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MANUAL OF FORMS 
 
 FOR 
 
 BAPTISM, ADMISSION TO THE COMMUNION, 
 ADMINISTRATION OF THE LORD'S SUP- 
 PER, MARRIAGE AND FUNERALS. 
 
 CONFORMED TO THE 
 
 gattrine auto discipline of % f nsbjterian €\m\. 
 
 BY 
 ARCHIBALD ALEXANDER ' HODGE, D.D. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA : 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION, 
 
 1334 CHESTNUT STREET. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1877, tjr 
 
 THE TRUSTEES OF THE 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION, 
 In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 
 
 Westcott & Thomsow, 
 Stereotypere and Electrotypers, Phila. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Notwithstanding the fact that the founders of all the sev- 
 eral national branches of the Reformed Church prepared and 
 used written formularies of public worship (as, e. g., Calvin, 
 Knox, the authors of the Dutch and the German Reformed 
 Liturgies, and in the next century Richard Baxter), the ge- 
 nius of Scottish and American Presbyterianism has discard- 
 ed them as uncongenial, and the matured judgment of our 
 Church has pronounced them to be inexpedient. The action 
 of our recent General Assemblies from 1873 to 1875 proves 
 that the mind of the Church is decidedly averse to the rec- 
 ommendation by authority of even the simplest forms for 
 special services. With this jealous care for the freedom 
 and spirituality of the Church the compiler of this little 
 manual is in perfect sympathy. 
 
 Nevertheless, accurate verbal preparation is felt by all to be 
 necessary for the edifying performance of certain special ser- 
 vices, as, for instance, the administration of Baptism and the 
 Lord's Supper, the admission of the baptized to full commu- 
 nion, and the celebration of Marriage. Any approximation to 
 a uniformity of method in these particulars which can be se- 
 cured without the sacrifice of freedom and adaptability to 
 varying circumstances will be generally welcomed.* 
 
 The very spirit of liberty, which opposes the authoritative 
 recommendation of such formulas by the General Assembly, 
 will approve as legitimate such offerings to the brethren as 
 the present, made by private persons, and thoroughly conform- 
 
 report of committee " t» consider and report, if oece8sary,a for- 
 mula for recognition of members admitted to church privileges," to (Jou- 
 exal Assembly of 1S75. 
 
 3 
 
4 PREFACE. 
 
 ed to the doctrinal principles of the " Confession of Faith " and 
 to the regulative injunctions of the "Directory for Worship." 
 
 The present compiler, having drawn his materials from 
 various sources, offers this little manual to his brethren as a 
 statement of the true principles that should determine the form 
 as well as the matter of these services, and as a suggestive ex- 
 ample of appropriate forms, as well as a handbook convenient 
 for actual use. 
 
 He wishes emphatically to acknowledge the valuable assist- 
 ance and encouragement rendered him in this compilation by 
 the Eev. John C. Backus, D. D., of Baltimore, and the Eev. 
 Arthur T. Pierson, D.D., of Detroit. To the latter especially 
 he is indebted for criticisms and suggestions, for some of the 
 very best material incorporated in these formularies, and for 
 the entire "Order," marked IV., for the admission of members 
 to full communion, as alternative to "Orders" II. and III., for 
 the separate admission of baptized members to full communion 
 and for the baptism of adults. 
 
 Personally, he believes that as it is essential to maintain the 
 church membership from the beginning of ihose who are bap- 
 tized in infancy, so it is important to make visible the fact that 
 the admission to full communion of baptized members of the 
 Church is an ordinance different in meaning and effect from 
 the baptism of adults and their first admission from the world 
 into a covenanted relation to God. As, however, many of his 
 brethren think differently, provision is made for the practical 
 exercise of both methods by "Orders" II. and III. providing 
 for the separate, and " Order" IV. providing, as an alternative, 
 for the simultaneous, admission of both classes of candidates 
 to full communion. 
 
 It will be noted by those who use this Manual that the 
 formulas intended for public use are printed in large type, 
 and generally upon the right-hand pages; whilst the references 
 to the Scriptures and the Standards of the Presbyterian Church 
 are given in small type, upon the left-hand pages. 
 
 Allegheny City, Pa., 
 Feb. 27, 1877. 
 
THZOLOGXOJU 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PACK 
 
 I. Order for the Baptism of Infants 7 
 
 II. Order for the Admission of those who were 
 Baptized in Infancy to Full Communion.... 15 
 
 III. Order for the Baptism of Adults and their 
 
 Admission to Full Communion 19 
 
 IV. Order (Alternative to Orders II. and III.) 
 
 for the Admission of Both Classes to Full 
 Communion at the same time 25 
 
 V. Order for the Administration of the Lord's 
 Supper 31 
 
 VI. Order for the Solemnization of Marriage.. 43 
 
 VII. Selections of Scriptures to be read at Fune- 
 rals, ADAPTED TO VARIOUS OCCASIONS 50 
 
 5 
 
STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES. 
 
 If " The infants of one or both believing parents are to 
 be baptized." Confession of Faith, ch. xxviii.. \ 4. 
 
 \ It is obvious that the infants of such parents only as 
 make a credible profession of being true believers should 
 be baptized, since the " Directory for Worship " demands 
 that the parent enter before God and the Church into 
 "an express engagement" (General Assembly of 1794, 
 Moore's Digest, p. 666) "that he prays with and for the 
 child ; that he sets an example of piety and godliness 
 before it," etc. If other than presumptively believing — 
 i. e., professing — parents be encouraged to enter this en- 
 gagement, the covenant is made void and " the seal set 
 to a blank." General Synod 1735, Moore's Digest, p. 665. 
 
 If When children are removed from the custody of their 
 parents, by death or otherwise, the guardian or master 
 who has undertaken to rear them may present them 
 for baptism, provided he possess the qualification requi- 
 site for having his own children baptized, and is willing 
 to assume the obligation. General Assembly 1786. 
 
JT pei 
 
 I 
 
 ORDER 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 BAPTISM OF INFANTS. 
 
 Our heavenly Father, from the first rev- 
 elation of his purpose of grace to sinful men 
 made to our first mother in the garden, lias 
 always embraced the family, and not the in- 
 dividual alone, as the unit with which his 
 covenant is made and by the multiplication 
 of which his kingdom is composed. All his 
 covenants with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Lot 
 and David include the children with their 
 parents. In the "gospel" that was preached 
 to Abraham four hundred and thirty years 
 before the law the Lord promised, " I will 
 establish my covenant between me and thee, 
 and thy seed after thee, in their generations, 
 for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto 
 thee and to thy seed after thee." "And in 
 thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be 
 blessed." Gen. xvii. 7; xxii. 18. 
 
 This fundamental law of the kingdom is 
 declared by the apostle Peter, in his great 
 
8 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 fl " Although it is proper that baptism be administered 
 in the presence of the congregation, yet there may be 
 cases when it will be expedient to administer this ordi- 
 nance in private houses ; of which the minister is to be 
 the judge." Directory for Worship, ch. 7, \ 5. 
 
 \ " The efficacy of baptism is not tied to that moment 
 of time wherein it is administered ; yet, notwithstanding, 
 by the right use of this sacrament the grace promised is 
 not only offered, but really exhibited and conferred by 
 the Holy Ghost, to such (whether of age or infants) as 
 that grace belongeth unto, according to the counsel of 
 God's own will, in his appointed time." Confession of 
 Faith, ch. 28, I 6. 
 
