Subject: Font
Inscription: “Be Born Of Water And Of The Spirit”
Donor: Wellington and Victoria Stevens Wallace
Maker/Date: Charles Hogeman, 1908
Description – Verse is from John 3:5, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
Other references:
Baptized in water- Jesus instructed the Apostles to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28: 19)
The Holy Spirit was promised to all, even those far off, who repent and are baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. (Acts 2: 38, 39)
Baptized in the Holy Spirit- John the Baptist told all that came out to be baptized of Him that Jesus would baptize them all with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Luke 3: 16)
Paul said that we all were baptized by or with one Spirit into the one body. (1 Corinthians 12: 11)
Techniques – The Wallace windows use similar glass around center symbols arranged in five rows of stone with the central theme in the middle. Surrounding the symbol are two concentric circles of stones. Within each row are different shapes of glass. The effect is traditional without any special treatment of the glass or painting
Symbol – Fonts. Baptism fonts can be either immersion or non-immersion
Non-immersion fonts have a pedestal with a holder for a basin of water. The materials vary greatly consisting of carved and sculpted marble, wood, or metal. The shape can vary. Many are eight-sided as a reminder of the “new creation” and as a connection to the practice of circumcision which traditionally occurs on the eighth day. Some are three-sided as a reminder of the Holy: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
The earliest baptismal fonts were designed for full immersion and were often cross-shaped with steps (usually three, for the Trinity) leading down into them. Often such baptismal pools were located in a separate building, called a baptistery, near the entrance of the church. As infant baptism became more common, fonts became smaller. Denominations which believe only in baptism by full immersion tend to use the term “baptismal font” to refer to immersion tanks dedicated for that purpose, however, in the Roman Catholic tradition, a baptismal font differs from an immersion.