xxvi

ORDINATIONS.

THE service being opened by the singing of the hymn: Come. Holy Ghost, come Lord our God, &c., or some other suitable verses, the Bishop addresses the congregation in an appropriate discourse, ending with a charge to the candidate (or candidates) for ordination, after which he offers up a prayer, imploring the blessing of God upon the solemn transaction, and commending the candidate (or candidates) to his grace, that he may be endowed with power, and unction, and the influences of the Holy Ghost, for preaching the word of God, administering the holy sacraments, and for doing all those things, which shall be committed unto him, for the promotion of the spiritual edification of the church. The Bishop then proceeds to ordain the candidate (or candidates) with imposition of hands, pronouncing the following, or similar words:

I ordain (consecrate) thee, N. N., to be a Deacon (Presbyter) (Bishop) of the church of the United Brethren, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: The Lord bless thee, and keep thee; The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace: In the name of Jesus: Amen.

The Bishop having returned to his place, kneels down with the whole congregation, all worshipping in silent devotion, while one of the following DOXOLOGIES is sung in a solemn manner by the choir, the congregation joining in the AMEN, HALLELUJAH.

The service is concluded with a short hymn, and the Bishop pronouncing the New Testament blessing.

N. B. At the consecration of bishops, one or two bishops generally assist.

DOXOLOGIES.

(a) TO BE USED AT THE ORDINATION OF DEACONS.

Glory be to thy most meritorious MINISTRY.

O thou SERVANT of the true tabernacle,

Who didst not come to be ministered unto,
But to minister.

Amen, Hallelujah, Hallelujah,

Amen, Hallelujah.

(b) TO BE USED AT THE ORDINATION OF PRESBYTERS.

Glory be to thy most holy PRIESTHOOD,

CHRIST, thou LAMB of GOD;

Thou who wast slain for us;

Who by one offering hast perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Amen, Hallelujah, Hallelujah,

Amen, Hallelujah.

(c) TO BE USED AT THE CONSECRATION OF BISHOPS.

Glory be to the SHEPHERD and BISHOP of our souls,

The great SHEPHERD of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant;

Glory and obedience be unto GOD the HOLY GHOST, our Guide and Comforter;

Glory and adoration be to the FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, Who is the FATHER of all who are called children on earth and in heaven.

O might each pulse thanksgiving beat,
And every breath His praise repeat.

Amen, Hallelujah, Hallelujah,

Amen, Hallelujah.

SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY.

Dearly Beloved!

We are here assembled in the presence of God and this congregation (company), to join together this Brother N. N., and this Sister N. N. in holy matrimony, which is commended by the Apostle to be honourable among all men; and therefore, is not by any to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, discreetly, and in the fear of God. In this holy estate, these two persons are now to be united. In holy writ we are taught:

That matrimony was instituted by God himself, and is, therefore, an holy estate;

That, according to the ordinance of God, a man and his wife shall be one flesh;

That what God hath joined together, man may not put asunder; That, under the New Covenant, the married state hath been sanctified, to be an emblem of Christ and his church;

That the husband, as the head of the wife, should love her, even as Christ also loveth the church; and that the wife be subject to her own husband in the Lord, as the church is subject unto Christ;

That, in consequence, Christians thus united together, should love one another, as one in the Lord, be faithful one to the other, assist each other mutually, and never forsake one another. Loving God, our Saviour, above all things, whatsoever they do, in word or deed, they should do all to the glory of God, and in the name of Jesus Christ.

Premising, that there is no impediment to prevent your being lawfully joined together in holy wedlock, according to the word of God, and the laws of this country, I now ask thee, my Brother N. N.,

Wilt thou have our Sister, N. N. here present, to thy wedded wife, to live together, after God's ordinance, in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love her, honour her, and care for her; and, through the grace of God, approve thyself unto her, in every respect as a faithful Christian husband, so long as ye both shall live?

ANSWER: I will.

In like manner I now ask thee, my Sister N. N.,

Wilt thou have our Brother, N. N., here present, to thy wedded husband, to live together, after God's ordinance, in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love him, honour him, and be subject unto him in the Lord; and, through the grace of God, approve thyself unto him, in every respect, as a faithful Christian wife, so long as ye both shall live?

ANSWER: I will.

For as much, then, as ye have thus consented to live together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this congregation (company), we exhort you, that ye enter upon the estate of matrimony in the name of the Lord, and that ye live therein according to the precepts of his holy word.

To this end, we now unite with you, in imploring his divine aid and blessing, and the guidance and sanctification of his good Spirit.

Let us pray:

O Lord, our God! who thyself hast instituted and blessed the estate of matrimony, sanctifying the same, under the new Covenant, to be an emblem of Christ and his church, we beseech thee, graciously to look upon these two persons, who are about to be united in holy wedlock. Grant, that they may enter upon, and continue in this estate, in thy name. Replenish their hearts with thy love, and enable them to be faithful one to the other, and thus to live together in perfect love and peace. Sanctify and bless their union; vouchsafe unto them the guidance of thy holy Spirit, and teach them to do that which is well pleasing in thy sight, through Jesus Christ, our Lord: Amen.

[Here the minister joins their right hands:]

In the name of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, ye are now joined together, to live in holy wedlock, as husband and wife. Receive ye the blessing of the Lord:

The Lord bless you, and keep you;

The Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you; The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace:" Amen.

LITANY AT BURIALS.
No. 1.

LORD, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, hear us.

Lord God, our FATHER, which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever: Amen.

Lord God, SoN, thou Saviour of the world,

Be gracious unto us.

By thy human birth,

By thy prayers and tears,

By all the troubles of thy life,

By the grief and anguish of thy soul,

By thine agony and bloody sweat,

By thy bonds and scourgings,

By thy crown of thorns,

By thine ignominious crucifixion,

By thy sacred wounds and precious blood,

By thy atoning death,

By thy rest in the grave,

By thy glorious resurrection and ascension,

By thy sitting at the right hand of God,
By thy divine presence,

By thy coming again to thy church on earth, or our being called home to thee,

Bless and comfort us, gracious Lord and God.

Lord God, HOLY GHOST,

.

Abide with us for ever.

I am the Resurrection and the Life, saith the Lord; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.

Therefore, blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

T. 14. Now to the earth let these remains *

In hope committed be,

Until the body chang'd attains

To immortality.

We poor sinners pray,

Hear us, gracious Lord and God;

And keep us in everlasting fellowship with the church triumphant, and let us rest together in thy presence from our labours. Amen. None of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself; for whether we live, we live unto the Lord, and whether we die, we die unto the Lord; whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lord's: for to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ.

Glory be to Him who is the Resurrection and the Life, who quickeneth us, while in this dying state, and after we have obtained the true life, doth not suffer us to die any more.

Glory be to Him in the church which waiteth for Him, and in that which is around Him, for ever and ever.

Amen.

*During the singing of this verse, the corpse is committed to the grave.