LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. ^UnF& " ©ijapDYS - ©optjrirjfjt Jjz, .' Shelf. *£<£-5 — m+ UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THE PILGRIM Pastor's Manual a f^antiboofe of Serince* 1 BY GEORGE M. BOYNTON Fj Secretary of the Congregational Sunday-School and Publishing Society Author of " The Model Sunday-School" BOSTON AND CHICAGO Congregational Sunfca^&djool an& Publishing &ocietg \ THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS .J^HINOTOII Copyright, 1894, By Congregational Sunday-School and Publishing Society A PREFACE. A pastor's manual was published by this Society in 1 87 1, which answered an excellent purpose for many years. It has been thought wise at this time to replace it with another, in some respects better adapted for use at this date. The Scripture selections are made from the Revised Version, and are in each section printed in the order in which they occur in our Bibles. It has been borne in mind that services con- ducted by ministers of our order are free and scriptural, and that any liturgical forms which are the product of individual composition or selection are acceptable each to a very limited circle. A few selected prayers from the ancient liturgies have been placed in a separate section. A few forms of letters most frequently needed and the order of procedure at the councils of most constant occurrence have been included, as well as a summary of the rules of order which facilitate the transaction of business in ecclesiastical meetings. As was said in the preface to the manual which preceded it : " It is hoped that it will be acceptable to the Congregational ministry in general, and especially to the younger brethren." G. M. B. CONTENTS. PAGE I. The Church-Building . . . 3 Laying the Corner Stone. Dedication Service. II. Admission to the Church 15 Form Suggested by the Commission of the National Council. Form Suggested by Commission in 1894. Watchwords for New Members. III. Baptism 43 Household and Adult. IV. The Lord's Supper 49 A Scriptural and Unliturgical Form. V. The Offertory 55 Scripture Sentences. VI. Marriage Services . 61 The Ancient Form. A Simpler Service. VII. Scripture Selections for the Sick Room . . 71 Words of Comfort. For Those Recovering. For Those Out of Christ. For the Dying, VIII. Funeral Services 93 The Order at the Church or Home : Scripture Selections. The Aged. Salutations. Comfort. Mortality. Hope. Bereavement. Exhortations. Children. Victory. Youth. Resurrection. A Woman. The Heavenly Life. A Minister. Benedictions. Services at the Grave. First Lines of Appropriate Hymns. 1 Contents. PAGE IX. The Congregational Creeds 177 The Apostles' Creed. The Burial Hill Declaration of Faith. The National Council Commission's Creed. X. Order of Procedure at Ecclesiastical Councils 187 To Organize a Church. To Ordain or Install a Pastor. To Dismiss a Pastor. XI. Forms for Letters Missive, etc 195 For a Council : To Organize a Church. To Ordain or Install a Pastor. A Certificate of Ordination. To Dismiss a Pastor. For a Minister or Licentiate : Approbation to Preach. General Commendation. Dismission from an Association. For a Church Member : General Commendation. Dismission and Commendation. Reception. XII. Rules of Order for Ecclesiastical Meetings 205 The Organization. The Moderator. The Scribe or Clerk. Discussion. Motions and Resolutions. Motions Classified by their Object. Committees. The Vote. A Tabulated Statement. XIII. A Few Selected Prayers from the Protestant Liturgies 221 Index of Scripture Texts 233 2 I. THE CHURCH-BUILDING. LAYING THE CORNER STONE. DEDICATION SERVICE. LAYING THE CORNER STONE OF A CHURCH-BUILDING. The place should be prepared as well as may be for the assem- bling of the congregation and a platform raised for the officiat- ing ministers and officers of the church. The Order of Service. Hymn. Scripture Selections. Lord, remember for -David All his affliction ; How he sware unto the Lord, And vowed unto the Mighty One of Jacob : Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, Nor go up into my bed ; I will not give sleep to mine eyes, Or slumber to mine eyelids ; Until I find out a place for the Lord, A tabernacle for the Mighty One of Jacob. . . We will go into his tabernacles ; We will worship at his footstool. Arise, O Lord, into thy resting place ; Thou, and the ark of thy strength. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness ; And let thy saints shout for joy. . . . For the Lord hath chosen Zion ; The Pastor 's Manual. He hath desired it for his habitation. This is my resting place for ever : Here will I dwell ; for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision : I will satisfy her poor with bread. Her priests also will I clothe with salvation : And her saints shall shout aloud for joy. — Psalm 132: 1-9, 13-16. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone of sure founda- tion : he that believeth shall not make haste. — Isaiah 28: 16. Thus saith the Lord of hosts : Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house ; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord. And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerub- babel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the rem- nant of the people ; and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God. — Haggai i : 7, 8, 14. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts. — Haggai 2: 8. Then he answered and spake unto "me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Laying the Corner Stone. spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain ? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain : and he shall bring forth the head stone with shoutings of Grace, grace, unto it. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house ; his hands shall also finish it ; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. For who hath despised the day of small things ? — Zechariah 4: 6-10. For we are God's fellow-workers : ye are God's husbandry, God's building. According to the grace of God which was given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder I laid a foundation ; and another buildeth thereon. But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon. For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble ; each man's work shall be made manifest : for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire ; and the fire itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work shall abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss : but he himself shall be saved ; yet so as through fire. Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, The Pastor's Manual. and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you ? If any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall God destroy ; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Let no man deceive himself. If any man thinketh that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He that taketh the wise in their craftiness : and again, The Lord knoweth the reasonings of the wise, that they are vain. Wherefore let no one glory in men. For all things are yours ; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come ; all are yours ; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. — 100^3:9-23. So then ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone ; in whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord ; in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit. — Ephesians 2 : 19-22. Prayer. Address. Laying the Corner Stone. A list of the contents of the box which is to be deposited in the corner stone is here read, and the box put in its cavity. Then the minister with the mason's aid shall fit the stone to its place. He shall then strike the stone three times with the trowel, and shall say : — In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit we lay this corner stone in the foundation of a house to be erected and dedicated to the worship of the one only living and true God ; to the proclamation of His gos- pel, to the teaching of His Word, and to the ordinances of His Church. Amen. Hymn. Benediction. # DEDICATION OF A CHURCH-BUILDING. This is usually made part of a regular service with a sermon or addresses. We only suggest appropriate Scriptures, and an Act of Dedication which may be used at such time as may seem most appropriate. Scripture Lesson. The Words of King David. z C™° N - 28 : 9, 10 ; 29 : 1, This may all be read by the Minister, or the Congregation may read the alternate verses} Pastor. — And thou, my son, know thou the God of trry father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind. Congregation. — For the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary : be strong, and do it. Fear not, nor be dismayed : for the Lord God, even my God, is with thee. He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord be finished. And the work is great : for the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God. Blessed be thou, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the Copies of these Selections and Dedicatory Service can be procured of the Congregational Sunday-School and Publishing Society, at $1.00 per hundred. 1 In the leaflet the verses to be read by the people are in full-faced type. 10 Dedication of a Church-Building. power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty : For all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine ; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou rulest over all ; and in thine hand is power and might ; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort ? For all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as all our fathers were : our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no abiding. Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own. 1 know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things : and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee. ii The Pastor s Manual. Lord, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee. The Prayer of King Solomon. 2 Chron. 6 : 1, 18, 40, 41. The Lord hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. But I have built thee an house of habitation, and a place for thee to dwell in. But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth ? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee ; how much less this house which I have builded ! Now, O my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attent, unto the prayer that is made in this place. Now therefore arise, O Lord God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength : let thy priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness. The Promise of God. 2 Chron. 7: 12, 15, 16. 1 have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. . . . Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent, unto the prayer that is made in this place. For now have I chosen and hallowed this house, that my name may be there for ever : and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. 12 Dedication of a Church-Building. 2 Chron. 5 : 13, 14. The Praise of the People. It came even to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord ; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever : that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God. Other appropriate Scriptures are Psalm xlviii; Psalm lxxxiv; Psalm cxxii; Psalm cxxxii; Matt. 16: 13-19; Heb. 10 : 19-25. The Act of Dedication. Pastor, — To the glory of God, our Father, by whose favour we have built this house ; To the honour of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the living God, our Lord and Saviour ; To the praise of the Holy Spirit, source of life and light ; Congregation. — We dedicate this house. Pastor. — For worship in prayer and song ; For the ministry of the Word ; For the celebration of the holy sacraments ; Congregation. — We dedicate this house. Pastor. — For comfort to those who mourn, For strength to those who are tempted, For help in right living ; Congregation. — We dedicate this house. 13 The Pastor' s Manual. Pastor. — For the sanctification of the family, For the guidance of childhood, For the salvation of men ; Congregation. — We dedicate this house. Pastor. — For the fostering of patriotism, For the training of conscience, For aggression against evil ; Congregation. — We dedicate this house. Pastor. — For the help of the needy, For the promotion of brotherhood, For bringing in the Kingdom of God ; Congregation. — We dedicate this house. Pastor. — As a tribute of gratitude and love, a freewill offering of thanksgiving and praise, from those who have tasted the cup of thy sal- vation, and experienced the riches of thy grace ; Co7tgregation. — We, the people of this church and congregation, now consecrating ourselves anew, dedicate this entire building in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Choir and Congregation. — 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. Appropriate Hymns. — " Oh, where are kings and empires now?" " Great is the Lord our God." "Arise, King of grace, arise." "() Thou, whose own vast temple stands." "Christ is made the sure foundation. " 14 II. ADMISSION TO THE CHURCH FORM SUGGESTED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL. FORM SUGGESTED BY COMMISSION IN 1894. WATCHWORDS FOR NEW MEMBERS. 15 ADMISSION TO THE CHURCH Each Congregational church adopts its own rules for the reception of members to its fellowship. The form here given is that which was prepared by the commission appointed for that purpose by the National Council held at St . Louis, Missouri, November, 1880, and presented for the consideration of the churches December, 1883. The candidates for admission to the church on confession of their faith, either as they are named one by one or as they are invited together or as the following Scriptures are read, come for- ward and take their places before the communion table ; — What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me ? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord, yea, in the presence of all his people. — Ps. 116: 12-14. Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess 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. — Matt. 10 : 32, ^- For with the heart man believeth unto right- eousness ; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. — Rom. 10 : 10. The address which follows, with the Confession of Faith which it includes, is then read. 17 The Pastor's Manual. Confession of Faith. Dearly beloved, called of God to be his children through Jesus Christ our Lord, you are here that, in the presence of God and his people, you may enter into the fellowship and communion of his Church. You do truly re- pent of your sins ; you heartily receive Jesus Christ as your crucified Saviour and risen Lord ; you consecrate yourselves unto God and your life to his service ; you accept his Word as your law, and his Spirit as your Comforter and Guide ; and, trusting in his grace to confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, you promise to do God's holy will, and to walk with this church in the truth and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accepting, according to the measure of your understanding of it, the system of Christian truth held by the churches of our faith and order, and by this church into whose fellowship you now enter, you join with ancient saints, with the Church throughout the world, and with us your fellow-believers, in humbly and heartily confessing your faith in the gospel, saying, — The members of the church and the candidates all rise and repeat together : — The Apostles' Creed. I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus iS Admission to the Church. Christ, his only Son, our Lord ; who was con- ceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary ; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was cru- cified, dead and buried ; the third day he rose from the dead ; he ascended into heaven ; and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost ; the Holy catholic Church ; the com- munion of saints ; the forgiveness of sins ; the resurrection of the body ; and the life ever- lasting. Amen. Baptism. Then should baptism be administered to those who have not been baptized. Then should those rise who would unite with the Church by letter. To them the minister should say : — Confessing the Lord whom we unitedly wor- ship, you do now renew your self-consecration, and join with us cordially in this, our Christian faith and covenant. The Welcome of the Church. The members of the Church present should rise, without notification. We [the members of this church] welcome you into our fellowship. We promise to watch over you with Christian love. God grant that, loving and being loved, serving and being served, blessing and being blessed, we may be prepared, while we dwell together on earth, 19 The Pastor s Manual. for the perfect communion of the saints in heaven. Benediction. Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of the eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus, make you perfect in every good thing to do his will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ ; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. — Heb. 13 : 20, 21. Or this : — Now unto him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and power, before all time, and now, and for evermore. Amen. — Jude 24, 25. 20 THE NEW FORM OF ADMISSION. At the National Council in Worcester in 1 889 a committee was appointed to prepare a new order of service for the recep- tion of members into the church, to take the place, in so far as it commends itself to the churches, of the covenant issued by the Creed Commission of 1883. This committee, representing various shades of opinion, was able to bring to the Minneapolis meeting of the council only a report of progress, but in February, 1894, it unanimously submitted to the churches the following forms. Those who are to be received being arranged in convenient order for the service, with such announcement and introduction as may be customary, the minister witl say : — Dearly beloved, called of God to be his chil- dren through Jesus Christ, we give hearty thanks to God, who, by his Spirit, has opened your eyes to see, and your hearts to receive Jesus as Lord, and who has inclined you to present yourselves at this time to make con- fession of him. With us and with the church throughout the world you confess the common faith, saying (the congregation joining), — (For the Apostles' Creed, see page 18.) Thus confessing with us and with all saints your Christian faith, before the Lord Jesus, and in the presence of his people, you devote your- selves to the love, obedience, and service of 21 The Pastor s Manual. Jesus Christ ; to walk in all his ways now known, or hereafter to be made known to you, whatever it may cost you, according to your best endeavor, the Lord assisting you. Response, I do. Then should baptism be administered to those who have not been baptized. \_ff desired, it may be prefaced by the following forms : — I. The minister, addressing those baptized in childhood, may say : You who are children of the covenant do accept for your- selves the seal of baptism into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, to which faith and love brought you in childhood. Response, I do. The minister, laying his hand upon the head of each of those baptized in childhood, may say : — By thine own choice and upon confession of thine own faith, N , thou art set apart to the service and glory of the same Lord to whom thou wast consecrated in the baptism of child- hood. Amen. II. Addressing those who are to be baptized, the minister may say : You who now enter into the everlasting covenant of grace do humbly yield yourselves to baptism, as the token of the new life wrought in you by the Holy Spirit, and as the sign of your pur- pose to be forever the Lord's. Response, I do. ill. As the minister goes to the font he may say y or the choir may chant, "And Jesus came and said unto them," etc. Matt. 28: 18, /?.] The baptism shall be with these words : — I baptize thee, N , into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 22 The New Form of Admission. [Here, and wherever in this service Amen is used, it may, if desired, be said by the congregation.] Then should those who have letters from other churches come forward, as by previous arrangement, or rise. [ The minister may greet these, saying, — Beloved in the Lord, we bid you welcome who come to renew the vows before made when elsewhere you declared your faith in Christ. We greet you as kinsmen in him, as fellow-laborers in his service and fellow-travelers to his promised rest.] The minister, addressing all who are to enter into fellowship with the church, will say : — Beloved in the Lord, you have all been bap- tized into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, have confessed the faith of Christ before witnesses and have given yourselves to God in an everlasting covenant of grace. You do now cordially unite yourselves with this church of Christ ; to share with us in its worship and work ; to walk with us in love and faithfulness, so long as your relation to us shall continue. [Here may be added such specific pledges as any church may desire.] Response, I do. The members of the church will rise and the minister will say [either alone or leading the church, as may be desired] : We, then, the members of this church, receive you into our communion and welcome you with joy to our fellowship. We promise to pray for you, to watch over you and help you so long as you shall continue with us. God grant, that loving and being 23 The Pastor s Manual. loved, serving and being served, blessing and being blessed, we may be prepared while we dwell together on earth for the perfect fellow- ship of the saints above. Amen. [Here the minister may give to each the hand of fellowship, with so?ne appropriate passage of Scripture, in this or like manner : — In token of our welcome receive the hand of fellowship, and remember the word of Scripture which saith, " Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."~\ And the service shall be ended with one of these benedictions [except that where it is the usage there may be swig by the church, still standing, after the benedictio7i, the ancient doxology : "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."] : "The Lord bless you, and keep you: the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you : the Lord lift up his counte- nance upon you, and give you peace." Amen. For other forms of Benediction, see page 20. Note. — The portions in brackets are intended to be omitted, either for the sake of brevity or of greater simplicity. WATCHWORDS FOR THOSE MAKING CONFESSION OF CHRIST. After the welcome extended by the church and before the benediction, it is customary in many churches for the pastor to give his right hand to each of those thus received on confes- sion, and to repeat to each a sentence from the Holy Scriptures which shall be an appropriate watchword for their Christian lives. This should also be given to each written on a card or in some other form. As a preface the minister should use words like the following : In token of this our hearty welcome, I give you this right hand of fellowship : — Words of Jesus. Blessed are the poor in spirit : for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. — Matt. 5 : 3. Blessed are they that mourn : for they shall be comforted. — Matt. 5 : 4. Blessed are the meek : for they shall inherit the earth. — Matt. 5: 5. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. — Matt. 5:6. Blessed are the merciful : for they shall ob- tain mercy. — Matt. 5 : 7. Blessed are the pure in heart : for they shall see God. — Matt. 5 : 8. 2 5 The Pastor" s Manual. Blessed are the peacemakers : for they shall be called sons of God. — Matt. 5 : 9. Even so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. — Matt. 5 : 16. Where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also. — Matt. 6 : 21. Seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteous- ness ; and all these things shall be added unto you. — Matt. 6 : 33. Ask, and it shall be given you. — Matt. 7: 7. Son, be of good cheer ; thy sins are forgiven. Matt. 9 : 2. Follow me. — Matt. 9 : 9. Daughter, be of good cheer ; thy faith hath made thee whole. — Matt. 9 : 22. According to your faith be it done unto you. Matt. 9 : 29. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. — Matt, ii • 28. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart : and ye shall find rest unto your souls. — Matt, u : 29. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matt, i i : 30. Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father which is in heaven. — Matt. 10:32. 26 Admission to the Church, It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. — Matt, io : 25. Fear not therefore ; ye are of more value than many sparrows. — Matt. 10: 31. He that doth not take his cross and follow me, is not worthy of me. — Matt. 10: 38. He that findeth his life shall lose it ; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Matt. 10 : 39. Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother. — Matt. 12: 50. He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. — Matt. 24: 13. Take ye heed, watch and pray. — Mark 13:33. But one thing is needful. — Luke 10:42. For Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her. — Luke 10:42. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. — Luke 12: 34. Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning. — Luke 12: 35. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching. — Luke 12:37. 27 The Pastor 's Manual. To-day is salvation come to this house. Luke 19: 9. In your patience ye shall win your souls. Luke 21 : 19. As many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name. — John i : 12. Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. — John 2:5. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to accomplish his work. — John 4:34. I am the bread of life : he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. — John 6: 35. I am the light of the world : he that follow- eth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life. — John 8: 12. If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples ; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. — John 8: 31, 32. If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. — John 8: 36. If a man keep my word, he shall never see death. — John 8:51. We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day : the night cometh, when no man can work. — John 9 : 4. 28 Admission to the Church. The sheep hear his voice : and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. — John io: 3. I am the good shepherd ; and I know mine own, and mine own know me. — John 10: 14. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me : and I give unto them eternal life ; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. — John 10 : 27, 28. If any man serve me, let him follow me ; and where I am, there shall also my servant be. — John 12: 26. If any man serve me, him will the Father honour. — John 12: 26. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself. — John 12: 32. While ye have the light, believe on the light, that ye may become sons of light. — John 12 136. He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. — John 12:44. I am come a light into the world, that who- soever believeth on me may not abide in the darkness. — John 12 : 46. Ye call me, Master, and, Lord : and ye say well ; for so I am. — John 13: 13. For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you. — John 13: 15. 29 The Pastor's Manual, If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them. — John 13; 17. A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another ; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. — John 13: 34. Let not your heart be troubled : ye believe in God, believe also in me. — John 14: 1. I am the way, and the truth, and the life : no one cometh unto the Father, but by me. — John 14: 6. He that hath seen me hath seen the Father. John 14 : 9. Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. — John 14: 13. If ye love me, ye will keep my command- ments. — John 14: 15. I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth. — John 14: 16, 17. He that hath my commandments, and keep- eth them, he it is that loveth me. — John 14: 21. If a man love me, he will keep my word : and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. — John 14: 23. The Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you. — John 14: 26. 30 Admission to the Church. My peace I give unto you : not as the world giveth, give I unto you. — John i 4 : 27. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful. — John 14: 27. Every branch that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit. — John 15: 2. Abide in me, and I in you. — John 15 : 4. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine ; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me. — John 15:4. Apart from me ye can do nothing. — John I5-5- If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you. — John 15 : 7. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit ; and so shall ye be my disciples. — John 15:8. Even as the Father hath loved me, I also have loved you : abide ye in my love. — John 15:9. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love ; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. — John 15: 10. This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you. — John 15: 12. 31 The Pastor's Manual, Ye are my friends, if ye do the things which I command you. — John 15: 14. No longer do I call you servants ; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth : but I have called you friends ; for all things that I heard from my Father I have made known unto you. — John 15: 15. Ye did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide. — John 15 : 16. Remember the word that I said unto you, A servant is not greater than his lord. —John 15 : 20. When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth. — John 16: 13. I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one taketh away from you. — John 16: 22. The Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came forth from the Father. — John 16: 27. In the world ye have tribulation : but be of good cheer ; I have overcome the world. — John 16:33. Words of Paul. Being therefore justified by faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. 5:1. Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be 32 Admission to the Church. dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. — Rom. 6: ii. Present yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. — Rom. 6: 13. There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. — Rom. 8: 1. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. — Rom. 8: 14. For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. — Rom. 8: 15. We know that to them that love God all things work together for good. — Rom. 8 : 28. In love of the brethren be tenderly affec- tioned one to another ; in honour preferring one another ; in diligence not slothful ; fervent in spirit ; serving the Lord ; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation ; continuing stedfastly in prayer. — Rom. 12: 10, 11, 12. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. — Rom. 12 : 21. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. — Rom. 13:14. 33 The Pastor's Manual. For none of us liveth to himself, and none dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord ; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord. — Rom. 14 : 7, 8. Let us follow after things which make for peace, and things whereby we may edify one another. — Rom. 14: 19. