rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in
particular.

I have to tell you that there will be a confirmation held at . . .
on the . . . All persons of fit age who have not yet been confirmed
ought to be ready, and I hope and trust that most of them will be
ready, on that day to profess publicly their faith and loyalty to
the Lord who died for them. I hope and trust that they will, as
soon as possible, tell me that they intend to do so, and come to me
to talk over the matter, and to learn what I can teach them about
it. They will find in me, I hope, nothing but kindness and fellow-
feeling.

But I have not only to tell young persons of the Confirmation: I
have to tell all godfathers and godmothers of it also. Have any of
you here ever stood godfather or godmother to any young person in
this parish who is not yet confirmed? If you have, now is the time
for you to fulfil your parts as sponsors. You must help me, and
help the children's parents, in bringing your godchildren to
confirmation. It really is your duty. It will be better for you if
you fulfil it. Better for you, not merely by preventing a
punishment, but by bringing a blessing. Let me try to show you what
I mean.

Now godparents must have some duty, some responsibility or other;--
that is plain. If you or I promise and vow things in another
person's name, we must be bound more or less to see that that other
person fulfils the promise which we made for him: and so the
baptism service warns the sponsors as soon as the child is
christened, 'Forasmuch as this child has promised,' &c.; and then we