I am baptized! According to Thy com-
mand, Lord Jesus, have I been baptized. In
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost, have I been baptized.

I am baptized! Soon after I was born,
my parents, with a pious love, devoted me to
Thee, my Saviour. Like the little children
whom Thou didst take into Thine arms and
bless, I could not come to Thee myself, and
hence my parents brought me. Thanks to
Thee, Lord Jesus, that no one forbade them
to bring me; and that Thou hast said, Suffer
the little children to come unto me.

Like those little children, I could not
choose, nor seek, nor desire to come to Thee.
Still less could I actually come by repent-
ance, by faith, by prayer, by the personal
use of means and ordinances, or by obedience
to Thy commands; but my parents could
bring me; and in bringing me they acknow-
ledged my sinful nature, and my need of a
Saviour. They believed in my name, as the
woman of Canaan did for her daughter, and
the centurion for his servant. They prayed
for me. They obeyed and used the appointed
means and ordinances for me. This Thou
didst accept at their hands in my behalf;
and in answer to their pious act and desire,
didst vouchsafe to me the blessing of Thy
holy baptism.
I cannot remember my baptism. But this
does not rob me of the blessing contained in
it, and that flows to me from it. I do not
remember that my parents nursed and pro-
tected me; cared for me, clothed and fed
me. Many other good and kind acts, neces-
sary to my health and growth in body and
mind, they did for me in my infancy. The
remembrance of them is gone, but their
blessed effects remain. Merciful are all Thy
ways, Lord my God! Behold, Thou art
found of them that sought Thee not! Herein
is love, not that I loved God, but that He
loved me.

I am baptized! Though I do not remem-
ber it, my parents have reminded me of it;
and Thou, my Heavenly Father, hast not
forgotten it. It was not my act to Thee; it
was Thy act to me. Thou hast been a God
to me, according to Thy promise. Thou
hast remembered Thy holy covenant; for-
ever blessed be Thy name!