,,the ,,church ,,her ,,books ,,and ,,her ,,sacraments ,,by ,e4 ,e4 ,,holmes1 ,b4,d4 ,,archdeacon ,,of ,,london ,a ,,course ,,of ,,instructions ,,given ,,at ,,all ,,saints ,,margaret ,,street1 ,,in ,,lent1 #aiaj ,,new ,,impression ,,longmans1 ,,green ,,and ,,co4 #ci ,,paternoster ,,row1 ,,london ,,fourth ,,avenue #cj,,th ,,street1 ,,new ,,york ,,bombay1 ,,calcutta1 ,,and ,,madras #aiad ,,by ,,the ,,same ,,author4 ,,in ,,watchings ,,often3 ,addresses to ,nurses and ,others4 ,with a ,preface by the ,right ,rev4 ,,edward ,,king1 ,d4,d41 late ,bishop of ,lincoln4 ,with a ,frontispiece 7the ,crucifixion1 by ,,perugino74 ,crown #hvo1 paper boards1 #bs4 #f;d42 cloth1 #cs4 #f;d4 ,,prayer ,,and ,,action2 or1 ,the ,three ,notable ,duties 7,prayer1 ,fasting1 and ,almsgiving74 ,with an ,introduction by the ,bishop of ,london4 ,crown #hvo1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,,immortality4 ,crown #hvo1 #ds4 net4 7,oxford ,library of ,practical ,theology47 ,,paradise3 ,a ,course of ,addresses on the ,state of the ,faithful ,departed4 ,crown #hvo1 paper covers1 #as4 net2 cloth1 #bs4 net4 999999 ,extracted from ,immortality ,,responsibility3 ,an ,address to ,girls4 #afmo1 paper covers1 #d;d4 net2 bound in rexine1 #as4 net4 ,cheap ,edition1 #a;d4 net4 ,,longmans1 ,,green ,,and ,,co41 ,,london1 ,,new ,,york1 ,,bombay1 ,,calcutta1 ,,and ,,madras ,,to ,h4 ,f4 ,b4 ,m4 vii ,,introduction ,these ,lectures were originally delivered as the ,boyle ,lectures for #aiaj1 and were afterwards repeated in a more popular form at ,all ,saints1 ,margaret ,street4 ,they are now written from notes taken at their delivery at ,all ,saints1 and the writer's thanks are due to the kindness of those who lent him the notes4 ,some explanation of their elementary character seems called for4 ,the ,lecturer's object was twofold3-- 7#a7 ,to remind an instructed congregation of that which they knew already--and to make them more grateful for the often underrated privilege of being members of the ,catholic ,church2 and 7#b7 ,to suggest some simple lines of instruction which they might pass on to others4 ,unless the instructed ,laity will help the ,clergy to teach their uninstructed brethren1 a vast number of viii ,church people must remain in ignorance of their privileges and responsibilities4 ,and if at times the instructed get impatient and say1 ,everybody knows that1 they will probably be mistaken4 ,many a ,churchman is ignorant of the first principles of his religion1 of why he is a ,churchman1 and even of what he means by the ,church1 just because of the false assumption--,everybody knows4 ,everybody does not know4 ,it seems absurd to treat such subjects as ,the ,church1 ,her ,books1 ,her ,sacraments1 in half-hour ,lectures2 but1 in spite of obvious drawbacks1 there may be two advantages4 ,it may be useful to take a bird's-eye view of a whole subject rather than to look minutely into each part--and it may help to keep the ,lecturer to the point6 ,e4 ,e4 ,h4 ix ,,contents ,,chap4 ,,page ,introduction 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 vii ,i4 ,the ,church 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #a ,,ii4 ,the ,church's ,books 7#a7 ,the ,bible 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ba ,,iii4 7#b7 ,the ,prayer ,book 4 4 4 4 4 #dj ,,iv4 ,the ,church's ,sacraments 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #eh ,v4 ,baptism 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #fc ,,vi4 ,the ,blessed ,sacrament 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ha ,,vii4 ,the ,lesser ,sacraments 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ib ,,viii4 ,confirmation 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #id ,,ix4 ,holy ,matrimony 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ajf ,x4 ,holy ,order 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #abc ,,xi4 ,penance 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #add ,,xii4 ,unction 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aeh ,index 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #afe ,dear ,saviour6 make our hearts to burn1 ,and make our lives to shine1 ,oh6 make us ever true to ,thee1 ,and true to all that's ,thine-- ,thy ,church1 ,thy ,saints1 ,thy ,sacraments1 ,thy ,scriptures2 may we own ,no other ,lord1 no other rule1 ,but ,thee1 and ,thine alone4 ,a4 ,g4 #a ,,the ,,church4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,church ,,on ,,earth4 ,christus ,dilexit ,ecclesiam3 ,christ loved the ,church#a--;and if we love what ,christ loved1 we do well4 ,but three questions meet us3-- 7#a7 ,what is this ,church which ,christ loved8 7#b7 ,when and where was it established8 7#c7 ,what was it established for8 ,first3 ,what is the ,church8 ,the ,church is a visible ,society under a visible ,head1 in ,heaven1 in ,paradise1 and on ,earth4 ,who is this visible ,head8 ,jesus ,christ--visible to the greatest number of its members 7i4e4 in ,heaven and in ,paradise71 and vicariously represented here by the ,vicar of ,christ upon ,earth1 the ,universal ,episcopate4 #b ,next3 ,when and where was it established8 ,it was established in ,palestine1 in the ,upper ,chamber1 on the first ,whitsunday1 the ,day of ,pentecost4 ,then3 ,what was it established for8 ,it was established to be the channel of salvation and sanctification for fallen man4 ,god may1 and does1 use other channels1 but1 according to the ,scriptures1 the ,church is the authorized channel4 ,as such1 let us think of the ,church on earth under six ,prayer-,book names3-- 7,i7 ,the ,catholic ,church4 7,,ii7 ,the ,national ,church4 7,,iii7 ,the ,established ,church4 7,,iv7 ,the ,church of ,england4 7,v7 ,the ,reformed ,church4 7,,vi7 ,the ,primitive ,church4 7,i7 ,,the ,,catholic ,,church4 ,the ,creeds call it the ,catholic ,church and describe its doctrine as the ,catholic ,religion1 or the ,catholic ,faith4 ,the ,te ,deum1 ,litany1 and ,ember ,collect explain this word ,catholic to mean the holy ,church throughout all the #c world1 an universal ,church1 thy holy ,church universal2 and the ,collect for the ,king in the ,liturgy defines it as the whole ,church4 ,the ,catholic ,church1 then1 is the whole ,church1 ,east and ,west1 ,latin1 ,greek1 and ,english1 throughout all the world 4#b ,its message is world-wide1 according to the terms of its original ,commission1 ,go ye into all the world4 ,thus1 wherever there are souls and bodies to be saved and sanctified1 there1 sooner or later1 will be the ,catholic ,church4 ,and1 as a matter of history1 this is just what we find4 ,are there souls to be saved and sanctified in ,italy8--there is the ,church1 with its local headquarters at ,rome4 ,are there souls to be saved and sanctified in ,russia8--there is the ,church1 once with its local #d headquarters at ,moscow4 ,are there souls to be saved and sanctified in ,england8--there is the ,church1 with its local headquarters at ,canterbury4 ,it is1 and ever has been1 one and the same ,church1 all one man's sons1 and that man1 the ,man ,christ ,jesus4 ,the ,catholic ,church is like the ocean4 ,there is the ,atlantic ,ocean1 the ,indian ,ocean1 the ,pacific ,ocean3 and yet there are not three oceans1 but one ocean4 ,the ,atlantic ,ocean is not the ,indian ,ocean1 nor is the ,indian ,ocean the ,pacific ,ocean3 they are all together the one universal ocean--the ocean4 ,but1 after all1 is not this a somewhat vague and nebulous conception of ,the ,church4 ,if it is to go into all the world1 how1 from a business point of view1 is this world-wide mission1 in all its grandeur1 to be accomplished8 ,the answer is seen in our second name3-- 7,,ii7 ,,the ,,national ,,church4 ,for business and administrative purposes1 the world is divided into different nations4 ,for business and practical purposes1 the ,church follows the same method4 ,the ,catholic ,church is the channel of saving health to all nations4 ,as at ,pentecost the ,church1 typically1 reached every #e nation under heaven1 so1 age after age1 must every nation receive the ,church's message4 ,the ,universal ,church must be planted in each nation--not to denationalize that nation2 not to plant another ,national ,church in the nation2 but to establish itself as the ,catholic ,church in that particular area1 and to gather out of it some national feature of universal life to present to the ,universal ,head4 ,thus1 a ,national ,church is the local presentment of the ,catholic ,church in the nation4 ,as ,dr4 ,newman puts it3 ,the ,holy ,church throughout all the world is manifest and acts through what is called in each country1 the ,church ,visible4 ,as such1 the duty of a ,national ,church is two-fold4 ,it must teach the nation2 it must feed the nation4 ,first3 it is the function of the ,national ,church to teach the nation4 ,what is its subject8 ,religion4 ,it is to teach the nation religion--not to be taught religion by the nation4 ,it is no more the ,state's function to teach religion to the authorities of the ,national ,church#c than it is the #f function of the nation to teach art to the authorities of the ,national ,gallery4 ,nor1 again1 is it the function of a ,national ,church to teach the nation a national religion2 it is the office of the ,church to teach the nation the ,catholic religion--to say1 in common with the rest of ,christendom1 the ,catholic religion is this1 and none other4 ,thus1 the faith of a ,national ,church is not the changing faith of a passing majority2 it is the unchanging faith of a permanent ,body1 the ,catholic ,church4 ,different ages may explain the faith in different ways2 different nations may present it by different methods2 different minds may interpret it in different lights2 but it is one and the same faith1 throughout all the world 4 ,a second function of the ,national ,church is to feed the nation--to feed it with something which no ,state has to offer4 ,it is the hand of the ,catholic ,church dispensing to the nation something better than bread4 ,when a priest is ordained1 the ,bishop bids him be a faithful dispenser of the ,word of ,god1 and of ,his holy ,sacraments1 and then gives him a local sphere of action in the congregation where thou shalt be lawfully appointed thereunto4#d ,ideally1 this #g is carried out by the parochial system4 ,for administrative purposes1 the ,national ,church is divided into parishes1 and thus brings the ,scriptures and ,sacraments to every individual in every nation in which the ,catholic ,church is established4 ,it is a grand and business-like conception4 ,first1 the ,church's mission1 ,go ye into all the world2 then the ,church's method--planting itself in nation after nation throughout all the world2 dividing 7still for administrative purposes7 each nation into provinces2 each province into dioceses2 each diocese into archdeaconries2 each archdeaconry into rural deaneries2 each rural deanery into parishes2 and so teaching and feeding each unit in each parish1 by the hand of the ,national ,church4 ,all this is1 or should be1 going on in ,england1 and we have now to ask when and by whom the ,catholic ,church1 established in the ,upper ,chamber on the ,day of ,pentecost1 was established in our country4 7,,iii7 ,,the ,,established ,,church4 ,the ,catholic ,church was established1 or re-established1#e in this realm in the year #h #eig4f ,it was established by ,st4 ,augustine1 afterwards the first ,archbishop of ,canterbury4 ,how do we know this8 ,by documentary evidence4 ,this is the only evidence which1 in such a case1 is final4 ,if it is asked when1 and by whom1 our great public schools were established1 the answer can be proved or disproved by documents4 ,if1 for instance1 it is asked when1 and by whom1 ,winchester was established1 documents1 and documents only1 #i can answer the question---and documents definitely reply3 in #achg1 by ,william of ,wykeham2 if it is asked when1 and by whom1 ,eton was established1 documents answer3 in #adda1 by ,henry ,,vi2 if it is asked when1 and by whom1 ,harrow was established1 documents respond3 in #aega1 by ,john ,lyon2 if it is asked when1 and by whom1 ,charterhouse was established1 documents again reply3 in #afaa1 by ,sir ,thomas ,sutton4 ,it can all be proved by1 and only by1 documentary evidence4 ,so with the sects4 ,documents can prove that the ,congregationalists established themselves in ,england in #aefh1 under ,robert ,brown2 ,quakers in #affj1 under ,george ,fox2 ,unitarians in #agai1 under ,samuel ,clarke2 ,wesleyans in #agii1 under a ,wesleyan ,conference4 ,records exist proving that these various sects were established at these given dates1 and no records exist proving that they were established at any other dates4 ,so with the ,church4 ,records exist proving that it was established by ,augustine1 in ,england1 in #eig1 and no records exist even hinting that it was established at any other time by anybody else4 #aj ,as by ,law ,established4#g ,a not unnatural mistake has sometimes arisen from the phrase as by law established4 ,where is this law8 ,it does not exist4 ,no law ever established the ,church of ,england4 ,the expression refers to the protection given by law to the ,catholic ,church in ,england1 enabling it to do its duty in1 and to1 the country4 ,it tells of the legal recognition of the ,church in the country long before the ,state existed2 it expresses the legal declaration that the ,church of ,england is not a mere insular sect1 but part of the ,universal ,church throughout all the world4 ,a ,state can1 of course1 if it chooses1 establish and #aa endow any religion--,mohammedan1 ,hindoo1 ,christian1 in a country4 ,it can establish ,presbyterianism or ,quakerism or ,undenominationalism in ,england if it elects so to do2 but none of these would be the ,church of ,jesus ,christ established in the ,upper ,chamber on the ,day of ,pentecost4 ,as a matter of history1 no ,church was ever established or endowed by ,state law in ,england4#h ,if such a tremendous ,act as the establishment of the ,church of ,england by law had been passed1 it is obvious that some document would attest it1 as it does in the case of the establishment of the ,scotch ,presbyterian ,church in the reign of ,william ,,iii4 ,no such document exists4 ,but an authentic #ab record does exist proving the establishment of the ,pentecostal ,church in ,england in #eig4 ,it is this old ,pentecostal ,church that we speak of as the ,church of ,england4 7,,iv7 ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,england4 ,who gave it this name8 ,the ,pope4#i ,it was given by ,pope ,gregory in a letter to ,augustine4 ,in this letter#aj ,gregory speaks of three ,churches--the #ac ,church of ,rome1 the ,church of ,gaul1 and the ,church of the ,english1 and he bids ,augustine compile a ,liturgy from the different ,churches for the ,use of the ,church of ,england4 ,we see1 then1 that the ,church of ,england is the ,catholic ,church in ,england4 ,as the ,church of ,ephesus is the ,catholic ,church in ,ephesus1 or the ,church of ,laodicea is the ,catholic ,church in ,laodicea1 or the ,church of ,thyatira the ,catholic ,church in ,thyatira1 so the ,church of ,england is the ,catholic ,church in ,england4 ,just as ,st4 ,clement begins his ,epistle to the ,corinthians with1 ,the ,church of ,god1 which is at ,rome1 to the ,church of ,god which is at ,corinth1 so might ,archbishop ,davidson write to the ,italians1 ,the ,church of ,god1 which is at ,canterbury1 to the ,church of ,god1 which is at ,rome4 ,it is in each case1 the ,church of ,god1 made visible1 in the nation where it is planted4 #ad ,but1 being national 7being1 for example1 in ,england71 it is1 obviously1 subject to the dangers1 as well as the privileges1 of national character1 national temperament--and1 in our case1 national insularity4 ,the national presentment of the ,catholic ,church may err1 and may err without losing its ,catholicity4 ,the ,church of ,england1 as also the ,church of ,rome1 hath erred2#aa it has needed1 it needs1 it will need1 reforming4 ,hence we come to our fifth name3-- 7,v7 ,,the ,,reformed ,,church4 ,the name is very suggestive4 ,it suggests two things--life and continuity4 ,first1 life4 ,a reforming ,church is a living ,church4 ,reformation is a sign of animation1 for a dead organism cannot reform itself4 ,then1 continuity4 ,the reformed man1 must be the same man1 or he would not be a reformed man but somebody else4 ,so with the ,church of ,england4 ,it would have been quite possible1 however ludicrous1 to have established a new ,church in the sixteenth century1 but that would not have been a reformed ,church1 it would have been #ae another ,church--the very last thing the ,reformers contemplated4 ,a ,reformed ,church1 then1 is not the formation of a new ,church1 but the re-formation of the old ,church4 ,how did the old ,church of ,england reform itself8 ,roughly speaking1 the ,english ,reformation did two things4 ,it affirmed something1 and it denied something4 ,first1 it affirmed something4 ,for instance1 the ,church of ,england affirmed that the ,church in this country in the sixteenth century was one with the ,church of the sixth century4 ,it affirmed that it was the very same ,church that had been established in ,palestine on the ,day of ,pentecost1 and in this realm by ,augustine in #eig4 ,it reaffirmed its old national independence in things local just as it had affirmed it in the days of ,pope ,gregory1 ,it re-affirmed its adherence to every doctrine#ab held by the undivided ,church1 without adding thereto1 or taking therefrom4 #af ,then1 it denied something4 ,it denied the right of foreigners to interfere in purely ,english affairs2 it denied the right of the ,bishop of one ,national ,church to exercise his power in another ,national ,church2 it denied the claim of the ,bishop of ,rome to exercise jurisdiction over the ,archbishop of ,canterbury2 it denied the power of any one part of the ,church to impose local decisions1 or local dogmas1 upon any other part of the ,church4 ,thus1 the ,reformation both affirmed and denied4 ,it affirmed the constitutional rights of the ,church as against the unconstitutional claims of the ,pope1 and it denied the unconstitutional claims of the ,state as against the constitutional rights of the ,church4 ,much more1 very much more1 for weal or for woe1 it did4 ,it had to buy its experience4 ,the ,reformation was not born grown up4 ,it made its mistakes1 as every growing movement will do4 ,it is still growing1 still making mistakes1 still purging and pruning itself as it grows2 and it is still asserting its right to reform itself where it #ag has gone wrong1 and to return to the old ideal where it has departed from it4 ,and this old ideal is wrapped up in the sixth name3-- 7,,vi7 ,,the ,,primitive ,,church4 ,re-formation must be based upon its original formation if it would aim at real reform4 ,it is not necessarily a mechanical imitation of the past1 but a genuine portrait of the permanent4 ,it is1 then1 to the ,primitive ,church that we must look for the principles of reformation4 ,if the meaning of a will is contested years after the testator's death1 reference will be made1 as far as possible1 to the testator's contemporaries1 or to writings which might best interpret his intentions4 ,this is what the ,english ,reformers of the sixteenth century tell us that they did4 ,they refer perpetually to the past2 over and over again they send us to the ancient fathers1#ac as to those living and writing nearest to the days when the ,church was established1 and as most likely to know her mind4 ,they go back to what the ,commination ,service calls ,the ,primitive ,church4 ,this ,primitive ,church is the ,reformed ,church now established in ,england4 #ah ,the ,reformers themselves never meant it to be anything else1 and would have been the first to protest against the unhistoric1 low1 and modern use of the word established4 ,in this sense1 they would have been the sturdiest of sturdy ,protestants4 ,and this word ,protestant reminds us that there is one more name frequently given to the ,church of ,england1 but not included in our scheme1 because found nowhere in the ,prayer ,book4 ,,the ,,protestant ,,church4 ,the term is a foreign one--not ,english4 ,it comes from ,germany and was given to the ,lutherans in #aebi1 because they protested against an edict#ad forbidding them to regulate their own local ecclesiastical affairs1 pending the decision of a ,general ,council4 ,it had nothing whatever to do with protesting against ceremonial4 ,the ceremonial of the ,church in ,lutheran ,germany is at least as carefully elaborated as that seen in the majority of ,english churches4 ,later on1 the term was borrowed from the ,germans by the ,english1 and applied to #ai ,churchmen who protested 7#a7 against doctrines held exclusively by ,rome on the one hand1 and by ,lutherans and ,calvinists on the other2 and 7#b7 against claims made by the ,king over the rights and properties of the ,church4 ,later still1 it has been applied to those who protest against the ancient interpretation of ,prayer-,book teaching on the ,sacraments and ,ceremonial4 ,there is1 it is true1 a sense in which the name is fairly used to represent the views of all loyal ,english ,churchmen4 ,every ,english ,churchman protests against anything unhistoric or uncatholic4 ,the ,church of ,england does protest against anything imposed by one part of the ,church on any other part of the ,church1 apart from the consent of the whole ,church4 ,it does protest against the claims of ,italy or of any other nation to rule ,england1 or to impose upon us1 as de fide1 anything exclusively ,roman4 ,in this sense1 ,laud declared upon the scaffold that he died a true ,protestant2 in this sense1 ,nicholas ,ferrar1 founder of a ,religious ,house in ,huntingdonshire1 called himself a ,protestant2 in this sense1 we are all ,protestants1 and in this sense we are not ashamed of our unhistoric name4 #bj ,in these ,prayer-,book names1 then1 we see 7#a7 that the ,church on earth is a society1 established in the ,upper ,chamber on the ,day of ,pentecost2 7#b7 that it was established to be the ordained and ordinary channel through which ,god saves and sanctifies fallen man2 7#c7 that1 in order to accomplish this1 and for business and administrative purposes1 the ,church ,catholic establishes itself in national centres2 7#d7 that one such national centre is ,england2 and 7#e7 that this ,pentecostal ,church established in ,england is the ,church which ,christ loved1 the ,sponsa ,christi1 the ,bride of ,christ3-- ,elect from every nation1 ,yet one all o'er the ,earth4 #a ,eph4 v4 #be4 #b ,the primary meaning of the word ,catholic seems to refer to world-wide extension4 ,st4 ,augustine teaches that it means ,universal as opposed to particular1 and says that ,the ,church is called ,catholic because it is spread throughout the whole world4 ,st4 ,cyril of ,jerusalem says3 ,the ,church is called ,catholic because it extends throughout the whole world1 from one end of the ,earth to the other1 and he adds1 because it teaches universally all the doctrines which men ought to know 7,catechetical ,lectures1 xviii4 #bc74 #c ,foul fall the day1 writes ,mr4 ,gladstone1 when the persons of this world shall1 on whatever pretext1 take into their uncommissioned hands the manipulation of the religion of our ,lord and ,saviour4 #d ,service for ,the ,ordering of ,priests4 #e ,there was1 of course1 an ancient ,british ,church long before the sixth century1 and there is evidence that it existed in the middle of the second century4 ,it sent bishops to the ,council of ,arles in #cad1 and there is a church at ,canterbury in which ,queen ,bertha's chaplain celebrated some twenty-five years before the coming of ,augustine4 ,but its origin is shrouded in mystery1 and it had been practically extinguished by ,jutes1 ,saxons1 and ,angles before ,augustine arrived4 ,of the ancient ,british ,church1 writes ,bishop ,stubbs1 in an unpublished letter1 we must be content to admit that history tells us next to nothing1 and that what glimmerings of truth we think we can discover in legend grow fainter and fainter the more closely they are examined4 ,authentic records there are none4 ,some ascribe the first preaching of the ,gospel in ,britain to ,st4 ,peter1 others to ,st4 ,paul1 or ,st4 ,james1 or ,st4 ,simon ,zelotes1 and the monks of ,glastonbury ascribe it to their founder1 ,joseph of ,arimathea1 who was1 they say1 sent to ,britain by ,st4 ,philip with eleven others in ,a4,d4 #fc4 ,cf4 letter of ,dr4 ,bright to ,the ,guardian1 #ad ,march1 #ahhh1 and see ,letters and ,memoirs of ,william ,bright1 pp4 #bfg seq4 #f i4e4 the ,english1 as distinct from the ,british ,church4 #g ,the word ,establishment1 writes ,bishop ,stubbs1 means1 of course1 the national recognition of our ,church as a ,christian ,church1 as the representment of the religious life of the nation as historically worked out and by means of property and discipline enabled to discharge1 so far as outward discharge can insure it1 the effectual performance of the duties that membership of a ,christian ,church involves4 ,it means the national recognition of a system by which every inch of land in ,england1 and every living soul in the population is assigned to a ministration of help1 teaching1 advice1 and comfort of religion1 a system in which every ,english man woman and child has a right to the service of a clergyman and to a home of spiritual life in the service of the ,church 7,visitation ,charges1 p4 #cjc74 #h ,a ,state can1 of course1 endow1 as well as establish1 any form of religion it selects4 ,it has a perfect right to do so4 ,but the ,state has never endowed the ,church of ,england1 and it can only disendow it in the sense that it can rob it of its own endowments--just as it can1 by ,act of ,parliament1 rob any business man of his money4 ,it has done this once already4 ,at the ,great ,rebellion1 the ,church of ,england was1 in this sense1 disestablished and disendowed4 ,by the ,act of ,uniformity of ,charles ,,ii1 it was reinstated into the rights and liberties from which it had been deposed4 ,but it remained the same ,church which ,augustine established in ,england all the time4 ,its reinstatement no more made the ,church a new ,church1 than the restoration of ,charles ,,ii made the monarchy a new monarchy4 #i ,it is sometimes asked1 ,does not the presence of the ,bishops in the ,house of ,lords constitute an ,established ,church8 ,no4 ,representatives from all the sects might1 and some probably will1 sit there without either making their sect the established ,church of the country1 or unmaking the ,catholic ,church the ,church of the country4 ,bishops have sat in the ,house of ,lords ever since there has been a ,house of ,lords to sit in1 but neither their exclusion1 nor the inclusion of non-,bishops1 would disestablish the ,church of ,england4 ,it is also asked1 do not the ,prime ,ministers make the ,bishops8 ,prime ,ministers1 as we shall see1 do not make but nominate the ,bishops4 #aj ,augustine is worried1 as we are worried1 by the variety of customs in different ,churches1 and asks ,pope ,gregory why one custom of masses is observed in the ,holy ,roman ,church and another in the ,church of the ,gallic ,provinces4 ,my brother knows1 replied ,gregory1 the custom of the ,roman ,church in which he was brought up4 ,but my pleasure is that you should1 with great care1 select whatever you think will best please ,almighty ,god wherever you find it1 whether in the ,church of ,rome1 or in the ,church of ,gaul1 or in any other ,church1 and then plant firmly in the ,church of the ,english that which you have selected from many ,churches4444 ,choose1 then1 from each individual ,church things pious1 religious1 righteous1 and having1 as it were1 collected them into a volume1 deposit them with the minds of the ,english as their custom1 their ,use4 #aa ,art4 ,,xix4 #ab ,i protest1 wrote ,archbishop ,cranmer1 and openly confess that1 in all my doctrine1 whatsoever it be1 not only ,i mean and judge those things as the ,catholic ,church1 and the most holy ,fathers of old1 with one accord1 have meant and judged1 but also ,i would gladly use the same words which they used1 and not use any other words1 but to set my hand to all and singular their speeches1 phrases1 ways1 and forms of speech1 which they did use in their treatise upon the ,sacraments1 and to keep still their interpretation4 #ac ,see ,preface to the ,prayer ,book4 #ad ,the ,edict of the ,diet 7or ,council7 of ,spires4 #ba ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,church',s ,,books4 ,for the purpose of these lectures1 we will select two3-- 7#a7 ,the ,bible1 the possession of the whole ,church4 7#b7 ,the ,prayer ,book1 the possession of the ,church of ,england4 7#a7 ,,the ,,bible4 ,and notice3 first1 the ,church2 then1 the ,bible--first the ,society1 then its ,publications2 first the ,writers2 then the ,writings2 first the ,messenger1 then the ,message2 first the ,agent1 then the ,agencies4 ,this is the ,divine ,order4 ,preaching1 not writing1 was the ,apostolic method4 ,oral teaching preceded the written word4 ,then1 later on1 lest this oral teaching should be lost1 forgotten1 or misquoted1 it was gradually committed to #bb manuscript1 and its good tidings published in writing for the ,church's children4 ,it is very important to remember this order 7first the ,church1 and then the ,bible71 because thousands of souls lived and died long before the ,new ,testament was written4 ,the earliest books of the ,new ,testament 7the ,first and ,second ,epistles to the ,thessalonians7 were not written for twenty years after the ,day of ,pentecost2 the earliest ,gospel 7,st4 ,mark7 was not committed to writing before ,a4,d4 #fe4 ,and1 even if the ,bible had been written earlier1 few could have read it2 and even then few could have possessed it4 ,it was a rare book1 wholly out of reach of the people4 ,the first ,bible was not printed until #adde4 ,but1 thank ,god1 the ,church1 which wrote the book1 could teach without the book2 and we may be sure that no single soul was lost for the want of what it could not possess4 ,without a ,bible1 says ,st4 ,irenaeus1 writing in the second century1 they received1 from the ,church1 teaching sufficient for the salvation of their souls4 ,then1 again1 the ,church alone could decide which books were1 and which books were not1 the ,scriptures4 ,how else could we know8 ,the society authorizes its publications4 ,it affixes #bc its seal only to the books it has issued4 ,so with the ,divine ,society1 the ,church4 ,it affixes its seal to the books we now know as the ,bible4 ,how do we know1 for instance1 that ,st4 ,paul's ,epistles to the ,corinthians are part of the ,bible1 and that ,st4 ,clement's ,epistle to the ,corinthians is not part of the ,bible8 ,because1 and only because1 the ,church has so decided4 ,if we had lived in the days of persecution it would have made a considerable difference to us whether this or that sacred book was included in the ,christian ,scriptures4 ,thus1 when the early ,christians were ordered by ,diocletian to bring out their books1 and either burn them or die for them1 it became a matter of vital importance to know which these books were4 ,who could tell them this8 ,only the society which published them1 only the ,church4 ,again1 the ,church1 and only the ,church1 is the final interpreter of the ,bible--it is the witness and keeper of holy writ4#a ,the society which publishes a statement must be the final interpreter of that statement4 ,probably no book ever published needed authoritative interpretation more than the ,bible4 ,we call it the book of #bd peace2 it is in reality a book of war4 ,no book has spread more discord than the ,bible4 ,every sect in the world quotes the ,bible as the source and justification of its existence4 ,men1 equally learned1 devout1 prayerful1 deduce the most opposite conclusions from the very same words4 ,two men1 we will say1 honestly and earnestly seek to know what the ,bible teaches about ,baptismal ,regeneration1 or the ,blessed ,sacrament4 ,they have exactly the same data to go upon1 precisely the same statements before them2 yet1 from the same premises1 they will deduce a diametrically opposite conclusion4 ,hence1 party wrangling1 and sectarian bitterness2 hence1 the confusion of tongues1 which has changed our ,zion into ,babel4 ,indeed1 as we all know1 so sharp was the contention in the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries1 that translations of the ,bible were actually forbidden by two local ,church ,councils4#b ,an interpreter is as much needed now1 as in the days of the ,ethiopian ,eunuch4 ,how readest thou8#c is a question second only in #be importance 7if1 indeed1 it is second7 to ,what is written8 ,upon how we read1 will very largely depend the value of what we read4 ,we go1 then1 to the ,church to interpret the book which it gave us4 ,and notice--to say this1 is not to disparage the ,scriptures because we exalt the ,church4 ,it is to put both ,church and ,scriptures in their true1 historical place4 ,we do not disparage a publication because we exalt the society which issues that publication2 rather1 we honour the one by exalting the other4 ,thus1 when we say that the creeds interpret the ,bible1 we do not disparage the ,bible because we exalt the creeds1 any more than we disparage the ,church when we say that the ,bible proves the creeds4 ,take the ,virgin ,birth1 as a single illustration4 ,are we to believe that our ,blessed ,lord was born of the ,virgin ,mary8 ,church and ,bible give the same reply4 ,the ,church taught it before the ,bible recorded it2 the ,bible recorded it because the ,church taught it4 ,for us1 as ,churchmen1 the matter is settled once and for all by the ,apostles' ,creed4 ,here we have the official and authoritative teaching of the ,catholic ,church1 as proved by the ,new ,testament2 born of the ,virgin ,mary4 #bf ,it is this ,bible1 the ,church's ,manual of doctrine and devotion1 that we are to think of4 ,we will think of it under five familiar names3-- 7,i7 ,the ,scriptures4 7,,ii7 ,the ,bible4 7,,iii7 ,the ,word of ,god4 7,,iv7 ,inspiration4 7,v7 ,revelation4 7,i7 ,,the ,,scriptures4 ,this was the earliest name by which the ,bible was known--the name by which it was called for the first #abjj years in ,church history4 ,it was so named by the ,latin ,fathers in the fifth century1 and it means1 of course1 ,the ,writings4 ,these ,scriptures1 or ,writings1 were not1 as the plural form of the word reminds us1 one book1 but many books1 afterwards gathered into one book4#d ,they were a library of separate books1 called by ,st4 ,irenaeus ,the ,divine ,library--perhaps #bg the best and most descriptive name the ,bible ever had4 ,this library consists of sixty-six books1 not all written at one period1 or for one age1 but extending over a period of1 at least1 #abjj years4 ,the original copies of these writings1 or ,scriptures1 have not yet been discovered1 though we have extant three very early copies of them1 written by hand4 ,these are known as the ,alexandrine manuscript 7or ,codex71 the ,vatican manuscript1 and the ,sinaitic manuscript4 ,where may they be found8 ,one1 dating from the latter part of the fourth1 or the early part of the fifth century1 is in the ,british ,museum--a priceless treasure1 which comparatively few have taken the trouble to go and see4 ,it is known as the ,alexandrine manuscript1 and was presented to ,charles ,i by the ,patriarch of ,constantinople in #afbh4 ,it consists of four volumes1 three of which contain nearly all the ,old ,testament1 and parts of the ,apocrypha1 and a fourth1 containing a large part of the ,new ,testament4 ,a second manuscript1 dating from the fourth century1 is in the ,vatican ,library in ,rome1 and is1 therefore1 known as the ,vatican manuscript4 #bh ,it contains nearly the whole of both the ,old and ,new ,testaments1 and of the ,apocrypha4 ,the third manuscript1 dating also from the fourth century1 is in the ,imperial ,library at ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,it was discovered by ,prof4 ,tischendorf1 in #ahei1 in a basket of fragments1 destined to be burned1 in the ,monastery of ,st4 ,catherine on ,mount ,sinai2 hence it is called the ,sinaitic manuscript4 ,these are the three earliest ,,ms4 collections of the ,bible as yet discovered--and strange stories1 of mystic beauty1 and1 it may be1 of weird persecution1 they could tell if only they could speak4 ,other manuscripts we have--copies of ancient manuscripts2 versions of ancient manuscripts2 translations of ancient manuscripts2 texts of ancient manuscripts4 ,so they come down the ages1 till1 at last1 we reach our own ,revised ,version1 probably the most accurate and trustworthy version in existence4 ,the ,scriptures1 or the ,writings1 then1 consist of many books1 and in this very fact1 they tell their own tale--the tale of diversity in unity4 ,they were written for divers ages1 divers intellects1 divers nations1 in divers languages1 by divers authors or compilers4 ,they were not all #bi written for the twentieth century1 though they all have a message for the twentieth century2 they were not all written for the ,english people1 though they all have a truth for the ,english people2 they were not all written by the same hand1 though the same ,hand guided all the writers4 ,in1 and through the ,scriptures1 ,god1 at sundry times1 and in divers manners1 spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets2 and in1 and through them1 ,he hath in these last days1 spoken unto us by ,his ,son4#e ,time passes1 and these sixty-six books1 written at different periods1 in different styles1 in different dialects1 are gathered together in one book1 called ,the ,book1 or ,the ,bible4 7,,ii7 ,,the ,,bible4 ,it was so named by the ,greek ,fathers in the thirteenth century1 hundreds of years after its earliest name1 ,the ,scriptures4 ,the word is derived from the ,greek ,biblia1 books1 and originally meant the ,egyptian papyrus 7or paper-reed7 from which paper was first made4 ,a bible1 then1 was originally any book made of paper1 and #cj the name was afterwards given to the ,book of ,books--,the ,bible4 ,here1 then1 are sixty-six volumes bound together in one volume4 ,this1 too1 tells its own tale4 ,if ,the ,scriptures1 or scattered writings1 speak of diversity in unity1 ,the ,bible1 or collected writings1 tells of unity in diversity4 ,each separate book has its own most sacred message1 while one central1 unifying thought dominates all--the ,incarnate ,son of ,god4 ,the ,old ,testament writings foretell ,his coming 7,they are they which testify of me#f72 the ,new ,testament writings proclaim ,his ,advent 7,the ,word was made flesh and dwelt among us#g74 ,thus1 all the books become one book4 ,many the tongues1 ,the theme is one1 ,the glory of the ,eternal ,son4 ,take away that central ,figure1 and both the background of the ,old ,testament and the foreground of the ,new become dull1 sunless1 colourless4 ,reinstate that central ,figure1 and book after book1 roll after roll1 volume after volume1 becomes bright1 sunny1 intelligible4 ,this it is which separates the ,bible from every other book2 this it is which makes it the worthiest #ca of all books for reverent1 prayerful criticism2 this it is which makes its words nuggets of gold1 dearer unto me than thousands of gold and silver2 this it is which gives the ,bible its third name3-- 7,,iii7 ,,the ,,word ,,of ,,god4 ,in what sense is the ,bible the ,word of ,god8 ,almost any answer must hurt some1 and almost every answer must disappoint others4 ,for a time1 the old school and the new school must bear with each other1 neither counting itself to have apprehended1 but each pressing forward to attain results4 ,in speaking of the ,bible1 we commonly meet with two extreme classes3 on the one hand1 there are those who hold that every syllable is the ,word of ,god1 and therefore outside all criticism2 on the other hand1 there are those who hold that the ,bible is no more the ,word of ,god than any other book1 and may1 therefore1 be handled and criticized just like any other book4 ,in between these two extremes1 there is another class1 which holds that the ,bible is the ,word of ,god1 and that just because it is the ,word of ,god1 it is--above all other books--an open ,bible1 a #cb book open for sacred study1 devout debate1 reverent criticism4 ,the first class holds that every one of the #ibe1hgg words in the ,bible is as literally ,god's ,word as if no human hand had written it4 ,thus1 ,dean ,burgon writes3 ,every word of it1 every chapter of it1 every syllable of it1 every letter of it1 is the direct utterance of the ,most ,high4444 ,every syllable is just what it would have been 444 without the intervention of any human agent4 ,this1 of course1 creates hopeless difficulties4 ,for instance1 in the ,authorized ,version 7to take but one single version7 there are obvious insertions1 such as ,st4 ,mark xvi4 #i-bj1 which may not be the ,word of ,god at all4 ,there are obvious misquotations1 such as in the seven variations in ,st4 ,stephen's speech4#h ,there are obvious doubts about accurate translations1 where the marginal notes give alternative readings4 ,there are obvious mistakes by modern printers1 as there were by ancient copyists4#i ,there are three versions of the ,psalms now in use 7the ,authorized ,version1 the ,revised ,version1 and the ,prayer-,book ,version71 all differing #cc from each other4 ,the translators of the ,authorized ,version wish1 they say1 to make one more exact translation of the ,scriptures1 and one-third of the translators of the ,revised ,version constantly differs from the other two-thirds4 ,here1 clearly1 the human agent is at work4 ,then there are those who1 perhaps from a natural reaction1 deny that any word in the ,bible is in any special sense the ,word of ,god4 ,but this1 too1 creates hopeless difficulties1 and satisfies no serious student4 ,if the ,bible is1 in no special sense1 the ,word of ,god1 there is absolutely no satisfactory explanation of its unique position and career in history4 ,it is a great fact which remains unaccounted for4 ,moreover1 no evidence exists which suggests that the writers who call it the ,word of ,god were either frauds or dupes1 or that they were deceived when they proclaimed ,god spake these words1 and said2 or1 ,thus saith the ,lord2 or1 ,the ,revelation of ,jesus ,christ by ,his servant ,john4 ,there must1 upon the lowest ground1 be a sense in which it may be truly said that the ,bible is the ,word of ,god as no other book is4 ,this we may consider under the fourth name1 ,inspiration4 #cd 7,,iv7 ,,inspiration4 ,what do we mean by the word8 ,the ,church has nowhere defined it1 and we are not tied to any one interpretation2 but the ,bible itself suggests a possible meaning4 ,it is the ,word of ,god heard through the voice of man4 ,think of some such expression as3 ,the ,revelation of ,jesus ,christ which ,god gave by ,his angel unto ,his servant ,john 7,rev4 i4 #a74 ,here two facts are stated3 7#a7 ,the revelation is from ,jesus ,christ2 7#b7 ,it was given through a human agent--,john4 ,god gave it2 man conveyed it4 ,again3 ,holy men of old spake as they were moved by the ,holy ,ghost 7#b ,pet4 i4 #ba74 ,the ,holy ,ghost moved them2 they spake3 the speakers1 not the writings1 were inspired4 ,again3 ,as ,he spake by the mouth of ,his holy ,prophets#aj 7,st4 ,luke i4 #gj74 ,he spake2 but ,he spake through the mouthpiece of the human agent4 ,and once again1 as the ,collect for the second ,sunday in ,advent tells us1 it is the blessed ,lord ,who 7hast7 caused all ,holy ,scriptures to be written4 ,god was the initiating #ce cause of writings3 man was the inspired writer4 ,each messenger received the message1 but each passed it on in his own way4 ,it was with each as it was with ,haggai3 ,then spake ,haggai1 the ,lord's messenger in the ,lord's message 7,haggai i4 #ac74 ,the message was ,divine1 though the messenger was human2 the message was infallible1 though the messenger was fallible2 the vessel was earthen1 though the contents were golden4 ,in this unique sense1 the ,bible is indeed the ,word of ,god4 ,it is the ,word of ,god1 delivered in the words of man4 ,thus1 as ,dr4 ,sanday puts it1 the ,bible is1 at once1 both human and ,divine2 not less ,divine because thoroughly human1 and not less human because essentially ,divine4 ,we need not necessarily parcel it out and say such and such things are human and such and such things are ,divine1 though there are instances in which we may do this1 and the ,scriptures would justify us in so doing4 ,there will be much in ,holy ,scripture which is at once very human and very ,divine4 ,the two aspects are not incompatible with each other2 rather1 they are intimately united4 ,look at them in one light1 and you will see the one2 look at them in another light1 and you will see #cf the other4 ,but the substance of that which gives these different impressions is one and the same4 ,it is from no irreverence1 but because of the over-towering importance of the book1 that the best scholars 7devout1 prayerful scholars1 as well as the reverse7 have given the best of their lives to the study of its text1 its history1 its writers1 its contents4 ,their criticism has1 as we know1 been classified under three heads3-- 7#a7 ,lower1 or textual criticism4 7#b7 ,higher1 or documentary criticism4 7#c7 ,historical1 or contemporary criticism4 ,lower criticism seeks for1 and studies1 the best and purest text obtainable--the text nearest to the original1 from which fresh translations can be made4 ,higher criticism seeks for1 and studies1 documents3 it deals with the authenticity of different books1 the date at which they were written1 the names of their authors4 ,historical criticism seeks for1 and studies1 data relating to the history of the times when each book was written1 and the light thrown upon that history by recent discoveries 7e4g4 in archaeology1 and excavations in ,palestine74 #cg ,no very definite results have yet been reached on many points of criticism1 and1 on many of them1 scholars have had again and again to reverse their conclusions4 ,we are still only en route1 and are learning more and more to possess our souls in patience1 and to wait awhile for anything in the nature of finality4 ,meanwhile1 the living substance is unshaken and untouched4 ,this living substance1 entrusted to living men1 is the revelation of ,god to man1 and leads us to our last selected name--,revelation4 7,v7 ,,revelation4 ,the ,bible is the revelation of the ,blessed ,trinity to man--of ,god the ,son1 by ,god the ,father1 through ,god the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it is the revelation of ,god to man1 and in man4 ,first1 it reveals ,god to man--pleased as ,man with man to dwell4 ,in it1 ,god stands in front of man1 and1 through the ,god-,man1 shows him what ,god is like4 ,it reveals ,god as the pattern on the mount1 for man to copy on the plain4 ,but it does more than this3 it reveals ,god in man4 ,so ,st4 ,paul writes3 ,it pleased ,god to reveal ,his ,son in me2#aa and again1 ,god hath #ch shined in our hearts4#ab ,the ,bible reveals to me that ,jesus1 the revelation of the ,father1 through the ,eternal ,spirit1 dwells in me1 as well as outside me4 ,he is a power within1 as well as a pattern without4 ,yet again4 ,the ,bible reveals ,god's purpose for man4 ,there is no such other revelation of that purpose4 ,you cannot deduce ,god's purpose either in man's life1 or in his twentieth century environment4 ,it can only be fully deduced from ,revelation4 ,man may seem temporarily to defeat ,god's purpose1 to postpone its accomplishment2 but ,revelation 7and nothing but ,revelation7 proclaims that the ,word of the ,lord standeth sure1 and that ,god's primal purpose is ,god's final purpose4 ,lastly1 the ,bible is the revelation of a future state4 ,things begun here will be completed there4 ,as such1 it gives man a hope on which to build a belief1 and a belief on which to found a hope4 ,we must believe1 ,for still we hope ,that1 in a world of larger scope1 ,what here is faithfully begun ,will be completed1 not undone4 #ci ,thus1 we may1 perhaps1 find in these five familiar names1 brief headings for leisure thoughts4 ,in them1 we see the ,scriptures1 or many books1 gathered together into one book called ,the ,book4 ,in this book1 we see the ,word of ,god delivered to men by men1 and these men inspired by ,god to be the living media of the ,revelation of ,god to man4 ,our next selected book will be the ,church of ,england ,prayer ,book4 #a ,art4 ,,xx4 #b ,the ,council of ,toulouse1 #abbi1 and the ,council of ,trent1 #aede-fc4 #c ,st4 ,luke x4 #bf1 #d ,the first division of the ,bible into chapters is attributed either to ,cardinal ,hugo1 for convenience in compiling his ,concordance of the ,vulgate 7about #abdj71 or to ,stephen ,langton1 ,archbishop of ,canterbury 7about #abbh71 to facilitate quotation4 ,verses were introduced into the ,new ,testament by ,robert ,stephens1 #aeea4 ,it is said that he did the work on a journey from ,paris to ,lyons4 #e ,heb4 i4 #a1 #b4 #f ,st4 ,john v4 #ci4 #g ,st4 ,john i4 #ad4 #h ,acts ,,vii4 #i ,the ,university ,presses offer #a #as4 for every such hitherto undiscovered inaccuracy brought to their notice4 #aj ,this is the ,church's description of ,inspiration in the ,nicene ,creed3 ,who spake by the ,prophets4 #aa ,gal4 i4 #ae1 #af4 #ab #b ,cor4 iv4 #f4 #dj ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,the ,,church',s ,,books4 7#b7 ,,the ,,prayer ,,book4 ,we now come to the second of the ,church's books selected for discussion--the ,prayer ,book4 ,the ,english ,prayer ,book is the local presentment of the ,church's ,liturgies for the ,english people4 ,each part of the ,church has its own ,liturgy1 differing in detail1 language1 form2 but all teaching the same faith1 all based upon the same rule laid down by ,gregory for ,augustine's guidance4#a ,thus1 there is the ,liturgy of ,st4 ,james1 the ,liturgy of ,st4 ,john1#b the ,liturgy of ,st4 ,mark1 and others4 ,a ,national ,church is within her rights when she compiles a ,liturgy for ,national ,use1 provided that it is in harmony with the basic ,liturgies of the ,undivided ,church4 ,she has #da as much right to her local ,use1 with its rules and ritual1 as a local post office has to its own local regulations1 provided it does not infringe any universal rule of the ,general ,post ,office4 ,for example1 a ,national ,church has a perfect right to say in what language her ,liturgy shall be used4 ,when the ,english ,prayer ,book orders her ,liturgy to be said in the vulgar1#c or common1 tongue of the people1 she is not infringing1 but exercising a local right which belongs to her as part of the ,church ,universal4 ,this is what the ,english ,church has done in the ,english ,prayer ,book4 ,it is this ,prayer ,book that we are now to consider4 ,we will try to review1 or get a bird's-eye view of it as a whole1 rather than attempt to go into detail4 ,and1 as the best reviewer is the one who lets a book tell its own story1 and reads the author's meaning out of it rather than his own theories into it1 we will let the book1 as far as possible1 speak for itself4 ,now1 in reviewing a book1 the reviewer will probably look at three things3 the title1 the preface1 the contents4 #db 7,i7 ,,the ,,title4 ,the ,book of ,common ,prayer1 and ,administration of the ,sacraments and other ,rites and ,ceremonies of the ,church1 according to the ,use of the ,church of ,england4 ,here are three clear statements3 7#a7 it is ,the ,book of ,common ,prayer 2 7#b7 it is the local directory for the ,administration of the ,sacraments of the ,church1 i4e4 of the ,universal ,church2 7#c7 this directory is called the ,use of the ,church of ,england4 ,think of each statement in turn4 7#a7 ,it is ,the ,book of ,common ,prayer4--,common ,prayer#d was the name given to public worship in the middle of the sixteenth century4 ,the ,book of ,common ,prayer is the volume in which the various services were gathered together for common use4 ,it is many books in one book4 ,as the ,bible is one book made up of sixty-six books1 so the ,prayer ,book is one book made up of six books4 ,these books1 revised and abbreviated for ,english ,use1 were3-- #dc 7#a7 ,the ,pontifical4 7#b7 ,the ,missal4 7#c7 ,the ,gospels4 7#d7 ,the ,gradual4 7#e7 ,the ,breviary4 7#f7 ,the ,manual4 ,before the invention of printing1 these books were written in manuscript1 and were too heavy to carry about bound together in one volume4 ,each1 therefore1 was carried by the user separately4 ,thus1 when the ,bishop1 or ,pontifex1 was ordaining or confirming1 he carried with him a separate book containing the offices for ,ordination and ,confirmation2 and1 because it contained the offices used by the ,bishop1 or ,pontiff1 it was called the ,pontifical4 ,when a priest wished to celebrate the ,holy ,eucharist1 he used a separate book called ,the ,missal 7from the ,latin ,missa1 a ,mass#e74 ,when1 in the ,eucharist1 the deacon read the ,gospel for the day1 he read it from a separate book called ,the ,gospels4 ,when he #dd went in procession to read it1 the choir sang scriptural phrases out of a separate book called ,the ,gradual 7from the ,latin gradus1 a step71 because they were sung in gradibus1 i4e4 upon the steps of the pulpit1 or rood-loft1 from which the ,gospel was read4 ,when the clergy said their offices at certain fixed ,hours1 they used a separate book called ,the ,breviary 7from the ,latin brevis1 short71 because it contained the brief1 or short1 writings which constituted the office1 out of which our ,english ,matins and ,evensong were practically formed4 ,when services for such as needed ,baptism1 ,matrimony1 ,unction1 ,burial1 were required1 some light book that could easily be carried in the hand was used1 and this was called ,the ,manual 7from the ,latin manus1 a hand74 ,these six books1 written in ,latin1 were1 in #aedi1 shortened1 and1 with various alterations1 translated into ,english1 bound in one volume1 which is called ,the ,book of ,common ,prayer4 ,alterations1 some good and some bad1 have from time to time been adopted1 and revisions made2 but the ,prayer ,book is now the same in substance as it always has been--a faithful reproduction1 in all essentials1 of the worship and #de teaching of the ,undivided ,church4 ,as we all know1 a further revision is now contemplated4 ,all agree that it is needed2 all would like to amend the ,prayer ,book in one direction or another2 but there is a sharp contention as to whether this is the time for revision1 and what line the revision should take4 ,the nature of the last attempted revision1 in the reign of ,william ,,iii1#f will make the liturgical student profoundly grateful that that proposed revision was rejected1 and will suggest infinite caution before entrusting a new revision to any but proved experts1 and liturgical specialists4#g ,whatever changes are made1 they should1 at least1 be based on two principles--permanence and progress4 ,the essence of progress is loyalty to the past4 ,nothing should be touched that is a permanent part of the ,ancient ,office ,books2 nothing should be omitted1 or added1 that is outside the teaching of the ,universal ,church4 ,for the immediate present1 we would ask that the #df ,prayer ,book should be left untouched1 but that an ,appendix1 consisting of many unauthorized services now in use1 should be put forth by authority1 i4e4 by the sanction of the ,bishops4 7#b7 ,the ,administration of the ,sacraments of the ,church4--,the ,sacraments are the treasures of the whole ,church2 the way in which they may be administered is left to the decision of that part of the ,church in which they are administered4 ,take1 once again1 the question of language4 ,one part of the ,church has as much right to administer the ,sacraments in ,english as another part has to administer them in ,latin1 or another part in ,greek4 ,for instance1 the words1 ,this is ,my ,body in the ,english ,liturgy are quite as near to the original as ,hoc est ,corpus ,meum is in the ,latin ,liturgy4 ,each ,church has a right to make its own regulations for its own people4 ,so with rites and ceremonies4 ,provided the essence of the ,sacrament is not touched1 the addition or omission of particular rites and ceremonies does not affect the validity of the ,sacrament4 ,for1 the title of the ,prayer ,book carefully distinguishes between ,the ,church and ,the ,church of ,england1 the ,sacraments and the administration of the ,sacraments4 ,it is for #dg administrative purposes that there is an ,english ,use1 i4e4 an ,english method of administering the ,sacraments of the ,universal ,church4 ,it is this use which the title-page calls3-- 7#c7 ,the ,use of the ,church of ,england4--,this ,use may vary at different times1 and even in different dioceses4 ,we read of one ,use in the ,diocese of ,york2 another in the ,diocese of ,sarum1 or ,salisbury2 another in the ,diocese of ,hereford2 another in the ,diocese of ,bangor2 and so on4 ,indeed1 there were so many different ,uses at one time that1 for the sake of unity1 one ,use was substituted for many2 and that ,use1 sufficient in all essentials1 is found in our ,book of ,common ,prayer 4 7,,ii7 ,,the ,,preface4 ,it was written1 in #affa1 by ,bishop ,sanderson1 and amended by the ,upper ,house of ,convocation4 ,what1 we ask1 do these preface-writers say about the book to which they gave their imprimatur8 ,first1 they state their position4 ,they have no intention whatever of writing a new book4 ,their aim is to adapt old books to new needs4 #dh ,adaptation1 not invention1 is their aim4 ,four times in their short ,preface they refer us to the ancient ,fathers as their guides4 ,next1 they state their object4 ,two dangers1 they tell us1 have to be avoided4 ,in compiling a ,liturgy from ,ancient ,sources1 one danger will be that of too much stiffness in refusing new matter--i4e4 letting a love of permanence spoil progress3 another1 and opposite danger1 will be too much easiness in admitting any variation--i4e4 letting a love of progress spoil permanence4 ,they will try to avoid both dangers4 ,it hath been the wisdom of the ,church of ,england to keep the mean between the two extremes1 when either extreme runs away from the faith once delivered to the ,saints 4 ,another object they had in view was to give a prominent place to ,holy ,scripture4 ,so that here1 they say1 you have an ,order for ,prayer1 and for the reading of the ,holy ,scriptures1 much agreeable to the mind and purpose of the old ,fathers4 ,next1 they deal with the principles which underlie all ritualism4 ,in speaking of ,ceremonies1 why some be abolished and some #di retained1 they lay it down that1 although the keeping or admitting of a ,ceremony1 in itself considered1 is but a small thing1 yet the wilful and contemptuous transgression and breaking of a ,common ,order and discipline is no small offence before ,god4 ,then1 in a golden sentence1 they add3 ,whereas the minds of men are so diverse that some think it a great matter of conscience to depart from a piece of the least of their ceremonies1 they be so addicted to their old customs2 and1 again1 on the other side1 some be so new-fangled that they would innovate all things1 and so despise the old1 that nothing can like them1 but that is new3 it was thought expedient1 not so much to have respect how to please and satisfy either of these parties1 as how to please ,god1 and profit them both4 ,finally1 whilst wishing to ease men from the oppressive burden of a multitude of ceremonies1 whereof ,st4 ,augustine1 in his time1 complained1 they assert the right of each ,church to make its own ritual-rules 7in conformity with the rules of the whole ,church71 provided that it imposes them on no one else4 ,and in these our doings we condemn no other nations1 nor prescribe anything but to our own people only2 for we think it #ej convenient that every country should use such ceremonies as they shall think best4 ,it is necessary to call attention to all this1 because few ,church people seem to know anything about the intentions1 objects1 and principles of the compilers1 as stated by themselves in the ,prayer ,book ,preface4 7,,iii7 ,,the ,,contents4 ,these a reviewer might briefly deal with under three heads--,doctrine1 ,discipline1 and ,devotion4 ,doctrine4 ,the importance of this cannot be exaggerated4 ,the ,english ,prayer ,book is1 for the ordinary ,churchman1 a standard of authority when theological doctors differ4 ,the ,prayer ,book is the ,court of ,appeal from the pulpit--just as the ,undivided ,church is the final ,court of ,appeal from the ,prayer ,book4 ,many a man is honestly puzzled and worried at the charge so frequently levelled at the ,church of ,england1 that one preacher flatly contradicts another1 and that what is taught as truth in one church is denied as heresy in another4 ,this is1 of course1 by no #ea means peculiar to the ,church of ,england1 but it is none the less a loss to the unity of ,christendom4 ,the whole mischief arises from treating the individual preacher as if he were the ,book of ,common ,prayer4 ,it is to the ,prayer ,book1 not to the ,pulpit1 that we must go to prove what is taught4 ,for instance1 ,i go into one church1 and ,i hear one preacher deny the doctrine of ,baptismal ,regeneration2 ,i go into another1 and ,i hear the same doctrine taught as the very essence of ,the ,faith4 ,i ask1 in despair1 what does the ,church of ,england teach8 which teacher am ,i to believe8 ,what is the answer8 ,it is this4 ,i am not bound to believe either teacher1 until ,i have tested his utterances by some authorized book4 ,this book is the ,prayer ,book4 ,what does the ,church of ,england ,prayer ,book--not this or that preacher--say is the teaching of the ,church of ,england8 ,in the case quoted1 this is the ,prayer ,book answer3 ,seeing now1 dearly beloved brethren1 that this child is regenerate4#h ,here is something clear1 crisp1 definite4 ,it is the authorized expression of the belief of the ,church of ,england in common with the whole ,catholic ,church4 #eb ,or1 ,i hear two sermons on conversion4 ,in one1 conversion is almost sneered at1 or1 at least1 apologized for2 in another1 it is taught with all the fervour of a personal experience4 ,what am ,i to believe8 ,what does the ,church of ,england teach about it8 ,what does the ,prayer ,book say8 ,open it at the ,feast of the ,conversion of ,st4 ,paul1 or at the third ,collect for ,good ,friday1 and you will hear a trumpet which gives no uncertain sound4 ,or1 ,i am wondering and worried about ,confession and ,absolution4 ,what does the ,church of ,england teach about them8 ,one preacher says one thing1 one another4 ,but what is the ,church of ,england's authoritative utterance on the subject8 ,open your ,prayer ,book1 and you will see3 you will find that1 with the rest of the ,christian ,church1 she provides for both1 in public and in private1 for the strong1 and for the sick4 ,this1 at least1 is the view an honest onlooker will take of our position4 ,a common-sense ,nonconformist minister1 wishing to teach his people and to get at facts1 studies the ,english ,prayer ,book4 ,this is his conclusion3 ,free ,churchmen1 he writes1 dissent from much of the teaching of the ,book of ,common ,prayer4 ,in #ec the service of ,baptism1 expressions are used which naturally lead persons to regard it as a means of salvation4 ,god is asked to 'sanctify this water to the mystical washing away of sin'4 ,after ,baptism1 ,god is thanked for having 'regenerated the child with ,his ,holy ,spirit'4 ,it is called the 'laver of regeneration1' by which the child1 being born in sin1 is received into the number of ,god's children4 ,in the ,catechism1 the child is taught to say of ,baptism1 'wherein ,i was made the child of ,god'4 ,it is said to be 'generally necessary to salvation1' and the rubric declares that children who are baptized1 and die before they commit actual sin1 are undoubtedly saved'4#i ,what could be a fairer statement of the ,prayer-,book teaching8 ,and he goes on3 ,in the visitation of the sick1 if the sick person makes a confession of his sins1 and 'if he heartily and humbly desire it1' the ,priest is bidden to absolve him4 ,the form of ,absolution is '444 ,i absolve thee from all thy sins in the ,name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost'4 ,in the ,ordination ,service1 the ,bishop confers the power of ,absolution upon the ,priest4 ,nothing could be fairer4 ,it is precisely what the ,church #ed of ,england does teach in her authorized formularies which ,archbishop ,cranmer gathered together from the old ,service-books of the ancient ,church of ,england4 ,the pulpit passes3 the ,prayer ,book remains4 ,discipline4 ,the ,prayer ,book deals with principles1 rather than with details--though details have their place4 ,it is a book of discipline1 as well for the body as the soul4 ,it disciplines the body for the sake of the soul2 it disciplines the soul for the sake of the body4 ,now it tightens1 now it relaxes1 the human bow4 ,for example1 in the ,table of ,feasts and ,fasts1 it lays down one principle which underlies all bodily and spiritual discipline--the need of training to obtain self-control4 ,the principle laid down is that ,i am to discipline myself at stated times and seasons1 in order that ,i may not be undisciplined at any times or seasons4 ,i am to rejoice as a duty on certain days1 that ,i may live in the joy of the ,redeemed on other days4 ,feasts and ,fasts have a meaning1 and ,i cannot deliberately ignore the ,prayer-,book ,table without suffering loss4 ,it is the same with the rubrical directions as to #ee ritual4 ,i am ordered to stand when praising1 to kneel when praying4 ,the underlying principle is that ,i am not to do things in my own way1 without regard to others1 but to do them in an orderly way1 and as one of many4 ,i am learning to sink the individual in the society4 ,so with the directions as to vestments--whether they are the ,eucharistic vestments1 ordered by the ,ornaments ,rubric1 or the preacher's ,geneva gown not ordered anywhere4 ,the principle laid down is1 special things for special occasions2 all else is a matter of degree4 ,one form of ,ceremonial will appeal to one temperament1 a different form to another4 ,i like a grand ,ceremonial1 writes ,dr4 ,bright1 and ,i own that ,lights and ,vestments give me real pleasure4 ,but then ,i should be absurd if ,i expected that everybody else1 who had the same faith as myself1 should necessarily have the same feeling as to the form of its expression4#aj ,from the subjective and disciplinary point of view1 the mark of the ,cross must be stamped on many of our own likes and dislikes1 both in going without1 and in bearing with1 ceremonial1 especially in small towns and villages where there is only one church4 ,the principle #ef which says1 ,you shan't have it because ,i don't like it1 or1 ,you shall have it because ,i do like it1 leads to all sorts of confusion4 ,as ,dr4 ,liddon says3 ,when men know what the revelation of ,god in ,his ,blessed ,son really is1 all else follows in due time--reverence on one side and charity on the other4#aa ,devotion4 ,reading the ,prayer ,book as it stands1 from ,matins to the ,consecration of an ,archbishop1 no reviewer could miss its devotional beauty4 ,it is1 perhaps1 a misfortune that the most beautiful ,office of the ,christian ,church1 the ,eucharistic ,office1 should come in the middle1 instead of at the beginning1 of our ,prayer ,book1 first in order as first in importance4 ,its character1 though capable of much enrichment1 reminds us of how much devotional beauty the ,prayer ,book has from ancient sources4 ,in our jealous zeal for more beauty we are1 perhaps1 apt to underrate much that we already possess4 ,god won't give us more than we have until we have learnt to value that which we possess4 ,it is impossible1 in the time that remains1 to #eg do more than emphasize one special form of beauty in ,the ,book of ,common ,prayer--,the ,collects4 ,the ,prayer-,book ,collects are pictures of beauty4 ,only compare a modern collect with the ,prayer-,book ,collects1 and you will see the difference without much looking4 ,learn to value the ,prayer ,book4 ,from birth to death it provides1 as we shall see1 special offices1 and special prayers for the main events of our lives1 though many minor events are still unprovided for4 #a ,see p4 #ac4 #b ,possibly1 the origin of the ,british ,liturgy revised by ,st4 ,augustine1 and of the present ,liturgy of the ,english ,church4 #c ,from vulgus1 a crowd4 #d ,cf4 ,acts iv4 #bd1 ,they lifted up their voices with one accord4 #e ,the word ,mass1 which has caused such storms of controversy1 originally meant a dismissal of the congregation4 ,it is found in words such as ,christ-mas 7i4e4 a short name for the ,eucharist on the ,feast of the ,nativity71 ,candle-mas1 ,martin-mas1 ,michael-mas1 and so on4 #f ,this was published in extenso in a ,blue ,book1 issued by the ,government on #b ,june1 #ahed4 #g ,it is difficult to see how any revision could obtain legal sanction1 even if prepared by ,convocation1 save by an ,act of ,parliament after free discussion by the present ,house of ,commons4 #h ,public ,baptism of ,infants4 #i ,the ,folkestone ,baptist1 ,june1 #ahii4 #aj ,letters and ,memoirs of ,william ,bright1 p4 #adc4 #aa ,life and ,letters of ,h4 ,p4 ,liddon1 p4 #cbi4 #eh ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,church',s ,,sacraments4 ,we have seen that a ,national ,church is the means whereby the ,catholic ,church reaches the nation2 that her function is 7#a7 to teach1 and 7#b7 to feed the nation2 that she teaches through her books1 and feeds through her ,sacraments4 ,we now come to the second of these two functions--the spiritual feeding of the nation4 ,this she does through the ,sacraments--a word which comes from the ,latin sacrare 7from sacer71 sacred4#a ,the ,sacraments are the sacred media through which the soul of man is fed with the grace of ,god4 #ei ,we may think of them under three heads3--their number2 their nature2 their names4 7,i7 ,,the ,,number ,,of ,,the ,,sacraments4 ,in the early ,church the number was unlimited4 ,after the twelfth century1 the number was technically limited to seven4 ,partly owing to the mystic number seven1#b and partly because seven seemed to meet the needs of all sorts and conditions of men1 the septenary number of ,sacraments became either fixed or special4 ,the ,latin ,church taught that there were seven1 and seven only3 the ,greek ,church specialized seven1 without limiting their number3 the ,english ,church picked out seven1 specializing two as generally necessary to salvation#c and five 7such as ,confirmation and ,marriage7 as commonly called ,sacraments4#d ,the ,english ,church1 then1 teaches that1 without arbitrarily limiting their number1 there are seven special means of grace1 either generally necessary for all1 or specially provided for some4 ,and1 as amongst her books she selects two1 and calls them ,the ,bible1 and ,the ,prayer #fj ,book1 so amongst her ,sacraments she deliberately marks out two for a primacy of honour4 ,these two are so supreme1 as being ordained by ,christ ,himself2 so pre-eminent1 as flowing directly from the ,wounded ,side1 that she calls them the ,sacraments of the ,gospel4 ,they are1 above all other ,sacraments1 glad tidings of great joy to every human being4 ,and these two are generally necessary1 i4e4 necessary for all alike--they are generaliter1 i4e4 for all and not only for special states 7such as ,holy ,orders73 they are for every man in his vocation and ministry4 ,the other five are not necessarily essential for all4 ,they have not all the like nature of ,sacraments of the ,gospel1 in that they were not all ordained by ,christ ,himself4 ,it is the nature of the two ,sacraments of the ,gospel that we now consider4 7,,ii7 ,,the ,,nature ,,of ,,the ,,sacraments4 ,what meanest thou by this word1 ,sacrament8 ,the ,catechism1 confining its answer to the two greater ,sacraments1 replies3 ,i mean an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace444#e #fa ,putting this into more modern language1 we might say that a ,sacrament is a supernatural conjunction of spirit and matter4#f ,it is not matter only2 it is not spirit only2 it is not matter opposed to spirit1 but spirit of which matter is the expression1 and the ultimate reality4 ,thus1 for a perfect ,sacrament1 there must be both the outward and visible 7matter71 and the inward and spiritual 7spirit74 ,it is the conjunction of the two which makes the ,sacrament4 ,thus1 a ,sacrament is not wholly under the conditions of material laws1 nor is it wholly under the conditions of spiritual laws2 it is under the conditions of what 7for lack of any other name7 we call ,sacramental laws4 ,as yet1 we know comparatively little of either material or spiritual laws1 and we cannot be surprised that we know still less of ,sacramental laws4 ,we are in the student stage1 and are perpetually revising our conclusions4 #fb ,in all three cases1 we very largely walk by faith4 ,but this at least we may say of ,sacraments4 ,matter without spirit cannot effect that which matter with spirit can1 and does1 effect4 ,as in the ,incarnation1 ,god#g expresses ,himself through matter#h--so it is in the ,sacraments4 ,in ,baptism1 the ,holy ,spirit expresses ,himself through water3 in the ,eucharist1 through bread and wine4 ,in each case1 the perfect integrity of matter and of spirit are essential to the validity of the ,sacrament4 ,in each case1 it is the conjunction of the two which guarantees the full effect of either4#i 7,,iii7 ,,the ,,names ,,of ,,the ,,sacraments4 ,as given in the ,prayer ,book1 these are seven--,baptism1 and the ,supper of the ,lord1 ,confirmation1 ,penance1 ,orders1 ,matrimony1 and ,unction4 ,we will think now of the two first4 #a ,st4 ,leo defines a ,sacrament thus3 ,sacramentum4 7#a7 ,it originally signified the pledge or deposit in money which in certain suits according to ,roman ,law plaintiff and defendant were alike bound to make2 7#b7 it came to signify a pledge of military fidelity1 a voluntary oath2 7#c7 then the exacted oath of allegiance2 7#d7 any oath whatever2 7#e7 in early ,christian use any sacred or solemn act1 and especially any mystery where more was meant than met the ear or eye 7,blight's ,select ,sermons of ,st4 ,leo on the ,incarnation1 p4 #acf74 #b ,symbolical of completion4 #c ,church ,catechism4 #d ,article ,,xxv4 #e ,the answer is borrowed from ,peter ,lombard 7a pupil of ,abelard and ,professor of ,theology1 and for a short time ,bishop of ,paris71 who defines a ,sacrament as a visible sign of an invisible grace1 probably himself borrowing the thought from ,st4 ,augustine4 #f ,dr4 ,illingworth calls the material order another aspect of the spiritual1 which is gradually revealing itself through material concealment1 in the greater and lesser ,christian ,sacraments1 which radiate from the ,incarnation 7,sermons ,preached in a ,college ,chapel1 p4 #agc74 #g ,god is ,spirit1 ,st4 ,john iv4 #bd4 #h ,the ,word was made ,flesh1 ,st4 ,john i4 #ad4 #i ,the water in ,baptism is not1 of course1 consecrated1 as the bread and wine are in the ,eucharist4 ,it does not1 like the bread and wine1 become what it was not1 without ceasing to be what it was1 but it is sanctified to the mystical washing away of sins4 #fc ,,chapter ,v4 ,,baptism4 ,consider1 ,what it is2 ,what it does2 ,how it does it4 7,i7 ,,what ,,it ,,is4 ,the ,sacrament of ,baptism is the supernatural conjunction of matter and spirit--of water and the ,holy ,ghost4 ,water must be there1 and spirit must be there4 ,it is by the conjunction of the two that the ,baptized is born anew of water and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,so the ,prayer ,book teaches4 ,at the reception of a privately baptized child into the ,church1 it is laid down that matter and words are the two essentials for a valid ,baptism4#a ,because some things essential to this ,sacrament may happen to be omitted 7and thus invalidate the ,sacrament71 444 ,i demand1 says the priest1 #fd with what matter was this child baptized8 and with what words was this child baptized8 ,and because the omission of right matter or right words would invalidate the ,sacrament1 further inquiry is made1 and the god-parents are asked3 by whom was this child baptized83 who was present when this child was baptized8 ,additional security is taken1 if there is the slightest reason to question the evidence given4 ,the child is then given ,conditional ,baptism1 and ,baptism is administered with the conditional words3 ,if thou art not already baptized1--for ,baptism cannot be repeated--,i baptize thee in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,amen4 ,so careful is the ,church both in administering and guarding the essentials of the ,sacrament4 ,and notice3 nothing but the water and the words are essential4 ,other things may1 or may not1 be edifying2 they are not essential2 they are matters of ecclesiastical regulation1 not of ,divine appointment4 ,thus1 a ,priest is not essential to a valid ,baptism1 as he is for a valid ,eucharist4 ,a ,priest is the normal1 but not the necessary1 instrument of ,baptism4 ,in the absence of a #fe ,priest#b a ,deacon may baptize1 and if the child is in extremis1 any one1 of either sex1 may baptize4 ,again1 ,sponsors are not essential to the validity of the ,sacrament4 ,sponsors are safeguards1 not essentials4 ,they are only a part--an invaluable part--of ecclesiastical regulation4 ,when1 in times of persecution1 parents might be put to death1 other parents were chosen as parents-in-,god 7,god-parents7#c to safeguard the child's ,christian career4 ,sponsors are sureties of the ,church1 not parts of the ,sacraments4 ,they stand at the font1 as fully admitted ,church members1 to welcome a new member into the ,brotherhood4 ,but a private ,baptism without ,sponsors would be a valid ,baptism4 ,so1 too1 in regard to ,ceremonial4 ,the mode of administering the ,sacrament may vary3 it is not 7apart from the matter and words7 of the essence of the ,sacrament4 ,there are1 in fact1 three ways in which ,baptism may be validly administered4 ,it may be administered by ,immersion1 ,aspersion1 or ,affusion4 ,immersion 7in-mergere1 to dip into7 is the original and primitive form of administration4 #ff ,as the word suggests1 it consists of dipping the candidate into the water--river1 bath1 or font4 ,aspersion 7ad spargere1 to sprinkle upon7 is not a primitive form of administration4 ,it consists in sprinkling water upon the candidate's forehead4 ,affusion 7ad fundere1 to pour upon7 is the allowed alternative to ,immersion4 ,it consists in pouring water upon the candidate4 ,all these methods are valid4 ,immersion was the ,apostolic method1 and explains most vividly the ,apostolic teaching 7in which the ,candidate is buried with ,christ by immersion1 and rises again by emersion7#d no less than the meaning of the word--from the ,greek baptizo1 to dip4 ,provision for ,immersion has been made by a ,fontgrave1 in ,lambeth ,parish ,church1 erected in memory of ,archbishop ,benson1 and constantly made use of4 ,but1 even in ,apostolic times1 ,baptism by ,affusion was allowed to the sick and was equally valid4 ,in the ,prayer ,book1 affusion is either permitted 7as in the ,public ,baptism of infants71 or ordered 7as in the ,private ,baptism of infants71 or1 again1 allowed 7as in the ,baptism of those of riper years74 ,it will be #fg noted that the ,church of ,england makes no allusion to ,aspersion1 or the sprinkling form of administration4 ,the child or adult is always either to be dipped into the water1 or to have water poured upon it4#e ,other ceremonies there are--ancient and mediaeval4 ,some are full of beauty1 but none are essential4 ,thus1 in the first ,prayer ,book of #aedi1 a white vesture1 called the ,chrisome#f or ,chrism1 was put upon the candidate1 the ,priest saying3 ,take this white vesture for a token of innocency which1 by ,god's grace1 in the ,holy ,sacrament of ,baptism1 is given unto thee4 ,it typified the white life to which the one anointed with the ,chrisma1 or symbolical oil1 was dedicated4#g #fh ,another ancient custom was to give the newly baptized milk and honey4 ,so1 ,st4 ,clement of ,alexandria writes3 ,as soon as we are born again1 we become entitled to the hope of rest1 the promise of ,jerusalem which is above1 where it is said to rain milk and honey4 ,consignation1 again1 or the signing with the sign of the cross1 dates from a very early period4#h ,it marks the child as belonging to the ,good ,shepherd1 even as a lamb is marked with the owner's mark or sign4 ,giving salt as a symbol of wisdom 7sal sapientiae72 placing a lighted taper in the child's hand1 typifying the illuminating ,spirit2 turning to the west to renounce the enemy of the ,faith1 and then to the east to recite our belief in that ,faith2 striking three blows with the hand1 symbolical of fighting against the world1 the flesh1 and the devil3 all such ceremonies1 and many more1 have their due place1 and mystic meaning3 but they are not part of the ,sacrament4 ,they are1 #fi as it were1 scenery1 beautiful scenery1 round the ,sacrament2 frescoes on the walls2 the beauty of holiness2 lily-work upon the top of the pillars2#i the handmaids of the ,sacrament1 but not essential to the ,sacrament4 ,to deny that the ,church of ,england rightly and duly administers the ,sacrament because she omits any one of these ceremonies1 is to confuse the picture with the frame1 the jewel with its setting1 the beautiful with the essential4#aj ,we may deplore the loss of this or that ,ceremony1 but a ,national ,church exercises her undoubted right in saying at any particular period of her history how the ,sacrament is to be administered1 provided the essentials of the ,sacrament are left untouched4 ,the ,church ,universal decides1 once for all1 what is essential3 #gj the ,national ,church decides how best to secure and safeguard these essentials for her own ,use4 7,,ii7 ,,what ,,it ,,does4 ,according to the ,scriptures1 ,baptism doth now save us4#aa ,as ,god did save ,noah and his family in the ,ark from perishing by water1 so does ,god save the human family from perishing by sin4 ,as ,noah and his family could1 by an act of free will1 have opened a window in the ,ark1 and have leapt into the waters1 and frustrated ,god's purpose after they had been saved1 so can any member of the human family1 after it has been taken into the ,ark of ,christ's ,church1 frustrate ,god's good will towards it1 and wilfully leap out of its saving shelter4 ,baptism is a beginning1 not an end4#ab ,it puts us into a state of ,salvation4 ,it starts us in the way of ,salvation4 ,st4 ,cyprian says that in ,baptism we start crowned1 and ,st4 ,john says3 ,hold fast that which thou hast that no man take thy crown4#ac ,baptism is the ,sacrament of initiation1 not of finality4 ,directly the child is baptized1 we pray that he may lead the rest of his life according #ga to this beginning1 and we heartily thank ,god for having1 in ,baptism1 called us into a state of ,salvation4 ,in this sense1 ,baptism doth save us4 ,but what does it save us from8 ,sin4 ,in the ,nicene ,creed we say3 ,i believe in one ,baptism for the remission of sins4 ,baptism saves us from our sins4 ,in the case of infants1 ,baptism saves from original1 or inherited1 sin--the sin whose origin can be traced to the ,fall4 ,in the case of adults1 ,baptism saves from both original and actual sin1 both birth sin and life sin4 ,the ,prayer ,book is as explicit as the ,bible on this point4 ,in the case of infants1 we pray3 ,we call upon ,thee for this infant1 that he1 coming to ,thy ,holy ,baptism1 may receive remission of his sins--before1 i4e41 the child has1 by free will choice1 committed actual sin4 ,in the case of adults1 we read3 ,well-beloved1 who are come hither desiring to receive ,holy ,baptism1 ye have heard how the congregation hath prayed1 that our ,lord ,jesus ,christ would vouchsafe to 444 release you of your sins4 ,and1 again1 dealing with infants1 the ,rubric at the end of the ,public ,baptism of ,infants declares that ,it is certain1 by ,god's ,word1 that children who are #gb baptized1 dying before they commit actual sin1 are undoubtedly saved4 ,in affirming this1 the ,church does not condemn all the unbaptized1 infants or adults1 to everlasting perdition1 as the teaching of some is4 ,every affirmation does not necessarily involve its opposite negation4 ,it was thousands of years before any souls at all were baptized on earth1 and even now1 few#ad in comparison with the total population of the civilized and uncivilized world1 have been baptized4 ,the ,church nowhere assumes the self-imposed burden of legislation for these1 or limits their chance of salvation to the ,church ,militant4 ,what she does do1 is to proclaim her unswerving belief in one ,baptism for the remission of sins2 and her unfailing faith in ,god's promises to those who are baptized--which promise1 ,he1 for ,his part1 will most surely keep and perform4 ,on this point1 she speaks with nothing short of undoubted certainty2 on the other point1 she is silent4 ,she does not condemn an infant because no responsible person has brought it to ,baptism1 though she does condemn the person for not bringing it4 ,she does not limit #gc the power of grace to souls in this life only1 but she does offer grace in this world1 which may land the soul safely in the world to come4 ,one other thing ,baptism does4 ,making the child a member of ,christ1 it gives it a ,christ-ian name4 ,the ,christian ,name4 ,this ,christian1 or fore-name as it was called1 is the real name4 ,it antedates the surname by many centuries1 surnames being unknown in ,england before the ,norman invasion4 ,the ,christian name is the ,christ-name4 ,it cannot1 by any known legal method1 be changed4 ,surnames may be changed in various legal ways3 not so the ,christian name4#ae ,this was more apparent when the baptized were given only one ,christian name1 for it was not until the eighteenth century that a second or third name was added1 and then only on grounds of convenience4 ,again1 according to the law of ,england1 the only legal way in which a ,christian name can be given1 is by ,baptism4 ,thus1 if a child has been registered in one name1 and is afterwards baptized #gd in another1 the ,baptismal1 and not the registered1 name is its legal name1 even if the registered name was given first4 ,it is strange that1 in view of all this1 peers should drop their ,christian names1 i4e4 their real names1 their ,baptismal names4 ,the custom1 apparently1 dates only from the ,stuart period1 and is not easy to account for4 ,it would seem to suggest a distinct loss4 ,the same loss1 if it be a loss1 is incurred by the ,town ,clerk of ,london1 who omits his ,christian name in signing official documents4#af ,the ,king1 more happily1 retains his ,baptismal or ,christian name1 and has no surname4#ag ,bishops sign themselves by both their #ge ,christian and official name1 as ,randall ,cantuar2 ,cosmo ,ebor42 ,a4 ,f4 ,london2 ,h4 ,e4 ,winton2 ,f4 ,oxon44 ,we may consider three words1 both helps and puzzles1 used in connexion with ,holy ,baptism3 ,regeneration1 ,adoption1 ,election4 ,each has its own separate teaching1 though there are points at which their meanings run into each other4 ,regeneration4 ,we yield ,thee hearty thanks that it hath pleased ,thee to regenerate this infant4 ,so runs the ,prayer-,book thanksgiving after baptism4 ,what does it mean8 ,the word regeneration comes from two ,latin words1 re1 again1 generare1 to generate1 and means exactly what it says4 ,in ,prayer-,book language1 it means being born again4 ,and1 notice1 it refers to infants as well #gf as to adults4 ,the new birth is as independent of the child's choice as the natural birth4 ,and this is just what we should expect from a ,god of love4 ,the child is not consulted about his first birth1 neither is he consulted about his second birth4 ,he does not wait 7as the ,baptists teach7 until he is old enough to make a free choice of second birth1 but as soon as he is born into the world 7within seven or fourteen days1 the ,prayer ,book orders7 he is reborn into the ,church4 ,grace does not let nature get ten to twenty years' start1 but gives the soul a fair chance from the very first3 and so1 and only so1 is a ,god of love justified in ,his saying1 and clear when ,he is judged4 ,adoption4 ,but there is a second word4 ,the ,baptismal ,thanksgiving calls the ,baptized ,god's own child by ,adoption4 ,a simple illustration will best explain the word4 ,when a man is naturalized1 he speaks of his new country as the land of his adoption4 ,if a ,frenchman becomes a naturalized ,englishman1 he ceases legally to be a ,frenchman2 ceases to be under ,french law2 ceases to serve in the ,french army4 ,he #gg becomes legally an ,englishman2 he is under ,english law2 serves in the ,english army2 has all the privileges and obligations of a new-born ,englishman4 ,he may turn out to be a bad ,englishman1 a traitor to his adopted country2 he may even hanker after his old life as a ,frenchman--but he has left one kingdom for another1 and1 good1 bad1 or indifferent1 he is a subject of his new ,king2 he is a son of his adopted country4 ,he cannot belong to two kingdoms1 serve under two kings1 live under two sets of laws1 at the same time4 ,it is so with the ,baptized4 ,he has been adopted into a new kingdom4 ,he is a subject of the ,kingdom of ,heaven4 ,but he cannot belong to two kingdoms at the same time4 ,his death unto sin involves a new birth 7regeneration7 unto righteousness4 ,he ceases to be a member of the old kingdom1 to serve under the sway of the old king1 to be a child of wrath4 ,he renounces all allegiance to ,satan2 he becomes ,god's own child by adoption4 ,he may be a good1 bad1 or indifferent child2 he may be a lost child1 but he does not cease to be ,god's child4 ,rather1 it is just because he is still ,god's child that there is hope for him4 ,it is because he is #gh the child of ,god by adoption that the spirit of adoption within him can still cry1 ,abba1 ,father1 that he can still claim the privilege of his adopted country1 and pardon through the ,precious ,blood4 ,true1 he has obligations and responsibilities1 as well as privileges1 and these we shall see under the next word1 ,election4 ,election4 ,the ,catechism calls the ,baptized the elect people of ,god1 and the ,baptismal ,service asks that the child may by ,baptism be taken into the number of ,god's elect children4 ,what does it mean8 ,the word itself comes from two ,latin words1 e1 or ex1 out2 and lego1 to choose4 ,the elect1 then1 are those chosen out from others4 ,it sounds like favouritism2 it reads like privileged classes--and so it is4 ,but the privilege of election is the privilege of service4 ,it is like the privilege of a ,member of ,parliament1 the favoured candidate--the privilege of being elected to serve others4 ,every election is for the sake of somebody else4 ,the ,member of ,parliament is elected for the sake of his constituents2 the ,town ,councillor is elected for the sake of his fellow-townsmen2 the ,governor is elected for the sake of the #gi governed4 ,it is so with spiritual elections4 ,the ,jews were elect2 but it was for the sake of the ,gentiles--that the ,gentiles1 through them1 might be brought in4 ,the ,blessed ,virgin was elect2 but it was that all generations might call her blessed4 ,the ,church is elect1 but it is for the sake of the world1--that it1 too1 might be brought in4 ,no election ends with itself4 ,the ,baptized are elect1 but not for their own sakes2 not to be a privileged class1 save to enjoy the privilege of bringing others in4 ,they are chosen out of the world for the sake of those left in the world4 ,this is their obligation2 it is the law of their adopted country1 the kingdom into which they have1 by spiritual regeneration1 been born again4 ,all this1 and much more1 ,baptism does4 ,how does it do it8 7,,iii7 ,,how ,,does ,,it ,,do ,,it8 ,this new ,birth6 ,how is it accomplished8 ,nobody knows4 ,how ,baptism causes all that it effects1 is as yet unrevealed4 ,the ,holy ,ghost moves upon the face of the waters1 but ,his operation is overshadowed4 ,here1 we are in the realm of faith4 ,faith is belief in that which is out of #hj sight4 ,it is belief in the unseen1 not in the non-existent4 ,we hope for that we see not4#ah ,the mode of the operation of the ,holy ,ghost in ,baptism is hidden3 the result alone is revealed4 ,in this1 as in many another mystery1 ,we wait for light4#ai #a ,see ,service for the ,private ,baptism of ,children4 #b ,service for the ,ordination of ,deacons4 #c ,from an old word1 ,gossip or ,godsib1 i4e4 ,god relation4 #d ,cf4 ,rom4 vi4 #d2 ,eph4 v4 #bf4 #e ,trine ,immersion1 i4e4 dipping the candidate thrice1 or thrice pouring water upon him1 dates from the earliest ages1 but exceptional cases have occurred where a single immersion has been held valid4 #f ,from ,chrisma1 sacred oil--first the oil with which a child was anointed at ,baptism1 and then the robe with which the child was covered after ,baptism and ,unction1 and hence the child itself was called a ,chrisome-child1 i4e4 a child wearing the ,chrisome robe4 #g ,in the #aedi ,prayer ,book1 the ,prayer at the ,anointing in the ,baptismal ,service ran3 ,almighty ,god1 ,who hath regenerated thee by water and the ,holy ,ghost1 and hath given unto thee the remission of all thy sins1 ,he vouchsafe to anoint thee with the ,unction of ,his ,holy ,spirit1 and bring thee to the inheritance of everlasting life4 ,amen4 #h ,st4 ,jerome1 writing in the second century1 says of the ,baptized1 that he bore on his forehead the banner of the ,cross4 #i #a ,kings vii4 #bb4 #aj ,it is a real loss to use the ,service for the ,public ,baptism of ,infants as a private office1 as is generally done now4 ,the doctrinal teaching2 the naming of the child2 the signing with the cross2 the response of1 and the address to1 the ,god-parents--all these would be helpful reminders to a congregation1 if the service sometimes came1 as the ,rubric orders1 after the second lesson1 and might rekindle the ,baptismal and ,confirmation fire once lighted1 but so often allowed to die down1 or flicker out4 #aa #a ,pet4 iii4 #ba4 #ab ,baptismal ,service4 #ac ,rev4 iii4 #aa4 #ad ,not more1 it is estimated1 than two or three out of every eight have been baptized4 #ae ,i may take an additional ,christian name at my ,confirmation1 but ,i cannot change the old one4 #af ,the present ,town ,clerk of ,london has kindly informed me that the earliest example he has found dates from #adah1 when the name of ,john ,carpenter1 ,town ,clerk1 the well-known executor of ,whittington1 is appended to a document1 the ,christian name being omitted4 #ag ,the following letter from ,mr4 ,ambrose ,lee of the ,heralds' ,college may interest some4 444 ,surname1 in the ordinary sense of the word1 the ,king has none4 ,he--as was his grandmother1 ,queen ,victoria1 as well as her husband1 ,prince ,albert--is descended from ,witikind1 who was the last of a long line of continental ,saxon kings or rulers4 ,witikind was defeated by ,charlemagne1 became a ,christian1 and was created ,duke of ,saxony4 ,he had a second son1 who was ,count of ,wettin1 but clear and well-defined and authenticated genealogies do not exist from which may be formulated any theory establishing1 by right or custom1 any surname1 in the ordinary accepted sense of the word1 for the various families who are descended in the male line from this ,count of ,wettin4444 ,and1 by-the-by1 it must not be forgotten that the earliest ,guelphs were merely princes whose baptismal name was ,guelph1 as the baptismal name of our ,hanoverian ,kings was ,george4 #ah ,rom4 viii4 #be4 #ai ,is4 lix4 #i4 #ha ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,the ,,blessed ,,sacrament4 ,the ,blessed ,sacrament6--or1 as the ,prayer ,book calls it1 ,the ,holy ,sacrament4 ,this title seems to sum up all the other titles by which the chief service in the ,church is known4 ,these are many4 ,for instance3-- ,the ,liturgy1 from the ,greek ,leitourgia1#a a public service4 ,the ,mass1 from the ,latin ,missa1 dismissal--the word used in the ,latin ,liturgy when the people are dismissed1#b and afterwards applied to the service itself from which they are dismissed4 ,the ,eucharist1 from the ,greek ,eucharistia1 thanksgiving--the word used in all the narratives #hb of ,institution1#c and1 technically1 the third part of the ,eucharistic ,service4 ,the ,breaking of the ,bread1 one of the earliest names for the ,sacrament 7,acts ii4 #db1 #a ,cor4 x4 #af74 ,the ,holy ,sacrifice1 which ,christ once offered1 and is ever offering4 ,the ,lord's ,supper 7#a ,cor4 xii4 #aj71 a name perhaps originally used for the ,agap1 or love feast1 which preceded the ,eucharist1 and then given to the ,eucharist itself4 ,it is an old ,english name1 used in the story of ,st4 ,anselm's last days1 where it is said3 ,he passed away as morning was breaking on the ,wednesday before the day of our ,lord's ,supper4 ,the ,holy ,communion 7#a ,cor4 x4 #af71 in which our baptismal union with ,christ is consummated1 and which forms a means of union between souls in the ,church ,triumphant1 at ,rest1 and on ,earth4 ,in it1 ,christ1 ,god and ,man1 is the bond of oneness4 ,all these1 and other aspects of the ,sacrament1 are comprehended and gathered up in the name which marks its supremacy1--,the ,blessed ,sacrament4 #hc ,consider3 ,what it is2 ,what it does2 ,how it does it4 7,i7 ,,what ,,it ,,is4 ,it is the supernatural conjunction of matter and spirit1 of ,bread and ,wine and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,here1 as in ,baptism1 the inward and spiritual expresses itself through the outward and visible4 ,both must be there4 ,and1 notice again4 ,this conjunction is not a physical conjunction1 according to physical laws2 nor is it a spiritual conjunction1 according to spiritual laws2 it is a ,sacramental conjunction1 according to ,sacramental laws4 ,as in ,baptism1 so in the ,blessed ,sacrament3 the outward and visible is1 and remains1 subject to natural laws1 and the inward and spiritual to spiritual laws2 but the ,sacrament itself is under neither natural nor spiritual but ,sacramental laws4 ,for a perfect ,sacrament requires both matter and spirit4#d ,if either is absent1 the ,sacrament is incomplete4 ,thus1 the ,council of ,trent's definition of #hd ,transubstantiation#e seems1 as it stands1 to spoil the very nature of a ,sacrament4 ,it is the change of the whole substance of the bread into the ,body1 of the whole substance of the wine into the blood of ,christ1 only the appearance of bread and wine remaining4 ,again1 the ,lutheran doctrine of ,consubstantiation destroys the nature of the ,sacrament4 ,the ,lutheran ,formula ,concordiae1 e4g41 teaches that outside the use the ,body of ,christ is not present4 ,thus it limits the ,presence to the reception1 whether by good or bad4 ,the ,figurative view of the ,blessed ,sacrament #he destroys the nature of a ,sacrament1 making the matter symbolize something which is not there4 ,it is safer to take the words of consecration as they stand1 corresponding as they do so literally with the words of ,institution1 and simply to say3 ,this 7bread3 it is still bread7 is ,my ,body 7it is far more than bread72 this 7wine3 it is still wine7 is ,my ,blood 7it is far more than wine74 ,can we get beyond this1 in terms and definitions8 ,can we say more than that it is a ,sacrament--,the ,blessed ,sacrament8 ,and after all1 do we wish to do so8 7,,ii7 ,,what ,,it ,,does4 ,briefly1 the ,blessed ,sacrament does two things2 ,it pleads1 and ,it feeds4 ,it is the pleading of the one ,sacrifice2 ,it is the feeding on the one ,sacrifice4 ,these two aspects of the one ,sacrament are suggested in the two names1 ,altar and ,table4#f ,both words are liturgical4 ,in ,western ,liturgies1 ,altar is the rule1 and ,table the exception2 in ,eastern ,liturgies1 ,table is the rule1 and ,altar #hf the exception4 ,both are1 perhaps1 embodied in the old name1 ,god's ,board1 of ,thomas ,aquinas4 ,both contain a truth4 ,the ,altar4 ,this1 for over #cjj years1 was the common name for what ,st4 ,irenaeus calls the ,abode of the ,holy ,body and ,blood of ,christ4 ,convocation1 in #afdj1 decreed3 ,it is1 and may be called1 an ,altar in that sense in which the ,primitive ,church called it an ,altar1 and in no other4 ,this sense referred to the offering of what the ,liturgy of ,st4 ,james calls the tremendous and unbloody ,sacrifice1 the ,liturgy of ,st4 ,chrysostom the reasonable and unbloody ,sacrifice1#g and the ,ancient ,english ,liturgy a pure offering1 an holy offering1 an undefiled offering1 even the holy ,bread of eternal ,life1 and the ,cup of everlasting ,salvation 4 ,the word ,altar1 then1 tells of the pleading of the ,sacrifice of ,jesus ,christ4 ,in the words of the ,archbishops of ,canterbury and ,york to ,leo ,,xiii3 ,we plead and represent before the ,father the ,sacrifice of the ,cross2 or in the words of ,charles ,wesley3 ,to ,god it is an #hg ,altar whereon men mystically present unto ,him the same ,sacrifice1 as still suing for mercy2 or1 in the words of ,isaac ,barrow3 ,our ,lord hath offered a well-pleasing ,sacrifice for our sins1 and doth1 at ,god's right hand1 continually renew it by presenting it unto ,god1 and interceding with ,him for the effect thereof4 ,the ,sacrifice does not1 of course1 consist in the re-slaying of the ,lamb1 but in the offering of the ,lamb as it had been slain4 ,it is not the repetition of the ,atonement1 but the representation of the ,atonement4#h ,we offer on the earthly ,altar the same ,sacrifice that is being perpetually offered on the ,heavenly ,altar4 ,there is only one ,altar1 only one ,sacrifice1 one ,eucharist--one offering1 single and complete4 ,all the combined earthly ,altars are but one ,altar--the earthly or visible part of the ,heavenly ,altar on which ,he1 both ,priest and ,victim1 offers ,himself as the ,lamb as it had been slain4 ,the ,heavenly ,altar is1 as it were1 the centre1 and all the earthly ,altars the circumference4 ,we gaze at the ,heavenly ,altar through the ,earthly ,altars4 ,we plead what ,he pleads2 we offer what ,he offers4 #hh ,thus the ,church1 with exultation1 ,till her ,lord returns again1 ,shows ,his ,death2 ,his mediation ,validates her worship then1 ,pleading the ,divine ,oblation ,offered on the ,cross for men4 ,and we must remember that in this offering the whole ,three ,persons in the ,blessed ,trinity are at work4 ,we must not in our worship so concentrate our attention upon the ,second ,person1 as to exclude the other ,persons from our thoughts4 ,indeed1 if one ,person is more prominent than another1 it is ,god the ,father4 ,it is to ,god the ,father that the ,sacrifice ascends2 it is with ,him that we plead on earth that which ,god the ,son is pleading in ,heaven2 it is ,god the ,holy ,ghost ,who makes our pleadings possible1 ,who turns the many ,jewish ,altars into the one ,christian ,altar4 ,the ,gloria in ,excelsis bids us render worship to all three ,persons engaged in this single act4 ,the ,table4 ,the second aspect under consideration is suggested by the word ,table--the ,holy ,table1 as ,st4 ,gregory ,nazianzen and ,st4 ,athanasius call it2 the tremendous ,table1 or the ,mystic #hi ,table1 as ,st4 ,chrysostom calls it2 the ,lord's ,table1 or this ,thy ,table1 as1 following the ,easterns1 our ,prayer ,book calls it4 ,this term emphasizes the ,feast-aspect1 as ,altar underlines the ,sacrificial aspect1 of the ,sacrament4 ,in the ,lord's ,supper we feast upon the ,sacrifice which has already been offered upon the ,altar4 ,this ,thy ,table1 tells of the ,banquet of the ,lamb4 ,as ,st4 ,thomas puts it3-- ,he gave ,himself in either kind1 ,his precious ,flesh1 ,his precious ,blood3 ,in ,love's own fullness thus designed ,of the whole man to be the ,food4 ,or1 as ,dr4 ,doddridge puts it1 in his ,sacramental ,ave3-- ,hail6 ,sacred ,feast1 which ,jesus makes6 ,rich ,banquet of ,his ,flesh and ,blood6 ,thrice happy he1 who here partakes ,that ,sacred ,stream1 that ,heavenly ,food4 ,this is the ,prayer-,book aspect1 which deals with the ,administration of the ,lord's ,supper2 which bids us feed upon ,him 7not it7 in our hearts by faith1 and not by sight2 which speaks of the elements as ,god's creatures of ,bread and ,wine2 which prays1 in language of awful solemnity1 that we may worthily eat ,his ,flesh #ij and drink ,his ,blood4 ,this is the aspect which speaks of the means whereby ,christ communicates ,himself to us1 implants within us ,his character1 ,his virtues1 ,his will2--makes us one with ,him1 and ,himself one with us4 ,by ,sacramental ,communion1 we dwell in ,him1 and ,he in us2 and this1 not merely as a lovely sentiment1 or by means of some beautiful meditation1 but by the real communion of ,christ--present without us1 and communicated to us1 through the ordained channels4 ,hence1 in the ,blessed ,sacrament1 ,jesus is for ever counteracting within us the effects of the ,fall4 ,if the first ,adam ruined us through food1 the second ,adam will reinstate us through food--and that food nothing less than ,himself4 ,feed upon ,him4 ,but how is all this brought about8 7,,iii7 ,,how ,,it ,,does ,,it4 ,once again1 nobody knows4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is the operative power1 but the operation is overshadowed as by the wings of the ,dove4 ,it is enough for us to know what is done1 without questioning as to how it is done4 ,it is enough for us to worship ,him in what ,he does1 without #ia straining to know how ,he does it--being fully persuaded that1 what ,he has promised1 ,he is able also to perform4#i ,here1 again1 we are in the region of faith1 not sight2 and reason tells us that faith must be supreme in its own province4 ,for us1 it is enough to say with ,queen ,elizabeth3-- ,he was the ,word that spake it2 ,he took the bread and break it2 ,and what that ,word did make it1 ,i do believe and take it4#aj #a ,leitos1 public1 ergon1 work4 #b ,either when the service is over1 or when those not admissible to ,communion are dismissed4 ,the ,masses condemned in the thirty-first ,article involved the heresy that ,christ was therein offered again by the ,mass ,priest to buy souls out of ,purgatory at so much per ,mass4 #c ,e4g4 ,st4 ,luke xxii4 #ag4 ,he took the cup1 and eucharized1 i4e4 gave thanks4 #d ,accedit verium ad elementum1 et fit ,sacramentum 7,st4 ,augustine74 #e ,this definition is really given up now by the best ,roman ,catholic theologians4 ,the theory on which ,transubstantiation alone is based 7viz4 that substance is something which exists apart from the totality of the accidents whereby it is known to us71 has now been generally abandoned4 ,now1 it is universally allowed that substance is only a collective name for the sum of all the qualities of matter1 size1 colour1 weight1 taste1 and so forth4 ,but1 as all these qualities of bread and wine admittedly remain after consecration1 the substance of the bread and wine must remain too4 ,the doctrine of ,transubstantiation condemned in ,article #bb1 was that of a material ,transubstantiation which taught 7and was taught ex ,cathedra by ,pope ,nicholas ,,ii7 that ,christ's ,body was sensibly touched and broken by the teeth4 #f ,the ,altar has respect unto the oblation1 the ,table to the participation 7,bishop ,cosin74 #g ,cf4 ,jeremy ,taylor's ,holy ,living1 chap4 iv4 s4 #aj4 #h ,cf4 ,bright's ,ancient ,collects1 p4 #add4 #i ,rom4 iv4 #ba4 #aj ,these lines1 says ,malcolm ,mac,coll in his book on ,the ,reformation ,settlement 7p4 #cd71 have sometimes been attributed to ,donne2 but the balance of evidence is in favour of their ,elizabethan authorship when the ,queen was in confinement as ,princess ,elizabeth4 ,they are not in the first edition of ,donne1 and were published for the first time as his in #afcd1 thirteen years after his death4 #ib ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,the ,,lesser ,,sacraments4 ,these are those five which the ,article says are commonly called ,sacraments3#a ,confirmation1 ,matrimony1 ,orders1 ,penance1 ,unction4 ,they are called ,lesser ,sacraments to distinguish them from the two pre-eminent or ,greater ,sacraments1 ,baptism and the ,supper of the ,lord4#b ,these1 though they have not all a like nature with the ,greater ,sacraments1 are selected by the ,church as meeting the main needs of her children between ,baptism and ,burial4 ,they may1 for our purpose1 be classified in three groups3-- 7,i7 ,the ,sacrament of ,completion 7,confirmation1 which completes the ,sacrament of ,baptism74 #ic 7,,ii7 ,the ,sacraments of ,perpetuation 7,holy ,matrimony1 which perpetuates the human race2 and ,holy ,order1 which perpetuates the ,christian ,ministry74 7,,iii7 ,the ,sacraments of ,recovery 7,penance1 which recovers the sick soul together with the body2 and ,unction1 which recovers the sick body together with the soul74 ,and1 first1 ,the ,sacrament of ,completion3 ,confirmation4 #a ,article ,,xxv4 #b ,the ,homily on the ,sacraments calls them the other ,sacraments--i4e4 in addition to ,baptism and the ,eucharist4 #id ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,confirmation4 7,i7 ,what it is not4 7,,ii7 ,what it is4 7,,iii7 ,whom it is for4 7,,iv7 ,what is essential4 7,i7 ,,what ,,it ,,is ,,not4 ,confirmation is not the renewal of vows4 ,the renewal of vows is the final part of the preparation for ,confirmation4 ,it is that part of the preparation which takes place in public1 as the previous preparation has taken place in private4 ,before ,confirmation1 the ,baptismal vows are renewed openly before the ,church4 ,their renewal is the last word of preparation4 ,the ,bishop1 or ,chief ,shepherd1 assures himself by question1 and answer1 that the ,candidate openly responds to the preparation he has received in #ie private from the ,parish ,priest1 or under-,shepherd4 ,before the last revision of the ,prayer ,book1 the ,bishop asked the ,candidates in public many questions from the ,catechism before confirming them2 now he only asks one--and the ,i do1 by which the ,candidate renews his ,baptismal vows1 is the answer to that preparatory question4 ,it is still quite a common idea1 even among ,church people1 that ,confirmation is something which the ,candidate does for himself1 instead of something which ,god does to him4 ,this is often due to the unfortunate use of the word confirm#a in the ,bishop's question4 ,at the time it was inserted1 the word confirm meant confess1#b and referred1 not to the ,gift of ,confirmation1 but to the ,candidate's public ,confession of faith1 before receiving the ,sacrament of ,confirmation4 ,it had nothing whatever to do with ,confirmation itself4 ,we must not1 then1 confuse the preparation for ,confirmation with the ,gift of ,confirmation4 ,the ,sacrament itself is ,god's gift to the child bestowed through the ,bishop in accordance with the teaching given to #if the ,god-parents at the child's ,baptism3 ,ye are to take care that this child be brought to the ,bishop to be confirmed by him4#c ,and this leads us to our second point3 ,what ,confirmation is4 7,,ii7 ,,what ,,it ,,is4 ,confirmation is the completion of ,baptism4 ,it completes what ,baptism began4 ,in the words of our ,confirmation ,service1 it increases and multiplies--i4e4 strengthens or confirms ,baptismal grace4 ,it is the ordained channel which conveys to the ,baptized the sevenfold 7i4e4 complete7 gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 which was initially received in ,baptism4 ,and this will help us to answer a question frequently asked3 ,if ,i have been confirmed1 but not ,baptized1 must ,i be ,baptized8 ,surely1 ,baptism must precede ,confirmation4 ,if #ig ,confirmation increases the grace given in ,baptism1 that grace must have been received before it can be increased4 ,and must ,i be 'confirmed again1' as it is said1 after ,baptism8 ,surely4 ,if ,i had not been ,baptized before ,i presented myself for ,confirmation1 ,i have not confirmed at all4 ,my ,baptism will now allow me to be presented to the ,bishop once again to be confirmed by him--and this time in reality4 ,did ,i1 then1 receive no grace when ,i was presented to the ,bishop to be confirmed by him before8 ,much grace1 surely1 but not the special grace attached to the special ,sacrament of ,confirmation1 and guaranteed to the ,confirmed4 ,special channels convey special grace4 ,god's love overflows its channels2 what ,god gives1 or withholds1 outside those channels1 it would be an impertinence for us to say4 ,again1 ,confirmation is1 in a secondary sense1 a ,sacrament of ,admittance4 ,it admits the ,baptized to ,holy ,communion4 ,two rubrics teach this4 ,it is expedient1 says the rubric after an adult ,baptism1 that every person thus ,baptized should be confirmed by the ,bishop so soon after his ,baptism as conveniently may be2 that so he may be admitted to the ,holy ,communion4 ,and #ih there shall none be admitted to ,holy ,communion1 adds the rubric after ,confirmation1 until such time as he be confirmed1 or be ready and desirous to be confirmed4 ,for ,confirmation1 or the laying on of hands1 fully admits the ,baptized to that ,royal ,priesthood of the ,laity1#d of which the specially ordained ,priest is ordained to be the representative4 ,the ,holy ,sacrifice is the offering of the whole ,church1 the universal ,priesthood1 not merely of the individual ,priest who is the offerer4 ,thus1 the ,confirmed can take their part in the offering1 and can assist at it1 in union with the ordained ,priest who is actually celebrating4 ,they can say their ,amen at the ,eucharist1 or giving of thanks1 and give their responding assent to what he is doing in their name1 and on their behalf4 ,and this answers another question4 ,if ,i am a ,communicant1 but have not been confirmed1 ought ,i to present myself for ,confirmation8 ,surely4 ,the ,prayer ,book is quite definite about this4 ,first1 it legislates for the normal case1 then for the abnormal4 ,first it says3 ,none shall be admitted to ,holy ,communion until such time as they have been ,confirmed4 ,then it deals with #ii exceptional cases1 and adds1 or be willing and desirous to be confirmed4 ,such exceptional cases may1 and do1 occur2 but even these may not be ,communicated unless they are both ready and desirous to be confirmed1 as soon as ,confirmation can be received4 ,so does the ,church safeguard her ,sacraments1 and her children4 ,but would you1 it is asked1 exclude a ,dissenter from ,communion1 however good and holy he may be1 merely because he has not been ,confirmed8 ,he certainly would have very little respect for me if ,i did not4 ,if1 for instance1 he belonged to the ,methodist ,society1 he would assuredly not admit me to be a ,communicant in that ,society4 ,no person1 says his rule1 shall be suffered on any pretence to partake of the ,lord's ,supper unless he be a member of the ,society1 or receive a note of admission from the ,superintendent1 which note must be renewed quarterly4 ,and1 again3 ,that the ,table of the ,lord should be open to all comers1 is surely a great discredit1 and a serious peril to any ,church4#e ,and yet the ,church1 the ,divine ,society1 established by ,jesus ,christ ,himself1 is blamed1 and called narrow and #ajj bigoted1 if she asserts her own rule1 and refuses to admit all comers to the ,altar4 ,to give way on such a point would be to forfeit1 and rightly to forfeit1 the respect of any law-abiding people1 and would be--in many cases1 is--a great discredit1 and a serious peril to the ,church4 ,we have few enough rules as it is1 and if those that we have are meaningless1 we may well be held up to derision4 ,the ,prayer ,book makes no provision whatever for those who are not ,confirmed1 and who1 if able to receive ,confirmation1 are neither ready nor desirous to be ,confirmed4 7,,iii7 ,,whom ,,it ,,is ,,for4 ,confirmation is for the ,baptized1 and none other4 ,the ,prayer-,book ,title to the service is plain4 ,it calls ,confirmation the laying on of ,hands upon those that are baptized1 and1 it adds1 are come to years of discretion4 ,first1 then1 ,confirmation is for the ,baptized1 and never for the unbaptized4 ,secondly1 it is 7as now administered#f7 for #aja those who have come to years of discretion1 i4e4 for those who are fit for it4 ,as we pray in the ,ember ,collect that the ,bishop may select fit persons for the ,sacred ,ministry of the special ,priesthood1 and may lay hands suddenly on no man1 so it is with ,confirmation or the laying on of hands for the ,royal ,priesthood4 ,the ,bishop must be assured by the ,priest who presents them 7and who acts as his examining ,chaplain71 that they are fit persons to be confirmed4 ,and this fitness must be of two kinds3 moral and intellectual4 ,it must be moral4 ,the candidate must have come to years of discretion1 i4e4 he must know to refuse the evil and choose the good4#g ,this age of discretion1 or competent age1 as the ,catechism ,rubric calls it1 is not a question of years1 but of character4 ,our present ,prayer ,book makes no allusion to any definite span of years whatever1 and to make the magic age of fifteen the minimum universal age for ,candidates is wholly illegal4 ,at the ,reformation1 the ,english ,church fixed seven as the age for ,confirmation1 but our #affb ,prayer ,book is more primitive1 and1 taking a common-sense view1 #ajb leaves each case of moral fitness to be decided on its own