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Ghost. — Rom. I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple unto that which is evil. — Rom. 16: 19. God is faithful, through whom ye were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. — 1 Cor. i : 9. That your faith should not stand in the wis- dom of men, but in the power of God. — 1 Cor. 2:5. Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. — 1 Cor. 3:11. Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you ? — 1 Cor. 3: 16. For all things are yours : . . . and ye are Christ's ; and Christ is God's. — 1 Cor. 3: 21, 23. 34 Admission to the Church. Ye are not your own ; for ye were bought with a price. — i Cor. 6: 19, 20. Let each man, wherein he was called, therein abide with God. — 1 Cor. 7 : 24. Even so run, that ye may attain. — 1 Cor. 9: 24. By the grace of God I am what I am. — 1 Cor. 15: 10. Be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abound- ing in the work of the Lord. — 1 Cor. 15: 58. We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen : for the things which are seen are temporal ; but the things which are not seen are eternal. — 2 Cor. 4: 18. We walk by faith, not by sight. — 2 Cor. 5 : 7. For the love of Christ constraineth us. — 2 Cor. 5 : 14. Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. — 2 Cor. 7: 1. My grace is sufficient for thee : for my power is made perfect in weakness. — 2 Cor. 12: 9. When I am weak, then am I strong. — 2 Cor. 12: 10. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, 35 The Pastor 's Manual. longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, temperance. — Gal. 5 : 22. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. — Gal. 6:2. And let us not be weary in well-doing : for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. — Gal. 6 : 9. For by grace have ye been saved through faith. — Eph. 2 : 8. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. — Eph. 2: 10. Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children. — Eph. 5:1. Walk as children of light . . . proving what is well-pleasing unto the Lord. — Eph. 5 : 8-10. Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise ; redeeming the time, because the days are evil. — Eph. 5:15, 16. As servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. — Eph. 6 : 6. Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. — Eph. 6 : 10. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Eph. 6: 11. Wherefore take up the whole armour of God, 36 Admission to the Church. that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. — eph. 6: 13. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all dis- cernment. — Phil, i : 9. So that ye may approve the things that are excellent. — Phil, i .- 10. That ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ. — Phil, i : 10. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. — Phil, i : u. For to me to live is Christ. — Phil, i : 21. Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ. — Phil, i : 27. Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. — Phil. 2: 5. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling ; for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. Phil. 2: 12, 13. Rejoice in the Lord. — Phil. 3: 1. Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. — Phil. 3:8. I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me. — Phil. 4: 13. 37 The Pastor y s Manual. And my God shall fulfill every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Phil. 4: 19. As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and builded up in him, and stablished in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. — Col. 2 : 6, 7. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. — Col. 3 : 2. For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. — Col. 3 : 3. Christ is all, and in all. — Col. 3: ii. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. — Col. 3 : 16. Whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. — Col. 3:17. Ye serve the Lord Christ. — Col. 3: 24. Continue stedfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving. — Col. 4:2. Walk in wisdom toward them that are with- out, redeeming the time. — Col. 4: 5. Let your speech be always with grace. — Col. 4 : 6. 38 Admission to the Church. Walk worthily of God, who calleth you into his own kingdom and glory. — i Thess. 2: 12. Rejoice alway. — 1 Thess. 5 : 16. Pray without ceasing. — 1 Thess. 5:17. In everything give thanks. — 1 Thess. 5: 18. Quench not the Spirit. — 1 Thess. 5 : 19. Prove all things. — 1 Thess. 5 : 21. Hold fast that which is good. — 1 Thess. 5 : 21. Abstain from every form of evil. — 1 Thess. 5 • 22 - The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ. — 2 Thess. 3:5- Be not weary in well-doing. — 2 Thess. 3: 13. Let no man despise thy youth ; but be thou an ensample to them that believe, in word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity. — 1 Tim. 4: 12. Be diligent in these things ; give thyself wholly to them, that thy progress may be mani- fest unto all. — 1 Tim. 4: 15. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on the life eternal, whereunto thou wast called, and didst confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses. — 1 Tim. 6: 12. Thou therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. — 2 Tim. 2: 1. The Pastor's Manual. Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God. — 2 Tim. 2 : 15. Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no man fall after the same exam- ple of disobedience. — Heb.4:h. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not ; for he is faithful that promised. — Heb. 10: 23. Looking unto Jesus. — Heb. 12 : 2. Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. — 2 Pet. 3: 18. .Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life. — Rev. 2: 10. General Words for the Beginning or Close of this Service. Wherefore, my brethren beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my beloved. — Phil. 4:1. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Are not even ye, before our Lord Jesus at his coming ? For ye are our glory and our joy. — 1 Thess. 2 : 19, 20. 40 Admission to the Church. Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way unto you : and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we also do toward you ; to the end he may stablish your hearts unblamable in holi- ness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. — i Thess. 3:11-13- Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father which loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and stablish them in every good work and word. — 2 Thess. 2: 16, 17. 41 III. BAPTISM. HOUSEHOLD AND ADULT. 43 ORDER FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HOUSEHOLD BAPTISM. This service should when possible be held in the church in connection with the Sunday morning service. It should occur as early in the service as may be, that the children may not be wearied by waiting. When it is possible the choir often sing a baptismal chant while the parents bring their children to the font, the father usually carrying or leading the child to be bap- tized; the chant is resumed also while they are withdrawing. Or, the minister may repeat appropriate Scripture from the verses printed here. It is profitable also to repeat a verse dur- ing the brief delay between each separate baptism. A brief address to the parents may be made before the baptism in sub- stance like that here given. Scripture Selections. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children ; and said, Who are these with thee ? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant. Gen. 33 : 5. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. Gen. 17:7. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thine heart : and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine 45 The Pastor' s Manual. house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Deut. 6 : 6, 7. The secret things belong unto the Lord our God : but the things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. — Deut. 29:29. Like as a father pitieth his children, So the Lord pitieth them that fear him. — Ps. 103: 13. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, And his righteousness unto children's chil- dren ; To such as keep "his covenant, And to those that remember his precepts to do them. — p s . 103 : 17, 18. Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it. — Prov. 22 : 6. I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring. — Is. 44: 3. Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. — Matt. 18:3. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. — Matt. iS:4. 46 Baptism. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. — Matt. 18: 5. See that ye despise not one of these little ones ; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. — Matt. 18: 10. It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. — Matt. 18: 14. But Jesus said, Suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me : for of such is the kingdom of heaven. — Matt. 19: 14. And Jesus saith unto them, Yea : did ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and suck- lings thou hast perfected praise ? — Matt. 21 .- 16. For to you is the promise, and to your chil- dren, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him. — Acts 2 : 39. Address to Parents. Dearly beloved: You bring your dear [chil- dren] to God, in the faith of that ancient and everlasting covenant, in which he promises to be the God of his people and of their seed after them ; and in the belief that, because ye are Christ's, therefore ye are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. [These chil- dren] belong to the family of God, and you 47 The Pastor' s Manual, now recognize [their] birthright. You promise to bring [them] up in the nurture and admoni- tion of the Lord, with the desire and expecta- tion that, by his covenant-keeping mercy, [they] will grow up in his fear, and will early sanction this your consecration of [them], by voluntarily consecrating [themselves] to Christ and by fully identifying [themselves] with his visible church. And with this object chief above all others in your prayers and efforts for your [children], you will seek, both by example and precept, to fit [them] for the service of God on earth and for the Father's house in heaven. Is this your purpose and intent ? Baptism will then be administered. The Baptismal Formula. // is better to use only the first or so-called Christian name here t as this only has significance. , I baptize thee, into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. After prayer the parents will retire with their children. Baptism is usually administered to adults in connection with their reception into the church, in which case they arc simply called by their first or Christian names with the formula of baptism. A Certificate of Baptism is published by the Congregational Sunday-School and Publishing Society at 5 cents each. 48 IV. THE LORD'S SUPPER A SCRIPTURAL AND UNLITURGICAL FORM. 49 THE CELEBRATION OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. The following is the customary order where the communion is observed as a separate service. Where it follows the morning service this is usually abbreviated. Hymn. Scripture. Address. Reception of Members. [See page 21.] Hymn. The Lord's Supper. The Invitation of the Church. This is varied in its form : sometimes it is fixed by vote of the church, though often it is left to the discretion of the minis- ter. A form of increasing use is this : — We cordially invite to share with us in this commemoration of his death, all who love our Lord Jesus Christ and confess him before men. The bread being uncovered and already partly cut is broken by the minister, after which he leads in — The Prayer of Blessing. The Distribution of the Bread. After these words of the Apostle Paul : — For I have received of the Lord that which 51 The Pastor ' s Manual. 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. — i Cor. i i : 23, 24. The cups are then filled from the flagons with the fruit of the vine, and the minister leads in — The Prayer of Thanksgiving. The Administration of the Cup. After these words, the minister taking a cup in his right hand : — After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament 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 shew the Lord's death till he come. 1 Cor. i 1 : 25, 26. The minister then gives the cups into the hands of the dea- cons, one of which is first passed back to him that he may par- take, and then they are passed to all who desire or are entitled to com??iune. As the deacons return, the minister rises and taking the cups from their hands places them upon the table, and then after they are seated serves each of them in turn. [Note. — It was formerly the general custom on the return of the deacons with the bread and then with the cup for them to stand facing the congregation, while the minister said: "If any persons desiring to commune have been passed by in the distribution of the bread (or the cup), they may manifest it by rising." It is so seldom that this omission occurs or that any response is made to this invitation that it has properly fallen 52 The Lord's Supper, into disuse. Tt is sufficient for the minister to look over the congregation for a moment at these times, when his attention may be called to such a case by an uplifted hand without dis- turbing the thoughts of the congregation or attracting embar- rassing attention.] An Offering for the Lord's Poor. Hymn of Praise. Benediction. Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of the eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus, make you perfect in every good thing to do his will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ ; to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. — Heb. 13 : 20, 21. 53 V. THE OFFERTORY. SCRIPTURE SENTENCES. 55 THE OFFERTORY. Where offerings are to be received for missionary objects or for the maintenance of the local church, this act should be regarded as part of the worship of God. It is proper for the minister to repeat one or more of the following or other appro- priate verses of Scripture before the offerings are received and at intervals during their collection; and either to ask God's blessing upon the givers and the giving before the collection is made, or at the close to receive the offerings from those who collect them, and holding them in his hands to consecrate them to the Lord and to his service in a brief prayer. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord, and his good deed will he pay him again. — Prov. 19: 17. Blessed is he that considereth the poor : the Lord will deliver him in the day of evil. — Psalm 41 : i. So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. — Matt. 5: 16. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth consume, and where thieves break through and steal : but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. — Matt. 6:19, 20. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, 57 The Pastor's Manual. Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. — Matt. 7:21. Give, and it shall be given unto you ; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, run- ning over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again. — Luke 6 : 38. Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor ; and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of any man, I restore fourfold. — Luke 19:8. What soldier ever serveth at his own charges ? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof ? