The Bishop shall go within the rails, with such of the Clergy as can be there accommodated. The Bishop, sitting in his chair, shall have the instruments of donation and endowment, if there be any, presented to him; and then standing up, and turning to the Congregation, shall say, DE EARLY beloved in the Lord; forasmuch as devout and holy men, as well under the Law as under the Gospel, moved either by the express command of God, or by the secret inspiration of the blessed Spirit, and acting agreeably to their own reason and sense of the natural decency of things, have erected houses for the public worship of God, and separated them from all unhallowed, worldly, and common uses, in order to fill men's minds with greater reverence for his glorious Majesty, and affect their hearts with more devotion and humility in his service; which pious works have been approved of and graciously accepted by our heavenly Father: Let us not doubt but that he will also favourably approve our godly purpose of setting apart this place in solemn manner, for the performance of the several offices of religious worship, and let us faithfully and devoutly beg his blessing on this our undertaking. Then the Bishop, kneeling, shall say the following Prayer. ETERNAL God, mighty in power, and of majesty incomprehensible, whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain, much less the walls of temples made with hands; and who yet hast been graciously pleased to promise thy especial presence, wherever two or three of thy faithful servants shall assemble in thy Name, to offer up their praises and supplications unto thee; Vouchsafe, O Lord, to be present with us, who are here gathered together with all humility and readiness of heart, to consecrate this place to the honour of thy great Name; separating it henceforth from all unhallowed, ordinary, and common uses; and dedicating it to thy service, for reading thy holy Word, for celebrating thy holy Sacraments, for offering to thy glorious Majesty the sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiving, for blessing thy people in thy Name, and for the performance of all other holy offices: accept, O Lord, this service at our hands, and bless it with such success as may tend most to thy glory, and the furtherance of our happiness both temporal and spiritual; through Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen. After this the Bishop shall stand up, and turning his face towards the Congregation, shall say, REGARD, O Lord, the supplications of thy servants, and grant that whosoever shall be dedicated to thee in this house by Baptism, may be sanctified by the Holy Ghost, delivered from thy wrath and eternal death, and received as a living member of Christ's Church, and may ever remain in the number of thy faithful children. Amen. Grant, O Lord, that they who at this place shall in their own persons renew the promises and vows which they made, or which were made for them by their sureties at their Baptism, and thereupon shall be Confirmed by the Bishop, may receive such a measure of thy Holy Spirit, that they may be enabled faithfully to fulfil the same, and grow in grace unto their lives' end. Amen. Grant, O Lord, that whosoever shall receive in this place the blessed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, may come to that holy ordinance with faith, charity, and true repentance; and being filled with thy grace and heavenly benediction, may, to their great and endless comfort, obtain remission of their sins, and all other benefits of his passion. Amen. Grant, O Lord, that by thy holy Word which shall be read and preached in this place, and by thy Holy Spirit grafting it inwardly in the heart, the hearers thereof may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and may have power and strength to fulfil the same. Amen. Grant, O Lord, that whosoever shall be joined together in this place in the holy estate of Matrimony, may faithfully perform and keep the vow and covenant between them made, and may remain in perfect love together unto their lives' end. Amen. Grant, we beseech thee, blessed Lord, that whosoever shall draw near to thee in this place, to give thee thanks for the benefits which they have received at thy hands, to set forth thy most worthy praise, to confess their sins unto thee, and to ask such things as are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as for the soul, may do it with such steadiness of faith, and with such seriousness, affection, and devotion of mind, that thou mayest accept their bounden duty and service, and vouchsafe to give whatever in thy infinite wisdom thou shalt see to be most expedient for them: All which we beg for Jesus Christ's sake, our most blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen. Then, the Bishop sitting in his chair, the Sentence of Consecration is to be read by some person appointed by him, and then laid by him upon the Communion Table; after which, the Bishop shall say, BLESSED be thy Name, O Lord, that it hath pleased thee to put it into the hearts of thy servants to appropriate and devote this house to thy honour and worship; and grant that all who shall enjoy the benefit of this pious work, may show forth their thankfulness, by making a right use of it, to the glory of thy blessed Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. After this, the Minister appointed is to read the service for the day. PROPER PSALMS. Psalm lxxxiv. Psalm cxxii. Psalm cxxxii. PROPER LESSONS. FIRST. 