Confirmation and Baptism in the Lutheran Church

552 IMPROVEMENT ERA. which to rely, merely accepting the free gift of an absolutely complete and perfect wedding garment which Christ has pro- cured for us by suffering punishment in our stead and fulfilling the law in our stead? Righteousness for sinners is brought about in a vicarious way. The only begotten Son, the God-man, in suffering for sin outweighs the punishment merited by the whole world of sin- ners, and in obeying the law here on earth as a member of our human family, he is in possession of an obedient fulfill- ment of the law which outweighs the required obedience of a whole world of human beings. The glory and dignity of his divine person grants this infinite value to his sufferings and obedience. SIGNIFICANCE OF CONFIRMATION AND BAPTISM IN THE LUTHERAN CHURCH. BY REV. J. N. KILDAHL. Confirmation has been practiced in the the Christian Church since its earliest days. Many of the Reformed Churches have abolished it, while the Roman Church has made a sacrament of it. The Lutheran Church retains con- firmation, not as a sacrament, not as an institution necessary for salvation under the form in which we have it, but as a very profitable institution, which should be practiced by the church in some form or other. It is the duty of the church to instruct the young in the Christian religion. It is also the duty of those who have been instructed in the Word of God, and believe in Jesus Christ, to confess their faith be- fore men. And the church has no right to receive as com- municant members persons who are not willing to promise to lead a Christian life. In evangelizing all nations the disciples of Christ were to observe two, things; they were to baptize them in the name of the triune God, and they were to teach them all things whatsoever Christ had commanded them. These two things