 \ " Although it be a great sin to contemn or neglect this 
 ordinance, yet grace and salvation are not so insepa- 
 rably annexed unto it as that none can be regenerated 
 or saved without it ; or that all that are baptized are un- 
 doubtedly regenerated." Confession of Faith, ch. 28, \ 5. 
 
 \ " It is the deliberate and unanimous opinion of the 
 Assembly that those who renounce the fundamental 
 doctrines of the Trinity, and deny that Jesus Christ is 
 the same in substance, equal in power and glory with 
 the Father, cannot be recognized as ministers of the 
 gospel, and that their ministrations (baptism, etc) are 
 wholly invalid." General Assembly 1814, Moore's Digest, 
 p. 660. 
 
BAPTISM OF INFANTS. !l 
 
 sermons on the day of Pentecost and imme- 
 diately after, to remain in full force under 
 the gospel dispensation : " Ye are the chil- 
 dren of the prophets and of the covenant 
 which God made with our fathers, Baying 
 unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the 
 kindreds of the earth be blessed." Acts iii. 
 25. " Repent and be baptized, every one of 
 you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the re- 
 mission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift 
 of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto 
 you and to your children, and to all that arc 
 afar off, even as many as the Lord our God 
 shall call." Acts ii. 38, 39. 
 
 Hear also what the Lord Jesus says [begin- 
 ning at the fourteenth verse of the tenth chap- 
 ter of the Gospel according to Mark] of the 
 place which he has assigned to young children 
 in his kingdom : 
 
 "Suffer the little children to come unto 
 me, and forbid them not ; for of such is the 
 kingdom of God. Verily, I say unto you, 
 Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of 
 God as a little child, he shall not enter there- 
 in. And he took them up in his arms, put his 
 hands upon them, and blessed them." 
 
 And hear also how the apostles of our 
 
10 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 Lord, in every recorded case, baptized the 
 households of those who professed faith in 
 Christ (Acts xvi. 29-33) : " The jailer called 
 for a light and sprang in, and came trembling 
 and fell down before Paul and Silas, and said, 
 Sirs, what must I do to be saved ? And 
 they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And 
 they spake unto him the word of the Lord, 
 and to all that were in his house, and the 
 same hour of the night was baptized he and 
 all his straightway." And we are taught 
 that they baptized in like manner the house- 
 holds of Stephanas, of Lydia, of Crispus and 
 of Cornelius. 
 
 Thus we see that our most merciful Re- 
 deemer, adapting the provisions of his grace 
 to the constitution of our nature, has ordained 
 that his visible Church shall be built up, not 
 of isolated individuals, but of families. Every 
 child of believing parents is by his birth a 
 citizen of God's kingdom and an heir of its 
 privileges, subject to the condition of subse- 
 quent personal faith. 
 
 But the basis of church membership is the 
 covenant of grace which Christ condescends 
 to make with his people, of which covenant 
 
BAPTISM OF INI' ANTS. 11 
 
 faith is the essential condition and baptism 
 the visible sign; and as infants cannot in 
 their own persons exercise faith, their mem- 
 bership must in the first instance rest upon 
 the faith of their parents until they come to 
 mi age intelligently and voluntarily to em- 
 brace and profess Christ themselves. 
 
 Therefore, do you, the parents of this child, 
 receive the blessed Redeemer for yourself and 
 for your child, and do you accept anew the 
 covenant of grace as offered to you and as 
 embracing him ? 
 
 Do you unreservedly consecrate your child 
 to the Lord's service, and do you in humble 
 reliance upon the grace of Christ, which help- 
 eth all our infirmities, promise to set your 
 child a holy example ; to give him the nur- 
 ture pertaining to a lamb of the flock ; to 
 pray with him and for him ; to use in his 
 behalf all scriptural means, and invoke 
 upon him all spiritual blessings ; and to teach 
 him to observe all things whatsoever the 
 Lord hath commanded you ? 
 
 [Here the parents shall bow assent.] 
 
 The Minister shall then *<nj : May the 
 blessing of the God of the covenant, the 
 God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob, 
 
12 
 
 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 i 
 
 g=^ z l^=S~T^ a:^^E 
 
 122: 
 
 5 
 
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 I 
 ^- -P- -^ -J-. J _ 
 
 :^ 
 
 Before Administration. 
 
 1 And Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them 
 
 not, to | come " unto | me; || For of such | is the | 
 kingdom " of | heaven. 
 
 2 He shall feed | his flock " like a | shepherd : || He 
 
 shall gather the lambs with his arm, and | carry " 
 them | in his | bosom. 
 
 3 I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing 
 
 up- | on thine | offspring ; || And they shall spring 
 up as among the grass, as | willows " by the | 
 water- J courses. 
 
 After Administration. 
 
 1 Then will I sprinkle clean ] water " up- | on you, || 
 
 And | ye shall | be — | clean : 
 
 2 A new heart also | will I | give you, || And a new 
 
 spirit | will I | put with- | in you, 
 8 And I will take away the stony heart ] out of M your | 
 
 flesh, || And I will | give " you a | heart of | flesh. 
 Glory be to the Father, and | to the | Son : || And j to 
 
 the | Holy | Ghost ; 
 As it was in the beginning, is now, and | ever | shall 
 
 b3, || World | without | end. A- | men. 
 
BAPTISM OF INFANTS. 13 
 
 your fathers' God, whom we adore as 
 Father, Son and Holy Ghost, be with you 
 and your seed for ever. Amen. 
 
 [If desired, the choir may chant some words of Scrip- 
 ture, such as Ps, ciii. 17, 18; Mark x. 14; Acts ii. 39.] 
 
 The parent now handing the name of the 
 child in writing to the minister, the latter 
 si tall say : 
 
 N, I baptize thee in the name of the 
 Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
 [The choir concluding their chant, Ezck. xxxvi. 25, 
 26 ; Isa. xliv. 3, 4, and Gloria Patri.] 
 
 Then the minister shall conclude with an 
 appropriate prayer. 
 
14 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 IT " Children born within the pale of the visible Church, 
 and dedicated to God in baptism, are under the inspection 
 and government of the Church ; and are to be taught to 
 read and repeat the Catechism, the Apostles' Creed, and 
 the Lord's Prayer. They are to be taught to pray, to 
 abhor sin, to fear God, and to obey the Lord Jesus 
 Christ. And when they come to years of discretion, if 
 they be free from scandal, appear sober and steady, and 
 to have sufficient knowledge to discern the Lord's body, 
 they ought to be informed it is their duty and privilege 
 to come to the Lord's Supper." Directory for Worship, 
 ch. 9, 1 1. 
 
 \ " The years of discretion in young Christians cannot 
 be precisely fixed. This must be left to the prudence of 
 the eldership. The officers of the Church are the judges 
 of the qualifications of those to be admitted to sealing 
 ordinances, and of the time when it is proper to admit 
 young Christians to them, who shall be examined as to 
 their knowledge and piety." Directory for Worship, 
 ch. 9, \l 2, 3. 
 
R D E R 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 ADMISSION OF THOSE WHO WEEE BAPTIZED IN 
 INFANCY TO FULL Oil CONFIRMED MEMBER- 
 SHIP IN THE CHURCH AS COMMUNICANTS. 
 
