GODFATHER AND GODMOTHER, the person who, by solemnly presenting to the minister of baptism the candidate for that sacrament, which is regarded as a new spiri tual birth, is reputed to contract towards the newly baptized the relation of spiritual paternity or maternity. The effects of the usage are differently estimated in the differ ent communions.
In the Roman Catholic church, the parties presenting a child for baptism are called, from the spiritual parental relations which they contract, "godfather" (Tatrinvs) and "godmother" (matriva); and from the engagement into which they enter on behalf of the baptized, "sponsors" (sponsores). The spiritual bond resulting from this relation is regarded as a species of kindred (whence the name gossip, or spiritually akin), and constitutes, by the canon law, an impediment of marriage the sponsors upon the one hand and the baptized and the parents of the baptized on the other. Anciently, this impediment arose also between the sponsors themselves, who were often very numerous, and extended besides to the other members of the kindred; but the council of Trent limited the number of sponsors to "one or two," and restricted the matrimonial impedient within the limits above described. The parents of the baptized are not permitted to act as sponsors in the Roman Catholic church, one of the objects of the institution being to provide instructors in case of the death of parents; nor are members of religious orders, because their inclusion within their convent is supnosed to render it impossible for them to discharge permanently and regularly the duties of instructors to the newly baptized. In the Roman Catholic sacrament of confirmation
also, the candidate is commonly presented by one sponsor, generally, though not neces sarily, of the same sex with the candidate for confirmation. It is difficult to assign the precise date of the origin of this institution. No trace of it occurs'in the New Testa ment, but it is believed to have been in use in the 2d c., and it certainly was an estab lished practice in the fourth.
In the church of England, two godfathers and a godmother are required at the baptism of a male, and two godmothers and a godfather at that of a female. In order to be admitted as such, the person must be baptized, must be of full age, acquainted with the Lord's prayer, creed, and ten commandments, and familiar with the funda mental truths Of Christianity. No impediment of marriage arises in the English church from the relation of the sponsors to the baptized. Practically, the usage in the church of England has, for the most part, degenerated into a mere form; godfathers and god mothers usually giving themselves little concern in the future fate of the infant whose spiritual condition they become bound to watch over. In the church of Scotland, and other non-Episcopal churches, the parents of the infant occupy the place of sponsors; the father expressly taking tlie vows on Me occasion. imcrosoft (4: .