That baptism is greatly abused and neglected, none will deny.  It is often abused by neglect of the proper time of its administration.  The earliest period of infancy is the proper time; for then there will be a proper correspondence in time between the dedication and the baptism.  In this we have an example from Jewish circumcision.  The pious Jew took the infant when it was but eight days old, and had it circumcised.  But many Christian parents defer the baptism of their children until late childhood, while their vows of dedication are left in mere naked feeling and resolution, having no sacramental force and expression; and as a consequence will grow cold and indifferent.  When parents thus delay having their children brought within the fold of God and the bosom of the church, they presume to be wiser than God, and oppose their own weak reason to His word and promises.

Baptism is often abused, also, by being used as a mere habit, an unmeaning form, without a proper sense of its significance, importance, duties and responsibilities.  It is administered because others do the same,—­because customary among most church members, and because perhaps it looks like an adherence to the outward of christianity and the church at least.  When they have thus obeyed the law of habit, and girded themselves with the formula of parental duty, they feel they have done enough; and perhaps neither their children nor the vows they assumed at their baptism ever after recur to them as objects of specific duty.

But we would remind such parents, that habit is not always duty, and our adherence to habit does not prove our sincerity and the truthfulness of our purpose.  It does not always imply “the answer of a good conscience towards God.”  If having our children baptized is simple obedience to the law of habit, it is not the performance of a parental duty, but the abuse of a blessed privilege; there is in it all no living churchly expression of willing vows.  In this way we only reach its outward form, and we do that, not because of its inherent worth, not because of a duty and privilege; but because we desire to cope with others, and decorate our religion in the popular dress of other people’s habits.

Baptism is also abused by mistaking the object and design of its administration.  Why do many parents have their children baptized?  Because they wish to express their vows of dedication in that sacramental form and way which God has appointed?  Because they desire to bring them into the fold and bosom of the church, and place them in saving relations to the means of grace?  Alas, no! but too often because they make their baptism the mere occasion of giving them, in a formal, public way, their Christian names.  They christen their children to give them a name; and often with them this holy sacrament is as empty as the name.  Their baptism, in their view, is but the sealing and confirming the name they had before chosen for the child; and when this is done they have