 Grace be to you and peace from God our 
 Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 Beloved child of the Church, do you rec- 
 ognize as binding on yourself that covenant 
 which God formed with your parents, includ- 
 ing you as their seed, the seal of which, 
 Christian bajDtism, they caused to be applied 
 to you in your infancy ? 
 
 Candidate : I do. 
 
 Do you here, in the presence of God and 
 of this congregation, adopt and profess that 
 Christian faith wherein you were baptized? 
 Do you believe in God the Father almighty, 
 Maker of heaven and earth ; and in Jesus 
 Christ his only Son, our Lord, who was con- 
 ceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Vir- 
 gin Mary ; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was 
 
 1 3 
 
16 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 crucified, dead and buried ; who the third 
 day rose again from the dead ; ascended into 
 heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God 
 the Father almighty, from whence he shall 
 come to judge the quick and the dead ? Do 
 you believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy 
 Catholic Church ; the communion of saints ; 
 the forgiveness of sins ; the resurrection of 
 the body and the life everlasting ? 
 
 Candidate : I do. 
 
 Do you take — the Father to be your 
 father (1 Thess. i. 9) ? 
 
 — the Son to be your Saviour (Acts 
 v. 31) ? 
 
 And — the Holy Ghost to be your Sanc- 
 tifier (1 Pet. i. 2) ? 
 
 Do you take — the word of God to be 
 your rule (2 Tim. iii. 16, 17) ? 
 
 And — the people of God to be your people 
 (Euth i. 16, 17) ? 
 
 Do you dedicate yourself, your soul and 
 body, time, talents and possessions, to the 
 Lord (Rom. xiv. 7, 8), freely (Ps. ex. 3), de- 
 liberately (Josh. xxiv. 15), sincerely (2 Cor. 
 i. 12), and for ever (Rom. viii. 35-39) ? 
 
 Candidate : By the help of God, I do. 
 
 Do you promise subjection in the Lord to 
 
ORDER FOR CHURCH ADMISSION. 17 
 
 the authorities of this Church, and to walk 
 in brotherly love with the brethren ? 
 
 Candidate : I do. 
 
 The Min isfer ah < i II Hi t n say : In the name 
 of the Lord Jesus Christ I pronounce you to 
 be a member of the visible Church in full 
 communion, and I affectionately commend 
 you to the confidence, love and care of the 
 brethren. And may the grace of our Lord 
 Jesns Christ, and the love of God, and the 
 communion of the Holy Ghost, rest upon you 
 for ever. Amen. 
 
18 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 ^ " Baptism is not to be administered to any that are 
 out of the visible Church, and so strangers from the 
 covenant of promise till they profess faith in Christ and 
 obedience to him." Larger Catechism, Q. 166. 
 
 % "When unbaptized persons apply for admission to 
 the visible Church, they shall, in ordinary cases, after 
 giving satisfaction with respect to their knowledge and 
 piety, make a public profession of their faith in the 
 presence of the congregation, and thereupon be bap- 
 tized." Directory for Worship, ch. 9, \ 4. 
 
ORDER 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 BAPTISM OF ADULTS 
 
 AND THEIR ADMISSION TO 
 
 FULL COMMUNION. 
 
 Hear what the Lord Jesus said to Nico- 
 demus, as recorded in the third verse of the 
 third chapter of the Gospel according to St. 
 John : 
 
 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a 
 man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom 
 of God. Nicodemus saith to him, How can 
 a man be born when he is old? Can he 
 enter a second time into his mother's womb 
 and be born ? Jesus answered, Verily, ver- 
 ily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born 
 of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter 
 into the kingdom of God. That which is 
 born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is 
 born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that 
 I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 
 
 Hear also the words of the Lord recorded 
 
 ig 
 
20 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 in the thirty-second verse of the tenth chap- 
 ter of the Gospel according to Matthew : 
 
 Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me be- 
 fore men, him will I confess also before my 
 Father which is in heaven. But whosoever 
 shall deny me before men, him will I also 
 deny before my Father which is in heaven. 
 
 As the apostle Paul also saith in the tenth 
 verse of the tenth chapter of his Epistle to 
 the Romans, With the heart man believeth 
 unto righteousness; and with the mouth con- 
 fession is made unto salvation. 
 
 Do you, therefore, with your heart sincere- 
 ly receive and trust in the righteousness of 
 Christ alone for salvation, and with your 
 mouth do you confess him as your Saviour 
 and your Lord for ever ? 
 
 Answer : I do. 
 
 Do you unfeignedly repent of all your sins, 
 especially of your past rejection of your Sa- 
 viour ? Do you renounce the world, the flesh 
 and the devil, and all their evil works and 
 lusts, so that you will no longer follow or be 
 led by them ? 
 
 Answer : I do. 
 
 Do you heartily believe and profess the 
 Christian faith? Do you believe in God 
 
BAPTISM OF ADULTS. 21 
 
 the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and 
 
 earth; and in Jesus Christ his only Son, our 
 Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, 
 born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pon- 
 tius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried ; 
 who the third day rose again from the dead; 
 ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right 
 hand of God the Father almighty . from whence 
 he shall come to judge the quick and the dead ? 
 Do you believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy 
 Catholic Church; the communion of saints; 
 the forgiveness of sins ; the resurrection of 
 the body; and the life everlasting? 
 
 Answer : I do. 
 
 Do you take God the Father to be your 
 father ? 
 
 — the Son to be your Saviour ? 
 
 — the Holy Ghost to be your Sanctifier ? 
 
 — the word of God to be your rule? 
 
 — the people of God to be your people ? 
 Do you also dedicate yourself, your soul 
 
 and body, your time, talents and possessions, 
 to the Lord, freely, deliberately, sincerely 
 and for ever ? 
 
 Answer : By the help of God, I do. 
 
 Do you promise subjection in the Lord to 
 the constituted authorities of this church, 
 
22 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 Psalm ciii. 17, 18. 
 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to ever- 
 lasting upon them that fear him., and his righteousness 
 unto children's children ; 
 
 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that re- 
 member his commandments to do them. 
 
 Ezekiel xxxvi. 25, 26. 
 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye 
 shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all 
 your idols, will I cleanse you. 
 
 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will 
 I put within you : and I will take away the stony heart 
 out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 
 
 Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy 
 Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall 
 be, world without end. Amen. 
 
BAPTISM OF ADULTS. 23 
 
 and to walk in brotherly love with the 
 brethren ? 
 
 Answer: I do. 
 
 [If desired, tho choir may chant Bome passage of 
 Scripture, as Vs. ciii. 17, 18. J 
 
 The candidate kneeling, the minister shall 
 say : 
 
 N, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, 
 and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
 [Choir chanting Ezok. xxxvi. 25, 2G, and Gloria Patri.J 
 
 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I 
 pronounce you to be a member of the visible 
 Church in full communion, and I affection- 
 ately commend you to the confidence, love 
 and care of the brethren. And may the 
 grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love 
 of God, and the communion of the Holy 
 Ghost, rest upon you for ever. Amen. 
 
24 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 [Prei lmixary Note. — In order to membership in thu 
 church, nothing is ordinarily required but satisfactory 
 evidence of the acceptance of gospel truth and of the 
 experience of God's grace, or proper letters of dismis- 
 sion from other evangelical churches. 
 
