sage encounter us
everywhere in Greek and Latin antiquity.

6. _Age of Baptism._--In the oldest Greek, Armenian, Syrian and other rites
of baptism, a service of giving a Christian (_i.e._ non-pagan) name, or of
sealing a child on its eighth day, is found. According to it the priest,
either at the door of the church or at the home, blessed the infant, sealed
it (this not in Armenia) with the sign of the cross on its forehead, and
prayed that in due season ([Greek: en kairoi euthetoi]) or at the proper
time (Armenian) it may enter the holy Catholic church. This rite announces
itself as the analogue of Christ's circumcision.

On the fortieth day from birth another rite is prescribed, of _churching_
the child, which is now taken _into_ the church with its mother. Both are
blessed by the clergy, whose petition now is that God "may preserve this
child and cause him to grow up by the unseen grace of His power and made
him worthy _in due season_ of the washing of baptism." As the first rite
corresponds to the circumcision and naming of Jesus, so does the second to
His presentation in the temple. These two rites really begin the
catechumenate or period of instruction in the faith and discipline of the
church. It depended on the individual how long he would wait for
initiation. Whenever he felt inclined, he gave in his name as a candidate.
This was usually done at the beginning of Lent. The bishop and clergy next
examined the candidates one by one, and ascertained from their neighbours
whether they had led such exemplary lives as to be worthy of admission. In
case of strangers from another church certificates of character had to be
produced. If a man seemed unworthy, the bishop dismissed him until another
occasion, when he might be worthier; but if all was satisfactory he was
admitted, in the West as a _competens_ or _asker_, in the East as a [Greek:
photizomenos], _i.e._ one in course of being illumined. Usually two
sponsors made themselves responsible for the past life of the candidate and
for the sincerity of his faith and repentance. The essential thing was that
a man should come to baptism of his own free will and not under compulsion
or from hope of gain. Macarius of Jerusalem (_op. cit._) declares that the
grace of the spirit is given in answer to our prayers and entreaties for
it, and that even a font is not needful, but only the wish and desire for
grace. Tertullian, however, in his work _On Baptism_, holds that even that