PART II.

THE RITUAL.

I. THE ORDER OF BAPTISM.

1. The Ministration of Baptism to In-

PAGE.

The Order for the Administration of

the Lord's Supper....................

IV. FORM OF SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY...

54

67

V. ORDER FOR THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD....... 75

VI. FORMS OF ORDINATION.

1. The Form of Consecrating Bishops.. 80

2. The Form of Ordaining Elders....... 94

3. The Form of Ordaining Deacons...... 111

VII. LAYING A CORNER-STONE.

Form for Laying the Corner-Stone of

a Church...................

118

VIII. FORM FOR THE DEDICATION OF A CHURCH... 127

DOCTRINES, RULES, AND RITUAL

OF THE

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

PART I.

ORIGIN, DOCTRINES, AND RULES.

I.

ORIGIN OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

THE preachers and members of our society in general, being convinced that there was a great deficiency of vital religion in the Church of England in America, and being in many places destitute of the Christian Sacraments, as several of the clergy had forsaken their Churches, requested the late REV. JOHN WESLEY to take such measures, in his wisdom and prudence, as would afford them suitable relief in their distress.

In consequence of this, our venerable friend, who, under God, had been the father of the great revival of religion now extending over the earth, by the means of the Methodists, determined to ordain ministers for America; and for this purpose, in the year 1784, sent over three regularly-ordained clergy; but preferring the episcopal mode of Church government to any other, he solemnly set apart, by the imposition of his hands and prayer, one of them, namely, THOMAS COKE, Doctor of Civil Law, late of Jesus College, in the University of Oxford, and a presbyter of the Church of England, for the episcopal office; and having delivered to him letters of episcopal orders, commissioned and directed him to set apart FRANCIS ASBURY, then general assistant of the Methodist Society in America, for the same episcopal office; he, the said FRANCIS ASBURY, being first ordained deacon and elder. In consequence of which, the said FRANCIS ASBURY was solemnly set apart for the said episcopal office by

ceremony.

prayer, and the imposition of the hands of the said THOMAS COKE, other regularlyordained ministers assisting in the sacred At which time the General Conference, held at Baltimore, did unanimously receive the said THOMAS COKE and FRANCIS ASBURY as their bishops, being fully satisfied of the validity of their episcopal ordination.

II.

ARTICLES OF RELIGION.

I. OF FAITH IN THE HOLY TRINITY.

THERE is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things, visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godof one subhead, there are three persons, stance, power, and eternity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.