 Those who join a Presbyterian church should, how- 
 ever, be in sympathy with its doctrine and order, full 
 statements of which are to be found in the "West- 
 minster Confession of Faith," "Larger and Shorter 
 Catechisms " and " Form of Government." These ex- 
 press our views of the truth as taught in the word of 
 God, the only authoritative exposition of His will and 
 law.l 
 
A FORMULA 
 
 Foil THE 
 
 RECEPTION OF MEMBERS. 
 
 PBEPABED BY THE REV. A. T. PlEBSON, D. D. 
 
 Beloved m the Loud: 
 The Church of God is not of man's ap- 
 pointment. He who saw that it was " not 
 good that the man should be alone " formed 
 believers into the Household of Faith, with 
 ordinances and sacraments. Our Lord bade 
 his disciples " confess" him "before men," 
 and the Holy Ghost, through the apostle 
 Paul, declares that "if thou shalt confess 
 with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt 
 believe in thine heart that God hath raised 
 him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." 
 God has " given a banner to them that fear 
 Him, that it may be displayed because of 
 the truth." 
 
 You will now listen to a brief summary 
 of our holy faith : 
 
 We believe in one God, Father, Son and 
 Holy Ghost, Creator ami Ruler of all, in- 
 
 25 
 
26 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 finitely perfect and worthy of love, worship 
 and obedience. 
 
 We believe in one Saviour, Jesus the 
 Christ, God manifest in the flesh, who in his 
 life fulfilled the law and by his death atoned 
 for sin. 
 
 We believe in one Holy Spirit, who con- 
 vinces of sin, renews the heart and trans- 
 forms the life. 
 
 We believe in one Rule of doctrine and 
 duty, the Holy Scriptures, the divinely in- 
 spired and infallible guide. 
 
 We believe in one condition of salvation, 
 faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, manifest in 
 godly sorrow for sin and in a godly life. 
 
 We believe in one Church of God, embra- 
 cing all who are united to Christ by saving 
 faith and divine grace. 
 
 We believe in one Day of Judgment for all 
 mankind, with its eternal awards, according 
 to the deeds done in the body. 
 
 Confessing this as your faith, you are now 
 to enter into formal covenant with God and 
 this church. 
 
 Address to those Baptized in Infancy: 
 You, having been baptized in infancy, are 
 
RECEPTION OF MEMBERS. 27 
 
 now to come into full communion with the 
 Church whose external privileges you have 
 already enjoyed. By your voluntary choice 
 of Christ, and hy your saving faith in Him, 
 you are now, we trust, no longer heirs merely 
 of covenant privileges, but of salvation also. 
 The vows and obligations, assumed in your 
 behalf in baptism, you do now ratify and 
 confirm. With your own hand you sub- 
 scribe unto the Lord, set your seal to the 
 covenant with God, and declare, " I am the 
 Lord's." 
 
 Address to those not hitherto Baptized : 
 You, who have not hitherto enjoyed even 
 this outward membership in the Church of 
 God, now formally separate yourselves from 
 the world, that you may take your place as 
 "fellow-citizens with the saints and of the 
 household of God." Let your baptism this 
 day be indeed the " putting away of the filth 
 of the flesh " and the " putting on " of " the 
 Lord Jesus Christ." 
 
 [Here let baptism be administered.] 
 
 And now, beloved, renouncing the world, 
 the flesh and the devil, you take God the 
 Father to be your God, Jesus Christ to be 
 
28 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 your Saviour, and the Holy Spirit to be 
 your Sanctifier ; 
 
 You take the word of God as your rule of 
 faith and practice, and the people of God to 
 be your people ; 
 
 And you give yourself, soul and body, 
 time and talents, ]30wers and possessions, to 
 the service of the Lord ; 
 
 And you do this, intelligently, deliberate- 
 ly, sincerely, unreservedly, freely and for 
 ever. 
 
 Address to those Eeceived by Letter 
 
 [Who stand up at their respective seats] : 
 Having already confessed Christ, you to- 
 day renew your covenant with God and 
 transfer your relations to this church. May 
 God give you grace to honor Him, and to 
 promote the spread of the gospel, the peace 
 of the church and the salvation of souls. 
 
 [Church members here rise.] 
 
 We, the officers and members of this 
 church, do now affectionately welcome you 
 all to membership and fellowship in this 
 Christian household. We humbly pray for 
 divine help, that we may together seek the 
 present and eternal welfare of our fellow- 
 
KECEPTION OF MEMBERS. 29 
 
 disciples and "do good unto all men, espe- 
 cially unto them who are of the household 
 of faith." 
 
 And now, may "the God of peace, that 
 brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, 
 that great Shepherd of the sheep, through 
 the blood of the everlasting covenant, make 
 you perfect in every good work to do his will, 
 working in you that which is well-pleasing 
 in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom 
 be glory for ever and ever. Amen." 
 
30 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 fl " As the body and blood of Christ are not corporally 
 or carnally present in, with, or under the bread and 
 wine in the Lord's Supper ; and yet are spiritually pres- 
 ent to the faith of the receiver, no less truly and really 
 than the elements themselves are to their outward 
 senses ; so they that worthily communicate in the sac- 
 rament of the Lord's Supper, do therein feed upon the 
 body and blood of Christ, not after a corporal or carnal, 
 but in a spiritual manner ; yet truly and really, while 
 by faith they receive and apply unto themselves Christ 
 crucified, and all the benefits of his death." Larger Cate- 
 chism, Q. 170. 
 
 T[ " One who doubteth of his being in Christ, or of his 
 due preparation to the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, 
 may have true interest in Christ, though he be not yet 
 assured thereof; and in God's account hath it, if he be 
 duly affected with the apprehension of the want of it, 
 and unfeignedly desires to be found in Christ and to de- 
 part from all iniquity." Larger Catechism, Q. 172. 
 
R D E R 
 
 for tin; 
 
 ADMINISTRATION OF THE LORD'S SUPrKK. 
 
 Hear the words of the institution of this 
 Holy Supper of our Lord, as given by reve- 
 lation to his apostle Paul, and recorded in 
 the eleventh chapter of the First Epistle to 
 the Corinthians : 
 
 For I have received of the Lord that 
 which also I delivered unto you, That the 
 Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was 
 betrayed, took bread : and when he had given 
 thanks he brake it and said, Take, eat, this 
 is my body which is broken for you ; this do 
 in remembrance of me. After the same 
 manner also, he took the cup when he had 
 supped, saying, This cup is the new testa- 
 ment in my blood ; this do ye, as oft as ye 
 drink it, in remembrance of me. For as 
 often as ye eat this bread and drink this 
 cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. 
 
 31 
 
32 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 *[ " Such as are found to be ignorant or scandalous, 
 notwithstanding their profession of the faith, and desire 
 to come to the Lord's Supper, may and ought to be kept 
 from that sacrament by the power which Christ hath 
 left in his Church, until they receive instruction, and 
 manifest their reformation." Larger Catechism, Q. 173. 
 