1 Kings, chap. viii. verse 22 to verse 63. Morning Prayer being ended, there shall be sung from the Book of Psalms, in Metre, Psalm xxvi. verses 6, 7, 8, with the Gloria Patri. The Bishop shall then proceed to the Communion Service. The following shall be the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel, for the occasion. The Collect. MOST glorious Lord, we acknowledge that we are not worthy to offer unto thee any thing belonging unto us; yet we beseech thee, in thy great goodness, graciously to accept the Dedication of this place to thy service, and to prosper this our undertaking; receive the prayers and intercessions of all those thy servants who shall call upon thee in this house; and give them grace to prepare their hearts to serve thee with reverence and godly fear; affect them with an awful apprehension of thy Divine Majesty, and a deep sense of their own unworthiness; that so approaching thy sanctuary with lowliness and devotion, and coming before thee with clean thoughts and pure hearts, with bodies undefiled, and minds sanctified, they may always perform a service acceptable to thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BE The Epistle. 2 Cor. vi. verse 14 to verse 17. E ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. The Gospel. St. John ii. verse 13. AND the Jews' Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: and when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; and said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. Then shall be said or sung the Hundredth Psalm. THere shall follow the Sermon. ¶ The Sermon being ended, the Bishop shall proceed in the Service for the Communion, if it is to be administered at that time. After the Communion, or, if it is not administered at that time, after the Sermon, and immediately before the final Blessing, the Bishop shall say the following Prayer. BLESSED be thy Name, O Lord God, for that it hath pleased thee to have thy habitation among the sons of men, and to dwell in the midst of the assembly of the saints upon the earth; bless, we beseech thee, the religious performance of this day, and grant that in this place now set apart to thy service, thy holy Name may be worshipped in truth and purity through all generations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 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 amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen. AN OFFICE OF INSTITUTION OF MINISTERS INTO PARISHES OR CHURCHES. PRESCRIBED BY THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; ESTABLISHED IN GENERAL CONVENTION OF THE BISHOPS, THE CLERGY, AND LAITY, 1804; AND SET FORTH WITH ALTERATIONS, IN GENERAL CONVENTION, 1808. ¶ The Bishop having received due Notice of the Election of a Minister into a Parish or Church, as prescribed by the Canon, concerning "the Election and Institution of Ministers," and being satisfied that the "person chosen is a qualified Minister of this Church," may transmit the following Letter of Institution, for the proposed Rector, or Assistant Minister, to one of his Presbyters, whom he may appoint as the Institutor. T In any Diocese, the concluding Paragraph in the Letter of Institution may be omitted, where it interferes with the Usages, Laws, or Charters of the Church in the same. To our well-beloved in Christ, A. B., Presbyter, Greeting. WE E do by these Presents give and grant unto you, in whose learning, Sigillum. License and Authority to perform the Office of a Priest, in the Parish [or Church] of E. And also hereby do institute you into said Parish, [or Church,] posSignat. sessed of full power to perform every Act of sacerdotal Function among the People of the same; you continuing in communion with us, and complying with the rubrics and canons of the Church, and with such lawful directions as you shall at any time receive from us. And as a canonically instituted Priest into the Office of Rector [or Assistant Minister, as the case may be] of Parish, [or Church,] you are faithfully to feed that portion of the flock of Christ which is now intrusted to you; not as a man-pleaser, but as continually bearing in mind that you are accountable to us here, and to the Chief Bishop and Sovereign Judge of all, hereafter. And as the Lord hath ordained that they who serve at the altar should live of the things belonging to the altar; so we authorize you to claim and enjoy all the accustomed temporalities appertaining to your cure, until some urgent reason or reasons occasion a wish in you, or in the congregation committed to your charge, to bring about a separation, and dissolution of all sacerdotal relation, between you and them: of all which you will give us due notice: and in case of any difference between you and