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? — 1 Cor. 9 : 7. If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things ? — 1 Cor. 9:11. Know ye not that they which minister about sacred things eat of the things of the temple, and they which wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar ? Even so did the Lord ordain that they which proclaim the gospel should live of the gospel. — 1 Cor. 9:13, 14. He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly ; and he that soweth bountifully shall 58 The Offertory. reap also bountifully. Let each man do accord- ing as he hath purposed in his heart; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. — 2 Cor. 9 : 6, 7. Let him that is taught in the word com- 1 municate unto him that teacheth in all good things. Be not deceived ; God is not mocked : for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. — Gal. 6 : 6, 7. So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and es- pecially toward them that are of the household of the faith. — Gal. 6: 10. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love which ye shewed toward his name, in that ye ministered unto the saints, and still do minister. — Heb. 6: 10. To do good and to communicate forget not : for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. — Heb. 13: 16. Godliness with contentment is great gain : for we brought nothing into the world, for neither can we carry anything out. — 1 Tim. 6:6,7. Charge them that are rich in this present world, that they be not highminded, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy ; that they do good, that they be rich in 59 The Pastor's Manual. good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate ; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on the life which is life indeed. — i Tim. 6: 17, 18, 19. Whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his com- passion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him ? — 1 John 3: 17. 60 VI. MARRIAGE SERVICES. THE ANCIENT FORM. SIMPLER SERVICE. 61 FORMS FOR THE SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY. [Note. — The laws respecting matrimony, whether by publish- ing the banns in churches or by license, being different in the several States, every minister is left to the direction of those laws in everything that regards the civil contract between the parties.] I. THE ANCIENT FORM. Amended, and mainly as used by the Reformed Episcopal Church. At the day and time appointed for solemnization of matrimony ', the persons to be married shall come into the body of the churchy or shall be ready in some proper house, with their friends and neighbors ; and there standing together, the man on the right hand, and the wo?nan on his left, the minister shall say : — Dearly beloved, we . are gathered together here in the sight of God and in the face of this company to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony ; which is com- mended of St. Paul to be honorable among all men ; and therefore is not by any to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly ; but reverently, dis- creetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God. Into this holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined. If any man can show just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter for ever hold his peace. 63 The Pastor's Manual. Then speaking unto the persons who are to be married, he. shall say : — I require and charge you both (as ye will answer at the day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed), that if either of you know any impediment, why ye may not be lawfully joined together in matrimony, ye do now con- fess it. For be ye well assured, that if any persons are joined together otherwise than as God's Word doth allow, their marriage is not lawful. If no impediment be alleged, then shall the minister say to the man, addressing him by his Christian name : — , wilt thou have this woman to thy wed- ded wife, to live together after God's ordinance, in the holy estate of matrimony ? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her, in sickness and in health ; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live ? Answer. I will. Then shall the minister say unto the woman, addressing her by her Christian name : — , wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance, in the holy estate of matrimony ? Wilt thou love him, comfort him, honor, and keep him, in sickness and in health ; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live ? 64 Marriage Services. Answer. I wilt. Then shall the minister say : — Who giveth this woman to be married to this man ? Then shall they give their troth to each other in this manner : The minister, receiving the woman at her father 's or friend's hands, shall cause the man zvith his right hand to take the woman by her right hand, and to say after him : — I, , take thee, , to my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sick- ness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordi- nance ; and thereto I plight thee my troth. Then shall they loose their hands ; and the woman with her right hand taking the man by his right hand, shall likewise say after the minister : — I, , take thee, , to my wedded hus- band, to have and to hold, from this day for- ward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance ; and thereto I give thee my troth. Then shall the man place upon the fourth finger of the zuoman's left hand a ring, and Jwlding it there, repeat after the 7ninister : — With this ring I thee wed — in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 65 The Pastor 's Manual. Then shall the minister lead in prayer, as follows : -— 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 tres- passes, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever. Amen. O eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, Giver of all spiritual grace, the Author of everlasting life, send thy blessing upon these thy servants, this man and this woman, whom we bless in thy name ; that they may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant be- twixt them made (whereof this ring given and received is a token and pledge), and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Then shall the minister join their right hands together, and say : — Those whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. Then shall the minister say : — Forasmuch as and have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth, 66 Marriage Services. each to the other, and have declared the same (by giving and receiving a ring, and) by joining hands, I pronounce that they are husband and wife ; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Then the minister shall add this blessing : — God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, bless, preserve, and keep you ; The Lord mercifully with his favor look upon you, and fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace ; that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. Amen. II. A SIMPLER FORM. With briefer responses. The minister shall thus address the assembled company : — Dearly beloved: we are gathered together here in the presence of God and of these wit- nesses, to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. If any person can show just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace. He may then use the following prayer of Invocation : — We own thy presence, Lord, and ask thy blessing upon all our ways. Father in heaven, who didst ordain this rite of marriage ; Thou, Saviour, who didst honor it with the sanction of 67 The Pastor *s Manual. thy presence when on earth, and Thou, O Holy Spirit, who in the sacred Word hast declared it honorable among all men — help us with rever- ence and soberness and in the fear of God to solemnize it now. And may grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, be with you all. Amen. To the persons about to be married the minister shall say : — Join your right hands. To the man : — You, , take to be your lawful and wedded wife ; and you solemnly promise before God and these witnesses that you will love, honor, and cherish her, and in every regard prescribed by the Word of God and your own conscience that you will be to her a loving and faithful husband, till death do you part ? Anszver. I do. To the woman : — You, , take to be your lawful and wedded husband ; and you solemnly promise before God and these witnesses that you will love, honor, and cherish him, and in every regard prescribed by the Word of God and your own conscience that you will be to him a loving and faithful wife, till death do you part ? Anszver. I do. 68 Marriage Services. If a ring be used, the minister shall say to the man, at the same time receiving the ring from his hand : — l What token dost thou give of thy sincerity ? Then he shall say to the woman, at the same time giving the ring to her : — Dost thou, in evidence of thine, accept this ring ? The man shall then place the ring on the fourth finger of her left hand. Then shall the minister say : — Forasmuch then as you, and — — , have thus engaged and promised, I do, according to the ordinance of God and the laws of this Com- monwealth, pronounce you husband and wife, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Whom therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. The minister may then repeat the Lord's Prayer. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [ ! Or, while the ring is put upon her finger, the minister may say : In token of your vows thus mutually plighted you, — ■ — , give, and you, , receive this ring.] 69 The Pastor 's Manual. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever. Amen. A brief extempore prayer shall follow, and the service shall conclude with a benediction* TO VII. SCRIPTURE SELECTIONS FOR THE SICK ROOM. WORDS OF COMFORT. FOR THOSE RECOVERING. FOR THOSE OUT OF CHRIST. FOR THE DYING. 7* BRIEF SELECTIONS OF SCRIPTURE FOR THE SICK ROOM. I. WORDS OF COMFORT. Blessed is he that considereth the poor : The Lord will deliver him in the day of evil. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the earth ; And deliver not thou him unto the will of his enemies. The Lord will support him upon the couch of languishing : Thou makest all his bed in his sickness. — Psalm 41 : 1-3. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Al- mighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress ; My God, in whom I trust. For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, And from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his pinions, And under his wings shalt thou take refuge: His truth is a shield and a buckler. — Psalm 91 : 1-4. 73 The Pastor s Manual. Hast thou not known ? hast thou not heard ? the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary; there is no searching of his understand- ing. He giveth power to the faint ; and to him that hath no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength ; they shall mount up with wings as eagles ; they shall run, and not be weary ; they shall walk, and not faint. — Isaiah 40: 28-31. But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel : Fear not, for I have redeemed thee ; I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee : when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned ; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy saviour. — Isaiah 43 : 1-3. For a small moment have I forsaken thee ; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In overflowing wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment ; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy re- deemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto 74 For the Sick Room. me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kind- ness shall not depart from thee, neither shall my covenant of peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. — Isaiah 54:7-10. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them : in his love and in his pity he redeemed them ; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. Isaiah 63 : 9. Let not your heart be troubled : ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions ; if it were not so, I would have told you ; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself ; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14: 1-3. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask me anything in my name, that will I do. If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth : whom the world cannot receive ; for 75 The Pastor s Manual. it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him : ye know him ; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you desolate: I come unto you. — John 14:13-18. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you : not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful. — John 14: 27. These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation : but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. — John 16:33. Being therefore justified by faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand ; and let us rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but let us also rejoice in our tribu- lations : knowing that tribulation worketh pa- tience ; and patience, probation ; and probation, hope : and hope putteth not to shame ; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Ghost which was given unto US. — Romans 5 : 1-5. For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God : and if children, 76 For the Sick Room. then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him. For I reckon that the sufferings of this pres- ent time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward. — Romans 8: 15-18. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness," or peril, or sword? Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long ; We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. — Romans 8 : 35-37. For all things are for your sakes, that the grace being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound unto the glory of God. Wherefore we faint not ; but though our out- ward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen : for the things which are seen are temporal ; but the things which are not seen are eternal. — 2 Corinthians 4: 15-18. 77 The Pastor s Manual. Wherefore, that 1 should not be exalted over- much, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch. Concerning this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee : for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly there- fore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the strength of Christ may rest upon me. Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in dis- tresses, for Christ's sake : for when I am weak, then am I strong. — 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10. Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities ; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need. — Hebrews 4: 14-16. My son, regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord, Nor faint when thou art reproved of him ; For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, And scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 78 For the Sick Room. It is for chastening that ye endure ; God deal- eth with you as with sons ; for what son is there whom his father chasteneth not ? . . . All chas- tening seemeth for the present to be not joyous, but grievous : yet afterward it yieldeth peaceable fruit unto them that have been exer- cised thereby, even the fruit of righteousness. Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the palsied knees ; and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed. — Hebrews 12: 5-13. II. FOR THOSE RECOVERING. I will extol thee, O Lord ; for thou hast raised me up, And hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. Lord my God, 1 cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul frorr Sheol : Thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing praise unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, And give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment ; In his favour is life : 79 The Pastor s Manual. Weeping may tarry for the night, But joy cometh in the morning. As for me, I said in my prosperity, I shall never be moved. Thou, Lord, of thy favour hadst made my mountain to stand strong: Thou didst hide thy face ; I was troubled. I cried to thee, O Lord ; And unto the Lord I made supplication : What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit ? Shall the dust praise thee ? shall it declare thy truth ? Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me : Lord, be thou my helper. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing ; Thou hast loosed my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness : To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. — Psalm 30: 1-12. 1 will bless the Lord at all times : His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord : The meek shall hear thereof, and be glad. magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt his name together. 1 sought the Lord, and he answered me, So For the Sick Room. And delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him, and were lightened : And their faces shall never be confounded. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, And delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord is good : Blessed is the man that trusteth in him. fear the Lord, ye his saints : For there is no want to them that fear him. . . . The righteous cried, and the Lord heard, And delivered them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, And saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous : But the Lord delivereth him out of them all. Psalm 34: 1-9, 17-19. 1 love the Lord, because he hath heard My voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, Therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. The cords of death compassed me, And the pains of Sheol gat hold upon me : I found trouble and sorrow. 81 The Pastor s Manual. Then called I upon the name of the Lord; Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. Gracious is the Lord, and righteous ; Yea, our God is merciful. The Lord preserveth the simple : 1 was brought low, and he saved me. Return unto thy rest, O my soul ; For the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, Mine eyes from tears, And my feet from falling. I will walk before the Lord In the land of the living. . . . What shall I render unto the Lord For all his benefits toward me ? I will take the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord, Yea, in the presence of all his people. Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of his saints. Lord, truly I am thy servant : 1 am thy servant, the son of thine hand- maid ; Thou hast loosed my bonds. I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanks- giving, And will call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord, 82 For the Sick Room, Yea, in the presence of all his people ; In the courts of the Lord's house, In the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord. — Psalm 116: 1-19. Behold, it was for my peace that I had great bitterness : But thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption ; For thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. For the grave cannot praise thee, death can- not celebrate thee : They that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day : The father to the children shall make known thy truth. The Lord is ready to save me : Therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments All the days of our life in the house of the Lord. — Isaiah 38 : 1 7-20. [He] saith unto him, Go to thy house unto thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and how he had mercy on thee. — Mark 5 : 19. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living 83 The Pastor ' s Manual. sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not fashioned ac- cording to this world : but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. — Romans 12: 1, 2. III. FOR THOSE OUT OF CHRIST. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness : According to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions : And my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, And done that which is evil in thy sight : That thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, And be clear when thou judgest. . . . Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean : Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness ; That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God ; 84 For the Sick Room. And renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence ; And take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation: And uphold me with a free spirit. — Psalm 51: 1-12. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord : though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. — Isaiah 1 : 18. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near : let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts : and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him ; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. — Isaiah 55 : 6, 7. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart : and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. — Matthew ii : 28-30. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world ; but that the world should be saved through him. — John 3: 16, 17. *5 The Pastor 's Manual. For while we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die : for peradventure for the good man some one would even dare to die. But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. — Romans 5:6-8. Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all ac- ceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. — 1 Timothy 1:15. Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. — Hebrews 7: 25. As many as I love, I reprove and chasten : be zealous therefore, and repent. 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. — Revelation 3: 19, 20. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come : he that will let him take the water of life freely. — Revelation 22: 17. IV. FOR THE DYING. I have set the Lord always before me : Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 86 For the Sick Room. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth : My flesh also shall dwell in safety. For thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol ; Neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to se corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life : In thy presence is fulness of joy ; In thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. — Psalm 16: 8-ii. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil ; for thou art with me : Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. — Psalm 23 : 4. My flesh and my heart faileth : But God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. — Psalm 73 : 26. The Lord is full of compassion and gracious, Slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide ; Neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, Nor rewarded us after our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, So great is his mercy toward them, that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 87 The Pastor s Manual. Like as a father pitieth his children, So the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame ; He remembereth that we are dust. — Psalm 103 : 8-14. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. — Matthew 25 : 34. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me : and I give unto them eternal life ; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. My Father, which hath given them unto me is greater than all ; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one. — John 10: 27-30. Father, that which thou hast given me, I will that, where I am, they also may be with me ; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me : for thou lovedst me before the foun- dation of the world. — John 17:24. What then shall we say to these things ? If God is for us, who is against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things ? Who shall lay any- thing to the charge of God's elect ? It is God that justifieth; who is he that shall condemn? 88 For the Sick Room, It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God. — Romans 8: 31-34. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. — Romans 8: 37-39. For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens. For verily in this we groan, long- ing to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven : if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For indeed we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened ; not for that we would be unclothed, but that we would be clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up of life. Now he that wrought us for this very thing is God, who gave unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord (for we walk by faith, not by sight) ; we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be 89 The Pastor *s Manual. absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him. — 2 Corinthians 5 : 1-9. Now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if to live in the flesh, — if this is the fruit of my work, then what I shall choose I wot not. But I am in a strait betwixt the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ ; for it is very far better. — Philippians i : 20-23. For our citizenship is in heaven ; from whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ : who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself. — Philippians 3 : 20, 21. For I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed unto him against that day. — 2 Timothy 1:12. For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure is come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith : henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, 90 For the Sick Room. the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day : and not only to me, but also to all them that have loved his appearing. — 2 Timothy 4 : 6-8. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God : and such we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him ; for we shall see him even as he is. — 1 John 3: 1, 2. And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God : and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes ; and death shall be no more ; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more : the first things are passed away. — Revelation 21 : 3, 4. 9i VIII. FUNERAL SERVICES. THE ORDER AT THE CHURCH OR HOME SCRIPTURE SELECTIONS. SALUTATIONS. MORTALITY. BEREAVEMENT. CHILDREN. YOUTH. A WOMAN. A MINISTER. THE AGED. COMFORT. HOPE. EXHORTATIONS. VICTORY. RESURRECTION. THE HEAVENLY LIFE. BENEDICTIONS. SERVICES AT THE GRAVE: FIRST LINES OF APPROPRIATE HYMNS. 93 THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD. The service is in the most cases held at the home, and should be brief and simple. One or more hymns are often sung during the service. The following order is suggested : — I. Selections of Scripture. II. Address (if any is made). III. Prayer. IV. Benediction. SELECTIONS OF SCRIPTURE. I. Salutations. The Lord answer thee in the day of trouble ; The name of the God of Jacob set thee up on high; Send thee help from the sanctuary, And strengthen thee out of Zion ; Remember all thy offerings, And accept thy burnt sacrifice ; Grant thee thy heart's desire, And fulfill all thy counsel. — Psalm 20: 1-4. Peace be to this house. — Luke 10: 5. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. — Romans i : 7. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God 95 The Pastor s Manual. of all comfort ; who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. — 2 Corinthians i : 3, 4. II. Mortality. Human Frailty. Job 14: 1— 15. Man that is born of a woman Is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down : He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, And bringest me into judgement with thee ? Who can bring a clean thing out of an un- clean ? not one. Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with thee, And thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass ; Look away from him, that he may rest, Till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day. For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it wall sprout again, And that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, And the stock thereof die in the ground ; Yet through the scent of water it will bud, 96 The Burial of the Dead. And put forth boughs like a plant. But man dieth, and wasteth away : Yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he ? As the waters fail from the sea, And the river decayeth and drieth up ; So man lieth down and riseth not : Till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, Nor be roused out of their sleep. Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, That thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, That thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me ! If a man die, shall he live again ? All the days of my warfare would I wait, Till my release should come. Thou shouldest call, and I would answer thee : Thou wouldest have a desire to the work of thine hands. Psalm 39: 4-13. The Sojourner's Prayer, Lord, make me to know mine end, And the measure of my days, what it is ; Let me know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as hand- breadths ; And mine age is as nothing before thee : Surely every man at his best estate is alto- gether vanity. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew : 97 The Pastor's Manual. Surely they are disquieted in vain : He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. And now, Lord, what wait I for ? My hope is in thee. Deliver me from all my transgressions : Make me not the reproach of the foolish. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth ; Because thou didst it. Remove thy stroke away from me : I am consumed by the blow of thine hand. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, Thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth : Surely every man is vanity. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry ; Hold not thy peace at my tears : For I am a stranger with thee, A sojourner, as all my fathers were. O spare me, that I may recover strength, Before I go hence, and be no more. Numbering Our Days. Psalm 90:1-15. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place In all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, 98 The Burial of the Dead. 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 grow- eth up. In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up ; In the evening it is cut down, and withereth. For we are consumed in thine anger, And in 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 bring our years to an end as a tale that is told. The days of our years are threescore years and ten, Or even by reason of strength fourscore years ; Yet is their pride but labour and sorrow ; For it is soon gone, and we fly away. Who knoweth the power of thine anger, And thy wrath according to the fear that is due unto thee ? So teach us to number our days, That we may get us an heart of wisdom. 99 The Pastor s Manual. Return, O Lord ; how long ? And let it repent thee concerning thy servants. O satisfy us in the morning with thy mercy ; That we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, And the years wherein we have seen evil. All Flesh is Grass. Isaiah 40: 6-10. The voice of one saying, Cry. And one said, What shall I cry ? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field : the grass withereth, the flower fadeth ; because the breath of the Lord bloweth upon it : surely the people is grass. The grass with- ereth, the flower fadeth : but the word of our God shall stand for ever. O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain ; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God ! Behold, the Lord God will come as a mighty one, and his arm shall rule for him : behold, his reward is with him, and his recompence before him. Uncertainty of Life. James 4: 13-15. Go to now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain : whereas ye 100 The Burial of the Dead. know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life ? For ye are a vapour, that appear- eth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall both live, and do this or that. III. Bereavement. Job i : 20-22. Resignation. Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped ; and he said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither : the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away ; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God with foolishness. Psalm %%>: 1-18. Prayer in Bereavement. Lord, the God of my salvation, 1 have cried day and night before thee : Let my prayer enter into thy presence ; Incline thine ear unto my cry : For my soul is full of troubles, And my life draweth nigh unto Sheol. I am counted with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man that hath no help : Cast off among the dead, Like the slain that lie in the grave, IOI The Pastor s Manual. Whom thou rememberest no more ; And they are cut off from thy hand. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, In dark places, in the deeps. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, And thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Thou hast put mine acquaintance far from me ; Thou hast made me an abomination unto them : I am shut up, and I cannot come forth. Mine eye wasteth away by reason of affliction : I have called daily upon thee, O Lord, I have spread forth my hands unto thee. Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead ? Shall they that are deceased arise and praise thee ? Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave ? Or thy faithfulness in Destruction ? Shall thy wonders be known in the dark ? And thy righteousness in the land of forgetful- ness ? But unto thee, O Lord, have I cried, And in the morning shall my prayer come before thee. Lord, why castest thou off my soul ? Why hidest thou thy face from me ? I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: While I suffer thy terrors I am distracted. Thy fierce wrath is gone over me ; 102 Tlie Burial of the Dead, Thy terrors have cut me off. They came round about me like water all the day long ; They compassed me about together. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, And mine acquaintance into darkness. Psalm 119:49, 50. Comfort in Affliction. Remember the word unto thy servant, Because thou hast made me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction : For thy word hath quickened me. Psalm 130: 1-8. Out of the Depths. Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice : Let thine ears be attentive To the voice of my supplications. If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, Lord, who shall stand ? But there is forgiveness with thee, That thou mayest be feared. 1 wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, And in his word do I hope. My soul looketh for the Lord, More than watchmen look for the morning ; Yea, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord ; For with the Lord there is mercy, 103 The Pastor' s Manual And with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel From all his iniquities. Prayer of the Desolate. Psalm 143: 1-12. Hear my prayer, O Lord ; give ear to my supplications : In thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgement with thy servant ; For in thy sight shall no man living be justified. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul ; He hath smitten my life down to the ground : He hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me ; My heart within me is desolate. I remember the days of old ; I meditate on all thy doings : I muse on the work of thy hands. I spread forth my hands unto thee : My soul thirsteth after thee, as a weary land. Make haste to answer me, O Lord ; my spirit faileth : Hide not thy face from me ; Lest I become like them that go down into the pit. Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning ; For in thee do I trust : 104 The Burial of the Dead. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk ; For I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies : I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do thy will ; for thou art my God : Thy spirit is good ; lead me in the land of uprightness. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake : In thy righteousness bring my soul out of trouble. . . . For I am thy servant. Proverbs 3: 11, 12. The Lord's Chastening. My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord ; Neither be weary of his reproof : For whom the Lord loveth he reproveth ; Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. Ecclesiastes 7:1-4. The House of 3Iourning. A good name is better than precious oint- ment ; and the day of death than the day of one's birth. It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feast- ing: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter : for by the sadness of the coun- tenance the heart is made glad. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning ; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. *°5 The Pastor s Manual. Not forsaken. Isaiah 54:7-13. For a small moment have I forsaken thee ; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In overflowing wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment ; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me : for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed ; but my kind- ness shall not depart from thee, neither shall my covenant of peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will set thy stones in fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy pinnacles of rubies, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy border of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord ; and great shall be the peace of thy children. The Use of Chastisement. Hebrews 12: 1-13. Therefore let us also, seeing we are com- passed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto 106 TJie Burial of the Dead, Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For con- sider him that hath endured such gainsaying of sinners against themselves, that ye wax not weary, fainting in your souls. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin : and ye have forgotten the exhortation, which reasoneth with you as with sons, My son, regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord, Nor faint when thou art reproved of him ; For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, And scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. It is for chastening that ye endure; God deal- eth with you as with sons ; for what son is there whom his father chasteneth not ? But if ye are without chastening, whereof all have been made partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we gave them rever- ence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live ? For they verily for a few days chastened us as seemed good to them ; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. All chasten- ing seemeth for the present to be not joyous, but grievous: yet afterward it yieldeth peace- able fruit unto them that have been exercised 107 The Pastor s Manual. thereby, even the fruit of righteousness. Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the palsied knees ; and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed. Rejoicing in Sufferings. I Peter 4: 12-14. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial among you, which cometh upon you to prove you, as though a strange thing hap- pened unto you : but insomuch as ye are par- takers of Christ's sufferings, rejoice ; that at the revelation of his glory also ye may rejoice with exceeding joy. If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are ye ; because the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God rest- eth upon you. IV. Children. Mourning for a Child. 2 Samuel 12: 15-23. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, 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. And the elders of his house arose, and stood beside him, to raise him up from the earth : but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And 108 The Burial of the Dead, the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead :' for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he hearkened not unto our voice : how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead ? But when David saw that his servants whispered together, David perceived that the child was dead : and David said unto his servants, Is the child dead ? And they said, He is dead. Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel ; and he came into the house of the Lord, and wor- shipped : then he came to his own house ; and when he required they set bread before him, and he did eat. Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done ? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive ; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept : for I said, Who knoweth whether the Lord will not 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. i Kings 17: 17-24. A Child Restored. And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the 109 The Pastor s Manual. house, fell sick ; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God ? thou art come unto me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son ! And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into the chamber, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. And he cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son ? And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. And the Lord hearkened unto the voice of Elijah ; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother : and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. And the woman said to Elijah, Now I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth. Is it Well with the Child? 2 Kings 4: 18-26. And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to his servant, Carry no The Burial of the Dead, him to his mother. And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the servants, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to-day ? it is neither new moon nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well. Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward ; slacken me not the riding, except I bid thee. So she went, and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is the Shunammite : run, I pray thee, now to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee ? is it well with thy husband ? is it well with the child ? And she answered, It is well. Isaiah 40: 11. God's Care for the Young. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, he shall gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that give suck. V. Youth. Psalm 27: 7-1 1, 13, 14. Prayer of the Orphan. Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice : in The Pastor s Manual. Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face ; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not thy face from me ; Put not thy servant away in anger : Thou hast been my help; Cast me not off, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. For my father and my mother have forsaken me, But the Lord will take me up. Teach me thy way, O Lord ; And lead me in a plain path. . . . I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord : Be strong, and let thine heart take courage ; Yea, wait thou on the Lord. A Young Man. Ecclesiastes ii : 7-10. Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun. Yea, if a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all ; but let him remember the days of dark- ness, for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth ; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and 112 The Burial of the Dead. in the sight of thine eyes : but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh : for youth and the prime of life are vanity. Ecclesiastes 12: 1-8. Youth or Age. Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, or ever the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them ; or ever the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, be darkened, and the clouds return after the rain : in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be dark- ened, and the doors shall be shut in the street ; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low ; yea, they shall be afraid of that which is high, and terrors shall be in the w T ay ; and the almond tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and the caper-berry shall fail : be- cause man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets : or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the foun- tain, or the wheel broken at the cistern; and the dust return to the earth as it was, and the 113 The Pastor } s Manual, spirit return unto God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher ; all is vanity. Young Men. Isaiah 40: 30, 31. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall : but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength ; they shall mount up with wings as eagles ; they shall run, and not be weary ; they shall walk, and not faint. Grief for Children. Jeremiah 31 : 15-17. Thus saith the Lord : A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children ; she refuseth to be comforted for her children, because they are not. Thus saith the Lord : Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears : for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord ; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope for thy latter end, saith the Lord ; and thy children shall come again to their own border. Childlikeness. Matthew 18: 1-6. In that hour came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven ? And he called to him a little child, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise 114 The Burial of the Dead. enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little cihld, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me : but whoso shall cause one of these little ones which believe on me to stumble, it is profitable for him that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depth of the sea. Matthew 18:10-14. Our Father's Will for the Little Ones. See that ye despise not one of these little ones ; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. How think ye ? if any man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go unto the mountains, and seek that which goeth astray ? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth over it more than over the ninety and nine which have not gone astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. Mark 5 : 22-24, 35-43- Jairus' Daughter. And there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name ; and seeing him, he falleth at his feet, and beseecheth him much, **5 The Pastor's Manual. saying, My little daughter is at the point of death : I pray thee, that thou come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be made whole, and live. And he went with him ; and a great multitude followed him, and they thronged him. . . . While he yet spake, they come from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying, Thy daughter is dead : why troublest thou the Master any further? But Jesus, not heeding the word spoken, saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Fear not, only believe. And he suffered no man to follow with him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And they come to the house of the ruler of the synagogue ; and he beholdeth a tumult, and many weeping and wailing greatly. And when he was entered in, he saith unto them, Why make ye a tumult, and weep ? the child is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But he, having put them all forth, taketh the father of the child and her mother and them that were with him, and goeth in where the child was. And taking the child by the hand, he saith unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise. And straightway the damsel rose up, and walked ; for she was twelve years old. And they were amazed straightway with a great amazement. And he charged them much that 116 The Burial of tlie Dead. no man should know this : and he commanded that something should be given her to eat. Mark io: 13-16. Jesus Blessing Liittle Children. And they brought unto him little children, that he should touch them : and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me ; for- bid 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 in no wise enter therein. And he took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands upon them. Luke 7: 11-16. The Widow's Son. And it came to pass soon afterwards, that he went to a city called Nam ; and his disciples went with him, and a great multitude. Now when he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, there was carried out one that was dead, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow : and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had com- passion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came nigh and touched the bier : and the bearers stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. And fear took hold on all : 117 1 lie Pastor s Manual. and they glorified God, saying, A great prophet is arisen among us : and, God hath visited his people. The Young Ruler. Luke 18: 18-30. And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life ? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good ? none is good, save one, even God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and mother. And he said, All these things have I observed from my youth up. And when Jesus heard it, he said unto him, One thing thou lackest yet : sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven : and come, follow me. But when he heard these things, he became exceeding sorrowful ; for he was very rich. And Jesus seeing him said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God ! For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they that heard it said, Then who can be saved ? But he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. And Peter said, Lo, we have left our own, and followed thee. And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or wife, or brethren, or parents, or chil- 118 The Burial of the Dead. dren, for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this time, and in the world to come eternal life. VI. A Woman. Psalm 146 : 1-10. The Widow. Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. While I live will I praise the Lord : I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. Put not your trust in princes, Nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth ; In that very day his thoughts perish. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the Lord his God : Which made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that in them is ; Which keepeth truth for ever : Which executeth judgement for the oppressed ; Which giveth food to the hungry: The Lord looseth the prisoners ; The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind ; The Lord raiseth up them that are bowed down ; The Lord loveth the righteous ; 119 The Pastor's Manual. The Lord preserveth the strangers ; He upholdeth the fatherless and widow ; But the way of the wicked he turneth upside down. The Lord shall reign for ever, Thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the Lord. The Virtuous Woman. Proverbs 31 : 10-31. A virtuous woman who can find ? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband trusteth in her f And he shall have no lack of gain. She doeth him good and not evil All the days of her life. She seeketh wool and flax, And worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchant-ships ; She bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, And giveth meat to her household, And their task to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it : With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vine- yard. She girdeth her loins with strength, And maketh strong her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is profit- able : Her lamp goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the distaff, 120 The Burial of the Dead. And her hands hold the spindle. She spreadeth out her hand to the poor ; Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household ; For all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh for herself carpets of tapestry ; Her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, When he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh linen garments and selleth them ; And delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and dignity are her clothing ; And she laugheth at the time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom ; And the law of kindness is on her tongue. She looketh well to the ways of her household, And eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children rise up, and call her blessed ; Her husband also, and he praiseth her, saying: Many daughters have done virtuously, But thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain : But a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands ; And let her works praise her in the gates. Luke 2 : 36-38. Thanks and Testimony. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, . . . (she was of a great age), . . . which departed The Pastor s Manual. not from the temple, worshipping with fastings and supplications night and day. And . . . she gave thanks unto God, and spake of him to all them that were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. The Death of Dorcas. Acts 9 : 36-42. Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas : this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. And it came to pass in those days, that she fell sick, and died : and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper chamber. And as Lydda was nigh unto Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men unto him, intreating him, Delay not to come on unto us. And Peter arose and went with them. And when he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber : and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed ; and turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes ; and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand, and raised her up ; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa : and many be- lieved on the Lord. 122 The Burial of the Dead. VII. A Minister. 2 Kings 2: 9-12. A Minister or Public Man. And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken from thee. . . . And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof! And he saw him no more. Isaiah 52:7-9. The Publisher of Peace. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation ; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth ! The voice of thy watchmen ! they lift up the voice, together do they sing ; for they shall see, eye to eye, when the Lord return eth to Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusa- lem : for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. Isaiah 61 : 1-3. The Minister's Work. The spirit of the Lord God is upon me ; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek ; he hath sent me 123 The Pastor's Manual. to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound ; to proclaim the ac- ceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God ; to comfort all that mourn ; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness ; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. A Dying Vision. Acts 7 : 55—8 : 2. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. . . . Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. . . . And when he had said this, he fell asleep. . . .And devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him. " After My Decease." 2 Peter i : 13-15. And I think it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; knowing that the putting off of my tabernacle cometh swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ signified unto me. Yea, I will give diligence that at every time ye may be able after my decease to call these things to remembrance. 124 The Burial of the Dead. VIII. The Aged. Genesis 5 : 24. Walking with God. And Enoch walked with God : and he was not ; for God took him. Genesis 15 : 15. "A Good Old Age." But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace ; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. Job 5 : 17-26. In a Full Age. Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth : Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty. For he maketh sore, and bindeth up ; He woundeth, and his hands make whole. He shall deliver thee in six troubles ; Yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. In famine he shall redeem thee from death ; And in war from the power of the sword. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue ; Neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh. At destruction and dearth thou shalt laugh ; Neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field ; And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee. And thou shalt know that thy tent is in peace ; I2 5 The Pastor *s Manual. And thou shalt visit thy fold, and shalt miss nothing. Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, And thine offspring as the grass of the earth. Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, Like as a shock of corn cometh in in its season. Prayer of the Aged. Psalm 71 : 7-21. I am as a wonder unto many ; But thou art my strong refuge. My mouth shall be filled with thy praise, And with thy honour all the day. Cast me not off in the time of old age ; Forsake me not when my strength faileth. . . . O God, be not far from me : my God, make haste to help me. . . . But I will hope continually, And will praise thee yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of thy righteousness, And of thy salvation all the day ; For I know not the numbers thereof. 1 will come with the mighty acts of the Lord God : I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth ; And hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Yea, even when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not ; 126 The Burial of the Dead. Until I have declared thy strength unto the next generation, Thy might to every one that is to come. Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high ; Thou who hast done great things, O God, who is like unto thee ? Thou, which hast shewed us many and sore troubles, Shalt quicken us again, And shalt bring us up again from the depths of the earth. Increase thou my greatness, And turn again and comfort me. Proverbs 16: 31. "A Crown of Glory." The hoary head is a crown of glory, If it be found in the way of righteousness. Eccles. 12: 1-8. Infirmities of Age (seepage 113). Isaiah 46 14. " Even to Old Age." And even to old age I am he, and even to hoar hairs will I carry you : I have made, and I will bear; yea, I will carry, and will deliver. Isaiah 57: 1, 2. The Righteous. The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart ; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. He entereth into 127 The Pastor 9 s ManttaL peace ; they rest in their beds, each one that walketh in his uprightness. Departing in Peace. Luke 2 : 25-30. And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon ; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consola- tion of Israel : and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ, and he . . . blessed God, and said, Now lettest thou thy servant depart, O Lord, According to thy word, in peace ; For mine eyes have seen thy salvation. A Good Man. Acts 11 : 23, 24. And he exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord : for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith : and much people was added unto the Lord. The Aged Saint. 2 Timothy 4 : 6-8. For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure is come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith : henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day : and not only to me, but also to all them that have loved his appearing 128 The Burial of the Dead. IX. Comfort. Psalm 25 : 1-22. The Prayer of the Righteous. Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. O my God, in thee have I trusted, Let me not be ashamed ; . . . Yea, none that wait on thee shall be ashamed : . . . Shew me thy ways, O Lord ; Teach me thy paths. Guide me in thy truth, and teach me ; For thou art the God of my salvation ; On thee do I wait all the day. Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses ; For they have been ever of old. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions : According to thy lovingkindness remember thou me, For thy goodness' sake, O Lord. Good and upright is the Lord : Therefore will he instruct sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in judgement : And the meek will he teach his way. All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth Unto such as keep his covenant and his testi- monies. For thy name's sake, O Lord, Pardon mine iniquity, for it is great. 129 The Pastor s Manual, What man is he that feareth the Lord ? Him shall he instruct in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease ; And his seed shall inherit the land. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him ; And he will shew them his covenant. Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord ; For he shall pluck my feet out of the net. Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me ; For I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged : O bring thou me out of my distresses. Consider mine affliction and my travail ; And forgive all my sins. . . . O keep my soul, and deliver me : Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in thee. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait on thee. Redeem Israel, O God, Out of all his troubles. God our Refuge. Psalm 46: 1-3. God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore will we not fear, though the earth do change, And though the mountains be moved in the heart of the seas ; 130 The Burial of the Dead. Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Psalm 6i : 1-4. Refuge in God. Hear my cry, O God ; Attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I call unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed : Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a refuge for me, A strong tower from the enemy. I will dwell in thy tabernacle for ever : I will take refuge in the covert of thy wings. Psalm 103 : 1-22. The Fatherhood of God. Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all his benefits : Who forgiveth all thine iniquities ; Who healeth all thy diseases ; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction ; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies : Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things ; So that thy youth is renewed like the eagle. The Lord executeth righteous acts, And judgements for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, His doings unto the children of Israel. 131 The Pastor's Manual. The Lord is full of compassion and gracious, Slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide ; Neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, Nor rewarded us after our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, So great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, So the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame ; He remembereth that we are dust. 