A REJECTED CANDIDATE.

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A REJECTED CANDIDATE.

It may be added here that no Bishop is compelled to ordain a man, let him have qualifications however excellent, or recommendations however satisfactory; therefore admission into Holy Orders is not to be demanded as a right. By the Rubric, and by the Canon and Statute Law both, the Bishop is permitted to ordain such persons as have certain qualifications, and prohibited from admitting any to the Diaconate or Priesthood, who do not possess these qualifications. The matter appears to be left perfectly discretionary with the Bishop, so that a rejected Candidate has no remedy, and cannot even require reasons to be given for the Bishop's refusal. Where, then, there may be any implied failing, whether in respect of intellectual attainments, or morals, or bodily infirmity, allow me to enjoin a ready submission to this authority. Should you be actuated by a strong desire to know the motive, and have any hope of removing or extenuating the objections, or of supplying what may be thought deficient, I would recommend you to ascertain the grounds of the adverse decision through some favourable and friendly channel, rather than by direct personal appeal.

No. II.

D

ORDINATION FOR THE COLONIES.

SHOULD you entertain a wish to go to any one of the Colonies, or Foreign Possessions of the British Empire, there to perform the office of a Minister of the Church of England, if possible defer it till you have been ordained to 'Priest's Orders' at home. Because, should it so happen that the unsuitableness of the climate, or any other cause, bring you to England again, you will be disqualified from holding any preferment in this country; and even find the greatest difficulty, although possessed of high testimonials from your Colonial Diocesan, in obtaining a Curacy here. This arises from the Colonial Candidates being deficient in the requirements of the 33rd Canon with respect to a Title (as specified in page 6), and other reasons. If, however, these objections have no weight in the peculiarities of your case, you will have to apply to the Archbishop of Canterbury, or of York, or to the Bishop of London, stating your wishes, and asking for instructions as to your course of proceeding. It would be better, perhaps, that your application should go through The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts,' or The Church Missionary Society? The former Society is invested with uncontrolled authority over the funds of the

6

ORDINATION FOR THE COLONIES.

53

English Church in Canada by Stat. 3 & 4 Vict. c. 78. In the mean time, the following extracts from the Act of Parliament relating to this matter will be useful.

By 59 Geo. III. c. 60. s. 1., It is enacted that 'the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of York, or the Bishop of London for the time being, or 'any Bishop especially authorized by any or either of them, may admit into the Holy Office of Deacon, or Priest, any person duly qualified specially for the pur'pose of officiating in any spiritual capacity in the 'Colonies. And that a Declaration for such purpose, ' and a written engagement to perform the same under 'the hand of such person, being deposited in the hands of 'such Archbishop or Bishop, shall be held to be a suffi'cient Title with a view to such Ordination, and that in 'every such case it shall be distinctly stated in the 'Letters of Ordination of every person so admitted to 'Holy Orders that he has been Ordained for the cure 'of souls in his Majesty's Foreign Possessions.'

And by s. 2. That 'No person so Ordained shall 'be capable of having, holding, or enjoying, or of being ' admitted to any Parsonage, Vicarage, Benefice, or 'other Ecclesiastical promotion or dignity whatsoever 'within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and 'Ireland, or of acting as Curate therein, without the 'Licence of the Bishop in which any such Parsonage, '&c. shall be situated; nor without the consent and 'approbation of such one of the said Archbishops, or 'Bishop of London, by whom or by whose authority

' such person shall have been originally ordained. And no such consent and approbation shall be given unless 'the party applying for the same shall first produce a 'testimony of his good behaviour during the time of his ' residence abroad from the Bishop in whose Diocese 6 he may have officiated, or in case there be no Bishop, 'from the Governor in Council of the Colony in which 'he may have been resident, or from his Majesty's 'principal Secretary of State for the Colonial Depart'ment.'

By s. 3.-It is enacted, that' No person who shall 'have been admitted into Holy Orders by any Colonial 'Bishop shall be capable of officiating or acting as CURATE

in any Church or Chapel in England or Ireland, or of 'holding any Ecclesiastical preferment therein without 'the consent or approbation of the Archbishop of the 'province, and also of the Bishop of the Diocese, in ' which any such Curacy, or preferment may be situated.'

By s. 4.-It is enacted, that No person ordained 'Deacon or Priest by a Colonial Bishop not having at 'the time Episcopal jurisdiction, and not actually re

siding within his jurisdiction can hold any preferment, 'act as Curate, or be capable of officiating at any place, or in any manner as a Minister of the Established 'Church of England and Ireland.'

By s. 5.-It is enacted that all admissions to pre'ferments, or appointments to Curacies, contrary to 'the provisions of this Act shall be null and void.'

DEACON'S ORders.

55

DEACON'S

ORDERS.

POSSESSED of your Letters of Orders, Licence, and Declaration of Conformity to the Liturgy, you may at once proceed to take up your residence at your Curacy, and put yourself under the direction of your Incumbent. How you are to proceed in a Sole-Charge will be detailed presently, when speaking on The Stipendiary Curate.'

DUTIES OF A DEACON.

As a Deacon, you will have learned from the Ordination Service, that your duties are

1. To assist the Priest in Divine Service.

2. To assist him also in the Ministration of the Holy Communion, and the distribution thereof.

3. To read the Holy Scriptures, and Homilies in the Church.

4. To instruct the children in the Catechism.

5. To Baptize in the absence of the Priest.

6. To search out the Poor, Sick, and Indigent, and report their condition to the Curate (i. e. Incumbent, or he who has the Cure of souls); but this in a great measure is superseded by the operation of the Poor Laws.

7. To Preach.

8. To solemnize Matrimony.

9. And to Bury the Dead.