The baptismal font has been a blessing at Spruce Street UMC since it was made and dedicated in 1958 as part of our 50th Anniversary of the current building. It has six sides denoting the six days of creation. Symbols appearing on the sides are the fleur-de-lis, symbolizing Mary the Mother of Jesus; the three pointed leaf denoting the Holy Trinity and the four pointed leaf symbolizing the Four Gospels.
Before that the Baptismal was located under the floor in front of the altar which was on small rollers so it was easy to move to the over-flow room and the floor was prepared to show the pool of water. Palm trees and potted palm plants were furnished to the church by local florists that decorated the area for the Holy Baptism. It was a beautiful and special service for adults and youth of the church as well as those watching. Rev. Shaffer waited inside the pool and an assistant helped the person to be baptized down the steps to him. He took the hands of the member and they stood in the center of the pool. He told the person how to fold their arms and hands on their chest (for their ears only). He performed the ritual after speaking the proper words for the congregation to hear. With one hand on their back, he lowered them backwards into the water. His other hand moved up and covered their mouth and nose and raised them up out of the water with ease. The member was dressed in a white dress or robe.
I shall never forget my Baptism in my white dress. Rev. Shaffer walked me to the steps and someone helped me up the steps to a room prepared through a door from the choir area. We stepped into a wash tub to drip and had towels to dry off and redress if we wanted to do so. I, for one, went out a side door of the church and my brother waited in his car (seat covered) and took me and another woman home. A wonderful experience!
The other woman (a cousin) was not a member of the church but was baptized at the same time I was, with permission of Rev. Shaffer. She came to Morgantown after her marriage and had a daughter. She changed “completely” in every way and lived a completely Christian life. She changed her style of living and read the bible and talked to everyone she knew or met about her baptism and what it meant to her.