In closing these remarks, the writer, as a protestant dissenter, cannot but congratulate himself and his fellow dissenters on the happy escape of ourselves and our children from this delusive ceremony, as well as many others, by our nonconformity. Surely it becomes dissenters to be exceedingly thankful to that God, whose Providence and grace have enabled them to "come out and be separate," and not to touch this unclean thing. Let them bind their dissent as a crown upon their brow, and deem it, as it is, the next honour to their christianity; and while they love all good men,-the churchman who "loves the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity," no less than the nonconformist who does so, let them seriously and boldly protest against the soul destructive delusions propagated by the system from which they withdraw. The antiquity of the episcopal church of this country.-her numerous illustrious men, her venerable places of worship, not however originally hers, her occasionally beautiful prayers, and other things, invest her with an interest which men of taste must understand and feel; but whilst she retains some of the foulest features of the apostate church of Rome, in her unhallowed alliance with the state-in her superstitious reverence for saints-in her doctrine of baptismal regeneration-in her practice of priestly absolution, and other things too numerous to detail, she has little claim to the respect, far less to the love, of pious men. Papists may well speak of her as the fairest daughter of the church of Rome.

"The least deformed, because reformed the least;"

but Protestants may well demand that she should "purge herself of these errors,' "that she should conform herself to the model of the New Testament, and that she should remember the maxim, "My kingdom is not of this world," -then should she bless, instead of injuring, then should she save, instead of destroying, the souls of men!

And ought not the members of the church of England, both clergy and laity, to lay these things to heart? Is it not a fearful thing thus to mislead and endanger the souls of the rising population? What will be the end of these things, when all shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ? Surely the pious and evangelical members and clergy of the church, with one mind and with one mouth,

ought to be protest-ants against the remaining popery of their church, declining to practice such unscriptural rites, or manfully secede from so corrupt a community.

And let all those young persons into whose hands this tract may fall, be upon their guard. If they have been confirmed, let them not imagine themselves any the better, any the safer, for this circumstance; but let them remember, that saving religion consists not in outward rites, but in repentance for sin-faith in Jesus Christ-and sanctification by the Holy Ghost. "Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh at the heart." "He is not a Jew which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." "He came to his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name; which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."

66

LEICESTER:

BAPTIST DEPOSITORY FOR TRACTS AND SABBATH SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS.

FRINTED AND SOLD BY J. F. WINKS, HIGH STREET.

No. 3.-Two SHILLINGS PER 100.

Catalogues Gratis, on Receipt of One Postage Stamp.

THE FONT AND THE TUB.

"ON Sunday last, August 23, at St. Martin's church in this town, Mr. John Butler, Druggist, living in Wharfstreet, was publicly baptized by immersion, by the Rev. E. T. Vaughan, the vicar. The request being somewhat singular, together with the performance of the ceremony, not having, we understand, taken place for two hundred years before in that church, we are induced to give the particulars.

"The candidate, Butler, it appears, is in the habit of attending the ministry of the Rev. E. T. Vaughan, at St. Martin's church; never having been baptized according to the manner of the Establishment, he has had some qualms of conscience of late on the subject, and in order to learn whether dipping or sprinkling was the proper mode, he had recourse to all the modern writers on the controversy: when he came to the conclusion that immersion was the scriptural mode of performing this "outward sign of an inward and spiritual grace," and he applied to the Rev. E. T. Vaughan, to perform the ceremony. The worthy vicar, we are informed, felt rather astonished at his request, and demanded some time to think of the subject, as the way he wished the ceremony

to be performed was quite new to him. The Lord Bishop of the diocese (Lincoln) having held his visitation in this town the week before last, the worthy divine named the subject to him, who replied, that if the individual wished it, he had better perform the ceremony.

"Accordingly, last Sunday morning, to use the words of the Rev. E. T. Vaughan, this imposing ceremony' took place. Long before it began, the avenues leading to the font were crowded, and the church altogether had a fuller attendance than usual. At the conclusion of the second lesson, and while the congregation were singing "Rock of ages cleft for me," the Rev. Divine walked to the font, attended by the candidate and his sureties, where was placed a large tub, made for the purpose, about seven feet in length, and three feet in height, of an oblong shape, and containing about one hundred gallous of water. The minister having read the service for the public baptism of such as are of riper years, proceeded to immerse the candidate, who, having taken off his coat, ascended three steps, which were placed at the end of the tub, got into the water, and walked to the end, when the clergyman, assisted by his clerk, immersed this individual who had "renounced the devil and all his works." Several prayers followed, appointed for the occasion, and the imposing ceremony' terminated. The Rev. E. T. Vaughan, afterwards preached an excellent sermon on the subject, from Col. ii. 11, 12."

The above is an extract from a Leicester newspaper, which led to the publication of the following supposed

DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE FONT AND THE TUB.

(By a Baptist.)

On a fine autumnal evening I left my study, to enjoy for a few moments, the cool and refreshing breeze. The shades of the evening were just beginning to fall around me as Martin's clock chimed half-past seven. Beholding the doors of the church open, I entered into the venerable building, and determined for a few minutes to dwell among the dead, meditating in silence upon the triumphs of the King of Terrors. My attention was arrested to a certain part of the church, from which proceeded a noise

as of two persons in close and earnest conversation. I moved softly on towards the place from whence the noise proceeded, and without being discovered, to my great surprise heard the Font and the Tub warmly disputing on the subject of Baptism. Thinking that the conversation would prove interesting, I seated myself in a pew close by, and listened attentively to the following dialogue :

Font.--I am surprised that the Vicar has introduced such a new-fangled thing as you into this holy building, and that the sexton should have the temerity to place you

so near to me.

Tub.-I pray thee not to be angry, and I will endeavour to explain to you the cause of my introduction, and

Font.-I want not to hear of it: but I suppose you thought yourself of great importance yesterday, when the Vicar employed you as an instrument, in which he dipped an individual in the presence of such a vast number of people, and called that the scriptural mode of administering the holy ordinance of baptism.

Tub.-Indeed I feel that a very great honour was conferred upon me, and greatly rejoice that the learned Vicar employed me in a work so important, and that by my assistance he was enabled, scripturally, to administer the ordinance of believers' baptism.

Font.-Baptism in a tub indeed! What profanity!

Tub.-You may jeer, neighbour font, but I can assure you I am made to destroy your superstitious practice of administering baptism by sprinkling.

Font. Superstitious! Is it come to this, that such an unholy thing as you are, dare to insult me to my face, and call the ancient practice of the church superstitious? O shocking! O horrible!

Tub.-Not at all intimidated by the fierceness of your anger, I again assert that I am made to destroy the ancient and superstitious practice of sprinkling and pouring, the inventions of men, and to substitute in their place, dipping or immersion, the only proper and scriptural mode of administering the ordinance of baptism.

Font. And are you so vain and conceited as to sup