Back in the "olden days" when I was becoming a Paramedic, we were trained and authorized to Baptize still born or SID's babies with sprinkling water on them. I had no problem with this, but some have.

I would assume you would be authorized to do such in emergencies. Have you ever done this, and how do you feel about doing it?

As a Federal chaplain I am required to follow the dictates of my conscience, and the teachings of the church that endorsed me--the SDA church. This means that I can refuse to do anything that violates either of the above. I.e. I do not have to personally provice. But, I am required to facilitate the sincere belifs of another. So, if a Roman Catholic wants to recieve the Sacrament of the Sick, I am required to attempt to obtain the services of a RC priest, but I will not be required to perform that myself. NOTE: In my example I would be disciplined if I were to do such, and got caught.

Baptizing babies: This has never been an issue as a military chaplian, and never been an issue while working as a VA chaplain.

However, during a 13 month period I was employed by a private hospital as a chalain for 12 months. During that period of time I was requested to baptize new-borns, some deceased, multiple times.

In every case I refused. I do not baptize babies. I have never baptized anyone who was not joining the SDA church as part of the process. Although, in theory I can think of situations where I might do so. Once in another country I wanted to baptize a soldier. The local congregation was having trouble with this idea. At one point in the discussion I informed them that I was going to baptize him regardless of their decision. The baptism took place, in their Sabbath service, publicly. At the end of the baptism, I gave a public call to accept the call of Christ, and to join that congregation. One of their nationals accepted. That blew their minds. They had never seen such, and never thought of doing so. Here, I had given a call, which was translated into their native language, and one of their people has responded.

Getting back to baptizing babies. While woking at that private hospital, I was called in one Sunday morning to baptize a new born. The female had been born to a single parent who realized that she could not care for her. As a result arrangements had been made to adopt the child out to a Roman Catholic couple. The birth mother needed to hand the child over to the adoptive family and she had just informed them that she would not do so until the child was baptized as a Protestant.

I came in to the hospital and I visited with the birth mother and then the Roman Catholic family waiting in another part of the hospital, followed by the Social Worker. Can you imagine the tension that existed on the part of all. The RC couple was just aghast. They had a priest waiting at church to baptize the child, and now this.

I spoke with the birth mother. I reminded her that infant baptism was against the religious beliefs that she had been trained in. I proposed that we have a special dedication service in which we read soem scripture, and gave thanks to God for a woman who had not aborted the child and in the interests of the baby was giving it up for adoptation. Then I suggested that we, as parat of that service, ask the blessing of God upon the family that was adopting that child, and that God would lead them to raise the child in the manner that God wanted for that child. Both families accepted, and the Social Worker. the birth mother, the RC couple, and I had that service.

Folowing the service, the birth mother requested to talk to the family alone, outside of the presence of the Social Worker and I. That took place. Then we were called back in, and the birth mother handed the child over to the adoptive mother, and the proper legal papers were signed. The child was now the child of the RC couple.