his portion of the bread, and repeats the formula,
not to each one, but once only while his hand is passing over the six.
So, I imagine, John repeated whatever form he had (and the apostles
theirs) to companies, while, in rapid succession, he applied the water
to them. It is impossible to account for the performance of such
incredible labor as John must have undergone, unless we adopt some such
supposition as this, or confess that John's baptism was, throughout, a
miracle. But "the people said, John did no miracle." If the apostles
sprinkled three thousand in this way, by companies, in one day, as they
could easily have done, we can see how the same day there could be
"added unto them about three thousand souls," even if "added" meant
being baptized. That the apostles had assistance in administering
baptism at this early period, is not probable. They had not yet proposed
to have helpers in taking care of the poor, much less to share with them
the first administration of Christian baptism. If any church were to
require me to believe, before admitting me to the Lord's table, that the
apostles immersed three thousand people at the day of Pentecost, after
nine o'clock in the morning, in the midst of necessary labors, and at
that driest season of the year, or in tanks, I could no more believe it
than I could confess that the earth is flat.

_Mrs. K._ But "John was baptizing in Enon, near to Salim, because there
was much water there."

_Mr. M._ "Much water," in those countries, was on a smaller scale than
in North America. They would have needed all the lake-shore or river
banks that could be found, to witness the baptisms, and to pass in and
out of, or to and from, the water, conveniently, while John stood to
receive them in or near the water. A fountain or small body of water
would not have accommodated those multitudes; not because the water
would not suffice, for a small running stream would be enough, and would
have afforded "much water;" but think what inconvenience there would
have been in baptizing a crowd around a small stream. Baptism by
immersion, among us, though a few gallons of water only are needed, is
more conveniently done where there is "much water;" because the
spectators can spread themselves along the banks, and then there is no
confusion. The most convenient and rapid way of baptizing multitudes by
sprinkling would be, for the administrator to stand in the water, and
let the people pass by him. Besides,