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　　THE CHRISTENING

　　(1829)

　　Array'd—a half-angelic sight—

　　In vests of pure Baptismal white,

　　The Mother to the Font doth bring

　　The little helpless nameless thing,

　　With hushes soft and mild caressing,

　　At once to get—a name and blessing.

　　Close by the Babe the Priest doth stand,

　　The Cleansing Water at his hand,

　　Which must assoil the soul within

　　From every stain of Adam's sin.

　　The Infant eyes the mystic scenes,

　　Nor knows what all this wonder means;

　　And now he smiles, as if to say

　　"I am a Christian made this day;"

　　Now frighted clings to Nurse's hold,

　　Shrinking from the water cold,

　　Whose virtues, rightly understood,

　　Are, as Bethesda's waters, good.

　　Strange words—The World, The Flesh, The Devil—

　　Poor Babe, what can it know of Evil?

　　But we must silently adore

　　Mysterious truths, and not explore.

　　Enough for him, in after-times,

　　When he shall read these artless rhymes,

　　If, looking back upon this day,

　　With quiet conscience, he can say

　　"I have in part redeem'd the pledge

　　Of my Baptismal privilege;

　　And more and more will strive to flee

　　All which my Sponsors kind did then renounce for me." The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 4