THE FIRST BAPTISTS.

As this juvenile periodical is designed for the information of the children and youth of baptist families, schools, and congregations, there can be no impropriety in giving them, from time to time, some brief historical sketches of the people whose name it bears. We propose, therefore, to give their history, not in every number, but at intervals, and as opportunities offer. We think this will be the better way; as we would not weary our young friends with long historical details, but rather present the facts in an interesting and pleasing form.

First, then, for we begin at the beginning - JOHN THE BAPTIST, the herald of the MESSIAH, was the honoured individual to whom this distinguished appellation was first applied. A man of abstemious habits, stern manners, and rigid virtue, he reminded the people of their ancient prophets. The scene of his ministry was the solitary wilderness; and crowds were attracted to him there by curiosity or expectation. He called upon all who heard him to repent, and baptized those who professed repentance. At length the Son of God himself appeared and demanded baptism; which, after a modest protest, he administered, by immersing the Messiah in the waters of Jordan. Heaven sanctioned the act-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, were here united to stamp with divine authority this sacred rite!

JOHN withdrew into comparative obscurity, as the morning star retires before the rising sun, and we hear

little of him, except the message of inquiry he sent by his disciples to our Lord, who spoke of him in high terms of commendation. For his faithful reproof of an abandoned woman, he was sacrificed by a voluptuous tyrant. He was a prophet, and more than a prophet, and he met with the prophet's reward—a martyr's crown! Having noticed the first baptist, we proceed to remind the reader that christian baptism was instituted as a divine ordinance by our Lord Jesus Christ, after his resurrection, when he gave this memorable commission to his disciples: "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Those devoted and faithful men thus received their instructions from the lips of the Son of God himself. They could not misapprehend him, and being themselves under a divinely spiritual influence, their words and actions are to be regarded as clear indications of the will of the Redeemer respecting the administration of the affairs of his kingdom.

We assume this position,-THE FIRST CHRISTIANS WERE BAPTISTS. But "to the law and to the testimony." The Acts of the Apostles, written by Luke, may be regarded as the first book of Church history, and contains many passages sufficiently descriptive of the practice of the first christians. "They baptized," say the Magdeburg Centuriators, "only the adult or aged, whether Jews or Gentiles, whereof we have instances in

Acts ii, viii, x, xvi, and xix chapters; but as to the baptizing of infants, we have no example. As to the manner of baptizing, it was by dipping or plunging into water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, according to the allusions contained in Rom. vi. and Col. ii."

Indeed, it is admitted by the learned of all ages, that the language of the New Testament, respecting baptism, is fairly construed when we say that it means, as applied to primitive practice, immersion. It may be sufficient to name Dr. Wall as an authority upon this point. He was vicar of Shoreham, Kent, and wrote a book in favour of infant baptism, for which he received the thanks of his University, and a diploma creating him D. D. The following is his language:-" The general and ordinary way of baptizing in ancient times was by immersion. This is so plain and clear from an infinite number of passages, that one cannot but pity the weak endeavours of such pædobaptists as would maintain the negative of it; and wonder that any individuals are to be found who can treat with ridicule or contempt the English Baptists, merely for their use of dipping; and more especially, when it is considered. that it was in all probability the way by which our blessed Saviour, and most certainly the usual and ordinary way by which the ancient christians did receive their baptism."

these are.

THE DECEIVER DECEIVED.

Look at this picture, and try if you can find out who Here is an old man who could not see, and his aged wife, and their youngest son. What are they doing? You will find all about it in the twenty-seventh chapter of the book of Genesis.

That book of Genesis is a wonderful book; it is not only the oldest in the world, but the most interesting. I never knew a boy or a girl who was fond of reading at all, that was not fond of reading it. There you may read about how the world was made, and about the first men and women who lived in it.