[Those about to be baptized are addressed as follows, after which the ordinance will be administered:] Acknowledging the divine authority of Christian Baptism, you now receive it as the sign of the washing of regeneration, which you trust has been wrought in you by the Holy Spirit, and as a seal of your covenant with God. COVENANT And now you, who make this confession, do heartily and unreservedly surrender yourselves to God, in the everlasting covenant of His grace, consecrating all your faculties and powers and possessions to His service and glory. And you promise, that through the assistance of His Spirit, by faith in Christ, you will cleave to Him as your chief good; that you will give diligent attention to His word and to His ordinances, such as prayer in secret, prayer in the family, and the worship of His House, both public and social; that you will seek in all things the honor and interest of His kingdom; and that henceforth denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, you will live soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present world. Is this your covenant? [Here those to be received by letter will, with those admitted on confession of faith, unite in the following covenant with the Church:] You solemnly promise to walk with this Church, in a spirit of forbearance and brotherly kindness, attending its worship, partaking its fellowship, upholding its government, sharing its support, avoiding everything which may bring reproach upon its honor, and striving to do all in your power by an earnest christian life, and by faithful cooperation with its members, to promote its purity, peace, and prosperity. Do you thus covenant with us? RESPONSE OF THE CHURCH [The Church will rise and repeat:] We, the members of this Church, do most affectionately receive you to our communion. We own you, from this hour, our kindred in Christ. We break with you the bread, and drink with you the cup, at the table of the Lord, in token of our recognition of your membership with us in the Household of Faith. We give you glad welcome to all the ordinances and privileges of this House of God. We pledge to you all that Christian fellowship, helpfulness and coöperation which you have promised to us. [The minister shall say while giving each one the right hand of fellowship:] Beloved in the Lord, ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, being built upon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the chief corner stone. [The minister and Church will repeat:] For this cause, we bow our knees unto the Father, from whom every family in Heaven and on Earth is named, that He would grant you according unto the riches of His glory; that you may be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inward man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, to the end that you being rooted and grounded in love, may be strong to apprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God. Now unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be the glory in the Church, and in Christ Jesus, unto all generations forever and ever. I BELIEVE in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, AND in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead and buried. The third day he rose from the dead, He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty. I BELIEVE in the Holy Ghost: The holy Catholic Church; the communion of saints; The resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Amen. BAPTISMAL SERVICE [Read or chant Mark 10: 13-17.] And they brought unto Him little children, that He should touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, He was moved with indignation, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein. And He took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying His hands upon them. You have heard how the blessed Lord said in the days of His flesh, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God, and therefore, although children be unable to take upon themselves the vows of the Lord, it is both our duty and privilege to bring them unto Him, and present them for baptism, even as under the law of Moses, our Lord Himself was presented for circumcision, in order that they may receive the seal of the covenant, and be admitted in Christ's name into the fold of His Church. COVENANT You, who now present your children, to receive upon them the seal of God's covenant, confess yourselves believers in the verity and the continuance of His promise to His children, to be a Father to them, and to their seed after them. You covenant, on your part, in the presence of God, and of these witnesses, to train these children, whom He hath given you, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; to instruct them in the knowledge of all divine truth, as you may have opportunity, but especially in the way of salvation through Jesus Christ; to walk before them daily, as God may give you grace, in the exemplification of the christian life; to seek, as your chief end concerning them, their renewal of heart, and their salvation through Christ Jesus; and to labor in all ways, with devout and prayerful endeavor, to prepare them to accomplish God's will on earth, and to enter His Home of glory above. Do you thus promise? [The minister then announcing the name of each child, will say:] I baptize thee into the name of the. Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. [After baptism prayer is offered by the minister, and another chant is sung by the choir, as the parents withdraw.] NOTE. The name of the child, together with the date of its birth and the names of its parents, should be given to the minister in writing. Form of Admission with Confession and FORM OF ADMISSION All who are to be received come forward as their names are read, those who unite on confession standing, those who unite by letter being seated. "What doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" Micah 6: 8. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Matthew 22:37, 39. "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." Romans 1: 16. "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10: 10. Dearly Beloved: Because you believe that it is a part of the duty and the privilege of a true christian life to give public witness to one's faith, you have come to-day to declare that you are a follower of Christ and that you desire to be received into covenant relations with his Church. We rejoice with you in your faith and purpose, and welcome you to our Church on the basis of your acceptance of our Confession and Covenant to which we ask you now to give your cordial assent. CONFESSION OF FAITH I believe that God is my loving Heavenly Father, and that He has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to reveal His character and His will, and to redeem humanity from sin. Believing that I have been led by the Holy Spirit, I accept Jesus Christ as my Saviour, my Teacher, my Example. I accept the Bible as the record of God's revelation of His will. I declare it to be my purpose, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to be conscientious in regard to prayer and the study of the Bible, and to make the teachings of the Bible, especially as revealed in the life and words of Jesus Christ, the final standard for my faith; for my conduct in all business and social relations; and in my personal life. Do you accept this statement as expressing your present faith and purpose? Response: I do. BAPTISM You who now, for the first time, enter into covenant with the Church of Christ, do receive baptism, as the token of the new life wrought in you by the Holy Spirit, and as the sign of your purpose to be forever the Lord's. The candidate kneeling, baptism is here administered with these words: I baptize thee into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. To those who were baptized in childhood the pastor will say: You who were baptized in childhood do accept for yourselves, as your own free act, the seal of baptism, to which faith and love brought you. Response: We do. The pastor greets those who bring letters from other churches with these words: Beloved in the Lord, who come to renew the vows, and the declaration of faith in Christ, which you have made elsewhere, we bid you welcome. We greet you as kinsmen in Him, and fellow-laborers in His service, and fellow-travelers to His promised rest. We now ask you all to assent to the following COVENANT I declare it to be my purpose to be loyal to the interests of the Central Congregational Church as long as I am a member of it. I promise that to the extent of my ability - I will conscientiously coöperate in sustaining its worship and its ordinances by my attendance and fellowship; in upholding its good name by a careful christian life; and in forwarding its work by my sympathy and financial support. Do you enter cordially into this covenant? Response: I do. The Church rises and repeats: We, the members of the Central Congregational Church, do most affectionately receive you into our communion, and renew, with you; our covenant. We break with you the bread, and drink with you the cup, at the table of the Lord, in token of our recognition of your membership with us in this household of faith. We give you welcome to all the duties, and all the privileges of this house of God. We pledge |