and Thy Son, by the Holy Spirit; so that, as well by these Thy ministers, as by them over whom they shall be appointed Thy ministers, Thy holy name may be forever glorified, and Thy blessed kingdom enlarged, through the same Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, world without end. AMEN.

When this prayer is ended, the General Superintendent or President, with two or more of the Ministers present, shall lay their hands severally upon the head of every one that receiveth the order of Ministers; the receivers humbly kneeling upon their knees, and the General Superintendent or President saying :

The Lord pour upon thee the Holy Ghost for the office and work of a minister in the Church of God, now committed unto thee by the imposition of our hands. And be thou a faithful dispenser of the Word of God, and of His holy sacraments; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. AMEN.

Then the General Superintendent or President shall deliver to every one of them, kneeling, the Bible into his hands, saying:

Take thou authority to preach the Word of God, and to administer the holy sacraments in the congregation.

Then the General Superintendent or President shall say: Most merciful Father, we beseech Thee to send upon these Thy servants Thy heavenly blessing, that they may clothed with righteousness, and that Thy Word spoken by

be

their mouths may have such success that it may never be spoken in vain. Grant also that we may have grace to hear and receive what they shall deliver out of Thy most holy Word, or agreeably to the same, as the means of our salvation; and that, in all our words and deeds, we may seek Thy glory and the increase of Thy Kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Prevent us, O Lord, in all our doings, with Thy most gracious favor, and further us with Thy continual help, that in all our works, begun, continued, and ended in Thee, we may glorify Thy holy name, and finally, by Thy mercy, obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Here let the service close with singing and the following

benediction:

The peace of God, that 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.

VII.

501. FORM OF SERVICE FOR THE SETTING APART OF DEACONESSES.

After an introductory service at the time appointed, the Chairman of the Deaconess Board, or some other minister, shall present to the General Superintendent, or President of Conference, having charge of the service, the person or persons to be set apart to Deaconess work, saying:

Mr. President-I present unto you these persons, to be set apart as Deaconesses in the Methodist Church.

The President-Have you reason to believe them to be fit and qualified by a godly life and by skill and training in womanly ministrations, to discharge the duties of a Deaconess?

Answer-They have given satisfactory evidence, during probation, by practical service and by the prosecution of the prescribed studies, of meetness for this calling.

Then shall the President say to the congregation :

DEARLY BELOVED-In the record of the earthly life of our Divine Master we learn that he accepted and honored the service rendered Him by loving and devout women. In the apostolic age it was the practice of the Church to give employment to the activity of all believers. Notable among their activities was the employment of godly women of suitable gifts as deaconesses or servants of the Church. St. Paul, writing to the Philippians, says, "Help those women which labored with me in the Gospel." He also commends unto the Church at Rome Phoebe, a Deaconess of the Church, which was at Cenchrea. To this honored

service these persons now come to be admitted. We have good confidence that they are apt and competent thereto, nevertheless, should there be any of you who know any reason for which it is inexpedient that these persons, or any of them, should be so set apart, let it be now declared. If no impediment be alleged, the President shall read, and the Candidate shall respond as follows:

President-The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord 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.

Response-Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

President-Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered, and fed Thee? or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or naked, and clothed Thee? or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee?

Response-And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me.

Then all kneeling, the President shall say:

President-Unto Thee lift we up our eyes.

Response-O Thou that dwellest in the heavens ; President-As the eyes of servants look unto the hand

of their masters;

Response-And as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress;

President-Even so our eyes wait upon Thee, O Lord; Response-Until Thou have mercy upon us.

President-Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who didst call Phoebe and other devout women to be the servants of Thy Church, enabling them to minister to Thine Apostles and to many others also, we thank Thee that Thou hast called these, our sisters, now being set apart to the office of Deaconess, to undertake the like ministration. We beseech Thee to look graciously upon them at this hour and bless them; anoint them with the spirit of wisdom; clothe them with the spirit of power, and enrich them with all spiritual gifts and graces. Let Thy work appear unto Thy servants, and let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon them; and establish Thou the work of their hands upon them; yea, the work of their hands establish Thou it. Look upon all Thy servants here present in compassion and love, and grant unto them the fulness of Thy salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The candidate shall then rise, and the President shall say:

DEAR SISTERS-We rejoice with you that in the providence of God an open door of usefulness has been found for you in the service of the Church of Christ. In our loving Master's wide vineyard there are manifold forms of labor, and to each disciple some fitting task is assigned. To you are accorded peculiar privileges and opportunities. Released from other cares, you give yourselves without reservation, according to the will of God, to the service of the Lord and of His Church, wherever your lot may be