Can an infant be baptized twice?

[Les de B]

Just wondering if an infant can be baptized twice?

I have a James WEST being as born 21/2/1812 and bpt 31/3/1812 in St.Marys Magdalene Parish Records (Taunton), son of John Hooke and Hannah WEST,though it does have added "privately baptized".

I then have James WEST being bpt 30/9/1813 in St.Marys Magdalene Parish Records, son of John Hooke and Hannah WEST. James' 3 older siblings were also baptized the same day.

I know it was common for a second child to have the same name as a previous deceased sibling, but I cannot find any deaths for an infant James WEST between the two baptisms.

Could it be that first baptism was "private" because he was very sick and dying(?), but he recovered, and later baptized in the church with his 3 siblings?

Other research on this family later on in life have all the children accounted for, there only being one James WEST child.

Any thoughts?

Les

[stanmapstone]

The baptism service consists of two parts, the baptism itself and the public receiving of the infant before the congregation at a service in the church as a member of Christ’s flock. If a child is baptised privately, they ought to be brought to the Church as soon as possible to be received as members of " the flock of true Christian people". So where a private baptism is employed, there is a further rite (if the child survives) of reception into church, not another baptism.

Stan

[stanmapstone]

The first question asked at the Public Baptism of Infants in the Book of Common Prayer is "Hath this Child been already Baptized, or no?".Only if the answer is 'no' can the baptism continue. If the answer is 'yes' then the Priest has to examine them further as to the find out if the child was lawfully baptized, and if the Minister shall find by the answers of such as bring the Child that all things were done as they ought to be, "then shall not he christen the Child again but shall receive him/her as one of the flock of true christian people."

Stan

[groom]

The first question asked at the Public Baptism of Infants in the Book of Common Prayer is "Hath this Child been already Baptized, or no?".Only if the answer is 'no' can the baptism continue.

Surely that depends on the parents answering truthfully? My great x 4 grandfather was baptised in Norwich at a day old, so I'm guessing this was probably a private baptism rather than in a church. He was then baptised again aged 7 in London with his 4 siblings. I know it is him as the date of birth is the same as on the first baptism. Perhaps his parents didn't think he'd been properly baptised, or couldn't prove he'd been "done" so answered "No." The fact that they were living in a completely different place probably led them to think this would never be discovered!

[stanmapstone]

There are instances of children being baptised twice. Most probably because, as far as the Church of England was concerned, the first baptism was not lawful, or "all things were not done, as they ought to be" Or the Parish Priest was deliberately kept in ignorance of the first one.

Stan

[Deirdre784]

We have a presumably unusual situation in that my husband's 3* great grandfather, born Southwark 21 Jan 1845, was baptised twice as a child and then as an adult 

His mother died in Southwark on 6 June 1845 and Walter was baptised in her home (St Cuthbert's, Wells) on 25 June 1845, but then again at St Mary Magdalene in Bermondsey on 17 Sep 1845.

He then also appears to have been baptised in Brecon (mid Wales) on 28 Jan 1884 (though he'd been married since 1876 and already had 5 children, all previously baptised).   

[Les de B]

Thanks for those replies. I do like the first one 

Les

[Ayashi]

I've got one ancestor who was christened normally and then years later the last few children were mass christened together, including him. I do wonder if the parents forgot whether they'd done him or not and had it done twice.

[CarolA3]

There are instances of children being baptised twice. Most probably because, as far as the Church of England was concerned, the first baptism was not lawful, or "all things were not done, as they ought to be" Or the Parish Priest was deliberately kept in ignorance of the first one.

Stan

Presumably the (Protestant) Church of Ireland follows the same principle, as would the Roman Catholics.  OH's grandmother was baptised in Dublin in 1871 - twice within eight days - in both denominations.  If asked, her parents could honestly say she was baptised at St Mary's as there are two of them

Carol