sharing with their parents in the Ordinances of the Church of God! It has been stated, that some farther notice would be taken of _the form of words_ to be used in the administration of baptism. Whether the Lord Jesus meant, that the precise form, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,” should invariably be employed, may admit of a question. Baptized persons were doubtless dedicated to the service of the glorious and blessed Trinity. They were baptized _into_ the name of the Triune God. But it cannot be certainly proved, that the Lord Jesus intended that these very words should be used on each occasion. And it is remarkable, that in the subsequent account of instances of baptism in The Acts of the Apostles, it is called “being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Irenæus observes, that this might be the putting of a part for the whole, and that so it would be generally understood. The safest course has, however, been taken in the Christian Church by the retention of _the precise form_ found in the Commission given by Christ to His Apostles; and no objection can be justly brought against it. This is all that is found in The Gospels, _directly_ applicable to the Sacrament of Baptism. But there is a circumstance recorded in three of them, which cannot be overlooked in connection with the subject of the administration of baptism to children;—though baptism itself is not mentioned in it. St. Matthew, St. Mark, and St. Luke, relate the bringing of little children or infants, or both, either by their parents or others interested for them, to Christ, “that He should put His hands on them and pray for them.” The disciples, unwilling probably that their Master should be troubled with such an application, “rebuked those who brought them: but when Jesus saw it, He was much displeased” with the disciples, “and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And He took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them.” (Mark x. 13–16.) What doubtless increased Christ’s displeasure at the conduct of His disciples was their evident forgetfulness of what had passed a short time before; when, a dispute having arisen among them who should be the greatest, He set a child in the midst of them and proposed him as a pattern of humility, unto which He declared all the subjects of His kingdom must be conformed. With respect to the children thus brought to Christ, He only acted in His usual benevolent manner, when He complied with the request made of Him concerning them. He was asked to “put His hands on them and to pray,”—that is, for a blessing to rest upon them. This therefore He did. The word “blessed”—He “blessed them”—is the same with that used by Himself in His sermon on the Mount: “bless them that curse you:”—the