 H It is especially to be remembered that since the 
 "sacraments are seals of the covenant of grace," formed 
 between Christ and his people, and since in the Lord's 
 Supper "the worthy receivers really and truly receive 
 and apply unto themselves Christ and him crucified," 
 each believer being made " a priest unto God " (1 Pet. 
 ii. 5 and Rev. i. 6), "having liberty to enter into the 
 holiest by the blood of Jesus" (Heb. x. 19), it neces- 
 sarily follows that in this sacrament the communicants are 
 to act immediately and personally in their covenanting with 
 the Lord. The minister, therefore, ought not to throw 
 them into a passive attitude as the recipients of his 
 instructions or exhortations. All such didactic and 
 hortatory exercises being assigned to the preparatory 
 services and to the sermon before communion, the 
 minister should abstain from addressing and confine 
 himself to leading the communicants in the act of com- 
 munion by means of acts of direct worship, such as 
 suitable prayers and hymns. And all the prayers and 
 hymns associated with this holy ordinance should be 
 
ADMINISTRATION OF THE LORD'S SUPPEB. 33 
 
 It is my solemn duty to warn the ignorant 
 and the scandalous, and those that are in- 
 dulging in known sin, not to approach this 
 sacred feast lest they eat and drink judgment 
 to themselves. Ye cannot drink of the cup 
 of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye can- 
 not be partakers of the Lord's table, and of 
 the table of devils. 1 Cor. x. 21. 
 
 But it is also my high privilege to invite, 
 in the name of the Lord Jesus, all those pro- 
 fessors who, sensible of their sinfulness and 
 helplessness, trust alone to the perfect atone- 
 ment and reconciliation of their Lord, and 
 whose humble hope and purpose it is, through 
 grace, to lead, henceforth, holy and godly 
 lives. And, all those who, professing alle- 
 giance to our common Redeemer, are mem- 
 bers in good standing in sister evangelical 
 churches, are cordially welcomed by us to a 
 place at our Master's table. For we being 
 many are one bread and one body: for we 
 are all partakers of that one bread. 1 Cor. 
 x. 17. 
 
 [TJie congregation shut! then sing an appropriate, sacra- 
 mental hymn, such as "O bread to pilgrims given;" or 
 "My God, and is thy table spread;" or "According to 
 thy gracious word."] 
 
 [Then the minister shaU offer a solemn prayer of—Invo- 
 3 
 
34 MANUAL Or POBMS. 
 
 specifically appropriate to it, and not of a mere general 
 rel i uioiis character. 
 
 fl " The standards of the Presbyterian Church are 
 clear in their teaching, that the Lord's Supper is not to 
 be received by any one alone, yet in cases of protract- 
 ed- sickness or approaching death, when the desire is 
 strongly urged by a member of the Church (whether 
 previously so, or by recent confession and baptism) to 
 enjoy the administration of the Lord's Supper, a pastor, 
 with one or more of his session and such communicants 
 as may appropriately be admitted, may proceed to ad- 
 minister this sacrament — a minute of every such act to 
 be entered on the records of session." General Assem- 
 bly, 0. S. 1863, Moore's Digest, p. 668. 
 
ADMINISTRATION OF THE LORDS SUPPER. :>.> 
 
 cation, Consecration, Confession and Supplication for tht in- 
 dwelling and communion of the Father and the Son through 
 tin Spirit.] 
 
 The Distribution of the Bread : 
 
 [The minister should take the bread and break it in 
 view of the people, saying :] 
 
 Our blessed Lord, the same night in which 
 he was betrayed, having taken bread and 
 blessed it, brake it and gave to his disciples 
 (as I do, ministering in his name), saying: 
 Take, eat, this is my body which is broken 
 fur you; this do in remembrance of me. 
 
 [If for any reason if be thought inexpedient to leavi the 
 communicants to their on-,/ silent meditations through the 
 whole time occupied by the distribution of the elements, the 
 minister should raid slowly such of our Lard's own nurds as 
 the following:] 
 
 Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are 
 heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matt. 
 xi. 28. 
 
 For God so loved the world, that he gave 
 his only-begotten Son, that whosoever be- 
 lieveth on him, should not perish, but have 
 everlasting life. John iii. 10. 
 
 For the Son of man is come to seek and to 
 save that which was lost. Luke xix. 10. 
 
 Look unto me and be ye saved, all ye ends 
 of the earth. Isa. xlv. 22. 
 
36 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 All that the Father giveth me shall come 
 to me, and him that cometh to me, I will in 
 no wise cast out. John vi. 37. 
 
 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen 
 you and ordained you, that ye should go 
 and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit 
 should remain : that whatsoever ye shall ask 
 of the Father in my name, he may give it 
 you. John xv. 16. 
 
 Therefore, I say unto you, What things so- 
 ever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye 
 receive them, and ye shall have them. Mark 
 xi. 24. 
 
 According to your faith be it unto you. 
 Matt. ix. 29. 
 
 Write : Blessed are they which are called 
 unto the marriage-supper of the Lamb. Rev. 
 xix. 9. 
 
 For the Bread of God is he which cometh 
 down from heaven and giveth life unto the 
 world. ... I am that Bread of life. He that 
 cometh to me shall never hunger, and he 
 that believeth on me shall never thirst. 
 John vi. 33-35. 
 
 Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my 
 blood hath eternal life. John vi. 54. 
 
 It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh 
 
ADMINISTRATION OF THE LOBD'S BUPPEE. 37 
 
 profitetli nothing: the words that F Bpeak 
 unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 
 John vi. 63. 
 
 He that hath an ear let him hear what 
 the Spirit saith unto the churches: To him 
 that overcometh will I give to eat of the 
 hidden manna. Rev. ii. 17. 
 
 He that overcometh, the same shall be 
 clothed in white raiment; and I will not 
 blot out his name out of the book of life; 
 but I will confess his name before my 
 Father, and before his angels. Rev. iii. 5. 
 
 The Distribution of the Wine: 
 
 The minister shall say : 
 
 After the same manner our Saviour also 
 took the cup, and having given thanks, gave 
 it to his disciples (as I do in his name), say- 
 ing : Drink ye all of it : for this is my blood 
 of the new testament, which is shed for many, 
 for the remission of sins. Matt. xxvi. 27, 28. 
 For, as the apostle Paul adds: As often as ye 
 eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show 
 the Lord's death till he come. 1 Cor. xi. 26. 
 
 [ Tfdet med desirable the minister during the distribution of 
 
 the cup may slowly read the Lord's words as follows :] 
 
 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to 
 
38 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 Simon Peter : Simon, son of Jonas, lovest 
 thou me more than these? And he said 
 unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things, 
 thou knowest that I love thee. John xxi. 
 15-17. 
 
 Henceforth I call you not servants ; for 
 the servant knoweth not what his lord 
 doeth ; but I have called you friends ; for all 
 things that I have heard of my Father I 
 have made known unto you. John xv. 15. 
 
 Greater love hath no man than this, that 
 a man lay down his life for his friends. 
 John xv. 13. 
 
 Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's 
 good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 
 Luke xii. 32. 
 
 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock : if 
 any man hear my voice and open the door, 
 I will come in to him, and will sup with 
 him, and he with me. To him that over- 
 cometh will I grant to sit with me in my 
 throne, even as I also overcame, and am set 
 down with my Father in his throne. He that 
 hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit 
 saith unto the churches. Rev. iii. 20-22. 
 
 I am the Vine, ye are the branches he 
 that abideth in me and I in him, the same 
 
ADMINISTEATION OF THE LOED's SUPPER. 39 
 
 bringeth forth much fruit; for without me, 
 ye can do nothing. John xv. 5. 
 
 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it 
 not the communion of the blood of Christ ? 
 The bread which we break, is it not the com- 
 munion of the body of Christ? 1 Cor. 
 x. 16. 
 
 Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, 
 and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 
 John vi. 53. 
 
