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OF READERS.

The ancient mode of ordination of a Reader, as prescribed by the 4th Council of Carthage, was as follows:

Lector cum ordinatur, faciat de illo verbum episcopus ad plebem indicans ejus fidem ac vitam atque ingenium, post hæc spectante plebe tradet ei codicem de quo lecturus est, dicens ad eum, 'Accipe et esto Lector Verbi Dei, habiturus, si fideliter et utiliter impleveris officium, partem cum eis qui Verbum Dei ministraverint.' In the Greek Church, which retains the office of Reader as well as that of Subdeacon to the present day, the form of Ordination is as follows.

The Candidate is brought with head uncovered to the Bishop in plain dress, or if he be a monk with his cloak.

The Bishop lays his hand on his head and cuts his hair in the form of the cross, saying, 'In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.' At each name the congregation say 'Amen.'

The hair of the candidate is clipped. (There is no special tonsure.) He is brought again to the Bishop, who vests him in a chasuble. A third time the Bishop lays his right hand on his head and prays, 'O Lord God Almighty, choose this thy servant and sanctify him: grant him with all wisdom and discernment to study and to read thy divine oracles, and preserve him in blameless conversation. By the mercy and compassion and lovingkindness of thy only-begotten Son, with whom, and with thy all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, thou art blessed now, always, and for evermore.'

The Reader receives a Book of the Epistles (the appointed selections), reads a short extract, receives the Bishop's be

nediction. If more than one are ordained, the prayer is said in the plural form.

In the attempt to introduce Readers, made by Archbishop Parker, 1563, the object rather was to provide substitutes for clergy in parishes destitute of incumbents, than to provide lay aid for overtaxed clergy.

The following resolutions were passed at a meeting of the Bishops, held at Lambeth, on Ascension Day 1866.

I. That it is not expedient to alter the Statute or Canon Law with a view of extending the Diaconate to persons engaged in professions or business.

II. That it is desirable to institute an office of Reader, and that the form of admission to the same be by public prayer and delivery of the New Testament by the Bishop without imposition of hands, and that it be held until the Bishop shall by an instrument under his hand remove the holder therefrom.

III. That the office be exercised in any particular parish or district under the Bishop's licence issued with the written consent of the Incumbent, revocable at the discretion of the Bishop either mero motu or at the written request of the Incumbent.

IV. That the office be unpaid. V. That the license of the Bishop empower the Reader:

I. To render general aid to the clergy in all ministrations not strictly requiring the service of one in Holy Orders.

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Yea, the waters had drowned us, and the stream had gone over our soul: the deep waters of the proud had gone over our soul.

But praised be the Lord: who hath not given us over as a prey unto them.

The Lord hath wrought a mighty salvation for us.

We gat not this by our own sword, neither was it our own arm that saved us but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto us.

The Lord hath appeared for us: the Lord hath covered our heads, and made us to stand in the day of battle.

The Lord hath appeared for us: the Lord hath overthrown our enemies, and dashed in pieces those that rose up against us.

Therefore not unto us, O Lord, not unto us : but unto thy Name be given the glory.

The Lord hath done great things for us the Lord hath done great things for us, for which we rejoice.

Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord : who hath made heaven and earth.

Blessed be the Name of the Lord: from this time forth for evermore.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.

¶ After this Hymn may be sung the Te Deum.

¶ Then this Collect.

ALMIGHTY God, the Sovereign Commander of all the world, in whose hand is power and might which none is able to with

stand; We bless and magnify thy great and glorious Name for this happy Victory, the whole glory whereof we do ascribe to thee, who art the only giver of Victory, And. we beseech thee, give us grace to improve this great inercy to thy glory, the advancement of thy Gospel, the honour of our Sovereign, and, as much as in us lieth, to the good of all mankind. And, we beseech thee, give us such a sense of this great mercy, as may engage us to a true thankfulness, such as may appear in our lives by an humble, holy, and obedient walking before thee all our days, through Jesus Christ our Lord: to whom with thee and the Holy Spirit, as for all thy mercies, so in particular for this Victory and Deliverance, be all glory and honour, world without end. Amen. 2 COR. xiii.

Thereof, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the

At the Burial of their Dead at Sea. The Office in the Common Prayer-book may be used; only instead of these words [We therefore commit his body to the ground, earth to earth, &c.] say,

WE therefore commit his body to the deep, to

be turned into corruption, looking for the resurrection of the body, (when the Sea shall give up her dead,) and the life of the world to come, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who at his coming shall change our vile body, that it may be like his glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself,

OF THE FORM AND MANNER OF MAKING, ORDAINING, AND CONSECRATING OF BISHOPS, PRIESTS, AND DEACONS.