your congregation, as to a separation and dissolution of all sacerdotal connection between you and them, we, your Bishop, with the advice of our Presbyters, are to be the ultimate arbiter and judge. In witness whereof, we have hereunto affixed our episcopal seal and signature, at this day of and in the year of our consecration. A. D. In the case of a Minister to be instituted in a Diocese in which there is no Bishop, the Clerical Members of the Standing Committee shall send the following Letter of Institution, for the proposed Minister, to the Presbyter whom they may appoint as Institutor. WE To our well-beloved in Christ, A. B., Presbyter, Greeting. Sigillum. E do by these Presents authorize and empower you to exercise the Office of a Priest in the Parish [or Church] of E. And by virtue of the power vested in us, do institute you into said Parish, [or Church,] possessed of full power to perform every Act of sacerdotal Function among the People of the same; you complying with the rubrics and canons of the Church. And as a canonically instituted Priest into the Office of Rector [or Assistant Minister, as the case may be] of Parish, [or Church,] you are to feed that portion of the flock of Christ which is now intrusted to you; not as a man-pleaser, but as continually bearing in mind that you are accountable to the Ecclesiastical Authority of the Church here, and to the Chief Bishop and Sovereign Judge of all, hereafter. And as the Lord hath ordained that they who serve at the altar should live of the things belonging to the altar; so you have our authority to claim and enjoy all the accustomed temporalities appertaining to your cure, until some urgent reason or reasons occasion a wish in you, or in the congregation committed to your charge, to bring about a separation, and dissolution of all sacerdotal connection, between you and them: of all which you will give us due notice: and in case of any difference between you and your congregation, as to a separation, and dissolution of all sacerdotal connection between you and them, the Ecclesiastical Authority of the Church in this Diocese (taking the advice and aid of a Bishop) shall be the ultimate arbiter and judge. In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals, this day of The day being appointed for the new Incumbent's Institution, at the usual hour of Morning Prayer, the Institutor, attended by the new Incumbent, and one or more Presbyters appointed by the Bishop (or, where there is no Bishop, by the Clerical Members of the Standing Committee) for that purpose, shall enter the Church. Then, all the Clergy present standing without the rails of the Altar, except the officiating Priest, who shall go into the Desk; the Wardens (or, in case of their necessary absence, two members of the Vestry) standing on the right and left of the Altar, without the rails; the Senior Warden (or the member of the Vestry supplying his place) holding the keys of the Church in his hand, in open view, the officiating Priest shall read Morning Prayer. PROPER PSALMS. Psalm cxxii. Psalm cxxxii. Psalm cxxxiii. PROPER LESSONS. FIRST. Ezek. chap. xxxiii. verse 1 to verse 10. Morning Prayer ended, the Priest who acts as the Institutor, standing within the rails of the DEARLY EARLY beloved in the Lord, we have assembled for the purpose of instituting the Rev. A. B. into this Parish, [or Church,] as Priest and Rector [or Assistant Minister] of the same; and we are possessed of your Vote that he has been so elected; as also of the prescribed Letter of Institution. But if any of you can show just cause why he may not be instituted, we proceed no further, because we would not that an unworthy person should minister among you. If any objection be offered, the Priest who acts as the Institutor shall judge whether it afford just cause to suspend the Service. No objection being offered, or the Priest who acts as the Institutor choosing to go on with the Service, he shall next read the Letter of Institution. ¶ And then shall the Senior Warden (or the Member of the Vestry supplying his place) present the keys of the Church to the new Incumbent, saying, IN N the name and behalf of Parish, [or Church,] I do receive and acknowledge you, the Rev. A. B., as Priest and Rector [or Assistant Minister] of the same; and in token thereof, give into your hands the keys of this Church. I, Then the new Incumbent shall say, A. B., receive these keys of the House of God at your hands, as the pledges of - my Institution, and of your parochial recognition, and promise to be a faithful Shepherd over you, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. THere the Instituting Minister shall begin the Office. Minister. The Lord be with you. Answer. And with thy spirit. DIRECT Let us pray. IRECT us, O Lord, in all our doings, with thy most gracious favour, 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, who hath taught us to pray unto thee, O Almighty Father, in his prevailing Name and words, OUR Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil: For thine is the king dom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. |