 I will not drink henceforth of this fruit 
 of the vine, until that day when I drink it 
 new with you in my Father's kingdom. 
 Matt. xxvi. 29. 
 
 Father, I will that they also whom thou 
 hast given me, be with me where I am, that 
 they may behold my glory which thou hast 
 given me; for thou lovedst me before the 
 foundation of the world. John xvii. 24. 
 
 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst 
 any more, neither shall the sun light on 
 them, nor any heat. For the Lamb, which 
 is in the midst of the throne, shall feed 
 them, and shall lead them unto living foun- 
 tains of waters; and God shall wipe away all 
 tears from their vyv*. Rev. vii. 16, 17. 
 
 lie which testifieth these things saith, 
 
40 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 Surely, I come quickly ; Amen : Even so, 
 come, Lord Jesus. Rev. xxii. 20. 
 
 [Then the minister shall offer a solemn prayer : Of Thanks- 
 giving, of Consecration, of Intercession for absent Communi- 
 cants, for Baptized Children and for the Church Universal.} 
 
 [Then the congregation shall sing an appropriate hymn, 
 such as "All hail the power of Jesus' name."] 
 
 Benediction. 
 
42 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 Tf Marriage is a civil contract, inasmuch as the state, 
 for the welfare of human society, must recognize and 
 enforce it in its civil relations and consequents. 
 
 f Yet it is not a mere civil contract, but also a religious 
 contract under a divine constitution. Because (1) it is 
 founded upoi the nature of man as constituted by God. 
 (2) It was instituted by God in Paradise before the exist- 
 ence of civil society, and consequently civil society for 
 ever presupposes marriage, and marriage therefore can- 
 not essentially presuppose civil society. (3) In his in- 
 spired word God has denned the nature, conditions and 
 mutual duties of marriage, and the conditions of its law- 
 ful dissolution. (4) The vows of mutual fidelity are 
 made by the parties to God as well as to each other. 
 (5) The grace which alone can enable the parties to 
 realize marriage in its highest sense is from God only. 
 
 IT Hence it follows: (1) That Christians are bound to 
 observe in their marriages the laws of the common- 
 wealth, as far as these are consistent with the revealed 
 laws of God. (2) That the state has no right to ignore 
 
ORDER 
 
 FOR TIIE 
 
 SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGE. 
 
 Dearly beloved, we are assembled here 
 in the sight of God and these witnesses, to 
 join this man and this woman in the bonds 
 of matrimony ; which is an honorable estate, 
 instituted by God in the time of man's inno- 
 cency, confirmed by the teaching and sanc- 
 tioned by the presence of our blessed Lord, 
 and compared by Saint Paul to the mystical 
 union between Christ and his Church. 
 
 Into this holy estate these two persons 
 have come to be joined. 
 
 If any man can show just cause why they 
 may not lawfully be joined together, let him 
 speak now, or else hereafter for ever hold 
 his peace. 
 
 It will be your duty, M, to be to N a 
 loving, tender, faithful husband, to support, 
 guide and cherish her, in prosperity and in 
 adversity, and, forsaking all others, to cleave 
 
 43 
 
44 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 or to violate the di vine law in its legal provisions for mar- 
 riage or divorce, and that when it does so, Christians 
 are bound to obey God, even if that involve disobedience 
 to man. (3) Christians ought to marry in the Lord, 
 and their marriages should be solemnized by a lawful 
 minister, who alone is competent to interpret and en- 
 force the divine law and invoke upon their union the 
 divine blessing. See Directory for Worship, ch. 11. \ 2. 
 
 \ "While our form of government does not recognize 
 licentiates as ministers of the gospel, yet this Assembly 
 (1844) does not consider them as violating any rules of 
 the Church by solemnizing marriage in those States where 
 the civil laws expressly authorize them to do it." Moore's 
 Digest, p. 402. 
 
 If "It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry who are 
 able with judgment to give their consent, yet it is the 
 duty of Christians to marry only in the Lord. And, 
 therefore, such as profess the true Reformed religion 
 should not marry with infidels, Papists, or other idol- 
 aters; neither should such as are godly be unequally 
 
SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGE. 45 
 
 to her only with a love that fails not, until 
 dcnth shall part you. 
 
 It will be your duty, N, to be to M a lov- 
 ing, tender, faithful and obedient wife, to 
 comfort, counsel and cherish him, in prosper- 
 ity and in adversity, and, forsaking all others, 
 to cleave to him alone with a love that fails 
 not, until death shall part you. 
 
 If you would assume these relations and 
 duties, as thus defined after the word of God, 
 join your hands and together assent to the 
 marriage covenant. 
 
 Do you, M, in the presence of God and 
 these witnesses, solemnly pledge your faith 
 to N, that you will live with her after God's 
 ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony, 
 and that through his grace, you will be to 
 her a faithful and loving husband as long as 
 you both shall live? 
 
 Do you, N, in the presence of God and 
 these witnesses, solemnly pledge your faith 
 to M, that you will live with him after God's 
 ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony, 
 and that, through grace, you will be to him a 
 i'a it h ful and loving wife as long as you both 
 shall live ? 
 
 [In token of these your mutual engage- 
 
46 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 yoked by marrying with such as are notoriously wicked 
 in their life, or maintain damnable heresies." Confes- 
 sion of Faith, ch. 24, \ 3. 
 
 % "The purpose of marriage ought to be sufficiently 
 published a proper time before the solemnization of it. 
 It is enjoined on all ministers to be careful that, in this 
 matter, they transgress neither the laws of God nor the 
 laws of the community; and that they may not destroy 
 the peace and comfort of families, they must be prop- 
 erly certified with respect to the parties applying to 
 them, that no just objection lie against their marriage." 
 Directory of Worship, ch. 11, § 6. 
 
 \ "The Synod do recommend it to all their members 
 to use the greatest caution that they do not countenance 
 any clandestine marriages, and especially that they do 
 not marry any that they have reason to suspect to go 
 contrary to the minds of their parents and guardians in 
 seeking it." Original Synod, 1735, Moore's Digest, p. 601. 
 
SOLEMNIZATION OF MAERIAGE. 1/ 
 
 ments, you, M, do bestow, and you, N, do 
 receive, this bridal ring. 
 
 Let it continue to you both a symbol of 
 
 the value, the purity and constancy of true 
 wedded love, and a seal of those vows to 
 which you have now set your hands.] 
 
 A DDE ess : 
 
 You are both to remember that the happi- 
 ness of your union is to be found in mutual 
 kindness, confidence, affection and fidelity. 
 I, therefore, a minister of the blessed gospel, 
 charge and entreat you to seek the help of 
 God in all your duties; that so his grace 
 may make your union full of comfort in this 
 life, and a furtherance of your everlasting 
 salvation, to the glory of his most holy name. 
 Amen. 
 
 Let us pray : 
 
 O God, by whom marriage was ordained : 
 O Christ, Son of God, by whose presence 
 this service was adorned and rendered for 
 ever sacred : O Holy Ghost, who art the 
 only source of true blessedness, — look down 
 upon these thy servants, and unite their 
 hearts and lives in all the grace and true 
 affection of a happy marriage. May their 
 
48 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 TT"Let the minister keep a proper register for the 
 names of all persons whom he marries, and of the time 
 of their marriage, for the perusal of all whom it may 
 concern." Directory for Worship, ch. 11, \ 8. Such 
 records are often the only legal proofs available of 
 marriage and of legitimate inheritance. The minister 
 should also give a certificate of the marriage when re- 
 quested so to do. 
 
SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGE. 49 
 
 mutual love, now plighted, never know 
 change, or doubt, or decay. Do thou bless 
 them in each other, and crown their lives 
 with thy loving-kindness and tender mercies. 
 And do thou, we beseech thee, O Lord, by 
 thy grace, enable them so to live together 
 in this life that in the world to come they 
 may have life everlasting, through Jesus 
 Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 In the name of God, and of the laws of this 
 commonwealth, I pronounce you to be hus- 
 band and wife ; and whom God hath joined 
 together let not man put asunder. 
 
 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and 
 the love of God ; and the communion of the 
 Holy Ghost be with you for ever. Amen. 
 
SELECTIONS 
 
 OF 
 
 SCRIPTURES TO BE READ AT 
 FUNERALS. 
 
 [Ministers should be very careful to avoid abusing 
 God's word by associating the hopes of the gospel with 
 the close of an obviously Christless life.] 
 
 Man that is born of a woman is of few 
 clays and full of trouble. He cometh forth 
 like a flower and is cut down, he fleeth also 
 as a shadow and continueth not. Job xiv. 1, 2. 
 
 As for man, his days are as grass : as a 
 flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For 
 the wind passeth over it, and it is gone, and 
 the place thereof shall know it no more. But 
 the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to 
 everlasting upon them that fear him; and 
 his righteousness unto children's children, to 
 such as keep his covenant, and to those that 
 remember his commandments to do them. 
 Ps. ciii. 15-18. 
 
 50 
 
FUNERAL SERVICER. 51 
 
 Lord, thou hast beeD our dwelling-place 
 in all generations. Before the mountains 
 were brought forth, or ever thou hadst 
 formed the earth and the world, even from 
 everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. 
 Thou turnest man to destruction, and sayest, 
 Return, ye children of men. For a thousand 
 years in thy sight are but as yesterday when 
 it is past, and as a watch in the night. Thou 
 earnest them away as with a flood : they are 
 as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass 
 which groweth up. In the morning it flou- 
 risheth and groweth up ; in the evening it is 
 cut down and withereth. For we are con- 
 sumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are 
 we troubled. Thou hast set our iniquities 
 before thee, our secret sins in the light of 
 thy countenance. For all our days are 
 passed away in thy wrath ; we spend our 
 years as a tale that is told. Ps. xc. 1-9. 
 
 We must all appear before the judgment- 
 seat of Christ, that every one may rec< 
 the things done in his body, according to 
 that he hath done, whether it be good or 
 bad. 2 Cor. v. 10. 
 
 Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour 
 is coming and now is, when the dead shall 
 
52 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 hear the voice of the Son of God, and they 
 that hear shall live. For as the Father hath 
 life in himself, so hath he given to the Son 
 to have life in himself; and hath given him 
 authority to execute judgment also, because 
 he is the Son of Man. Marvel not at this: 
 for the hour is coming, in the which all that 
 are in the graves shall hear his voice, and 
 shall come forth ; they that have done good 
 unto the resurrection of life, and they that 
 have done evil unto the resurrection of dam- 
 nation. John v. 25-29. 
 
 Oh that they were wise, that they under- 
 stood this, that they would consider their 
 latter end ! Deut. xxxii. 29. 
 
 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection 
 and the life : he that believeth in me, though 
 he were dead, yet shall he live. And whoso- 
 ever liveth and believeth in me, shall never 
 die. John xi. 25, 26. 
 
FUNERAL BERVIC] -. ■<'■', 
 
 SELECTIONS 
 
 RELATING TO THE DEATH OF 
 
 YOUNG CHILDREN, 
 
 A voice was heard in Rauiah, lamentation 
 and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her 
 children refused to be comforted for her chil- 
 dren, because they were not. Jer. xxxi. 15. 
 
 Suffer the little children to come unto me, 
 and forbid them not; for of such is the king- 
 dom of God. Verily, I say unto you, Whoso- 
 ever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a 
 little child, he shall not enter therein. And 
 he took them up in his arms, put his hands 
 upon them and blessed them. Mark x. 14-10. 
 
 Even so, it is not the will of your Father 
 which is in heaven that one of these little 
 ones should perish. Matt, xviii. 14. 
 
 And the Lord struck the child . . . and it 
 was very sick. David therefore besought 
 God for the child; and David fasted and 
 went in and lay all night upon the earth. 
 
54 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 And it came to pass on the seventh day that 
 the child died. And the servants of David 
 feared to tell him that the child was dead. 
 But when David perceived that the child 
 was dead ... he arose from the earth and 
 washed, and anointed himself and changed 
 his apparel and came into the house of the 
 Lord and worshiped. . . . And he said, While 
 the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept : 
 for I said, Who can tell whether God will 
 be gracious to me, that the child may live ? 
 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? 
 Can I bring him back again? I shall go to 
 him, but he shall not return to me. 2 Sam. 
 xii. 15-23. 
 
 The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken 
 away ; blessed be the name of the L Drd. 
 JobL 21. 
 
FUNERAL SERVICES. 55 
 
 SELECTIONS 
 
 RELATING TO SUDDEN DEATH OF 
 
 PERSONS IN MIDDLE LIFE. 
 
 For what is your life? It is even a 
 vapour that appeareth for a little time, and 
 then vanisheth away. James iv. 14. 
 
 Man knoweth not that which shall he, for 
 who can tell him when it shall be? There 
 is no man that hath power over the spirit to 
 retain the spirit; neither hath he power in 
 the day of death ; and there is no discharge 
 in that war. Eccles. viii. 7, 8. 
 
 He draweth also the mighty with his 
 power ; he riseth up and no man is sure of 
 life. . . . They air exalted for a little while, 
 but are gone and brought low ; they are 
 taken out of the way, as all other, and cut 
 off as the tops of the ears of corn. Job xxiv. 
 22-lM. 
 
 One dieth in his full strength, being whol- 
 ly at ease and quiet. And another dieth in 
 
56 MANUAL OF FOKMS. 
 
 the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth 
 with pleasure. They shall lie down alike in 
 the dust, and the worms shall cover them. 
 Job xxi. 23-26. 
 
 Take ye heed, watch and pray ; for ye 
 know not when the time is, . . . for ye know 
 not when the Master of the house cometh, at 
 even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, 
 or in the morning : lest coming suddenly, 
 he find you sleeping. And what I say unto 
 you, I say unto all, Watch. Mark xiii. 33-37. 
 
 SELECTIONS 
 
 APPLYING TO THE DEATH OF 
 
 THE AGED. 
 
 We spend our years as a tale that is told. 
 The days of our years are threescore years 
 and ten, and if by reason of strength they be 
 fourscore years, yet is their strength labor 
 and sorrow, for it is soon cut off and we fly 
 away. Ps. xc. 9, 10. 
 
 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days 
 of the years of my pilgrimage are an hun- 
 
FUNERAL SERVICES. 57 
 
 dred and thirty years ; few and evil have the 
 days of the years of niy life been. Gen. 
 xlvii. 9. 
 
 The hoary head is a crown of glory if it 
 be found in the way of righteousness. Prov. 
 xvi. 31. 
 
