As a Baptist, I have seen many. Here is a hollywood version:
What a treasure trove of pictures! Thank you so much for collecting these together and sharing them.
I absolutely LOVE seeing old pictures of river baptisms. They are beautiful to me. I know it's a practice and folk tradition Baptist of all - white and black -- and usually perform in rivers, bayous, and lakes.
Immersion baptism, understood as demanding total submersion of the body, is required by Baptists, as enunciated in the 1689 Baptist Catechism: "Baptism is rightly administered by immersion, or dipping the whole body of the person in water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit",[173] indicating that the whole body must be immersed, not just the head.
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The tradition of submerging someone in a river to wash away their sins began in Europe, came to America in the 18th century and spread across the South by Baptist ministers, Daniels says. The Christian tradition replicates Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist 2,000 years ago.
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Baptisms were generally held during the summer or early fall so the water would be warm enough. Outdoor baptismal locations tend to be used traditionally in a community, with various churches using the same spot for generations. Source
View attachment 149148
1890
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1848 Daguerreotype of former slaves receiving baptism on the Island of Martinique after emancipation.
A large group of African-American spectators stands on the banks of Buffalo Bayou to witness a baptism (ca. 1900).
African Americans Post Civil War- Baptism in Georgia Late 1800’s
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What a treasure trove of pictures! Thank you so much for collecting these together and sharing them.
Would the "Buffalo Bayou" about halfway down be the same Buffalo Bayou that runs through Houston? Freedmen's Town in Houston is very near to Houston's Buffalo Bayou.
Thanks for posting these great photos!
If I remember right, my grandfather-whose family were Presbyterian-was baptised in a creek.
Thank you, Dede! This means so much to me. I lived in Houston for many years, rode my bicycle up and down along that bayou countless times -- probably past that very spot -- and never had any idea that people had been baptized there. How beautiful.Yes
Description:
A large group of African-American spectators stands on the banks of Buffalo Bayou to witness a baptism. Many umbrellas are present indicating an effort to provide some shade from the heat of the day. Houston, Texas
Here's the source: http://digital.lib.uh.edu/collection/p15195coll2/item/93
Here's another in the collection:
Rare Footage: Hundreds Gather at a 1920s African-American Baptism | National Geographic
Dedej, I can't thank you enough for these wonderful photos. You made my day. I have a feeling I'll be living with these folks someday. Hope so anyway.Yes! It was..lol - I can't imagine. I'm from Michigan and I stay in the car until the car warms up and defrost
Dang, that preacher was really trying to do some washing.
There was no easy down and easy up with that guy.
Thanks for your response.My own church is not Baptist, and we practice infant baptism more than adult baptism, but whenever weather permits, our baptismal service is held at the local creek, where our pastor wades in, carrying the baby, and pours creek water over the baby's head. Churches come and go as populations grow and ebb, but waterways tend to endure. I like to imagine these youngsters growing up and someday telling their grandchildren, "Here's the creek where I was baptized."
Thanks for your response.
What you describe was my grandfather's experience. It was just the way they did it 'back then', and some places still today.
Thanks for your response.You're welcome, @WJC, I'm glad to have stirred up a pleasant family memory for you.