THE ORDER FOR THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD. If the service be at the house, it is conducted by the Minister according to his discretion. If the corpse be taken into the Church, the Minister first performs a brief service at the house, at his discretion. The proper order of the service in the Church is then as follows: THE INTRODUCTORY SENTENCES. When the Corpse is brought into the Church, the persons already assembled rise, and the Minister, either meeting the Corpse at the entrance and going slowly before it, or standing at the Communion Table, pronounces the Introductory Sentences from holy Scripture, as appointed. THE ANTHEM. Then is sung by the Choir, or read by the Minister and People responsively, the Ninetieth Psalm, as follows: LORD, thou hast been our dwelling-place In all generations. (Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Thou turnest man to destruction; And sayest, Return, ye children of men. For a thousand years in thy sight And as a watch in the night. Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep; In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; In the evening it is cut down, and withereth. And by thy wrath are we troubled. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, Our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. And let it repent thee concerning thy servants. O satisfy us early with thy mercy; That we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, And the years wherein we have seen evil. Let thy work appear unto thy servants, And thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: Yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. THE HYMN. Then, at the discretion of the Minister, a Hymn is sung by the Choir and the Congregation standing. THE READING OF THE SCRIPTURES. Here the Minister reads one or more of the following or like portions of the Word of God, the People sitting: JoHN, v., 21-29; JOHN, xi., 21-27; REVELATION, xxi., 1-4; II. SAMUEL, Xii., 16-23. This is always followed by the reading of I. CORINTHIANS, Xv., 20-28, 42-58. THE PRAYER BEFORE BURIAL. Then, the People kneeling or reverently bowing, the Minister offers the Prayer before the Burial. THE EXHORTATION. After this the Minister delivers an Exhortation or Discourse, at his discretion. THE BENEDICTION. The Discourse being ended, the Minister pronounces a Scriptural Doxology, the Congregation rising; and then, the apostolic Benediction. THE BURIAL SENTENCES. When the Procession is come to the Graveyard, the Minister, either while going before the Corpse towards the Grave, or standing at the Grave after the coffin has been let down, says the proper Burial Sentences from holy Scrip ture. THE BURIAL. When the earth is about to be cast upon the coffin, or while a portion is cast upon it, the Minister says: SINCE it hath pleased Almighty God, in his wise providence, to take to himself the spirit of this our brother, we commit his body to the earth as it was; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; looking for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord. THE PRAYER AFTER BURIAL, AND THE LORD'S PRAYER. Then the Minister offers the Prayer after the Burial. After which the People say with him the Lord's Prayer, as follows: 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. THE BENEDICTION. The Minister then pronounces upon the People the apostolic Benediction. THE OFFICE FOR THE ORDINATION AND INSTALMENT OF ELDERS AND DEACONS. At any regular Morning or Evening Service of the Lord's Day, or at a special service, as may be appointed, the Elders or Deacons elect present themselves before the Minister immediately after the General Prayer. If there be both Elders and Deacons elect, they present themselves together, and are ordained and installed with one service. And if any candidate have been already ordained, and require to be only installed, the Minister omits, with reference to him, those parts of the ensuing Office which belong only to Ordination. When there is only Instalment of Candidates who have been previously ordained to the same offices respectively, the Charge to the Candidates and the Charge to the Congregation, in the following Order, are used at the discretion of the Minister. THE INTRODUCTORY WORDS TO THE CONGREGATION. After the Candidates have presented themselves, the Minister first declares to the Congregation, in the appointed Introductory Words, the occasion and object of this service. THE CHARGE TO THE CANDIDATES. The Minister then gives to the Candidates the Charge concerning the warrant, the nature, and the duties of the holy Offices to which they are called. THE CHARGE TO THE CONGREGATION. Then the Minister gives to the People the Charge concerning their duties towards the Persons about to be inducted into office among them. THE COVENANT ON THE PART OF THE CANDIDATES. The Minister now first proposes to the Elders and Deacons who are to be ordained, the following Questions, as appointed in the Form of Government, ch. XIII.; to each of which the Candidates make the response together, but audibly and distinctly: Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice? Ans. I do. Do you sincerely receive and adopt the Confession of Faith of this Church, as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures? Ans. I do. Do you approve of the government and discipline of the Presbyterian. Church in these United States? Ans. I do. Do you promise to study the peace, unity, and purity of the Church? Ans. I do. Then to the Elders who are to be installed, the Minister says: Do you, who have been called to the Eldership, accept the Office of Ruling Elder in this Congregation, and promise faithfully to perform all the duties thereof? Ans. I do. And afterwards to the Deacons who are to be installed: Do you, who have been called to the Office of Deacon, accept this Office in this Congregation, and promise faithfully to perform all the duties thereof? Ans. I do. THE COVENANT ON THE PART OF THE CONGREGATION. In like manner the Minister then proposes to the Congregation the following Question; requesting them to signify their assent to it by raising their Right Hands: |