An Ordinal was published as a companion to the Prayer Book of 1549: changes were made in it before 1552, when it was incorporated in the Second Prayer Book of King Edward the Sixth. The Preface is ascribed to Cranmer: the wording of it was somewhat altered in 1662.

From the Epistles of St Paul to Timothy and Titus, it is clear that the two persons addressed hold a grade superior to the Presbyters and Deacons whom they are charged to ordain. There is an equally clear distinction between the Presbyters and the Deacons, whose qualifications are mentioned separately. No other Orders are specified with the definite marks of distinction belonging to these three.

The testimony of Ignatius to the constitution of the Church in his day, A.D. 107, under Bishops, Priests and Deacons, is very explicit. Tertullian, c. 200, traces the order of bishops to St John as one of its authors; he mentions as subordinate to them presbyters and deacons.

Clemens Alexandrinus, c. 205, compares the degrees of bishops, presbyters and deacons to degrees of angelical glory. Succeeding writers are equally explicit.

Catalogues of the succession of bishops in each See were kept in the principal cities, beginning from the Apostolical age.

In primitive times the people took part in the election of their clergy.

A bishop was chosen jointly by the clergy and people. If the electors disagreed, the decision was left to the metropolitan. A bishop was not to be forced on an unwilling people. When the choice had been made, the person selected was presented for examination and approval to the metropolitan with his provincial bishops. The people among whom the bishop had been conversant gave their testimony in his favour as to his previous life and Christian conduct. The commission of heinous crimes disqualified a man from holding high office in the Church. The bishop made a profession of his faith.

In time of persecution the office of bishop involved serious risk of life; hence it was not sought as a post of profit and luxury. Subsequently, when the episcopal rank was coveted for the emoluments and dignity attached to it, the mode of popular election gave rise to tumults. In case of such disturbance the metropolitan and synod would choose an indifferent person and prefer him to the people's candidate.

When the Empire became Christian, the Emperors assumed the privilege of interference in the election of bishops. Thus Theodosius nominated Nectarius to the See of Constantinople, A.D. 381: the same emperor required also the enthronization of Proclus.

By the second Council of Arles, A.D. 452, it was decreed that the bishops of the province should nominate three, of whom the clergy and people should select one.

By the laws of Justinian the people were excluded from taking part in the election of bishops. The privilege was confined to the clergy and optimates in each Church.

The rule of the Spanish Church at the time of the Council of Barcelona, A.D. 599, was that the clergy and people should nominate three, and the metropolitan and provincial bishops cast lots which of the three should be ordained.

From the foundation of the French monarchy, the kings exercised an influence in the election of bishops, more or less powerful, according to the circumstances of the time and the character of the monarch. The same custom prevailed in England. Mosheim and Bingham agree in the conclusion that the same freedom of election was granted to the people in the case of presbyters as in that of bishops. It was natural that the selection of fit persons should devolve upon those best qualified to judge of the qualifications of the candidate, hence we find bishops and presbyters presenting men to the people for their approval. This was occasionally withheld.

The presentation of clergy to benefices seems to have belonged from the earliest times both in France and England to the founders of churches. Provision for the due exercise of this right is made in the 1st Council of Orange, A.D. 441; the 2nd Council of Arles, A.D. 452; by a

It was customary to elect the bishop from among the clergy of the province, where the people might be able to judge of his fitness from personal experience.

THE

FORM AND MANNER

OF

MAKING, ORDAINING, AND CONSECRATING

ОР

BISHOPS, PRIESTS, AND DEACONS,

ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF

The Church of England.

IT

THE PREFACE.

is evident unto all men diligently reading the holy Scripture and ancient Authors, that from the Apostles' time there have been these Orders of Ministers in Christ's Church; Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. Which Offices were evermore had in such reverend Estimation, that no man might presume to execute any of them, except he were first called, tried, examined, and known to have such qualities as are requisite for the same; and also by publick Prayer, with Imposition of Hands, were approved and admitted thereunto by lawful Authority. And therefore, to the intent that these Orders may be continued, and reverently used and esteemed, in the Church of England; no mun shall be accounted or taken to be a lawful Bishop, Priest, or Deacon in the Church of England, or suffered to execute any of the said Functions, except he be called, tried, examined, and admitted thereunto, according to the Form hereafter following, or hath had formerly Episcopal Consecration, or Ordination.

And none shall be admitted a Deacon, except he be Twenty-three years of age, unless he have a faculty. And every man which is to be admitted a Priest shall be full Four-and-twenty years old. And every man which is to be ordained or consecrated Bishop shall be fully Thirty years of age.

