ought to be publicly received into the
Church. The distinction which the poor draw between Baptism and
Christening as meaning respectively Private and Public Baptism is,
of course, unfounded. Baptism is also called "_Christening_,"
because in it the child is made a Christian, or member of Christ.

Under this head we may also treat of

Lay Baptism. Until 1604 this was allowed in the Church of England,
but the rubrics were then brought into such a shape that Baptism by
any but a "lawful minister" was distinctly disallowed. Still we
find that by the present law, Lay Baptism, that is to say, Baptism
by any man, or even woman, is valid so far as to qualify for burial
with the usual service. Lay Baptism is allowed in the Roman Church,
as it was in the Mediaeval Church, and in primitive times. Such
having always been the custom of the Catholic Church, it is well
that anybody should baptize a child in a case of great emergency,
when a "lawful minister" cannot be procured. Should the child live
and be brought to church, the clergyman can always, if doubtful of
the validity of the Baptism, use the hypothetical form at the end
of the Office for Private Baptism.

BAPTISTS or ANABAPTISTS. A name improperly assumed by those who
deny the validity of Infant Baptism. They were formerly called
_Anabaptists_ because they _re-baptized_ all who had been baptized
in their infancy. The Baptists formed a separate community in
England in 1633. They may be looked upon as the successors of the
Dutch Anabaptists. Their object in forming themselves into a
separate body was (1) for the maintenance of a strictly Calvinistic
doctrine; (2) for the exercise of a vigorous and exclusive
discipline; (3) for the practice of a literal scriptural ritual,
especially in the matter of Baptism. In Church polity they follow
the Independents. The Baptists hold that _immersion_ is essential
to the validity of the ordinance. Their leading idea is that the
Church must consist of true Christians, and not merely of
professing ones.

In 1882 in the United Kingdom there were
_Sunday_
_Ministers_, _Members_, _Chapels_, _Scholars_
1,905. 298,880. 3,502. 401,517.

In addition to these they have numerous congregations abroad, and
they raise about L200,000 yearly for missionary and benevolent
purposes.

Infant Baptism. The following reasons seem to afford ample proof
that the baptism