II. Oriffin of the Office. — This has been traced by some writers to the institutions of Judaism, and by others to those of the lioman civil law. Neither the Old nor the New Test, contains any allusion to the presence of wit- nesses at cirqumcision, nor is there any trace of sponsors or witnesses to be found in any of the narratives of bap- tism recorded in the New Test. It is, however, easy to account for the presence of sponsors at baptism, if we refer to the customs of the Homan law. Baptism was early regarded in the light of a stipulation, covenant, or contract, and on all such matters the Koman jurispru- dence was very exact and careful in its institutions. The leaders of the early Church, many of whom were Conversant with Koman law, would doubtless endeavor to give solemnity and security to the sacred covenant in a way ctirresponding to that which they had been accustomed to oliserve in civil transactions. Perhaps the custom arose naturally from the practice of infant bafitism, in order that the interrogatories of the Church migiii not l»e without some answer. Tradition says that the othce was appointed by Hyginus, or Iginus, a Koman bislic.p, about the year 154. It was, however, in full op- eration in the fourth and lifih centuries.
III. Ihiiiix ofSpiiHKdr. — According to Bingham, there were tliree sortsof sponsors made use of in the primitive L'liurcli: (1.) For children who could not renounce or profess or answer for themselves. (2.) For such adult persons as, by reason of sickness or inlirmity, were in tlie same condition with chiliiren— incapacitated to an- swer for themselves. (.'{.) For all adult persons in gen- eral. In litnes of iiersecuiion it was projier to have wit- nesses of the fact, in order to prevent apostasy.
1. Two things were ancienlly recpiired of sponsors as their projicr duty in the case of children: first, to an- swer, in the names of their charge, to all interrogatories of biiplism; secondly, lo be guardians of iheir spiritual life f,,r the fiiliire, and lo lake care, by good admonition niid in-lruction. that they ]>erfornied tlieir part of the ■ivenant in which they were engageil (Augustine, ■^•nn. I li;, lie Temp.). Hingham thinks that they were not obliged to give them Iheir maintenance, tliis de- volving, naiurally, upon the parents; and if orphans, or deslitiile, upon the Church.
.SpoiiM.rs are reipdred in the baptismal service of the Church of Kiiglaiiil. They jiromise, on behalf and in the name of iJinse baptize.i do <piote the words of the Caltchum), •• 1. To renounce the devil and all his works,
the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh ; 2. To believe all the articles of the Christian faith ; 3. To keep God's holy will and commandments all the days of their life."
2. Another sort of sponsors were those that were ap- pointed to make answers for such persons as, by reason of some infirmity, could not answer for themselves ; e. g. such adult persons as were suddenly struck speechless, or seized with frenzy by the violence of a distemper. If the party hapjiened to recover after such a baptism, it was the sponsor's duty not only to acijuaint him as a witness with what was done for him, but also, as a guar- dian of his behavior, to induce him to make good the promises which he, in his name, had made for him.
3. The third sort of sponsors were for such adult per- sons as were able to answer for themselves; for these also had their sponsors, and no person anciently was bap- tized without them. Their duty was not to answer in the names of the baptized, but only to admonish and instruct them before and after baptism.
IV. Qualification, Numbei; Man-iage, and Restriction. — 1. It was a general rule that every sponsor must be himself a baptized person and in full communion with the Church. This excluded all heathen, all mere cate- chumens, reputed heretics, excommunicated persons, and penitents.
2. E^very sponsor was required to be of full age. No minors were admitted to this office, even though they had been baptized and confirmed.
3. Every sponsor was supposed to be acquainted with the fundamental truths of Christianity, and to know the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the leading outlines of Christian doctrine and morality.
4. Monks and nuns were in early times eligible as sponsors, and were frequently chosen to act in that ca- pacity ; but in the 6th century this practice was pro- hibited.
5. At first there was no law respecting the number of sponsors at baptism, although one sponsor was consid- ered sutficient. In later times it became customary to have two sponsors — one male and one female.
G. By the Council of Trent it was ordered that not only the names of the baptized, but also the names of the sponsors, should be registered in the books of the Church. The object was that men might know what persons were forbitlden to marry by this spiritual rela- tion. But anciently it had a much better use ; that the Church might know who were sponsors, and that they might be put in mind of their duty by being entered upon record, which was a standing memorial of their obligations.