance from the 3Urnme ‘ residence of the parents concerned and christening on the shores of the island had not been anticipated. christening “Could we not have the christening here?’’ inquired one of the proud The missioner demurred for a time, but aft*- satisfying himself that both the parents and the godparents were m earnest ho consented. He made a proviso that u the gathering remained he would gl ' , ' e a short address” on the sacrament of baptism. To this all agreed and the gathering moved over to the water’s edge and the ceremony in strange surroundings P”* 6 ®? 1 ®* 1 ; b = each case the godparents held the babies, removing their tiny bori " £t^ h AS a gation, numbering nearly 209, formed Se “TWs Cl beautiful sacrament is not merely a form of ceremony, said. Mr Galaer. “It is a special written service taught y our Lord Himself. You and I are here to ■rive these little maids a good start on their spiritual career by. our prayer 3 to Gcd for a blessing on their young h eThe vows were then taken, the tongr K ation maintaining , a fhb Mr Calder then received each child in ms arms, steppped into the tlde and thrice poured water on the mtant adding the customary words 1 candidate was named Dawn Noreen Knoc and the second Loyis Mary Rout. _ Before dismissing the gathering the musmucr reminded them that baptising in the ea was not, novel, but rather a primitive idea, as the New . Testament recorded many such outdoor rituals.