merits4 ,the moral standard must be an individual standard1 and must be left1 first1 to the parent1 who presents the child to the ,priest to be prepared2 then1 to the ,priest who prepares the child for ,confirmation1 and presents him to the ,bishop2 and1 lastly1 to the ,bishop1 who must finally decide1 upon the combined testimony of the ,priest and parent--and1 if in doubt1 upon his own personal examination4 ,the intellectual standard is laid down in the ,service for the ,public ,baptism of ,infants3 ,so soon as he can say the ,creed1 the ,lord's ,prayer1 and the ,ten ,commandments1 in the vulgar 7i4e4 his native7 tongue1 and be further instructed1 etc4 ,here1 the words can say obviously mean can say intelligently4 ,the mere saying of the words by rote is comparatively unimportant1 though it has its use2 but if this were all1 it would degrade the ,candidate's intellectual status to the capacities of a parrot4 ,but1 as soon as he can intelligently comply with the ,church's requirements1 as soon as he has reached a competent age1 any child may be presented to the ,bishop to be confirmed by him4 #ajc ,and1 in the majority of cases1 in these days1 the sooner1 the better4 ,it is1 speaking generally1 far safer to have the child prepared at home--if it is a ,christian home--and confirmed from home1 than to risk the preparation to the chance teaching of a ,public ,school4 ,with splendid exceptions1 ,school ,confirmation is apt to get confused with the school curriculum and school lessons4 ,it is a sort of extra tuition1 which1 not infrequently1 interferes with games or work1 without any compensating advantages in ,church teaching4 7,,iv7 ,,what ,,is ,,essential4 ,the ,laying on of ,hands--and nothing else4 ,this act of ritual 7so familiar to the ,early ,church1 from ,christ's act in blessing little children7 was used by the ,apostles1#h and is still used by their successors1 the ,bishops4 ,it is the only act essential to a valid ,confirmation4 ,other1 and suggestive1 ceremonies have been in use in different ages1 and in different parts of the ,church3 but they are supplementary1 not essential4 ,thus1 in the sub-apostolic age1 ritual #ajd acts expressed very beautifully the early names for ,confirmation1 just as the laying on of ,hands still expresses the name which in the ,english ,church proclaims the essence of the ,sacrament4 ,for instance1 ,confirmation is called ,the ,anointing1#i and ,the ,sealing1 and in some parts of the ,church1 the ,priest dips his finger in oil blessed by the ,bishop1 and signs or seals the child upon the forehead with the sign of the ,cross1 thus symbolizing the meaning of such names4 ,but neither the sealing1 nor the anointing1 is necessary for a valid ,sacrament4 ,confirmation1 then1 rightly and duly administered1 completes the grace given to a child at the outset of its ,christian career4 ,it admits the child to full membership and to full privileges in the ,christian ,church4 ,it is the ordained ,channel by which the ,bishop is commissioned to convey and guarantee the special grace attached #aje to1 and only to1 the ,lesser ,sacrament of ,confirmation4#aj #a ,ratifying and confirming the same in your own persons4 #b ,the word was confess in #aedi4 #c ,the ,greek ,catechism of ,plato1 ,metropolitan of ,moscow1 puts it very clearly3 ,through this holy ,ordinance the ,holy ,ghost descendeth upon the person ,baptized1 and confirmeth him in the grace which he received in his ,baptism according to the example of ,his descending upon the disciples of ,jesus ,christ1 and in imitation of the disciples themselves1 who after ,baptism laid their hands upon the believers2 by which laying on of hands the ,holy ,ghost was conferred4 #d #a ,st4 ,peter ii4 #i4 #e ,minutes of ,wesleyan ,conference1 #ahhi1 p4 #dab4 #f ,in the first ages1 and1 indeed1 until the fifteenth century1 ,confirmation followed immediately after ,baptism1 both in ,east and ,west1 as it still does in the ,east4 #g ,is4 vii4 #af4 #h ,acts viii4 #ab-ag2 ,acts xix4 #e1 #f4 #i ,in an old seventh century ,service1 used in the ,church of ,england down to the ,reformation1 the ,priest is directed3 ,here he is to put the ,chrism 7oil7 on the forehead of the man1 and say1 ',receive the sign of the ,holy ,cross1 by the ,chrism of ,salvation in ,jesus ,christ unto ,eternal ,life4 ,amen4' #aj ,the teaching of our ,church of ,england1 passing on the teaching of the ,church ,universal1 is very happily summed up in an ancient ,homily of the ,church of ,england4 ,it runs thus3 ,in ,baptism the ,christian was born again spiritually1 to live2 in ,confirmation he is made bold to fight4 ,there he received remission of sin2 here he receiveth increase of grace4444 ,in ,baptism he was chosen to be ,god's son2 in ,confirmation ,god shall give him ,his ,holy ,spirit to 444 perfect him4 ,in ,baptism he was called and chosen to be one of ,god's soldiers1 and had his white coat of innocency given him1 and also his badge1 which was the red cross set upon his forehead4442 in ,confirmation he is encouraged to fight1 and to take the armour of ,god put upon him1 which be able to bear off the fiery darts of the devil4 #ajf ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,holy ,,matrimony4 ,we have called ,holy ,matrimony the ,sacrament of ,perpetuation1 for it is the ordained way in which the human race is to be perpetuated4 ,matrimony is the legal union between two persons1--a union which is created by mutual consent3 ,holy ,matrimony is that union sanctioned and sanctified by the ,church4 ,there are three familiar names given to this union3 ,matrimony1 ,marriage1 ,wedlock4 ,matrimony1 derived from mater1 a mother1 tells of the woman's 7i4e4 wife-man's7 joy that a man is born into the world4 ,marriage1 derived from maritus1 a husband 7or house-dweller#a71 tells of the man's place in the hus or house4 ,wedlock1 derived from weddian1 a pledge1 reminds both man and woman of the life-long pledge which each has made either to other4 #ajg ,it is this ,sacrament of ,matrimony1 ,marriage1 or ,wedlock1 that we are now to consider4 ,we will think of it under four headings3-- 7,i7 ,what is it for8 7,,ii7 ,what is its essence8 7,,iii7 ,whom is it for8 7,,iv7 ,what are its safeguards8 7,i7 ,,what ,,is ,,it ,,for8 ,marriage is1 as we have seen1 ,god's method of propagating the human race4 ,it does this in two ways--by expansion1 and by limitation4 ,this is seen in the ,new ,testament ordinance1 one man for one woman4 ,it expands the race1 but within due and disciplined limitations4 ,expansion1 without limitation1 would produce quantity without quality1 and would wreck the human race2 limitation without expansion might produce quality without quantity1 but would extinguish the human race4 ,like every other gift of ,god1 marriage is to be treated soberly1 wisely1 discretely1 and1 like every other gift1 it must be used with a due combination of freedom and restraint4 ,hence1 among other reasons1 the marriage union between one man and one woman is #ajh indissoluble4 ,for marriage is not a mere union of sentiment2 it is not a mere terminable contract between two persons1 who have agreed to live together as long as they suit each other4 ,it is an organic not an emotional union2 ,they twain shall be one flesh1 which nothing but death can divide4 ,no law in ,church or ,state can unmarry the legally married4 ,a ,state may declare the non-existence of the marriage union1 just as it may declare the non-existence of ,god3 but such a declaration does not affect the fact1 either in one case or the other4 ,in ,england the ,state does1 in certain cases1 declare that the life-long union is a temporary contract1 and does permit this man or this woman to live with another man1 or with another woman1 and1 if they choose1 even to exchange husbands or wives4 ,this is allowed by the ,divorce ,act of #aheg1b when1 writes ,bishop ,stubbs1 the calamitous legislation of #aheg inflicted on ,english ,society and ,english morals #aji the most cruel blow that any conjunction of unrighteous influence could possibly have contrived4#c ,the ,church has made no such declaration4 ,it rigidly forbids a husband or wife to marry again during the lifetime of either party4 ,the ,law of the ,church remains the ,law of the ,church1 overridden--but not repealed4 ,this has led to a conflict between ,church and ,state in a country where they are1 in theory though not in fact1 united4 ,but this is the fault of the ,state1 not of the ,church4 ,it is a case in which a junior partner has acted without the consent of1 or rather in direct opposition to1 the senior partner4 ,historically and chronologically speaking1 the ,church 7the senior partner7 took the ,state 7the junior partner7 into partnership1 and the ,state1 in spite of all the benefits it has received from the ,church1 has taken all it could get1 and has thrown the ,church over to legalize sin4 ,it has ignored its senior partner1 and loosened the old historical bond between the two4 ,this the ,church cannot help1 and this the ,state fully admits1 legally absolving the ,church from taking any part in its mock re-marriages4 #aaj 7,,ii7 ,,what ,,is ,,its ,,essence8 ,the essence of matrimony is mutual consent4 ,the essential part of the ,sacrament consists in the words3 ,i1 ,m41 take thee1 ,n41 etc4 ,nothing else is essential1 though much else is desirable4 ,thus1 marriage in a church1 however historical and desirable1 is not essential to the validity of a marriage4 ,marriage at a ,registry ,office 7i4e4 mutual consent in the presence of the ,registrar7 is every bit as legally indissoluble as marriage in a church4 ,the not uncommon argument3 ,i was only married in a ,registry ,office1 and can therefore take advantage of the ,divorce ,act1 is fallacious ab initio4#d ,why1 then1 be married in1 and by the ,church8 ,apart from the history and sentiment1 for this reason4 ,the ,church is the ordained channel through which grace to keep the marriage vow is bestowed4 ,a special and guaranteed grace is #aaa attached to a marriage sanctioned and blest by the ,church4 ,the ,church1 in the name of ,god1 consecrates matrimony1 and from the earliest times has given its sanction and blessing to the mutual consent4 ,we are reminded of this in the question3 ,who giveth this woman to be married to this man8 ,in answer to the question1 the ,parent1 or ,guardian1 presents the ,bride to the ,priest 7the ,church's representative71 who1 in turn1 presents her to the ,bridegroom1 and blesses their union4 ,in the ,primitive ,church1 notice of marriage had to be given to the ,bishop of the ,diocese1 or his representative1#e in order that due inquiries might be made as to the fitness of the persons1 and the ,church's sanction given or withheld4 ,after this notice1 a special service of ,betrothal 7as well as the actual marriage service7 was solemnized4 ,these two separate services are still marked off from each other in 7though both forming a part of7 our present marriage service4 ,the first part of the service is held outside the chancel gates1 and corresponds to the old service of ,betrothal4 ,here1 too1 the actual ceremony of mutual consent now takes place--that part of #aab the ceremony which would be equally valid in a ,registry ,office4 ,then follows the second part of the service1 in which the ,church gives her blessing upon the marriage4 ,and because this part is1 properly speaking1 part of the ,eucharistic ,office1 the ,bride and ,bridegroom now go to the ,altar with the ,priest1 and there receive the ,church's ,benediction1 and--ideally--their first ,communion after marriage4 ,so does the ,church provide grace for her children that they may perform the vows they have made unto the ,king4 ,the late hour for modern weddings1 and the consequent postponement#f of ,communion1 has obscured much of the meaning of the service2 but a nine o'clock wedding1 in which the married couple receive the ,holy ,communion1 followed by the wedding breakfast1 is1 happily1 becoming more common1 and is restoring to us one of the best of old ,english customs4 ,it is easy enough to slight old religious forms and ceremonies2 but is anyone one atom better1 or happier for having neglected them8 #aac 7,,iii7 ,,whom ,,is ,,it ,,for8 ,marriage is for three classes3-- 7#a7 ,the unmarried--i4e4 those who have never been married1 or whose marriage is 7legally7 dissolved by death4 7#b7 ,the non-related--i4e4 either by consanguinity 7by blood71 or affinity 7by marriage74 7#c7 ,the full-aged4 7#a7 ,the ,unmarried4 ,obviously1 marriage is only for the unmarried4 ,but1 is not this very hard upon those whose marriage has been a mistake1 and who have been divorced by the ,state8 ,and1 above all1 is it not very hard upon the innocent party1 who has been granted a divorce8 ,it is very hard1 so hard1 so terribly hard1 that only those who have to deal personally1 and practically1 with concrete cases1 can guess how hard--hard enough often on the guilty party1 and harder still on the innocent4 ,god knows it is hard1 and will make it as easy as ,god ,himself can make it1 if only self-surrender is placed before self-indulgence4 ,but the alternative is still harder4 ,we sometimes forget that legislation for the individual may bear even harder #aad on the masses1 than legislation for the masses may bear upon the individual4 ,and1 after all1 this is not a question of hard versus easy1 but of right versus wrong4 ,moreover1 as we are finding out1 that which seems easiest at the moment1 often turns out hardest in the long run4 ,it is no longer contended that re-marriage after a ,state-divorce is that universal ,elysium which it has always been confidently assumed to be4 ,there is1 too1 a positively absurd side to the present conflict between ,church and ,state4 ,here is a case in point4 ,some time ago1 a young girl married a man about whom she knew next to nothing1 the man telling her that marriage was only a temporary affair1 and that1 if it did not answer1 the ,state would divorce them4 ,it did not answer4 ,wrong-doing ensued1 and a divorce was obtained4 ,then the girl entered into a ,state-marriage with another man4 ,but that answered no better4 ,a divorce was again applied for1 but this time was refused4 ,eventually1 the girl left her ,state-made husband1 and ran away with her real husband4 ,in other words1 she eloped with her own husband4 ,but what is her position to-day8 ,in the eyes of the ,state1 she is now living with a man who is not #aae her husband4 ,her ,state-husband is still alive1 and can apply1 at any moment1 for an order for the restitution of conjugal rights--however unlikely he is to get it4 ,further1 if in the future she has any children by her real husband 7unless she has been married again to him1 after divorce from her ,state-husband7 these children will be illegitimate4 ,this is the sort of muddle the ,divorce ,act has got us into4 ,one course1 and only one course1 is open to the ,church--to disentangle itself from all question of extending the powers of the ,act on grounds of inequality1 or any other real 7and sometimes very real7 or fancied hardship1 and to consistently fight for the repeal of the ,act4 ,this1 it will be said1 is ,utopian4 ,exactly6 ,it is the business of the ,church to aim at the ,utopian4 ,her whole history shows that she is safest1 as well as most successful1 when aiming at what the world derides4 ,one question remains3 ,is not the present ,divorce ,law one law for the rich and another for the poor8 ,beyond all question4 ,this is its sole merit1 if merit it can have4 ,it does1 at least1 partially protect the poor from sin-made-easy--a condition which money has bought for the rich4 ,if the ,state abrogated the ,sixth #aaf ,commandment for the rich1 and made it lawful for a rich man to commit murder1 it would at least be no demerit if it refused to extend the permit to the poor4 7#b7 ,the ,non-,related4 ,but1 secondly1 marriage is for the non-related--non-related1 that is1 in two ways1 by ,consanguinity1 and ,affinity4 7a7 ,by ,consanguinity4 ,consanguinity is of two kinds1 lineal and collateral4 ,lineal ,consanguinity#g is blood relationship in a direct line1 i4e4 from a common ancestor4 ,collateral ,consanguinity is blood relationship from a common ancestor1 but not in a direct line4 ,the law of ,consanguinity has not1 at the present moment1 been attacked1 and is still the law of the land4 7b7 ,by ,affinity4 ,affinity#h is near relationship by marriage4 ,it is of three kinds3 7#a7 ,direct1 i4e4 between a husband and his wife's blood relations1 and between a wife and her husband's blood relations2 7#b7 ,secondary1 i4e4 between a husband #aag and his wife's relations by marriage2 7#c7 ,collateral1 i4e4 between a husband and the relations of his wife's relations4 ,in case of ,affinity1 the ,state has broken faith with the ,church without scruple1 and the ,deceased ,wife's ,sister ,bill#i is the result4 ,so has it brought confusion to the ,table round4 ,the question is sometimes asked1 whether the ,state can alter the ,church's law without her consent4 ,an affirmative answer would reduce whatever union still remains between them to its lowest possible term1 and would place the ,church in a position which no ,nonconformist body would tolerate for a day4 ,the further question1 as to whether the ,state can order the ,church to ,communicate persons who have openly and deliberately broken her laws1 needs no discussion4 ,no thinking person seriously contends that it can4 7#c7 ,for the ,full-,aged4 ,no boy under #ad1 and no girl under #ab1 can contract a legal marriage either with1 or without the consent of ,parents or ,guardians4 ,no man #aah or woman under #ba can do so against the consent of ,parents or ,guardians4 7,,iv7 ,,what ,,are ,,its ,,safeguards8 ,these are1 mainly1 two3 ,banns and ,licences--both intended to secure the best safeguard of all1 publicity4 ,this publicity is secured1 first1 by ,banns4 7#a7 ,banns4 ,the word is the plural form of ,ban1 a proclamation4 ,the object of this proclamation is to ban an improper marriage4 ,in the case of marriage after ,banns1 in order to secure publicity3-- 7#a7 ,each party must reside#aj for twenty-one days in the parish where the ,banns are being published4 7#b7 ,the marriage must be celebrated in one of the two parishes in which the ,banns have been published4 #aai 7#c7 ,seven days' previous notice of publication must be given to the clergy by whom the ,banns are to be published--though the clergy may remit this length of notice if they choose4 7#d7 ,the ,banns must be published on three separate 7though not necessarily successive7 ,sundays4 7#e7 ,before the marriage1 a certificate of publication must be presented to the officiating clergyman1 from the clergyman of the other parish in which the ,banns were published4 7#f7 ,banns only hold good for three months4 ,after this period1 they must be again published three times before the marriage can take place4 7#g7 ,banns may be forbidden on four grounds3 ,if either party is married already2 or is related by consanguinity or affinity2 or is under age2 or is insane4 7#h7 ,banns published in false names invalidate a marriage1 if both parties are cognisant of the fact before the marriage takes place1 i4e4 if they wilfully intend to defeat the law1 but not otherwise4 7#b7 ,licences4 ,there are two kinds of ,marriage ,licence1 an ,ordinary1 or ,common ,licence1 and a ,special ,licence4 #abj ,an ,ordinary ,licence1 costing about #b1 is granted by the ,bishop1 or ,ordinary1 in lieu of ,banns1 either through his ,chancellor1 or a ,surrogate1 i4e4 substitute4 ,in marriage by ,licence1 three points may be noticed3-- 7#a7 ,one 7though only one7 of the parties must reside in the parish where the marriage is to be celebrated1 for fifteen days previous to the marriage4 7#b7 ,one of the parties must apply for the ,licence in person1 not in writing4 7#c7 ,a licence only holds good for three months4 ,a ,special ,licence1 costing about #cj1 can only be obtained from the ,archbishop of ,canterbury1#aa and is only granted after special and minute inquiry4 ,the points here to notice are3-- 7#a7 ,neither party need reside in the parish where the marriage is to be solemnized4 7#b7 ,the marriage may be celebrated in any ,church1 whether licensed or unlicensed#ab for marriages4 7#c7 ,it may be celebrated at any time of the day4 ,it may be added that if any clergyman #aba celebrates a marriage without either ,banns or ,licence 7or upon a ,registrar's ,certificate71 he commits a felony1 and is liable to fourteen years' penal servitude4#ac ,other safeguards there are1 such as3-- ,the ,time for ,marriages4--,marriages must not be celebrated before #h ,a4,m41 or after #c ,p4,m41 so as to provide a reasonable chance of publicity4 ,the ,witnesses to a ,marriage4--,two witnesses1 at least1 must be present1 in addition to the officiating clergyman4 ,the ,marriage ,registers4--,the officiating clergyman must enter the marriage in two ,registers provided by the ,state4 ,the ,signing of the ,registers4--,the bride and bridegroom must sign their names in the said ,registers immediately after the ceremony1 as well as the two witnesses and the officiating clergyman4 ,if either party wilfully makes any false statement with regard to age1 condition1 etc41 he or she is guilty of perjury4 ,such are some of the wise safeguards provided by both ,church and ,state for the ,sacrament of ,marriage4 ,their object is to prevent the #abb marriage state being entered into lightly1 unadvisedly1 or wantonly1 to secure such publicity as will prevent clandestine marriages1#ad and will give parents1 and others with legal status1 an opportunity to lodge legal objections4 ,great is the solemnity of the ,sacrament in which is signified and represented the mystical union that is betwixt ,christ and ,his ,church4 #a ,husband--from hus1 a house1 and buan1 to dwell4 #b ,until fifty-three years ago an ,act of ,parliament was necessary for a divorce4 ,in #aheg ,the ,matrimonial ,causes ,act established the ,divorce ,court4 ,in #ahgc the ,indicature ,act transferred it to a division of the ,high ,court--the ,probate1 ,divorce1 and ,admiralty ,division4 #c ,visitation ,charges1 p4 #beb4 #d ,it is a common legal error that seven years effective separation between husband and wife entitles either to remarry1 and hundreds of women who have lost sight of their husbands for seven years innocently commit bigamy4 ,probably the mistake comes from the fact that prosecution for bigamy does not hold good in such a case4 ,but this does not legalize the bigamous marriage or legitimize the children4 #e ,the origin of ,banns4 #f ,the ,rubric says3 ,it is convenient that the new-married persons receive the ,holy ,communion at the time of their marriage1 or at the first opportunity after their marriage1 thus retaining1 though releasing1 the old rule4 #g ,consanguinity--from cum1 together1 and sanguineus1 relating to blood4 #h ,affinity--from ad1 near1 and finis1 a boundary4 #i ,see a most helpful paper read by ,father ,puller at the ,e4,c4,u4 ,anniversary ,meeting1 and reported in ,the ,church ,times of #ag ,june1 #aiaj4 #aj ,there seems to be no legal definition of the word reside4 ,the law would probably require more than leaving a bag in a room1 hired for twenty-one days1 as is often done4 ,it must be remembered that the object of the law is publicity--that is1 the avoidance of a clandestine marriage1 which marriage at a ,registry ,office now frequently makes so fatally easy4 #aa #be ,hen4 ,,viii1 cap4 #ba4 #ab ,such as1 for example1 ,royal ,chapels1 ,st4 ,paul's ,cathedral1 ,eton ,college ,chapel1 etc4 #ac ,cf4 ,blunt's ,church ,law1 p4 #acc2 #d ,geo4 ,,iv1 c4 #gf1 s4 #ba4 #ad ,it will be remembered that runaway marriages were1 in former days1 frequently celebrated at ,gretna ,green1 a ,scotch village in ,dumfriesshire1 near the ,english border4 #abc ,,chapter ,x4 ,,holy ,,order4 ,the ,second ,sacrament of ,perpetuation is ,holy ,order4 ,as the ,sacrament of ,marriage perpetuates the human race1 so the ,sacrament of ,order perpetuates the ,priesthood4 ,holy ,order1 indeed1 perpetuates the ,sacraments themselves4 ,it is the ordained channel through which the ,sacramental life of the ,church is continued4 ,holy ,order1 then1 was instituted for the perpetuation of those ,sacraments which depend upon ,apostolic ,succession4 ,it makes it possible for the ,christian laity to be ,confirmed1 ,communicated1 ,absolved4 ,thus1 the ,christian ,ministry is a great deal more than a body of men1 chosen as officers might be chosen in the army or navy4 ,it is the ,church's media for the administration of the ,sacraments of ,salvation4 ,to say this does not assert that ,god cannot1 and does not1 save and sanctify souls in any other way2 but it does assert1 as ,scripture does1 that the #abd ,christian ,ministry is the authorized and ordained way4 ,the ,threefold ,ministry4 ,in this ,ministry1 there are three orders1 or degrees3 ,bishops1 ,priests1 and ,deacons4 ,in the words of the ,prayer ,book3 ,it is evident unto all men1 diligently reading ,holy ,scripture and ancient ,authors1 that1 from the ,apostles' time1 there have been these ,orders of ,ministers in ,christ's ,church2 ,bishops1 ,priests1 and ,deacons4#a 7,i7 ,,bishops4 ,who was the first ,bishop8 ,jesus ,christ1 the ,shepherd and ,bishop of our souls4 ,when1 and where1 was the first ,ordination8 ,in the ,upper ,chamber1 when ,he1 the ,universal ,bishop1 ,himself ordained the first ,apostles4 ,when was #abe the second ,ordination8 ,when these ,apostles ordained ,matthias to succeed ,judas4 ,this was the first link in the chain of ,apostolic ,succession4 ,what followed8 ,in apostolic days1 ,timothy was ordained1 with episcopal jurisdiction over ,ephesus2 ,titus1 over ,crete2 ,polycarp 7the friend of ,st4 ,john71 over ,smyrna2 and then1 later on1 ,linus1 over ,rome4 ,and so the great ,college of ,bishops expands until1 in the second century1 we read in a well-known writer1 ,st4 ,irenaeus3 ,we can reckon up lists of ,bishops ordained in the ,churches from the ,apostles to our time4 ,link after link1 the chain of succession lengthens throughout all the world1 until it reaches the ,early ,british ,church1 and then1 in #eig1 the ,english ,church1 through the consecration of ,augustine1#b first ,archbishop of ,canterbury1 and in #aijc of ,randall ,davidson his ninety-fourth successor4 ,and this is the history of every ordination in the ,church to-day4 ,it is through the ,apostolic ,succession1 said the late ,bishop ,stubbs to his ordination ,candidates1 that ,i am empowered1 through the long line of mission and ,commission #abf from the ,upper ,chamber at ,jerusalem1 to lay my hands upon you and send you4#c ,how does a ,priest become a ,bishop8 ,in the ,church of ,england he goes through four stages3-- 7#a7 ,he is nominated by the ,crown4 7#b7 ,he is elected by the ,church4 7#c7 ,his election is confirmed by the ,archbishop4 7#d7 ,he is consecrated by the ,episcopate4 7#a7 ,he is nominated by the ,crown4 ,this is in accordance with the immemorial custom of this realm4 ,in these days1 the ,prime ,minister 7representing the people7 proposes the name of a ,priest to the ,king1 who accepts or rejects the recommendation4 ,if he accepts it1 the ,king nominates the selected ,priest to the ,church for election1 and authorizes the issue of legal documents for such election4 ,this is called ,cong d'lire1 leave to elect4 7#b7 ,he is elected by the ,church4 ,the ,king's #abg nominee now comes before the ,dean and ,chapter 7representing the ,church71 and the ,church either elects or rejects him4 ,it has power to do either4 ,if the nominee is elected1 what is called his ,confirmation follows--that is3-- 7#c7 ,his election is confirmed by the ,archbishop of ,canterbury1 according to a right reserved to him by ,magna ,charta4 ,before confirming the election1 the ,archbishop1 or his representative1 sits in public1 generally at ,bow ,church1 ,cheapside1 to hear legal objections from qualified laity against the election4 ,objections were of late1 it will be remembered1 made1 and overruled1 in the cases of ,dr4 ,temple and ,dr4 ,gore4 ,then1 if duly nominated1 elected1 and confirmed1-- 7#d7 ,he is consecrated by the ,episcopate4 ,to safeguard the ,succession1 three ,bishops1 at least1 are required for the ,consecration of another ,bishop1 though one would secure a valid ,consecration4 ,no ,priest can be ,consecrated ,bishop under the age of thirty4 ,very carefully does the ,church safeguard admission to the ,episcopate4 #abh ,homage4 ,after ,consecration1 the ,bishop does homage1#d i4e4 he says that he1 like any other subject 7ecclesiastic or layman71 is the ,king's homo4 ,what does he do homage for8 ,he does homage1 not for any spiritual gift1 but for all the possessions1 and profette spirituall and temporall belongyng to the said 444 ,bishopricke4#e ,the temporal possessions include such things as his house1 revenue1 etc4 ,but what is meant by doing homage for spiritual possessions8 ,does not this admit the claim that the ,king can1 as ,queen ,elizabeth is reported to have said1 make or unmake a ,bishop8 ,no4 ,spiritual possessions do not here mean spiritual powers1--powers which can be conferred by the ,episcopate alone4 #abi ,the spiritual possessions for which a ,bishop does homage refer to fees connected with spiritual things1 such as ,episcopal ,licences1 ,institutions to ,benefices1 ,trials in the ,ecclesiastical ,court1 ,visitations--fees1 by the way1 which1 with very rare exceptions1 do not go into the ,bishop's own pocket6 ,jurisdiction4 ,what is meant by ,episcopal ,jurisdiction8 ,jurisdiction is of two kinds1 ,habitual and ,actual4 ,habitual ,jurisdiction is the ,jurisdiction given to a ,bishop to exercise his office in the ,church at large4 ,it is conveyed with ,consecration1 and is given to the ,bishop as a ,bishop of the ,catholic ,church4 ,thus an ,episcopal act1 duly performed1 would be valid1 however irregular1 outside the ,bishop's own ,diocese1 and in any part of the ,church4 ,actual ,jurisdiction is this universal ,jurisdiction limited to a particular area1 called a ,diocese4 ,to this area1 a ,bishop's right to exercise his ,habitual ,jurisdiction is1 for purposes of order and business1 confined4 ,the next order in the ,ministry is the ,priesthood4 #acj 7,,ii7 ,,priests4 ,no one can read the ,prayer-,book ,office for the ,ordering of ,priests without being struck by its contrast to the ordinary conception of ,priesthood by the average ,englishman4 ,the ,bishop's words in the ,ordination ,service3 ,receive the ,holy ,ghost for the ,office and ,work of a ,priest in the ,church of ,god1 must surely mean more than that a ,priest should try to be a good organizer1 a good financier1 a good preacher1 or good at games--though the better he is at all these1 the better it may be4 ,but the gift of the ,holy ,ghost for the ,office and ,work of a ,priest must mean more than this4 ,we may consider it in connexion with four familiar ,english clerical titles3 ,priest1 ,minister1 ,parson1 ,clergyman4 ,priest4 ,according to the ,prayer ,book1 a ,priest1 or ,presbyter1 is ordained to do three things1 which he1 and he alone1 can do3 to ,absolve1 to ,consecrate1 to ,bless4 ,he1 and he alone1 can ,absolve4 ,think6 ,it is the day of his ,ordination to the ,priesthood4 ,he is saying ,matins as a ,deacon just before his #aca ,ordination1 and he is forbidden to pronounce the ,absolution3 he is saying ,evensong just after his ,ordination1 and he is ordered to pronounce the ,absolution4 ,he1 and he alone1 can ,consecrate4 ,if a ,deacon pretends to ,consecrate the ,elements at the ,blessed ,sacrament1 not only is his act sacrilege and invalid1 but even by the law of the land he is liable to a penalty of #ajj4f ,he1 and he alone1 can give the ,blessing--i4e4 the ,church's official ,blessing4 ,the right of ,benediction belongs to him as part of his ,ministerial ,office4 ,the ,blessing pronounced by a ,deacon might be the personal blessing of a good and holy man1 just as the blessing of a layman--a father blessing his child--might be of value as such4 ,in each case it would be a personal act4 ,but a ,priest does not bless in his own name1 but in the name of the ,whole ,church4 ,it is an official1 not a personal act3 he conveys1 not his own1 but the ,church's blessing to the people4 ,hence1 the valid ,ordination of a ,priest is of essential importance to the laity4 #acb ,but there is another aspect of the ,office and ,work of a ,priest in the ,church of ,god4 ,this we see in the word ,minister4 ,the ,priest not only ministers before ,god on behalf of his people1 but he ministers to his people on behalf of ,god4 ,in this aspect of the ,priesthood1 he ministers ,god's gifts to the laity4 ,if1 as a ,priest1 he pleads the ,one ,sacrifice on behalf of the people1 as a ,minister he feeds the people upon the one ,sacrifice4 ,his chief ministerial duty is to minister to the people--to give them ,baptism1 ,absolution1 ,holy ,communion2 to minister to all their spiritual needs whenever1 and wherever1 he is needed4 ,it is1 surely1 a sad necessity that this ministerial office and work should be so often confused with finance1 doles1 charities1 begging sermons1 committees1 etc4 ,in all such things he is1 indeed1 truly serving and ministering2 but he is often obliged to place them in the wrong order of importance1 and so dim the sight of the laity to his real position1 and not infrequently make his spiritual ministrations unacceptable4 ,a well-known and ,london-wide respected ,priest said #acc shortly before he died1 that he had almost scattered his congregation by the constant begging sermons which he hated1 but which necessity made imperative4 ,the laity are claiming 7and rightly claiming7 the privilege of being ,church workers1 and are preaching 7and rightly preaching7 that the ,clergy are not the ,church4 ,if only they would practise what they preach1 and relieve the ,clergy of all ,church finance1 they need never listen to another begging sermon again4 ,so doing1 they would rejoice the heart of the ,clergy1 and fulfil one of their true functions as laity4 ,the ,parson4 ,this is one of the most beautiful of all the clerical names1 only it has become smirched by common use4 ,the word ,parson is derived from ,persona1 a person4 ,the ,parson is the ,person--the ,person who represents ,god in the ,parish4 ,it is not his own person1 or position1 that he stands for1 but the position and ,person of his ,master4 ,like ,st4 ,paul1 he can say1 ,i magnify mine office1 and probably the best way to magnify his office will be to minimize himself4 ,the outward marks of #acd respect still shown to the ,parson in some places1 are not necessarily shown to the person himself 7though often1 thank ,god1 they may be71 but are meant1 however unconsciously1 to honour the ,person he represents--just as the lifting of the hat to a woman is not1 of necessity1 a mark of respect to the individual woman1 but a tribute to the ,womanhood she represents4 ,the ,parson1 then1 is1 or should be1 the official person1 the standing element in the parish1 who reminds men of ,god4 ,clergyman4 ,the word is derived from the ,greek kleros1#g a lot1 and conveys its own meaning4 ,according to some1 it takes us back in thought to the first ,apostolic ,ordination1 when they cast lots1 and the lot fell upon ,matthias4 ,it reminds us that1 as ,matthias was numbered with the eleven1 so a ,clergyman is1 at his ,ordination1 numbered with that long list of ,clergy who trace their spiritual pedigree to ,apostolic days4 #ace ,ordination ,safeguards4 ,seeing then1 run the words of the ,ordination ,service1 into how high a dignity1 and how weighty an ,office and ,charge a ,priest is called1 certain safeguards surround his ,ordination1 both for his own sake1 and for the sake of his people4 ,age4 ,no ,deacon can1 save under very exceptional circumstances1 be ordained ,priest before he is #bd1 and has served at least a year in the ,diaconate4 ,fitness4 ,this fitness1 as in ,confirmation1 will be intellectual and moral4 ,his intellectual fitness is tested by the ,bishop's ,examining ,chaplain some time before the ,ordination to the ,priesthood1 and1 in doubtful cases1 by the ,bishop himself4 ,his moral fitness is tested by the ,publication during ,service1 in the ,church where he is ,deacon1 of his intention to offer himself as a ,candidate for the ,priesthood4 ,to certify that this has been done1 this ,publication must be signed by the ,churchwarden1 representing the #acf laity1 and by the ,incumbent1 representing the ,clergy and responsible to the ,bishop4 ,further safeguard is secured by letters of ,testimony from three ,beneficed ,clergy1 who have known the ,candidate well either for the past three years1 or during the term of his ,diaconate4 ,finally1 at the very last moment1 in the ,ordination ,service itself1 the ,bishop invites the laity1 if they know any impediment or notable crime disqualifying the ,candidate from being ordained ,priest1 to come forth in the ,name of ,god1 and show what the crime or impediment is4 ,why all these safeguards8 ,for many obvious reasons1 but specially for one4 ,priest's ,orders are indelible4 ,the ,indelibility of ,orders4 ,once a ,priest1 always a ,priest4 ,when once the ,bishop has ordained a ,deacon to the ,priesthood1 there is no going back4 ,the law1 ecclesiastical or civil1 may deprive him of the right to exercise his ,office1 but no power can deprive him of the ,office itself4 ,for instance1 to safeguard the ,church1 and for #acg the sake of the laity1 a ,priest may1 for various offences1 be what is commonly called unfrocked4 ,he may be degraded1 temporarily suspended1 or permanently forbidden to officiate in any part of the ,church2 but he does not cease to be a ,priest4 ,any ,priestly act1 rightly and duly performed1 would be valid1 though irregular4 ,it would be for the people's good1 though it would be to his own hurt4 ,again3 by ,the ,clerical ,disabilities ,act of #ahgj1 a ,priest may1 by the law of the land1 execute a ,deed of ,relinquishment1 and1 as far as the law is concerned1 return to lay life4 ,this would enable him legally to undertake lay work which the law forbids to the ,clergy4#h ,he may1 in consequence1 regain his legal rights as a layman1 and lose his legal rights as a ,priest2 but he does not cease to be a ,priest4 ,the law can only touch his civil status1 and cannot touch his priestly character4 ,that is indelible4 ,hence1 no securities can be superfluous to safeguard the irrevocable4 #ach ,jurisdiction4 ,as in the case of the ,bishops1 a ,priest's jurisdiction is twofold--habitual and actual4 ,ordination confers on him habitual jurisdiction1 i4e4 the power to exercise his office1 to ,absolve1 to ,consecrate1 to ,bless1 in the ,holy ,church throughout the world4 ,and1 as in the case of ,bishops1 for purposes of ecclesiastical order and discipline1 this ,habitual ,jurisdiction is limited to the sphere in which the ,bishop licenses him4 ,take thou authority1 says the ,bishop1 to preach the word of ,god1 and to minister the ,sacraments in the congregation where thou shalt be lawfully appointed thereunto4 ,this is called ,actual ,jurisdiction4 ,the ,essence of the ,sacrament4 ,the absolutely essential part of ,ordination is the ,laying on of ,hands 7#a ,tim4 iv4 #ad2 ,acts vi4 #f2 #b ,tim4 i4 #f74 ,various other and beautiful ceremonies have1 at different times1 and in different places1 accompanied the essential ,rite4 ,sometimes1 and in some parts of the ,church1 ,unction1 or anointing the ,candidate with oil1 has been used3 sometimes ,ordination has been accompanied with the delivery of a ,ring1 the ,paten #aci and ,chalice1 the ,bible1 or the ,gospels1 the ,pastoral ,staff 7to a ,bishop71--all edifying ceremonies1 but not essentials4 7,,iii7 ,,deacons4 ,a ,deacon is a server4 ,the word comes from the ,greek diakonos1 a servant1 and exactly describes the ,office4 ,originally1 a permanent ,order in the ,church1 the ,diaconate is now1 in the ,church of ,england1 generally regarded as a step to the ,priesthood4 ,this is a loss4 ,but it is as this step1 or preparatory stage1 that we have to consider it4 ,considering the importance of this first step in the ,ministry1 both to the man himself1 and to the people1 it is well that the laity should know what safeguards are taken by the ,bishop to secure fit persons to serve in the sacred ministry of the ,church#i--;and should realize their own great responsibility in the matter4 ,first1 there is the age4 7#a7 ,the ,age4 ,no layman can be made a ,deacon under #bc4 #adj 7#b7 ,the ,preliminaries4 ,the chief preliminary is the selection of the ,candidate4 ,the burden of selection is shared by the ,bishop1 ,clergy and ,laity4 ,the ,bishop must1 of course1 be the final judge of the ,candidate's fitness1 but the evidence upon which he bases his judgment must very largely be supplied by the ,laity4 ,we pray in the ,ember ,collect that he may lay hands suddenly on no man1 but make choice of fit persons4 ,it is well that the ,laity should remember that they share with the ,bishop and ,clergy in the responsibility of choice4 ,for this fitness will1 as in the case of the ,priest1 be moral and intellectual4 ,it will be moral--and it is here that the responsibility of the laity begins4 ,for1 in addition to private inquiries made by the ,bishop1 the laity are publicly asked1 in the church of the parish where the ,candidate resides1 to bear testimony to the integrity of his character4 ,this publication is called the ,si quis1 from the ,latin of the first two words of publication 7if any44471 and it is repeated by the ,bishop in open church in the ,ordination ,service4 ,the #ada absence of any legal objection by the laity is the testimony of the people to the ,candidate's fitness4 ,this throws upon the laity a full share of responsibility in the choice of the ,candidate4 ,their responsibility in giving evidence is only second to that of the ,bishop1 whose decision rests upon the evidence they give4 ,then1 there is the testimony of the ,clergy4 ,no layman is accepted by the ,bishop for ,ordination without ,letters ,testimonial--i4e4 the testimony of three beneficed ,clergymen1 to whom he is well known4 ,these ,clergy must certify that we have had opportunity of observing his conduct1 and we do believe him1 in our consciences1 and as to his moral conduct1 a fit person to be admitted to the ,sacred ,ministry4 ,each signature must be countersigned by the signatory's own ,bishop1 who thus guarantees the ,clergyman's moral fitness to certify4 ,lastly1 comes the ,bishop himself1 who1 from first to last1 is in close touch with the ,candidate1 and who almost invariably helps to prepare him personally in his own house during the week before his ,ordination4 ,it will be intellectual4 ,in addition to ,university testimony1 evidence of the ,candidate's #adb intellectual fitness is given to the ,bishop1 as in the case of ,priests1 by his ,examining ,chaplains4 ,some months before the ,ordination1 the ,candidate is examined1 and the ,examiner's ,report sent in to the ,bishop4 ,the standard of intellectual fitness has differed at various ages1 in different parts of the ,church1 and no one standard can be laid down4 ,assuming that the average proportion of people in a parish will be 7on a generous calculation7 as twelve ,jurymen to one ,judge1 the layman called to the ,diaconate should1 at least1 be equal in intellectual attainment to the layman called to the ,bar4 ,it does sometimes happen that evidence is given by ,clergy1 or laity1 which leads the ,bishop to reject the ,candidate on moral grounds4 ,it does sometimes happen that the ,candidate is rejected or postponed on intellectual grounds4 ,it does1 it must1 sometimes happen that mistakes are made3 ,god alone is infallible4 ,but1 if due care is taken1 publicly and privately1 and if the laity1 as well as the ,clergy1 do their duty1 the ,bishop's risk of a wrong judgment is reduced to a very small minimum4 ,a fit ,clergy is so much the concern of the laity1 that they may well be reminded of their #adc parts and duties in the ,ordination of a ,deacon4 ,for1 as ,dr4 ,liddon says1 the strength of the ,church does not consist in the number of pages in its ',clerical ,directory1' but in the sum total of the moral and spiritual force which she has at her command4 #a ,the ,threefold ,ministry1 writes ,bishop ,lightfoot1 can be traced to ,apostolic direction2 and1 short of an express statement1 we can possess no better assurance of a ,divine appointment1 or1 at least1 a ,divine ,sanction4 ,and he adds1 speaking of his hearty desire for union with the ,dissenters1 we cannot surrender for any immediate advantages the threefold ,ministry which we have inherited from ,apostolic times1 and which is the historic backbone of the ,church 7,ep4 to the ,philippians1 p4 #bgf1 later ed474 #b ,the ,welsh ,bishops did not transmit ,episcopacy to us1 but rather came into us4 #c ,in a book called ,registrum ,sacrum ,anglicanum1 ,bishop ,stubbs has traced the name1 date of ,consecration1 names of ,consecrators1 and in most cases place of ,consecration1 of every ,bishop in the ,church of ,england from the ,consecration of ,augustine4 #d ,the ,bishops are one of the three ,estates of the ,realm--,lords ,spiritual1 ,lords ,temporal1 and ,commons 7not1 as is so often said1 ,king1 ,lords1 and ,commons74 ,the ,archbishop of ,canterbury is the first ,peer of the ,realm1 and has precedency immediately after the blood royal4 ,the ,archbishop of ,york has precedency over all ,dukes1 not being of royal blood1 and over all the great officers of ,state1 except the ,lord ,chancellor4 ,he has the privilege of crowning the ,queen ,consort4 #e ,cf4 ,encyclopedia of the ,laws of ,england1 vol4 #aa1 p4 #aef2 and #be ,hen4 ,,viii1 cap4 #b1 s4 #f4 #f #ad ,car4 ,,ii1 c4 #d1 s4 #aj4 ,see ,phillimore's ,ecclesiastical ,law1 vol4 #a1 p4 #aji4 #g ,but see ,skeat1 whose references are to ,greek3 klros1 a lot1 in late ,greek1 and the ,clergy whose portion is the ,lord 7,deut4 xviii4 #b1 #a ,pet4 v4 #c1 cf4 ,acts i4 #ag74 ,the ,greek3 klros is thus the portion rather than the circumstance by which it is obtained1 i4e4 ,acts i4 #ag rather than ,acts i4 #bf4 #h ,for example3 farming more than a certain number of acres1 or going into ,parliament4 #i ,ember ,collect4 #add ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,penance4 ,,sacraments ,,of ,,recovery4 ,we deal now with the two last ,sacraments under consideration--,penance and ,unction4 ,both are ,sacraments of healing4 ,penance is for the healing of the soul1 and indirectly of the body3 ,unction is for the healing of the body1 and indirectly of the soul4 ,every ,sacrament1 says ,st4 ,thomas ,aquinas1 has been instituted to produce one special effect1 although it may produce1 as consequences1 other effects besides4 ,it is so with these two ,sacraments4 ,body and ,soul are so involved1 that what directly affects the one must indirectly affect the other4 ,thus1 the direct effect of ,penance on the soul must indirectly affect the