Saving sinners

In this colorized image published in postcard form in 1906 or 1907, the faithful have gathered for an open-air baptism on the Mississippi River. The Mississippi, at about 2,320 miles North America’s longest river, was a vital artery for life in the South, representing a major transport route for people and goods. But as we see here, it also had an important spiritual role to play as well. Photo Credit: Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images