Grant us to lean unshaken Upon thy faithfulness, To see thee face to face. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with us all. CONG. Amen. CHAPTER V. MINISTRY. THE orders in the ministry of the Moravian United Brethren's Church, are derived from the Ancient Unitas Fratrum, and are those of Bishops, Presbyters and Deacons. I. Bishops.-The episcopal succession, which was secured in the manner set forth in the first chapter, is prized by the church as a valuable inheritance, and as one of the principal links which connect the former and the present Unity. But the prerogatives of the episcopal office, as it now exists, are different from those formerly connected with it. In the Ancient Church, the government was vested, ex officio, in the bishops. This is not the case now. The Renewed Church had adopted a form of government before the episcopate was transferred to it; and when the transfer took place, no change was made in that form. The General Synod has established the following principles: 1. "Our episcopacy in itself gives to the individual who holds it, no title to a share in the government of the Brethren's Church, or of any individual congregation. 2. "No bishop is, as such, subordinate to another. 3. "A bishop has no diocese committed to his jurisdiction. 4. "A bishop, like every other servant of the Unity, must receive a special appointment to any office which he holds, from the Synod, or the Unity's Elders' Conference, or a Provincial Elders' Confer ence. 5. "Ordination to the different church-degrees can be performed only by virtue of an express commission from the above-mentioned authorities." The prerogatives belonging to the bishops, in virtue of their office, are: 1. They only can ordain to the three orders in the ministry. 2. They have a seat and vote in the General Synod. 3. They have a seat and vote in the Provincial Synods of the respective Provinces in which they reside. At the same time, however, bishops are almost invariably, by election or appointment, connected with the government of the church, both in the Provinces and so far as the Unity at large is concerned. The President of the Unity's Elders' Conference, with only two exceptions, has always been a bishop; and the Presidents of the Provincial Elders' Conferences, as a general thing, belong to the same order. There are at present sixteen bishops, of whom three have retired from active service. Of the thirteen in the service, eight are engaged in administering the government of the church; namely, four in the Unity's Elders' Conference, two in the Provincial Conference of the American Province North, and two in the Provincial Conference of the British Province. Bishops are elected by the General Synod, or appointed by the Unity's Elders' Conference. In either case, the lot, as a general rule, is used. The American Province has the right to nominate its bishops, which is done by the Provincial Synod; but the appointment rests with the General Synod, or Unity's Elders' Conference. II. Presbyters.-When deacons, after serving one or two years, have approved themselves worthy ministers of Christ and his church, and have charge of a congregation, or are appointed to preside over any distinct branch of service in the Brethren's Church, they are ordained presbyters. This ordination does not give them any new prerogatives, but confirms them in their ministerial office. III. Deacons.—The degree of deacon is conferred upon candidates for the ministry, when they first enter the service of the church; and this ordination qualifies them for administering the sacraments. The "Synodal Results" of 1857 contain the following sentiment respecting ordination to these three orders: "As every ordination is accompanied by the believing prayers of the assembled congregation, to the Head of the church, and by the laying on of hands in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, we consider it as a means of conveying special divine blessing to those who receive the important charge, to feed the church of God, which He has purchased with his own blood." Candidates for the Ministry.—In the American Province, such young men as have finished their studies in the Theological Seminary, and passed the examinations which are held, semi-annually, in this institution, become candidates for the ministry, and are thereby licensed to preach. They generally enter the Church Boarding School at Nazareth, as teachers, and remain there until they receive appointments as ministers. In the other Provinces of the Unity, candidates for the ministry are usually received into the class of acolothists, which has been derived from the Ancient. Brethren's Church. Into the same class many of the instructors of youth, female elders, and superintendents of Widows' and Sisters' Houses, wives of missionaries and of ministers are admitted. The reception takes place in the presence of the Unity's Elders' Conference, or of a Provincial Elders' Conference; the persons received giving their right hands to the elders, as a pledge of their desire to be faithful in the service of the church. This custom is occasionally observed in the American Province. Here follows the episcopal succession, from the beginning of the Ancient Unitas Fratrum to the present time. Stephen, Bishop of the Waldenses, |