r Tertullian, who believed
it to be the work of the devil, says:

"He BAPTIZES his believers and followers; he promises the
remission of sins at the _sacred fount_, and thus initiates
them into the religion of _Mithra_; he _marks on the forehead_
his own soldiers," &c.[319:2]

"He marks on the forehead," _i. e._, he marks _the sign of the cross_ on
their foreheads, just as priests of Christ Jesus do at the present day
to those who are initiated into the Christian mysteries.

Again, he says:

"The nations who are strangers to all spiritual powers (the
heathens), ascribe to their idols (gods) the power of
impregnating the waters with the same efficacy as in Christian
baptism." For, "in certain sacred rites of theirs, the mode of
initiation is by baptism," and "whoever had defiled himself
with murder, expiation was sought in purifying water."[319:3]

He also says that:

"The devil signed his soldiers in the forehead, in imitation
of the Christians."[319:4]

And St. Augustin says:

"The _cross_ and _baptism_ were never parted."[319:5]

The ancient _Egyptians_ performed their rite of baptism, and those who
were initiated into the mysteries of Isis were baptized.[319:6]

Apuleius of Madura, in Africa, who was initiated into these mysteries,
shows that baptism was used; that the ceremony was performed by the
attending priest, and that purification and forgiveness of sin was the
result.[319:7]

The custom of baptism in Egypt is known by the hieroglyphic term of
"_water of purification_." The water so used in immersion absolutely
cleansed the soul, _and the person was said to be regenerated_.[320:1]

They also believed in baptism _after death_, for it was held that the
dead were washed from their sins by Osiris, the beneficent saviour, in
the land of shades, and the departed are often represented (on the
sarcophagi) kneeling before Osiris, who pours over them water from a
pitcher.[320:2]

The ancient _Etruscans_ performed the rite of baptism. In _Tab._ clxxii.
Gorius gives two pictures of ancient Etruscan baptism by water. In the
first, the youth is held in the arms of one priest, and another is
pouring water upon his head. In the second, the young person is going
through the same ceremony, kneeling on a kind of altar. At the time of
its baptism the child was named, blessed and marked on the forehead with
_the sign of the cross_.[320:3]

Baptism,