body1 and the direct effect of ,unction on the body must indirectly affect the soul4 ,we will think of each in turn4 ,first1 ,penance4 #ade ,penance4 ,the word is derived from the ,latin penitentia1 penitence1 and its root-meaning 7poena1 punishment7 suggests a punitive element in all real repentance4 ,it is used as a comprehensive term for confession of sin1 punishment for sin1 and the ,absolution1 or ,remission of ,sins4 ,as ,baptism was designed to recover the soul from original or inherited sin1 so ,penance was designed to recover the soul from actual or wilful sin4444#a ,it is not1 as in the case of infant ,baptism1 administered wholly irrespective of free will3 it must be freely sought 7if he humbly and heartily desire it#b7 before it can be freely bestowed4 ,thus1 ,confession must precede ,absolution1 and ,penitence must precede and accompany ,confession4 ,confession4 ,here we all start on common ground4 ,we all agree upon one point1 viz4 the necessity of ,confession 7#a7 to ,god 7,if we confess our sins1 ,he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins7 #adf and 7#b7 to man 7,confess your faults one to another74 ,further1 we all agree that confession to man is in reality confession to ,god 7,against ,thee1 ,thee only1 have ,i sinned74 ,our only ground of difference is1 not whether we ought to confess1 but how we ought to confess4 ,it is a difference of method rather than of principle4 ,there are two ways of confessing sins 7whether to ,god1 or to man71 the informal1 and the formal4 ,most of us use one way2 some the other2 many both4 ,informal ,confession4--,thank ,god1 ,i can use this way at any1 and at every1 moment of my life4 ,if ,i have sinned1 ,i need wait for no formal act of ,confession2 but1 as ,i am1 and where ,i am1 ,i can make my ,confession4 ,then1 and there1 ,i can claim the ,divine response to the soul's three-fold ,kyrie3 ,lord1 have mercy upon me2 ,christ1 have mercy upon me2 ,lord1 have mercy upon me4 ,but do ,i never want--does ,god never want--anything more than this8 ,the soul is not always satisfied with such an easy method of going to ,confession4 ,it needs at times something more impressive1 something perhaps less superficial1 less easy going4 ,it demands more time for #adg deepening thought1 and greater knowledge of what it has done1 before sin's deadly hurt cuts deep enough to produce real repentance1 and to prevent repetition4 ,at such times1 it cries for something more formal1 more solemn1 than instantaneous confession4 ,it needs1 what the ,prayer ,book calls1 a special ,confession of sins4 ,formal ,confession4--,hence our ,prayer ,book provides two formal ,acts of ,confession1 and suggests a third4 ,two of these are for public use1 the third for private4 ,in ,matins and ,evensong1 and in the ,eucharistic ,office1 a form of general confession is provided4 ,both forms are in the first person plural throughout4 ,clearly1 their primary intention is1 not to make us merely think of1 or confess1 our own personal sins1 but the sins of the ,church1--and our own sins1 as members of the ,church4 ,it is we have sinned1 rather than ,i have sinned4 ,such formal language might1 otherwise1 at times be distressingly unreal1--when1 e4g41 not honestly feeling that the burden of our own personal sin is intolerable1 or when making a public ,confession in church directly after a personal ,confession in private4 ,in the ,visitation of the ,sick1 the third mode of #adh formal ,confession is suggested1 though the actual words are naturally left to the individual penitent4 ,the ,prayer ,book no longer speaks in the plural1 or of a general ,confession1 but it closes1 as it were1 with the soul1 and gets into private1 personal touch with it3 ,here shall the sick man be moved to make a special ,confession of his sins1 if he feel his conscience troubled with any weighty matter2 after which ,confession1 the ,priest shall absolve him 7if he humbly and heartily desire it7 after this sort4 ,this ,confession is to be both free and formal3 formal1 for it is to be made before the ,priest in his ministerial capacity2 free1 for the penitent is to be moved 7not compelled7 to confess4 ,notice1 he is to be moved2 but then 7though not till then7 he is free to accept1 or reject1 the preferred means of grace4 ,god never handcuffs ,sacraments and souls4 ,sacraments are open to all2 they are forced on none4 ,they are love-tokens of the ,sacred ,heart2 free-will offerings of ,his ,royal ,bounty4 ,these1 then1 are the two methods of ,confession at our disposal4 ,god is the ,father of an infinite ,majesty4 ,in informal ,confession1 the sinner goes to ,god as his ,father1--as the ,prodigal1 after doing penance in the far country1 went #adi to his father with ,father1 ,i have sinned4 ,in formal ,confession1 the sinner goes to ,god as to the ,father of an infinite ,majesty1--as ,david went to ,god through ,nathan1 ,god's ambassador4 ,it is a fearful responsibility to hinder any soul from using either method2 it is a daring risk to say3 ,because one method alone appeals to me1 therefore no other method shall be used by you4 ,god multiplies ,his methods1 as ,he expands ,his love3 and if any ,david is drawn to say ,i have sinned before the appointed ,nathan1 and1 through prejudice or ignorance1 such an one is hindered from so laying his sins on ,jesus1 ,god will require that soul at the hinderer's hands4 ,absolution4 ,it is the same with ,absolution as with ,confession4 ,here1 too1 we start on common ground4 ,all agree that ,god only can forgive sins1 and half our differences come because this is not recognized4 ,whatever form ,confession takes1 the penitent exclaims3 ,to ,thee only it appertaineth to forgive sins4 ,pardon through the ,precious ,blood is the one1 and only1 source of #aej forgiveness4 ,our only difference1 then1 is as to ,god's methods of forgiveness4 ,how does ,god forgive sin8 ,some seem to limit ,his love1 to tie forgiveness down to one1 and only one1 method of absolution--direct1 personal1 instantaneous1 without any ordained ,channel such as ,christ left4 ,direct1 ,god's pardon certainly is2 personal and instantaneous1 it certainly can be2 without any sacramental media1 it certainly may be4 ,but we dare not limit what ,god has not limited2 we dare not deny the existence of ordained channels1 because ,god can1 and does1 act without such channels4 ,he has opened an ordained fountain for sin and uncleanness as a superadded gift of love1 and in the ,ministry of reconciliation ,he conveys pardon through this channel4 ,at the most solemn moment of his life1 when a ,deacon is ordained ,priest1 the formal terms of his ,commission to the ,priesthood run thus3 ,receive the ,holy ,ghost for the ,office and ,work of a ,priest in the ,church of ,god1 now committed unto thee by the ,imposition of our hands4 ,whose sins thou dost forgive1 they are forgiven2 and whose sins thou dost retain1 they are retained4 ,now committed unto thee4 ,no ,priest dare hide his commission1 play with #aea the plain meaning of the words1 or conceal from others a means of grace which they have a blessed right to know of1 and to use4 ,but what is the good of this ,absolution1 if ,god can forgive without it8 ,god's ordinances are never meaningless4 ,there must1 therefore1 be some superadded grace attached to this particular ordinance4 ,it was left to be used4 ,it is not left merely to comfort the penitent 7though that it does71 nor to let him hear from a fellow-sinner that his sins are forgiven him 7though that he does72 but it is left1 like any other ,sacrament1 as a special means of grace4 ,it is the ordained ,channel whereby ,god's pardon is conveyed to 7and only to7 the penitent sinner4 ,no penitence1 no pardon1 is the law of ,sacramental ,absolution4 ,the ,prayer ,book1 therefore1 preaches the power of formal1 as well as informal1 ,absolution4 ,there are in it three forms of ,absolution1 varying in words but the same in power4 ,the appropriating power of the penitent may1 and does1 vary1 according to the sincerity of his confession3 ,absolution is in each case the same4 ,it is man's capacity to receive it1 not ,god's power in giving it1 that varies4 ,thus1 all three ,absolutions in the #aeb ,prayer ,book are of the same force1 though our appropriating capacity in receiving them may differ4 ,this capacity will probably be less marked at ,matins and ,evensong than at ,holy ,communion1 and at ,holy ,communion than in private ,confession1 because it will be less personal1 less thorough4 ,the words of ,absolution seem to suggest this4 ,the first two forms are in the plural 7pardon and deliver you71 and are thrown1 as it were1 broadcast over the ,church3 the third is special 7forgive thee thine offences7 and is administered to the individual4 ,but the formal act is the same in each case2 and to stroll late into church1 as if the ,absolution in ,matins and ,evensong does not matter1 may be to incur a very distinct loss4 ,when1 and how often1 formal special ,confession is to be used1 and formal ,absolution to be sought1 is left to each soul to decide4 ,the two special occasions which the ,church of ,england emphasizes 7without limiting7 are before receiving the ,holy ,communion1 and when sick4 ,before ,communion1 the ,prayer ,book counsels its use for any disquieted conscience2 and the #aec ,rubric which directs intending ,communicants to send in their names to the ,parish ,priest the day before making their ,communion1 still bears witness to its framers' intention--that known sinners might not be communicated without first being brought to a state of repentance4 ,the sick1 also1 after being directed to make their wills1#c and arrange their temporal affairs1 are further urged to examine their spiritual state2 to make a special confession2 and to obtain the special grace1 in the special way provided for them4 ,and1 adds the ,rubric1 men should often be put in remembrance to take order for the settling of their temporal estates1 while they are in health--and if of the temporal1 how much more of their spiritual estate4 ,direction4 ,but1 say some1 is not all this very weakening to the soul8 ,they are1 probably1 mixing up two things1--the ,divine ,sacrament of forgiveness which 7rightly used7 must be strengthening1 and the human appeal for direction which 7wrongly used7 may be weakening4 #aed ,but direction is not necessarily part of ,penance4 ,the ,prayer ,book lays great stress upon it1 and calls it ghostly counsel and advice1 but it is neither ,confession nor ,absolution4 ,it has its own place in the ,prayer ,book2#d but it has not1 necessarily1 anything whatever to do with the administration of the ,sacrament4 ,direction may1 or may not1 be good for the soul4 ,it largely depends upon the character of the penitent1 and the wisdom of the ,director4 ,it is quite possible for the priest to over-direct1 and it is fatally possible for the penitent to think more of direction than of ,absolution4 ,it is quite possible to obscure the ,sacramental side of ,penance with a human craving for ghostly counsel and advice4 ,satan would not be ,satan if it were not so4 ,but this ghostly1 or spiritual1 counsel and advice has saved many a lad1 and many a man1 from many a fall2 and when rightly sought1 and wisely given is1 as the ,prayer ,book teaches1 a most helpful adjunct to ,absolution4 ,only1 it is not1 necessarily1 a part of going to ,confession4 #aee ,indulgences4 ,the abuse of the ,sacrament is another1 and not unnatural objection to its use2 and it often gets mixed up with ,mediaeval teaching about ,indulgences4 ,an ,indulgence is exactly what the word suggests--the act of indulging1 or granting a favour4 ,in ,roman theology1 an ,indulgence is the remission of temporal punishment due to sin after ,absolution4 ,it is either plenary1 i4e4 when the whole punishment is remitted1 or partial1 when some of it is remitted4 ,at corrupt periods of ,church history1 these ,indulgences have been bought for money1#e thus making one law for the rich1 and another for the poor4 ,very naturally1 the scandals connected with such buying and selling raised suspicions against the ,sacrament with which ,indulgences were associated4#f ,but ,indulgences have nothing in the world to do with the right use of the lesser ,sacrament of ,penance4 #aef ,amendment4 ,the promise of ,amendment is an essential part of ,penance4 ,it is a necessary element in all true contrition4 ,thus1 the penitent promises true amendment before he receives ,absolution4 ,if he allowed a priest to give him ,absolution without firmly purposing to amend1 he would not only invalidate the ,absolution1 but would commit an additional sin4 ,the promise to amend may1 like any other promise1 be made and broken2 but the deliberate purpose must be there4 ,no better description of true repentance can be found than in ,tennyson's ,guinevere3-- ,for what is true repentance but in thought-- ,not ev'n in inmost thought to think again ,the sins that made the past so pleasant to us4 ,such has been the teaching of the ,catholic ,church always1 everywhere1 and at all times3 such is the teaching of the ,church of ,england1 as part of that ,church1 and as authoritatively laid down in the ,book of ,common ,prayer4 ,god alone can forgive sins4 ,absolution is the conveyance of ,god's pardon to the penitent sinner by ,god's ordained ,minister1 through the ordained ,ministry of ,reconciliation4 #aeg ,lamb of ,god1 the world's transgression ,thou alone canst take away2 ,hear6 oh6 hear our heart's confession1 ,and ,thy pardoning grace convey4 ,thine availing intercession ,we but echo when we pray4 #a ,cf4 ,rubric in the ,baptismal ,office4 #b ,rubric in the ,order for the ,visitation of the ,sick4 #c ,rubric in the ,order for the ,visitation of the ,sick4 #d ,see the ,first ,exhortation in the ,order of the ,administration of the ,holy ,communion4 #e ,st4 ,peter's at ,rome was largely built out of funds gained by the sale of indulgences4 #f ,the ,council of ,trent orders that ,indulgences must be granted by ,pope and ,prelate gratis4 #aeh ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,unction4 ,the second ,sacrament of ,recovery is ,unction1 or1 in more familiar language1 the ,anointing of the ,sick4 ,it is called by ,origen the complement of ,penance4 ,the meaning of the ,sacrament is found in ,st4 ,james v4 #ad-ag4 ,is any sick among you8 let him call for the elders of the ,church2 and let them pray over him1 anointing him with oil in the name of the ,lord3 and the prayer of faith shall save the sick1 and the ,lord shall raise him up2 and if he have committed sins1 they shall be forgiven him4 ,here the ,bible states that the ,prayer of ,faith with ,unction is more effective than the ,prayer of ,faith without ,unction4 ,what can it do8 ,it can do two things4 ,it can 7#a7 recover the body1 and 7#b7 restore the soul4 ,its primary #aei object seems to be to recover the body2 but it also1 according to the teaching of ,st4 ,james1 restores the soul4 ,first1 he says1 ,anointing with the ,prayer of ,faith heals the body2 and then1 because of the inseparable union between body and soul1 it cleanses the soul4 ,thus1 as the object of ,penance is primarily to heal the soul1 and indirectly to heal the body2 so the object of ,unction is primarily to heal the body1 and indirectly to heal the soul4 ,the story of ,unction may be summarized very shortly4 ,it was instituted in ,apostolic days1 when the ,apostles anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them 7,st4 ,mark vi4 #ac74 ,it was continued in the ,early ,church1 and perpetuated during the ,middle ,ages1 when its use 7by a corrupt#a following of the ,apostles7 was practically limited to the preparation of the dying instead of 7by a correct following of the ,apostles7 being used for the recovery of the living4 ,in our #aedi ,prayer ,book an authorized ,office was appointed for its use1 but this1 lest it should be misused1 was omitted in #aeeb4 ,and although1 as ,bishop ,forbes says1 everything of that earlier ,liturgy was praised by those who #afj removed it1 it has not yet been restored4 ,it is one of the lost ,pleiads of our present ,prayer ,book4 ,but1 as ,bishop ,forbes adds1 there is nothing to hinder the revival of the ,apostolic and ,scriptural ,custom of ,anointing the ,sick whenever any devout person desires it4#b ,extreme ,unction4 ,an unhistoric use of the name partly explains the unhistoric use of the ,sacrament4 ,extreme1 or last 7extrema7 ,unction has been taken to mean the anointing of the sick when in extremis4 ,this1 as we have seen1 is a corrupt1 and not a correct1 following of the ,apostles4 ,the phrase ,extreme ,unction means the extreme1 or last1 of a series of ritual ,unctions1 or anointings1 once used in the ,church4 ,the first ,unction was in ,holy ,baptism1 when the ,baptized were anointed with ,holy ,oil3 then came the anointing in ,confirmation3 then in ,ordination2 and1 last of all1 the anointing of the sick4 ,of this last anointing1 it is written3 ,all ,christian men should account1 and repute the said manner of anointing among the other ,sacraments1 forasmuch as it is a visible sign of an invisible grace4#c #afa ,its ,administration4 ,it must be administered under the ,scriptural conditions laid down in ,st4 ,james v4 #ad-af4 ,the first condition refers to3-- 7#a7 ,the ,minister4--,the ,minister is the ,church1 in her corporate capacity4 ,scripture says to the sick3 ,let him call for the ,elders1 or ,presbyters1 of the ,church4 ,the word is in the plural2 it is to be the united act of the whole ,church4 ,and1 further1 there must be nothing secret about it1 as if it were either a charm1 or something to be ashamed of1 or apologized for4 ,it may have to be done in a private house1 but it is to be done by no private person4#d ,let him call for the elders4 7#b7 ,the ,manner4--,the ,elders are to administer ,sacrament not in their own name 7any more than the ,priest gives ,absolution in his own name71 but in the ,name of the ,lord4 7#c7 ,the ,method4--,the sick man is to be anointed 7either on the afflicted part1 or in other ways71 with prayer3 ,let them pray over him4 ,prayer is essential4 #afb 7#d7 ,the ,matter4--,oil--anointing him with oil4 ,as in ,baptism1 sanctified water is the ordained matter by which ,jesus ,christ cleanseth us from all sin2 so in ,unction1 consecrated oil is the ordained matter used by the ,holy ,ghost to cleanse us from all sickness--bodily1 and 7adds ,st4 ,james7 spiritual4 ,and if he have committed sins1 they shall be forgiven him4 ,for this latter purpose1 there are two ,scriptural requirements3 ,confession and ,intercession4 ,for it follows3 ,confess your faults one to another1 and pray for one another that ye may be healed4 ,thus it is with ,unction as with other ,sacraments2 with the last as with the first--special grace is attached to special means4 ,the ,bible says that1 under certain conditions1 oil and prayer together will effect more than either oil or prayer apart2 that oil without prayer cannot1 and prayer without oil will not1 win the special grace of healing guaranteed to the use of oil and prayer together4 ,in our days1 the use of anointing with prayer is 7in alliance with1 and in addition to1 ,medical ,science7 being more fully recognized4 ,the ,prayer of ,faith is coming into its own1 and is being placed once more in proper position in the #afc sphere of healing2 anointing is being more and more used according to the ,scriptures4 ,both are being used together in a simple belief in revealed truth4 ,it often happens that the elders of the ,church are sent for by the sick2 a simple service is used2 the sick man is anointed2 the united ,prayer of ,faith 7it must be of ,faith7 is offered2 and1 if it be good for his spiritual health1 the sick man is made whole of whatsoever disease he had4 ,god give us in this1 as in every other ,sacrament1 a braver1 quieter1 more loving faith in ,his promises4 ,the need still exists3 the grace is still to be had4 ,if our love were but more simple1 ,we should take ,him at ,his word2 ,and our lives would be all sunshine ,in the sweetness of our ,lord4 #a ,article ,,xxv4 #b ,forbes on the ,articles 7xxv474 #c ,institution of a ,christian ,man4 #d ,in the ,greek ,church1 seven1 or at least three1 ,priests must be present4 #afe ,,index4 ,a4 ,absolution1 #adi4 ,adoption1 #gf4 ,affusion1 #fe4 ,altar1 #hf4 ,amendment1 #aef4 ,anointing1 #ajd1 #aeh4 ,aspersion1 #fe4 ,augustine1 ,st41 #c1 #ab1 #ac1 #di4 ,b4 ,baptism1 ,sacrament of1 #fc4 ,forms of administration1 #fe4 ,ministry of1 #fe4 ,bible1 the1 names of1 #bf4 ,inspiration of1 #cd4 ,interpretation of1 #bc4 ,,mss41 #bg4 ,versions1 #cb4 ,bishops1 #abd4 ,their ,confirmation1 #abg4 ,consecration1 #abg4 ,election1 #abf4 ,homage1 #abh4 ,nomination1 #abf4 ,books1 the ,church's1 #ba ,breviary1 #dd4 ,bright1 ,dr41 #h4 ,c4 ,chrism1 #fg4 ,christian name1 #gc4 ,church1 the1 names of-- ,catholic1 #b4 ,church of ,england1 #ab4 ,established1 #g4 ,national1 #d4 ,primitive1 #ag1 ,protestant1 #ah4 ,reformed1 #ad4 ,clergymen1 #acd4 ,communion1 ,holy1 #hb4 ,confession1 #ade4 ,confirmation1 #id4 ,age1 #aja4 ,essentials1 #ajc4 ,names of1 #ajd4 ,new name at1 #gc4 ,sacrament of completion1 #ic4 ,consecration1 #hc1 #ia4 ,consignation1 #fh4 ,consubstantiation1 #hd4 ,criticism1 #cf4 ,higher1 #cf4 ,historical1 #cf4 ,lower1 #cf4 ,d4 ,deacons1 ordination of1 #aci4 ,age of1 #aci4 ,laity and responsibility1 #adj4 ,preparation of1 #adj4 ,direction1 #aec4 ,discipline1 #ed4 ,dissenters and ,confirmation1 #ii4 ,e4 ,election1 #gh4 ,endowments1 #aa4 ,established ,church1 #g4 ,eucharist1 #ha4 ,extreme ,unction1 #afj4 ,f4 ,faith and ,prayer with oil1 #afb4 ,g4 ,god-parents1 #fe4 ,gospels1 the1 #dd4 ,gradual1 the1 #dd4 ,h4 ,holy ,orders1 #abc4 ,homage of ,bishops1 #abh4 ,i4 ,illingworth1 ,dr41 #fa4 ,immersion1 #fe1 #fg4 ,indulgences1 #aee4 ,inspiration1 #cd4 ,interpretation of ,scripture1 #cc4 ,j4 ,jurisdiction1 #abi4 ,k4 ,kings and ,bishops1 #abf1 #abh4 ,l4 ,laity responsible for ordination of deacons1 #adj4 ,lesser ,sacraments1 #ib4 ,liddon1 ,dr41 #adc4 ,lightfoot1 ,bishop1 #abd4 ,liturgy1 #ha4 ,m4 ,manual1 the1 #dd4 ,manuscripts of the ,bible1 #bf4 ,marriage1 #ajf4 ,a ,sacrament1 #ajg1 #aaj4 ,affinity1 #aaf4 ,age1 #aag4 ,by banns1 #aah4 ,by licence1 #aai4 ,consanguinity1 #aaf4 ,deceased wife's sister1 #aag4 ,divorce1 #ajh4 ,false names1 #aba4 ,in registry office1 #aaj4 ,who for1 #ajg1 #aac1 #aaf4 ,mass1 #ha4 ,matter1 #fa4 ,minister1 #acb4 ,missal1 the1 #dc4 ,n4 ,name1 ,christian1 #gc4 ,nonconformists and ,holy ,communion1 #ii4 ,o4 ,oil1 ,holy1 #aei4 ,orders1 ,holy1 #abc4 ,bishops1 #abd4 ,deacons1 #aci4 ,indelibility of1 #acf4 ,priests1 #acj4 ,p4 ,parson1 #acc4 ,penance1 #ade4 ,perpetuation1 ,sacraments of1 #ic4 ,pontifical1 the1 #dc4 ,prayer ,book1 #dj4 ,its contents1 #ej4 preface1 #dg4 title1 #db4 ,priesthood1 #acj4 ,primitive ,church1 #g4 ,protestant ,church1 #ah4 ,r4 ,reconciliation1 ministry of1 #ade4 ,recovery1 ,sacrament of1 #ic1 #ade4 ,reformed ,church1 #ad4 ,regeneration1 #ge4 ,revelation1 #cg4 ,s4 ,sacraments1 #eh4 ,their names1 #fb4 nature1 #fj4 number1 #ei4 ,the ,blessed ,sacrament1 #ha4 ,the lesser1 #ib4 ,sacrifice1 #hb1 #hg4 ,sanday1 ,dr41 #ce4 ,scriptures1 the1 #bf4 ,sects1 #i4 ,spiritualities and ,temporalities1 #abh4 ,sponsors1 #fe4 ,stubbs1 ,bishop1 #h1 #aj4 ,supper1 the ,lord's1 #hb4 ,t4 ,table1 the ,holy1 #hh4 ,threefold ,ministry1 #abd4 ,transubstantiation1 #hc1 #hd4 ,trine immersion1 #fg4 ,u4 ,unction1 ,extreme1 #afj4 ,unction1 ,holy1 #aei4 ,w4 ,word of ,god1 #ca4 ,,aberdeen3 ,,the ,,university ,,press