9. CONFIRMATION: Candidates. (a) "Children," the natural recipients of this grace, as of Baptism. (b) "Children," to be instructed and examined in the Catechism by the Curate every Sunday and Holy Day, after 2nd Lection at Evensong. (Church Catechism, Last Rubric; Canon 61.) (c) Parents, Masters, Dames, &c., to cause their "Children" to come. (Ibid.) (d) "So soon as 'Children' are come to a competent age," i.e. can say the Catechism, "they shall be brought to the Bishop." (Ibid.) (e) "Ye are to take care that this Child be brought to the Bishop, so soon as he can say the Creed," &c. (Public Baptism.) (f) The Bishop is to give knowledge for "Children" to be brought. (g) "To the end that Children," &c. (Confirmation Office.) (h) "Defend, O Lord, this Thy Child," &c. (Ibid.) 10. CHILDREN. (a) The first twenty-one years of life were considered "Under Age;" i.e. below the age at which a man's bodily and mental strength, education, &c., entitle him to be independent of guardians, and occupy any position of trust and responsibility. (b) These twenty-one years were divided into three Lustra, or "periods of Seven;" during which the individual received different names, expressive of his or her particular Lustrum; e.g. "Infant" (Infans), in the First; "Child" (Puer or Puella) in the Second; "Youth," or "Person" (Adolescens), in the Third. II. CANDIDATES' REQUIREMENTS: (a) "Years of Discretion;" i.e. of Discernment or Discrimination between right and wrong, true and false, meum and tuum. (Final Rubric, Adult Baptism.) (b) When this "discretion" has been attained, children are said to be "Doli capaces," i.e. capable of deceit or other wrong-doing, and therefore not only responsible for their actions, but "capable" of punishment as conscious transgressors. (c) "Competent age," i.e. "So soon as he can say the Creed," &c. (d) "Corrupt following," &c., (Art. xxv.) occurs, when the age of Fourteen, &c., is fixed; just as much as when Adulterous Marriages are permitted by the English law, and Extreme Unction by the Roman. (e) "Sixteen," in Canon 112, is the maximum age at which "Non-Communicant-ism" is to be permitted; not the minimum age for Confirmation. 12. TWELVE the Maximum Age. Ten reasons for not deferring it to a later date : (a) Gift depends upon God's goodness and promise, not Man's intellect and knowledge. (b) Compliance with ancient Catholic custom, and present Prayer-book rule. (c) Sponsors more likely to be alive and able to fulfil duty of being present. (d) Children more pure and fit to receive Divine Gift than at later age. (e) Vast majority leave School at twelve, and get beyond salutary control. (f) Their knowledge of Creeds, &c., is fresher then than afterwards. (g) They sorely need Divine Armour for entering upon the Battle of Life. (h) They may lose it by absence, sickness, or other hindrances at later period. (i) They may grow up into indifference, contempt, or hostility to the Church in consequence. (k) Hence they may never become Communicants at all! Since Sponsors are not "responsible for an unconfirmed child's sins," the child gains nothing on this account by delay; and only loses that Divine Strength, which would help him to meet his own liabilities. The Order of Confirmation. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 1. This "Order" was originally appended to the first portion of the Catechism; to carry out the direction, "So soon as he can say the Creed," &c., in the Baptismal Charge to Sponsors. 2. Separated from it, and placed as now, in 1603, when the second portion, on the Sacraments, was added after the Hampton Court Conference. (Cardwell, 220.) 3. In preparation for the Rite, the Church orders that "Children, Servants, and Apprentices," shall be catechized (echo) in Church every Sunday and Holy-day. (Rubric; Canon 61.) 4. Catechumens of " competent age" (Doli capaces) to be brought to the Bishop for Con firmation, so that they may before sixteen at the latest. become Communicants (Canon 112.) 5. A Sponsor to be present as (Rubric, Church Catechism.) "Witness." 6. The Children to be "placed and standing in order before the Bishop." 7. The Bishop to be enthroned in his Chair (Cathedra) placed in the centre of the upper Chancel-step; to symbolize the truth, that Confirmation is the Middle Rite leading from Font to Altar. THE THREE SEVERAL PARTS OF THE ORDER. I. Ante-Confirmation. 1. Address to General Congregation. 3. Candidates' Answer. II. The Confirmation. 1. Versicles. 2. Invocation. 3. Hand-Imposition with Benediction. III. Post-Confirmation. 1. Dominus Vobiscum. 2. Paternoster. 3. Prayer for the Newly Confirmed. 5. General Benediction. N.B. The Bishop's Address is an un-rubrical interpolation. I. ANTE-CONFIRMATION. I. Address to General Congregation. (a) A fusion of two Rubrics in the Office of 1549. (6) Reason given why Confirmation does not follow Baptism so closely as in ancient times. "More edifying," &c. (Art. xx.) 66 (c) Competent age and knowledge; i.e. "So soon as they can say," &c. (Pub. Inft. Bapt.) (d) "Ratify;" (Ratus, Facio,) Ratus = Calculated, or fixed by calculation. Hence Ratify," means to "give formal sanction to," as when a person puts his finger on a seal, and says, "This is my act and deed;" i.e. I acknowledge this agreement to be binding upon me, now that I have deliberated upon or calculated the force of its provisions. (e) "Confirm." One of the many blunders made by the Foreign Revisers of the Prayer Book in 1552, was to change the "Confess" of 1549 (i.e. Profess) into "Confirm," as unfortunately we have it still; thus introducing the false notion that Confirmation is a rite in which children are to be active not passive; that they come to do something, rather than have something done to them; to do something on their own account, rather than be recipients of a gift from God: that in fact they come to Confirm rather than be Confirmed; and that the longer it is delayed the better for them it will be, as though until then the responsibility for Baptismal vows must rest on their Sponsors rather than on themselves. (f) "Endeavour" = Exert; from the Latin Debitum through the French Devoir, i.e., Debt or Duty. In Norman times a knight was said |