BISHOP BAPTISES SOIU

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17621, 28 January 1929, Page 6

BISHOP BAPTISES SOIU

CEREMONY AT CATHEDRAL UNIQUE EVENT CELEBRATED. POSSIBLY WITHOUT PRECEDENTIMPRESSIVE SCENE AT FONT. St. Peter’s Cathedral was crowtf od last evening when Bishop Cherrlngton administered the saccramont of Holy Baptism, the Infant being his newly-born son. So far as is known this event Is unique In the history of the Church of England in New Zealand. It was also the first public baptism to be held In the Cathtn dral.

Long before the peal of the last bell died away the seating capacity of the Cathedral was taxed to the utmost and forms had to be installed near the door to accommodate the overflow of the congregation. The ceremony, which was very impressive, was introduced in the middle of evensong after the Psalrhs. -Attired in episcopal vestments of white and deep blue and crowned with a white mitre, the Bishop followed a choral procession down the to the Font. His Lordship was assisted by Mr W. Cleary, who carried the pastoral staff and acted as lay reader during the former part of the service. No other clergy were present in official capacity. Godparents Take Vows. The infant, who was nursed by Mrs L. B. Gilflllan, the godmother, started to cry but was pacified sufficiently to allow the rites to be performed. The usual vows were taken by Mr Douglas Hay, the godfather, and Mrs Gilflllan, and then his Lordship took the child in his arms and baptised him “Peter Cecil Cherrlngton in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.” The congregation, most of whom faced the rear of the church, joined in the responses. The Bishop then performed the laying-on of hands and pronounced the Benediction over the child, after which the sacrament terminated with the Lord’s Prayer. During the singing of an appropriate hymn the choir and clergy returned to the Chancel and the normal evening service was resumed.

Commanded In Rubric. In his sermon the Bishop explained Hie sacrament of Holy Baptism and his reasons for introducing it Into evensong. The special rubric in the Prayer Book, slated liis Lordship, commanded that infants he publicly baptised where possible in order that many of the congregation would remember their own profession in this respect. In many of the populous districts in England, he added, baptism during Sunday service was a regular occurrence. It was customary for the priest to hold baptisms whenever there was a fifth Sunday in ttie month, though this was not essential. He would like to see more public baptisms in St. Peter’s Cathedral, although he realised that the administration of the sacrament to a large number of infants might become tedious for the congregation. He thanked those present for attending in such ; large numbers and expressed the hope that they had caught something of the inner symbolism of the rites.

Fallen Into Disuse. Certain sacraments in the Church ot England, his Lordship said, had fallen into disuse and tended to become obscure, though this was never'intended. The public ceremony of baptism seemed strange when it was held only ( on rare occasions, and that evening’s service was only appointing It to its rightful place in their religion.

The Bishop then outlined the duties of the god-parents and pointed out that actually five people were made responsible for a child’s spiritual welfare. In the event of a child becoming an orphan, the godparents, by their pledges, saw that'the child came to no evil and were also required to bring him or her to confirmation.

BAPTISM BY BISHOPS. CHURCHMAN'S OPINION. The performance of baptism by I bishops is not unknown, but whereas the Anglican bishops of the Province of New Zealand c'llectively confirm thousands of young people during the year they seldom find it necessary to baptise, this function being undertaken by a priest. On the mission fields, of course, adult baptisms are usually more numerous than child baptisms. it was stated authoritatively by. a prominent churchman to-day that Bisj hop Cherrington is the first bishop in I New Zealand to baptise his own child |at a public service. Although this I authority could not state off-hand i whether such an event was unique i amopg colonial branches of the Mother Church, he was confident that the j precedents, if there were any, would Ibe very few in number. He added [that in'spite of the fact that such a ! baptism as took place in St. Peler’s Cathedral last night was rara avis and would doubtless arouse widespread in--1 crest in Anglican circles, in his opinion it was quite regular in tire legal sense. EVENT UNIQUE IN DOMINION. FAIRLY COMMON IN ENGLAND. Mr Norman E. Burton, of Auckland, a leading Dominion authority on Church law, stated to a Times reporter to-day that the event was undoubtedly unique. So far as he was aware there was nothing untoward in bishops baptising their sons in public any more than there was in bishops ordaining their sons to the priesthood. Strictly speaking, all services of the Church were open to the public, but the public did not attend them' all. The introduction of baptism in-even-song, he said, was fairly common in England, but he could not remember when such had been done in the Dominion before, lie would not say that no New Zealand bishops had baptised their children, but any previous ceremonies of this nature had been don« privately.