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| Elchasai's Mode of Administering Baptism; Formularies.
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Chapter
X.—Elchasai’s Mode of Administering Baptism;
Formularies.
To those, then, that have been orally instructed
by him, he dispenses baptism in this manner, addressing to his dupes
some such words as the following: “If, therefore, (my)
children,1020
| 1020 Roeper
reads τέκνῳ,
i.e., if any one is guilty of an unnatural crime. | one shall have
intercourse with any sort of animal whatsoever, or a male, or a sister,
or a daughter, or hath committed adultery, or been guilty of
fornication, and is desirous of obtaining remission of sins, from the
moment that he hearkens to this book let him be baptized a second time
in the name of the Great and Most High God, and in the
name of His Son, the Mighty King. And by baptism let him
be purified and cleansed, and let him adjure for himself those seven
witnesses that have been described in this book—the heaven, and
the water, and the holy spirits, and the angels of prayer,1021
| 1021
[Concerning angels of repentance, etc., see Hermas, vol. ii. pp. 19,
24, 26.] | and the oil, and
the salt, and the earth.” These constitute the astonishing
mysteries of Elchasai, those ineffable and potent secrets which he delivers to
deserving disciples. And with these that lawless one is
not satisfied, but in the presence of two and three witnesses he puts
the seal to his own wicked practices. Again expressing
himself thus: “Again I say, O adulterers and adulteresses,
and false prophets, if you are desirous of being converted, that your
sins may be forgiven you, as soon as ever you hearken unto this book,
and be baptized a second time along with your garments, shall peace be
yours, and your portion with the just.” But since we
have stated that these resort to incantations for those bitten by dogs
and for other mishaps, we shall explain these. Now
Elchasai uses the following formulary: “If a dog
rabid and furious, in which inheres a spirit of destruction, bite any
man, or woman, or youth, or girl, or may worry or touch them, in
the same hour let such a one run with all their wearing apparel, and go
down to a river or to a fountain wherever there is a deep spot.
Let (him or her) be dipped with all their wearing apparel, and offer
supplication to the Great and Most High God in faith of heart, and then
let him thus adjure the seven witnesses described in this
book: ‘Behold, I call to witness the heaven and the water,
and the holy spirits, and the angels of prayer, and the oil, and the
salt, and the earth. I testify by these seven witnesses that no
more shall I sin, nor commit adultery, nor steal, nor be guilty of
injustice, nor be covetous, nor be actuated by hatred, nor be scornful,
nor shall I take pleasure in any wicked deeds.’
Having uttered, therefore, these words, let such a one be baptized with
the entire of his wearing apparel in the name of the Mighty and
Most High God.”E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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