Then the Metran shall raise the thurible, swinging it and saying,

To the praise, honour, and glory of the Holy and Consubstantial Trinity, and to the peace and edification of the Holy Church of God.

Then the Metran shall give to each one ordained the Holy Cross, the Book of the Gospels, the seals and a purse to carry, and shall direct those who have been ordained, to kiss the Holy Table, and the Metran shall give him his right hand to kiss, after which he and the rest of the Priests shall salute the newly-ordained with the kiss of peace, who shall then receive the Divine and Holy mysteries.

Metran. Pray that ye be worthy of this great honour, and that we, the stewards of God's mysteries, may all be hereafter united at the Right Hand.

R. With pardon and light in the great day of Christ our King.

3. THE CONSECRATION OF A BISHOP.

The following Canons set forth and explain with great clearness the rites used in the Consecration of a Bishop (Metran) :

Canons concerning the

Ordination of a Bishop.

*

"I. The Metran (Bishop) is a pastor, watchman, election and keeper, preserver, a steward of the mysteries of God, a guide and a servant of the servants of Christ. He is the spiritual physician of the whole body of the Church, of which our Blessed Saviour and Lord is the One Head. He is moreover the representative of God.

"II. The Metran must be blameless, vigilant, careful, sober, given to hospitality, apt to teach, not violent, nor given to wine, &c. [Here are paraphrased exactly, with but few amplifications the directions laid down in 1 Timothy, iii. 1-7.]

"III. The Metran is selected from the assembly of Priests by the influence of the Holy Ghost. He must be of full age, i.e. fifty years. He must have a good report of the college of priests as well as of the faithful. If the diocese be small and there be no one in it of the above age, he who is elected must be at the least thirty years of age.

"IV. The Metrans, Priests, Deacons, and the faithful shall

*"Dispensatores Mysteriorum Dei." The Rhenish Testament.—I. Cor., iv. 1.—οἰκονομους μυστηρίων Θεοῦ.

attend church with the Patriarch on Easter day (Holy Sunday). The Patriarch shall then ask "Is this he of whom ye approve to be your superior and pastor ?" and they shall answer "Yes." Then he shall thrice inquire of them whether he be a fit person for the office, and they shall answer accordingly.

"V. After all have approved of his consecration, the Patriarch in conjunction with at least two other Metrans shall consecrate him. The Book of the Gospels, being opened, shall be placed over his head, while the Patriarch offers the prayers for the grace of the Paraclete. While the faithful stand, raising their hands to heaven, all the Metrans shall lay their hands on the head of the person to be ordained, and the Patriarch, or chief Metran, shall say, "We lay hands on this servant (N.) who has been elected pastor by God and His grace. In the Name of the only true God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for the due maintenance of the apostolic confessions, and for the edification, prosperity, and glory of the spotless church of the living and all-Holy God." Then the Patriarch shall breathe on his face, saying, "Take the Spirit," and he shall be filled with the Paraclete. Then all the priests shall give him the kiss of peace; and he, having received the Holy mysteries with the Metrans and priest, shall bless the faithful. He shall fast for a year after his consecration, and by no means for ever afterwards drink wine, nor eat unclean flesh. So that his body being reduced he may be enabled to refrain from overmuch sleep. As he is bound to perform the duties of a Metran, and surrender his body for this purpose, he has no profit in nourishing and satisfying his body, for the body is in opposition to the will of the spirit.

It will be seen from the foregoing Canons regarding episcopal ordination, therefore, that the imposition of hands with prayer-to which is added the breathing on the person ordained by the Metran, or Bishop ordaining-is the rite by which the episcopal character is imparted by the Christians of St. Thomas, a rite in substantial identity with that of the Revised Ordinal of the English Church.

CHAPTER XIV.

FORMS OF ORDINATION IN USE AMONGST THE SEPARATED COMMUNITIES OF THE EAST.-(THE NESTORIANS.)

THE following forms in use amongst the Nestorians, are, in their main structure, very ancient, and, as will be seen, in general harmony with the Oriental type of such services* :—

The Form

and Order for

con, according to the Nesto rian Rite.

1. THE ORDERING OF DEACONS.

Prayer.