 The righteous shall flourish like the palm 
 tree : he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 
 Those that he planted in the house of the 
 Lord, shall flourish in the courts of our God. 
 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age, 
 they shall be fat and flourishing, to show 
 that the Lord is upright. He is my rock ; 
 and there is no unrighteousness in him. Ps. 
 xcii. 12-15. 
 
 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full 
 age ; like as a shock of corn cometh in in 
 his season. Job v. 26. 
 
58 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 SELECTIONS 
 
 RELATING TO THE DEATH OF BELIEVERS, 
 
 AND THE 
 
 GLORY THAT FOLLOWS. 
 
 And I heard a voice from heaven, saying 
 unto me, Write : Blessed are the dead which 
 die in the Lord from henceforth ; yea, saith 
 the Spirit, that they may rest from their 
 labors, and their works do follow them. Rev. 
 xiv. 13. 
 
 But I would not have you to be ignorant, 
 brethren, concerning them which are asleep, 
 that ye sorrow not, even as others which 
 have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus 
 died and rose again, even so them also which 
 sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For 
 this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, 
 that we which are alive and remain unto the 
 coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them 
 which are asleep. For the Lord himself 
 shall descend from heaven with a shout, 
 with the voice of the archangel and with the 
 
FUNERAL SERVICES. 5U 
 
 trump of God : and the dead in Christ shall 
 rise first. Then we which arc alive and re- 
 main shall be caught up together with them 
 in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; 
 and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 
 Wherefore comfort one another with these 
 words. 1 Thess. iv. 13—18. 
 
 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in 
 the first resurrection : on such the second 
 death hath no power, but they shall he 
 priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign 
 with him a thousand years. Rev. xx. 6. 
 
 There is one glory of the sun, and another 
 glory of the moon, and another glory of the 
 stars: for one star differeth from another star 
 in glory. So also is the resurrection of the 
 dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised 
 in incorruption ; it is sow r n in dishonor, it Is 
 raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is 
 raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it 
 is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural 
 body, and there is a spiritual body. And so 
 it is written : The first man Adam was made 
 a living soul, the last Adam was made a 
 quickening spirit. . . . And as we have borne 
 the image of the earthy, we shall also bear 
 the image of the heavenly. . . . Behold, I 
 
60 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 shew you a mystery : we shall not all sleep, 
 but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in 
 the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump : 
 for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead 
 shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be 
 changed. For this corruptible must put on 
 incorruption, and this mortal must put on 
 immortality. So when this corruptible shall 
 have put on incorruption, and this mortal 
 shall have put on immortality, then shall be 
 brought to pass the saying that is written, 
 Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, 
 where is thy sting ? O grave, where is thy 
 victory ? The sting of death is sin, and the 
 strength of sin is the law ; but thanks be to 
 God, which giveth us the victory, through 
 our Lord Jesus Christ ! 1 Cor. xv. 41-57. 
 
 And I saw a new heaven, and a new earth ; 
 for the first heaven and the first earth were 
 passed away, and there was no more sea. 
 And I John saw the holy city, new Jeru- 
 salem, coming down from God out of heaven, 
 prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 
 And I heard a great voice out of heaven, 
 saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with 
 men, and he will dwell with them, and they 
 shall be his people, and God himself shall be 
 
FUNERAL SERVICES. 01 
 
 with them and be their God. And God 
 shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; 
 and there shall be no more death, neither 
 sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be 
 any more pain ; for the former things are 
 passed away. Be v. xxi. 1-4. 
 
 SELECTIONS 
 
 WHICH SET FORTH THE DESIGN 
 
 AND GRACIOUS 
 
 CONSOLATIONS OF AFFLICTION. 
 
 Although affliction cometh not forth of 
 the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of 
 the ground ; yet man is born unto trouble as 
 the sparks fly upward. Job v. 6, 7. 
 
 Before I was afflicted I went astray : but 
 now have I kept thy word. It is good for 
 me that I have been afflicted ; that I might 
 learn thy statutes. The law of thy mouth is 
 better unto me than thousands of gold and 
 silver. Ps. cxix. G7, 71, 72. 
 
 Behold, happy is the man whom God cor- 
 recteth : therefore despise not thou the chas- 
 
02 MANUAL OF FORMS. 
 
 tening of the Almighty. For he maketh 
 sore and bindetli up: he woundeth and his 
 hands make whole. He shall deliver thee 
 in six troubles : yea, in seven there shall no 
 evil touch thee. Job v. 17-19. 
 
 For the Lord will not cast off for ever: but 
 though he cause grief, yet will he have com- 
 passion according to the multitude of his 
 mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly 
 nor grieve the children of men. Lam. iii. 
 31-33. 
 
 My son, despise not thou the chastening of 
 the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked 
 of him : for whom the Lord loveth he chas- 
 teneth, and scourgeth every son whom he 
 receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God 
 dealeth with you as with sons ; for what son 
 is he whom the Father chasteneth not ? But 
 if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are 
 partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons. 
 Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh 
 which corrected us, and we gave them rever- 
 ence ; shall we not much rather be in subjec- 
 tion unto the Father of spirits and live ? For 
 they verily for a few days chastened us after 
 their own pleasure, but he for our profit, that 
 we might be partakers of his holiness. Now 
 
FUNERAL SERVH I 63 
 
 no chastening fbr the present seeineth to be 
 joyous, but grievous : nevertheless afterward 
 
 it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteons- 
 ness unto them which are exercised thereby. 
 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang 
 down and the feeble knees. ... Ye are come 
 to Mount Sion, and unto the city of the liv- 
 ing God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an 
 innumerable company of Angels, to the Gen- 
 eral Assembly and Church of the First Born 
 which are written in heaven, and to God the 
 Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men 
 made perfect ; and to Jesus the Mediator of 
 the New Covenant, and to the blood of 
 sprinkling, that speaketh better things than 
 that of Abel. Heb. xii. 5-12, 22-24~ 
 
 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in 
 us, so our consolation also aboundeth by 
 Christ. 2 Cor. i. 5. 
 
 For our light affliction, which is but for\ 
 a moment, worketh for us a far more ex- 
 ceeding and eternal weight of glory ; while 
 w r e look not at the things which are seen, but 
 at the things which are not seen ; for the 
 tilings which are seen are temporal ; but the 
 things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Cor, 
 iv. 17, 18. 
 
64 MANUAL OF FOEMS. 
 
 And not only so, but we glory in tribu- 
 lations also ; knowing that tribulation work- 
 eth patience, and patience experience, and 
 experience hope. Rom. v. 3, 4. 
 
 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall 
 into diverse temptations ; knowing this, that 
 the trying of your faith worketh patience. 
 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation : 
 for when he is tried, he shall receive the 
 crown of life, which the Lord hath promised 
 to them that love him. James i. 2, 3, 12. 
 
 That the trial of your faith, being much 
 more precious than of gold that perisheth, 
 though it be tried with fire, might be found 
 unto praise and honor and glory at the ap- 
 pearing of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. i. 7. 
 
 Sing, O heavens ; and be joyful, O earth, 
 and break forth into singing, O mountains : 
 for the Lord hath comforted his people, and 
 will have mercy upon his afflicted. Isa. 
 xlix. 13. 
 
 For a small moment have I forsaken thee, 
 but with great mercies will I gather thee. 
 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for 
 a moment ; but with everlasting kindness 
 will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord 
 thy Eedeemer. Isa. liv. 7, 8. 
 

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