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Show BAPTIZED IN THE OCEAN. Blnemlar Features ot a Solemn Religious Ceremony on a IMiilne Uland. Swan's Island, though lying in sight of Outer Long Island, Mount Desert, contains one of tho happiest and most law abiding communities to be found! In all the earth. With a population of ! but 811 It maintains good schools and I two churches, one of which Is a mod em edifice, handsomely finished inside j and out, and having a sweet sounding ! and costly bell. There is one quarry there and some farming, but all else is connected with the sea. For some time there has been a great religious iuterest manifested ; more than half the people there are members of one of the two churches, which are Methodist and Baptist, and on Sunday twenty seven were baptized in the At lontic by the Rev Mr. Dunn, of Water ville, and Rev. Mr. Hall, of Clifton. Imagine first an island in midocean. CpoD one side is a little hamlet, nestled down close by the sea, wherein are two old wharves and a beach of sand, the latter as long perhaps as the platform of the upper station in Lewiston. Back of the beach is a small bluff as high as a two story house, and on this 400 of the islanders are gathered. The sky Is clear, with tho wind so brisk as to send tho sea gulls sailing swiftly and with canting wing across the sky, while nnder them and not more than fair gunshot away a school of seals swim and dive for herring. The waves are broken somewhat by an outer point, but they roll in and recede fully twenty feet Just at the tip of the wet sand there gather the twenty-seven candi dates, with friends and a choir to the number of 100. There has been no preparation for this baptism in the matter of clothing, either for the person to be baptized or the clergy; fifteen stalwart young fishermen fish-ermen dressed id their best, even wear lng their watches; twelve women in white summer dresses and low shoes; the ministers in black suits as they came upon the island, and as they stood in the pulpit and preached and prayed. A gospel song Hoats out upon the air and is hurried away over the heaving sea and over the seals, who lift their heads' and listen, and ' then preacher and fishermen walk out into the green waves. The song ceases, the baptismal rite is performed, and again the tuneful hymn is heard. The other clergyman is already al-ready walking in, and all the while, as the men and women come from out the water, relatives and friends rush about tbem, crying with excitement and joy, kissing and caressing. "Yes," said one stalwart fisherman, "the Saviour called me this morning. I thought I would be baptized later over on Mount Desert, but he kept calling, call-ing, and this morning I took my boat and started for over here. I had head winds and beat over. I must have sailed twenty miles to get eight, but here I am, and I'm glad 1 came." Lewiston Journal. |