Show FROM ACROSS THE SEA I 1 the following clipping was sent us by elder dolore nichols who Is laboring in england as a missionary and reports a baptism as witnessed by a representative of the bristol chronicle ed wending slowly through toe the beautiful glen of stapleton now clothed in all the charni charm and freshness of spring might have been seen yesterday afternoon a straggling procession or something less than two score men and women As they followed the undulating and rocky banks of the gently gliding froom they laughed and chatted and to all appearances they were merely friends on pleasure bent anyone within hearing distance would at once have come to the eon conclusion that they were visitors from afar intent on enjoying the most pic tur tures esque gue scene in the neighborhood ol of bristol but this opinion would only in part have been correct it is true that these men and women were strangers to the district for the majority of them hailed from the far west it is RISO also true that they were not indifferent to the delights of that secluded country in which they found themselves but the object of their pre presence senco was not the pleasure of ordinary folk they were out for no picnic they were not making holiday oliday li they were on a sacred errand the most sacred of their lives and though their words were light they were grave at heart they were mormons cormons to be exact members of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints and they were on the way to the billage allag ge of stapleton to perform a solemn ceremony the baptism into their church of two converts to the faith mor mons regard baptism by total immersion as essential to salvation and those who accept the teaching of prophet smith mit must pass through the waters of baptism before acceptance cep tance ce in this instance the waters of baptisms baptism were were the river froom and close by the old snuff mills at staple ton the party halted and the rites of the church were nere performed some ten or twelve years ago a si ceremony was witnessed at a spot not tar far di distant t a t but since that date the bristol C conference liae hae res resorted ortch for foi this purpose to bath where facilities were afforded them at one of the medicinal establishments on this occasion the bath was not available hence the journey to stapleton THE CEREMONY the ceremony at the waters side was very simple and brief when the converts had draped themselves at a cottage near by the gathering to which a large number of curious spectators had been attracted sang one of their hymns an elder prayed and then a second hymn was chanted followed by a fervent exhortation by an elder who explained the act about to be performed and the tenets of his church he declared that no one accepted mormonism but of free choice and from knowledge and as for baptism the rite was nas refused to women unless they had the consent of their husbands and to any below age unless they had the consent of their parents at the conclusion of the address the elder performing the ceremony entered the froom followed by the converts and in midstream mid stream the final act was speedily completed the term elder is somewhat misleading tor for in the case of each baptism the officiating brother was on the right side of the prime of life a tine fine type of manhood obviously sincere in his professions the elder clasped the hands of the convert with his left NL ivl and raising the right solemnly itofa in OU ed her er by y her er full u name add mr usual formula in which di the usual hagl rel m mission is claimed discont was soon completed and n iho appeared to be 30 reduced red redUCe ls of age were quickly es lr to the cottage I 1 and the ased later in the even jl stage of conversion that g 9 on of hands was per we I 1 all woo t churche churchs bead at j redding road Ea eastville stville or ferin isto lians know anything B dee ce of the sect in their directories make no rent reat ilie die fot so fact and althou although ii in was scarcely li G 0 c city ciar the public has 1 IM G ro 0 go 17 u UP GO |