newly born. And there is no need, in order to baptize, to fulfil any
special condition; it is not necessary to be in a state of grace; it
is sufficient to have the intention of doing what the Church does, to
pronounce the consecrated words and to observe the prescribed forms. Now
we cannot doubt that the venerable Mael has observed these conditions.
Therefore the penguins are baptized."

"Do you think so?" asked St. Guenole. "And what then do you believe that
baptism really is? Baptism is the process of regeneration by which man
is born of water and of the spirit, for having entered the water covered
with crimes, he goes out of it a neophyte, a new creature, abounding in
the fruits of righteousness; baptism is the seed of immortality; baptism
is the pledge of the resurrection; baptism is the burying with Christ in
His death and participation in His departure from the sepulchre. That
is not a gift to bestow upon birds. Reverend Fathers, let us consider.
Baptism washes away original sin; now the penguins were not conceived in
sin. It removes the penalty of sin; now the penguins have not sinned.
It produces grace and the gift of virtues, uniting Christians to Jesus
Christ, as the members to the body, and it is obvious to the senses that
penguins cannot acquire the virtues of confessors, of virgins, and of
widows, or receive grace and be united to--"

St. Damascus did not allow him to finish.

"That proves," said he warmly, "that the baptism was useless; it does
not prove that it was not effective."

"But by this reasoning," said St. Guenole, "one might baptize in the
name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, by aspersion or
immersion, not only a bird or a quadruped, but also an inanimate object,