Give me a faithful heart, That each departing day 3. RESPONSIVE READING. Leader. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. Cong. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. Leader. He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. Cong. The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground. Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: for he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee. Leader. Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.Cong. O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name. Leader. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Cong. All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. Leader. King's daughters were among thy honorable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir. Cong. Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house. Leader. So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. Cong. The King's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold. Leader. She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. Cong. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought they shall enter into the King's palace. Leader. I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee forever and ever. Cong. 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: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. 4. PRAYER. Let us pray. O Eternal God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator of man and of woman, who didst replenish with thy Spirit Miriam and Deborah and Anna and Huldah; who didst not disdain that thy only begotten Son should be born of a woman; who also in the tabernacle of the testimony, and in the temple, didst ordain women to be keepers of thy holy gates-do thou now also look down upon these thy servants who are to be set apart to the office of Deaconess, and grant them thy Holy Spirit that they may worthily discharge the work which is committed to them, to thy glory, and the praise of thy Christ, with whom glory and adoration be to thee and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen. 5. ADDRESS TO THE CANDIDATES. Dear Sisters, we rejoice with you that in the good providence of God an open door of usefulness has been found for you in the service of the Church of Christ. In our Master's wide vineyard there are a thousand forms of labor, and to each disciple some fitting task is assigned; but to you are accorded peculiar privileges, and priceless opportunities. Released from other cares, you give yourselves without reservation to the service of the Lord of the Vineyard, ready for any duty which may fall to your lot. Like our blessed Master, you will henceforth go about doing good, ministering as he did to the wants of a suffering, sorrowing, and sin-laden world. The Church now solemnly sets you apart for her special service. You are to work for Jesus only. You are to minister to the poor, visit the sick, pray with the dying, care for the orphan, seek the wandering, comfort the sorrowing, save the sinning, and ever be ready to take up any other duty for which willing hands cannot otherwise be found. Such a ministry is one which confers upon you a great honor, but also a solemn responsibility. You have not entered upon it lightly, and no doubt in the sacred stillness of the sanctuary of the heart you have already consecrated yourselves to this office and work. What you have done alone with God, you now do formally and publicly in the presence of the Church. Quest. Do you believe that you have been led by the Spirit and providence of God to engage in this work, and assume the duties of this office? Ans. I do. Quest. Do you, in the presence of God and of this congregation, promise faithfully to perform the duties of a Deaconess in the Church of God? Ans. I do. Quest. Do you accept the Bible as God's word, and will you make it a lamp unto your feet, and a light unto your path? Ans. I so accept it, and will so walk in its light. Quest. Will you strive to walk so close to your Saviour's side that you will ever carry his blessed presence to the hearts and homes of those to whom you minister? Ans. I will endeavor so to do. Quest. Will you cheerfully accept the direction of those whom the Church may set over you in the prosecution of your work? Ans. I will cheerfully do so. [Congregation and candidates kneeling, and after a brief season of silent prayer unite in singing.] 6. HYMN. (Or selection from Hymnal if preferred.) Take my life and let it be Consecrated, Lord, to thee; Take my hands and let them move At the impulse of thy love. Take my feet and let them be Take my will and make it thine, Take my love, my God, I pour [The congregation rise while candidates remain kneeling.] 7. INVOCATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. May the Spirit of the Living God descend upon you and abide with you evermore. May his holy anointing impart to you grace for every trial, and gifts for every duty. May his presence be to you a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, all along the journey of life; and may the blessing of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be with you now and evermore. Amen. [The candidates rise, and the Minister, taking the right hand of each candidate, shall say:] I admit thee to the office of Deaconess in the Church of God, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 8. DISMISSAL, WITH BENEDICTION. The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord: and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen. CHAPTER VII. COURSES OF STUDY. ¶ 62, § 1. The General Conference earnestly recommends to all candidates for the Ministry of our Church that they complete a full collegiate course of study, and, if possible, a course in one of our Theological Schools, before applying for admission to an Annual Conference. § 2. The General Conference further earnestly recommends to the Annual Conferences that they require as a minimum for admission a standard of scholarship equivalent to that prescribed by the University Senate for admission to college.-Journal, 1900, p. 449. |