O Lord of all purity, Who lovest those who are pure, pour out Thy purifying light upon these Thy servants, making a Dea- and vouchsafe unto them the companionship of Thy power and help, that they may minister to Thy sacraments in all purity, and fulfil Thy holy commandments to the sanctification of their members, for Thou art the High and Holy One, Who didst humble Thyself from the height of Thy greatness to descend to this our world, and didst minister to the salvation of all mankind. O Lord, make these Thy servants meet to enter Thy holy sanctuary, and to minister before Thy high altar which is set up on earth after the pattern of that which is in heaven, Thou Who art the giver of all spiritual gifts, O Lord of all, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

For other Forms used in the East, and comments on the same, see Morinus, De Sacris Ordinationibus, Pars, ii. Martene, De Ritibus, Ecclesiæ. Muratorius, in loco. The Introduction to Goar's Euchologion. Badger's Nestorians and their Rituals; London, 1852. Churchill's Mount Lebanon; A Ten Years' Residence from 1842 to 1852; London, 1853. Churchill's Druses and Maronites; London, 1862. Trigautius De Christianis apud Japonios Triumphis, etc. Monachi, 1623.

Here the Bishop shall take them by the hand, and shall conduct them as far as the lamp hung in the centre of the bema; after which he shall precent the following

Canon.

Lord, who shall dwell in Thy tabernacle, or who shall rest upon Thy holy hill?

O Lord, cause me to stand before Thine altar with pure thoughts. [Ps. xv. to the end.]

Then the Bishop shall stand on the step of the altar, and those about to be ordained shall bow their heads under the lamp, and the Archdeacon shall say:

Let us pray. Peace be with us.

Prayer.

O Lord, may the desirable help of Thy mercies, which is given from Thy holy altar to all such as worship Thee in every generation of the world, surround these Thy servants, who now worship before Thee, seeking to obtain the same, on the right hand and on the left, before and behind, Thou Who art the Giver of all spiritual gifts, O Lord of all, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Then the Bishop shall throw incense into the censer, and shall intone the following anthem:

Teach me, O Lord, the way of Thy commandments, that I may keep them. Show me Thy way, O Lord, that I may walk uprightly. Teach me, O Lord, to walk in the way of Thy commandments, to keep Thy words, and to do Thy will. Set a watch over the doors of my members, lest the treasure of Thy gift be stolen from me.

Glory be to the Father, etc. Be watchful at all times, having your loins girt about, with your lamps burning, that ye may be worthy of that bliss which He has promised to those faithful servants whom when He cometh He shall find watching.

Archdeacon. Let us pray. Peace be with us.

Prayer.

We pray and beseech Thee, O Christ, Who being ministered unto wast yet pleased to minister unto the salvation of all, to

admit and number these Thy servants among the Stephanite seven chosen by Thy holy apostles, Thou good [God] Who lovest the service which is performed heartily, Thou Giver of all spiritual gifts, O Lord of all, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Then the Bishop shall precent the following Canon, and whilst it is being said, those to be ordained shall bow themselves.

Psalm xxi., 2-8.

O our Saviour, let the power of Thy grace rest upon these Thy servants, that they may minister within Thine altar in all purity, even as do Thy angels.

O Lord, Who art praised by those who are nigh unto Thee, and magnified by Thy chosen ones, vouchsafe the companionship of Thy help to Thy worshippers who have partaken of Thy gift.

[In the original a number of supplementary Canons are added at the end of this office, having special reference to the Christian names of those who are to be ordained. Such as are applicable are directed to be inserted here.]

Prayer.

O Lord our God, Thou vast and immeasurable Ocean of mercy and pity, Thou unfathomable Depth of tenderness and compassion, we pray, supplicate, and beseech, that Thou wouldst increase Thy help to these Thy servants, and so strengthen them that they may approve themselves unto Thee in their ministry, reconcile Thy Majesty by their works, live in the straight way of Thy commandments, and evermore meditate in Thy life-giving and divine Scriptures, Thou Giver of spiritual gifts, O Lord of all, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Psalm cxxiii. 1-3.

Canon.

O Lord, pour out Thy grace upon these Thy servants.

Whilst this Canon is being said the first time, the Bishop shall kneel before the altar, and give thanks unto God from his heart for having raised him to so high degree. When it is repeated he shall rise, and shall approach those about to be ordained, whom the Archdeacon shall cause to kneel upon the right