And the Bishop, knowing either by himself, or by sufficient testimony, any Person to be a man of virtuous conversation, and without crime; and, after examination and trial, finding him learned in the Latin Tonque, and sufficiently instructed in holy Scripture, may at the times appointed in the Canon, or else, on urgent occasion, upon some other Sunday or Holy-day, in the face of the Church, admit him a Deacon, in such manner and form as hereafter followeth.

constitution of the Emperor Zeno, A. n. 429, confirmed by Justinian. A. D. 541. The practice was sanctioned and confirmed by the 9th council of Toledo, c. A.D. 650. The right of presentation was, by general consent, transmissible to the patron's heirs.

According to English law, the bishop is to examine the presentee, 1st, concerning the person, as if he be under age or a layman; 2ndly, concerning his conversation, as if he be criminous; 3rdly, concerning his ability to discharge his pastoral duty, as if he be unlearned and not able to feed his flock with spiritual food. The selection of deacons, who were regarded as assistants to the bishops, appears to have been left in a great measure to the bishops themselves. Thus Cyprian treats the authority of a bishop over one of his deacons as absolute, because the bishop had appointed him. In the Apostolical Constitutions the bishop is exhorted to select his deacons with regard to their piety.

In the same Constitutions, it is prescribed that, in the Ordination of a bishop, three or at least two bishops shall concur. The ancient rule of the Council of Nice was, that all the bishops of the province with the metropolitan should be present at the ordination, but in case of urgent necessity three were deemed a sufficient number, provided that the metropolitan and the rest sent their consent in writing. The Ist Council of Arles, A. D. 314, and the 3rd Council of Carthage, A.D. 397, required three besides the metropolitan. The 2nd Council of Arles, A.D. 452, directs the metropolitan to take three besides himself. The Council of Riez, A. D. 439, actually deposed Armentarius because he had not had three bishops to ordain him. All churches were not so strict, but in them all ordination by a smaller number than three was accounted uncanonical.

For the Ordination of a priestor deacon, one bishop was sufficient. It was however customary for the presbyters present to lay their hands on the head of the person to be ordained. The two essentials of ordination were imposition of hands by the bishop, and the Ordination Prayer. The candidate knelt at the altar to receive his ordination. Presbyterian Ordination was disallowed. Thus Ischyras, on whom Colluthus, a priest only, had laid his hands, was treated as a layman by the Alexandrian Church in the time of Athanasius; and the Council of Sardica, A.D. 342, rejected the ordination of those who had received their orders at the hands of presbyters alone.

Consecration is used for the Ordination of Bishops as a somewhat more solemn term. The triple phrase of the title,

Making, Ordaining, and Consecrating, was only introduced in 1662. In 1552 the words were Making and Consecrating. The term comprehending all the orders is Ordination.

The Council of Neocæsarea, A. D. 314, required thirty years of age even in presbyters, a fortiori in bishops. The Council of Agde, A.D. 506, required that no metropolitan ordain bishop or presbyter before that, the age of perfect manhood. By the Apostolical Constitutions a bishop must be 50 years of age at least. Instances of exceptions to these rules in cases of distinguished worth are found. Athanasius was probably under 30 when he was made bishop. Remigius was only 22 when he was appointed to the see of Rheims, A.D. 471.

The Councils of Agde A.D. 506, of Carthage A. D. 397, of Trullo A. D. 692, cf Toledo A. D. 633, all prescribe 25 as the minimum of age for a deacon. This rule was, according to Bingham, very nicely observed, the exceptions being few.

For this the Council of Toledo, A.D. 633, cites the Levitical precedent. This became the rule of our own Church; but it was a case dispensable. The Council of Trent made the age 23, and by a Pontifical published about the time of the Reformation it was only required that the deacon should have attained 20 years. Our first Prayer Book prescribed 21 for deacons, 24 for priests. By Stat. 13 Eliz. c. 12, none was to be made minister under 24. The present Rubric is a provision of Canon 34 This Canon has been confirmed by Statute 44 Geo. III. c. 43, Ss. 1 and 2, which pronounces ordination conferred before these ages null and void. The Faculty for deacons must, it appears, be obtained from the archbishop of Canterbury. No such Faculty is permissible in the case of priests.

A Canon of the Greek Church prescribes 50 as the age for a bishop; to modify this rule, however, an edict of Justinian, requiring that he should be above 30, is added. For a priest 30: is the prescribed age, for a deacon 25.

Canon 34 requires a University Degree or an account of the candidate's faith in Latin according to the articles of Religion, and also a testimonial from Colleges in Oxford or Cambridge, or from three or four grave ministers and other credible persons, who have known him for the three years next preceding his ordination.

The regular mode of examination prescribed in the Canon Law is 'Quando episcopus ordinationes facere disponit, omnes, qui ad sacrum ministerium accedere volunt, feria quarta ante ipsam ordinationem evocandi sunt ad civitatem

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