cult to say with any degree of certainty
at what period the office of _Sponsors_ was established, but it
appeared in the very earliest ages of the Christian Church. It is
supposed that persecution and the presence of heresy led to its
institution. During the time of those early persecutions it stands
to reason that the heads of the Church must have been aware of the
probability of some at least of those who had been baptized of
receding from their vows and thus sinning away their Baptismal
grace. It was but natural that they should adopt every precaution
to ascertain the character of those whom, by Baptism, they admitted
to the Christian covenant. They required, therefore, that some of
their own body answer for the real conversion of the presumed
neophyte, and should also be SURETIES for the fulfilment of the
promises then made. Then there were the probabilities during
persecution that the parents might not outlive the violence of
the times and be enabled to watch over the moral and religious
education of their baptized children. The Church was anxious not
to lose these lambs of the Flock, and so it was a wise and godly
provision that there should be some one who, in default of their
parents, surviving or {244} in case of their apostasy, might see to
it that their godchildren were "brought up to lead a godly and
a Christian life." The advantages arising from this ancient
institution of _Sponsors_ were so great that it has been continued
throughout all ages of the Church. And even in this present time,
if all Sponsors would fulfil their duties, many a child now lost
to the Church, might have been saved to it and brought up in the
nurture and admonition of the Lord. In the case of Baptism of
Infants, the significance of _Sponsors_ is very great, in that
Baptism is a covenant, in which God on the one hand is represented
by His Minister, and the child is represented by his Sponsors,
who answer for him and agree to see to it that this child shall
be virtuously brought up and so trained that it shall lead the
rest of his life according to this beginning. The Sponsors are
called Godfathers and Godmothers because of the spiritual affinity
created in Baptism, their responsibility for the training of the
child being almost parental. (See BAPTISM, HOLY; INFANT BAPTISM;
also NAME, THE CHRISTIAN.)

Stalls.--Seats in the choir (_i.e._, chancel) for Clergy and
Choristers, commonly called Choir Stalls.

Standing Committee.--The gen