Baptism, How it Should be Conducted by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 23, 1875

Baptism, How it Should be Conducted.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

Having attended several baptisms of late, I wish to offer some suggestions concerning the proper way of conducting them. Others may take different views of the matter perhaps. Baptism should be a very solemn ordinance, conducted in such a manner as to make a good, pleasant, and sacred impression upon the mind of the one baptized and the one beholding it. Ordinarily, it is an event that takes place but once in a person’s lifetime. It is designed to mark a new and important era in a person’s life. It marks our death to sin and the world, and our birth into the church of Christ. It is a solemn representation of the burial and resurrection of the divine Son of God.

Generally, there are many present to witness it, not only friends but opposers and scoffers, who are ready to take exceptions to the least impropriety or unseemly action. Hence great care should be taken to give no occasion for scoffers to make sport.

1. The minister himself should be properly and neatly dressed. I have sometimes seen them put on old, faded and worn clothes in which to perform the ceremony—clothes that they would ordinarily use in the most common labor. I am satisfied that this is not right. If ever a minister ought to dress neatly or tastily, it is on such an occasion as this.

2. The candidate to be baptized should also be neatly dressed. I have sometimes seen brethren go into the water barefooted, or in their stockings, with coat and vest off, and perhaps with patched and faded clothes. To appear thus looks untasteful and irreverent. If a person is so poor that he cannot provide a whole, clean suit of clothes, probably he could borrow them for once from somebody. For the sisters a black alpaca or waterproof robe, with weights in the bottom to keep the dress down is generally the best. Where this is not provided, a loose-fitting dress, of some dark, worsted material will do very well. Light calico or muslin is only admissible in very warm weather, and then only provided that the person puts on plenty of underclothes. In either case, it is a mistake to think that one wants but few underclothes on when baptized. With woolen underclothes one does not chill through as readily, and the water which comes in contact with the person does not change so rapidly as with cotton underwear; hence it stays warm longer. But with thin cotton underclothes the person is not only soon chilled, but as soon as the garments are wet the form of the wearer is more exposed. Plenty of underclothing will obviate this largely.

3. A proper place should be chosen for the baptism. All these things make an impression on the beholder and on the candidate. Hence it is very desirable to have a pleasant location. It is bad to baptize a person in a dirty place, or in muddy water. One can afford to take a great deal of pains rather than to do it.

4. Very much depends upon the preacher’s knowing how to perform the act properly. Where a candidate is immersed in a proper manner, it is possible for him to avoid strangling or struggling in the water. This results generally from ignorance on the part of the administrator. They should go out into the water till it is deep enough to come well up on the hips. The shallower the water the harder it is to baptize. When everything is ready, the candidate should be instructed to take a deep, full breath, filling the lungs full of air just as he is being put under the water. Then as he rises out of the water, he will throw his breath out, and thus save strangling. Candidates should be instructed also to slightly throw the head back and not to double forward, as many are inclined to do. This makes it hard to get the head entirely under water. By throwing the head backward a little just as they go down, they are easily immersed. After the minister has said the ceremony, then he should gently and slowly put the person backward till the back of the head is in the water. Then quickly put them under and raise them up. This prevents all excitement, struggling, strangling, &c. When the person rises, he should stand perfectly still till he has had time to get his breath and compose himself.

5. Too much singing is not good at a baptism. The attention of the people is upon what is being done, and it is hard to get their attention to singing. Hence, unless there is a well-trained company of singers, it is best not to sing very much. One solemn hymn, well sung, before prayer is always proper. After that, circumstances should direct with regard to the rest. I have sometimes seen singers sing themselves hoarse in competing with the roaring waves, talking people, and blowing wind. This is only mockery. If the air is still, and everything pleasant, an occasional verse, well sung, is very proper. Otherwise, it is best omitted. Hoping that these remarks will help some inexperienced ones, I have written them out.

D. M. Canright.

Vassar, Mich.