Lore And Legend of the English Church

an faith, a special chamber, the baptistery, was prepared for its initial sacrament. This was often a distinct building of great size ; baptism being publicly administered only at stated intervals, so that the catechumens were sometimes very numerous. It appears to have been about the sixth century that the baptistery began to be constructed as part of the church itself, though it was still outside the main building, a porch sometimes being used for the purpose. The laver of regeneration within these baptisteries was a well or tank, round or cruciform in plan, whose brim was level with the pavement. Steps were provided upon the right and left sides by which the catechumen and the officiant descended and ascended. According to Thomas Cartwright, the Puritan antagonist of Archbishop Whitgift, fonts, as we now have them, were "invented by Pope Pius;" but this can scarcely be correct. They are certainly later than the time of Pius I., who reigned from the year 142 to about 157; and it is equally clear that they were in use before the days of Pius II., who did not ascend the papalthrone until 1458. As a matter of fact, the custom of baptism by affusion, rather than by immersion, began to be usual in the west about the eighth century; and with this came naturally the construction of smaller fonts. At about the same time, also, the privilege of baptism was conceded to the larger town churches, having formerly been reserved to the cathedrals only. Even after this date ...