Dost thou believe that thou art a sinful creature, deserving of wrath and eternal punishment? I verily believe it. Dost thou believe that Jesus Christ is thy Lord, who redeemed thee, a lost and undone human creature, from sin, from death, and from the power of the devil, with his innocent suffering and dying, and with his holy and precious blood? I verily believe it. Dost thou in this faith desire to be baptized into the death of Jesus, to be washed from thy sins, and to be embodied into the congregation of the faithful? This is my sincere desire. Dost thou in this faith renounce the service of sin and Satan, and determine to live under Christ in his kingdom, and serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of thy life? I do most heartily, in the strength of Jesus Christ, my Lord, and of his Spirit. C. M. Then shall be sung one of the following hymns: Jesus, as water well applied TUNE 14. So in the fountain of thy side S. M. TUNE 582. Rejoice, ye contrite hearts, The blood which Jesus spilt, While we with water you baptize, While with repenting tears Your sins you now deplore, Christ with his blood will blot them out, Remember them no more. ¶ Here the candidate for baptism kneeling, the Minister shall offer prayer, and then say, the congregation responding : Ye who are baptized into Christ Jesus, how were ye baptized? Into his death. Then the Minister shall name the candidate, and pour, or sprinkle, water on him thrice, saying: Into the death of Jesus I baptize thee, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. During the imposition of hands the Minister shall continue: Now art thou washed, justified, and sanctified by the blood of Christ therefore live, yet not thou, but Christ live in thee, and the life, which thou now livest in the flesh, live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved thee, and gave himself for thee. 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. L. M. ¶Then shall be sung one of the following doxologies: TUNE 22. All power and glory doth pertain Unto the Lamb, for he was slain, And made us kings and priests to God. 78. TUNE 11. Praise on earth to thee be given THE RITE OF CONFIRMATION. The candidates for confirmation shall be carefully instructed by the Minister in the doctrines of the Christian religion as set forth in the catechism appointed for this purpose, and examined as touching their personal faith in Christ. At the time of the confirmation he shall address to them, all standing, the following questions, to which they shall publicly respond: Do you believe in your heart, and confess with your mouth, the divine truths of the Holy Scriptures; and do you now declare your desire, by the grace of God, to abide by them, as the rule of your conduct in life, and the ground of your hope in death? I do. Are you ready in the presence of God the Omniscient, and of this congregation, to ratify the covenant within the bonds of which your baptism in infancy placed you, and to seal that covenant in the Holy Communion; and are you resolved by grace, cleaving to Christ your Saviour, to continue, in this covenant, to show forth his death until life's end? I am. Do you believe in God, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, in whose name you have been baptized; and do you look for the remission of your sins and acceptance with God, solely to his mercy and the all-sufficient merits of our Lord Jesus Christ? I do. Do you in this faith renounce the service of sin and Satan, and determine to live under Christ in his kingdom, and to serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of your life? I do most heartily, in the strength of Jesus Christ, my Lord, and of his Spirit. ¶ Then the following, or some other hymn, shall be sung by the choir, or by the congregation: L. M. Just as I am, without one plea, But that thy blood was shed for me, And that thou bidd'st me come to thee, Just as I am, and waiting not To rid my soul of one dark blot, To thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come! I come! TUNE 22. Thereupon the candidates shall kneel, and the Minister, laying his hands upon the head of each one, shall pronounce a text of Scripture; such as, "The very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ," or any other suitable text, giving to each candidate a different text, and shall impart the Old Testament benediction, saying: 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. Then the whole congregation shall kneel, and the Minister shall offer prayer, committing those who have been confirmed into the keeping of the Triune God. THE LORD'S SUPPER. The service of the Lord's Supper may be opened by the officiating Minister with one or more texts of Scripture, or with a brief discourse. A hymn setting forth the meaning of this sacrament, or the Lord's invitation to his people to approach his table, shall then be sung, followed by hymns of penitence and contrition of heart. Thereupon, all kneeling, the Minister shall offer prayer, confessing sin and praying for absolution. This prayer may be closed with the Lord's Prayer, at the discretion of the Minister. A hymn expressive of pardon, peace, and joy in the Lord, shall follow, during the singing of which the communicants, all standing, shall extend to each other the right hand of fellow ship. Then, all still standing, the Minister shall consecrate the bread, saying: Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and, when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave it to his disciples and said: Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. This do in remembrance of me. The consecrated bread shall then be distributed by those ministers who assist in the administration of this sacrament, or, if he be alone, by the officiating Minister himself, and the occupants of each pew shall rise to receive it, the congregation meanwhile singing hymns that treat of the sufferings and death of our Lord. When the bread has been distributed, the communicants shall rise and the Minister say: Our Lord Jesus Christ said, Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Then shall the whole congregation partake simultaneously, and immediately afterward kneel in silent prayer, which may be followed by a brief hymn, the communicants still kneeling, or by these petitions: By thy divine presence, By thy holy sacraments, By all the merits of thy life, sufferings, death and resurrec tion, Bless us, gracious Lord and God. Then shall be sung, all standing, a hymn treating of the atoning blood of Christ, during the singing of which the Minister and his assistants shall pour the wine into the cup. Thereupon the Minister shall consecrate the wine, saying: After the same manner also our Lord Jesus Christ took the cup, when he had supped, gave thanks, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Drink ye all of it; this is my blood, the blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins. This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. At the discretion of the Minister he may chant or say, and the congregation respond: As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. Until he come. The Minister and his assistants shall partake of the cup first, and then it shall be administered to the communicants who shall again rise to receive it, while hymns are sung treating of the remission of sins in the blood of Jesus, of its healing and sanctifying power, of brotherly love, and of a present and eternal communion with Christ. In conclusion shall be sung a hymn pledging the communicants to faithfulness in their service of the Lord and to love among themselves, as a sign of which they shall again extend to each other the right hand of fellow ship. Then shall follow the benediction. THE COMMUNION OF THE SICK. ¶ If several infirm or aged communicants desire to partake of this sacrament together, or if a sick communicant wishes to receive it in fellowship with his family or others, and his sickness does not forbid the singing of hymns, the usual order for the administration of the Lord's Supper shall be observed. In other cases, all things necessary being prepared, the Minister shall say: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Dearly beloved: Hear the cheering promise of your Saviour: Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them; and the comforting words of the apostle: My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Hear also what St. John writes: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And again, Jesus says: Verily, verily I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Let us pray. ¶Then kneeling the Minister shall offer prayer, after which he shall proceed to consecrate and administer the elements, first to those who partake with the sick, if such there be, and last of all to the sick person himself. Thereupon shall be said the Lord's Prayer by all that are present, and the Minister shall pronounce the following, or some other benediction: The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen. THE RITE OF ORDINATION. I. THE ORDINATION OF A DEACON. The service shall be opened with the Te Deum Laudamus, or with an invocation by the Bishop, after which shall be sung the following, or some other hymn: L. M. VENI CREATOR SPIRITUS. Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire, And lighten with celestial fire; Thou the anointing Spirit art, Who dost thy sevenfold gifts impart. TUNE 22. |