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 precepts to do them. The Lord hath established his throne in the heavens ; And his kingdom ruleth over all. Bless the Lord, ye angels of his : 132 The Burial of the Dead. Ye mighty in strength, that fulfil his word, Hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless the Lord, all ye his hosts ; Ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. Bless the Lord, all ye his works, In all places of his dominion : Bless the Lord, O my soul. Isaiah 25 : 4. God a Refuge. For thou hast been a strong hold to the poor, a strong hold to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. Isaiah 32: 1, 2. The Shadow of a Great Rock. Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgement. And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest ; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. Isaiah 40 : 1-5. Comfort for God's People. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned ; that she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of the Lord, make The Pastor's Manual. straight in the desert a high way for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every moun- tain and hill 'shall be made low : and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain : and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together : for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Strength in God. Isaiah 40 : 25-29. To whom then will ye liken me, that I should be equal to him ? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and see who hath created these, that bringeth out their host by number : he calleth them all by name ; by the greatness of his might, and for that he is strong in power, not one is lacking. Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgement is passed away from my God ? Hast thou not known ? hast thou not heard ? the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary ; there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint ; and to him that hath no might he increaseth strength. God afflicted with His People. Isaiah 63 : 7-9. I will make mention of the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, ac- cording to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us ; and the great goodness toward the house of *34 The Burial of the Dead. Israel, which he hath bestowed on them accord- ing to his mercies, and according to the multi- tude of his lovingkindnesses. For he said, Surely, they are my people, children that will not deal falsely : so he was their saviour. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them : in his love and in his pity he redeemed them ; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. Jeremiah 29: 11-13. God's Thoughts toward Us. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end. And ye shall call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Lamentations 3 : 22-33. The Lord's Mercies. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not con- sumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning ; great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul ; there- fore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. 135 The Pastor' s Manual. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he hath laid it upon him. Let him put his mouth in the dust ; if so be there may be hope Let him give his cheek to him that smiteth him ; let him be filled full with reproach. For the Lord will not cast off for ever. For though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. The Bread of Life. John 6: 35-58. Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life : he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, that ye have seen me, and yet believe not. All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me ; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I am come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on 136 The Burial of the Dead. him, should have eternal life ; and I will raise him up at the last day. The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, I am the bread which came down out of heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know ? how doth he now say, I am come down out of heaven ? Jesus answered and said unto them, Murmur not among your- selves. No man can come to me, except the Father which sent me draw him : and I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is from God, he hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth hath eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down out of heaven : if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever : yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove one with another, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat ? Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, i37 The Pastor ' s Manual. verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life ; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father ; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me. This is the bread which came down out of heaven : not as the fathers did eat, and died : he that eateth this bread shall live for ever. The Good Shepherd. John io: 7-16. Jesus therefore said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that came before me are thieves and robbers : but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture. The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy : I came that they may have life, and may have it abun- dantly. I am the good shepherd : the good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. He that is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, beholdeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf snatcheth them, and scattereth 138 The Burial of the Dead, them : he fleeth because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shep- herd; and I know mine own, and mine own know me, even as the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father ; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold : them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice ; and they shall become one flock, one shepherd. John 14 : 1-6. Jesus a Comforter. Let not your heart be troubled : ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions ; if it were not so, I would have told you ; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself ; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go, ye know the way. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest ; how know we the way ? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life : no one cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14.15-23. Another Comforter. If ye love me, ye will keep my command- ments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth : whom the world cannot receive ; for it behold- eth him not, neither knoweth him : ye know 139 The Pastor's Manual. him ; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you desolate : I come unto you. Yet a little while, and the world beholdeth me no more ; but ye behold me : because I live, ye shall live also. In that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my com- mandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me : and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him. Judas (not Iscariot) saith unto him, Lord, what is come to pass that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world ? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my word : and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Peace in His Words. John 16:33. These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation : but be of good cheer ; I have over- come the world. Comforted of God (see page 95). 2 Corinthians i : 3, 4. Eternal Comfort. 2 Thessalonians 2: 16, 17. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father which loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and stablish them in every good work and word. 140 The Burial of the Dead. X. Hope. Job 19 : 25-27. My Redeemer Liveth. But I know that my redeemer liveth, And that he shall stand up at the last upon the earth : And after my skin hath been thus destroyed, Yet from my flesh shall I see God : Whom I shall see for myself, And mine eyes shall behold, and not another. Psalm 23 : 1-6. My Shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd ; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures : He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul : He guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil ; for thou art with me : Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the pres- ence of mine enemies : Thou hast anointed my head with oil ; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life : And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Psalm 42: 5-1 1. Hope for the Depressed. Why art thou cast down, O my soul ? 141 The Pastor's Manual. And why art thou disquieted within me ? Hope thou in God : for I shall yet praise him For the health of his countenance. my God, my soul is cast down within me : Therefore do I remember thee from the land of Jordan, And the Hermons, from the hill Mizar. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts : All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the day-time, And in the night his song shall be with me, Even a prayer unto the God of my life. 1 will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me ? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy ? As with a sword in my bones, mine adversaries reproach me ; While they continually say unto me, Where is thy God ? Why art thou cast down, O my soul ? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, Who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Rest in Christ. Matthew i i : 28-30. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take 142 The Burial of the Dead. my yoke upon you, and learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart : and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Philippians 3 : 20, 21 ; 4 : 1. Citizenship in Heaven. For our citizenship is in heaven ; from whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ : who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself. Wherefore, my brethren beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my beloved. XI. Exhortations. Matthew 24:36-47. Readiness for a Sudden Call. But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only. And as were the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of man. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marry- ing and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away ; so shall be the coming of the Son of man. Then shall two men be in the field; one is 143 The Pastor s Manual. taken, and one is left : two women shall be grinding at the mill ; one is taken, and one is left. Watch therefore : for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through. Therefore be ye also ready : for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath set over his household, to give them their food in due season ? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, that he will set him over all that he hath. The Ten Virgins. Matthew 25 : 1-13* Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For the foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them : but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. Now while the bride- groom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight there is a cry, Behold, the bridegroom ! Come ye forth to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are going 144 The Burial of the Dead, out. But the wise answered, saying, Peradven- ture there will not be enough for us and you: go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for your- selves. And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came ; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast : and the door was shut. Afterward come also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour. Mark 13:32-37. Watchfulness. But of that day or that hour knoweth no one, not even the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray : for ye know not when the time is. It is as when a man, sojourning in another country, having left his house, and given authority to his servants, to each one his work, commanded also the porter to watch. Watch therefore : for ye know not when the lord of the house cometh, whether at even, or at midnight, or at cockcrowing, or in the morning; lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. Luke 12: 35-48. Faithfulness. Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning ; and be yourselves like unto men looking for their lord, when he shall return 145 The Pastor's Manual. from the marriage feast ; that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may straightway open unto him. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching : verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and shall come and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, and if in the third, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not have left his house to be broken through. Be ye also ready : for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh. And Peter said, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even unto all ? And the Lord said, Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall set over his house- hold, to give them their portion of food in due season ? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will set him over all that he hath. But if that servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken ; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not, and in an hour when he knoweth not, and shall cut him asun- der, and appoint his portion with the unfaithful. 146 The Burial of the Dead. And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and made not ready, nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes ; but he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And to whom- soever much is given, of him shall much be required : and to whom they commit much, of him will they ask the more. i Corinthians 7:29-31. How to Use the World. But this I say, brethren, the time is short- ened, that henceforth both those that have wives may be as though they had none ; and those that weep, as though they wept not ; and those that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not ; and those that buy, as though they pos- sessed not ; and those that use the world, as not abusing it : for the fashion of this world passeth away. Ephesians 5 : 15-21. A Careful Walk. Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise ; redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit ; speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord ; giving thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord i47 The Pastor s Manual, Jesus Christ to God, even the Father ; subject- ing yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ. The Armour of God. Ephesians 6: 10-18. Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil For our wres- tling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Wherefore take up the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace ; withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God : with all prayer and supplication pray- ing at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. idden Death. 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-11. But concerning the times and the seasons, The Burial of the Dead, brethren, ye have no need that aught be written unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. When they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child ; and they shall in no wise escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief : for ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day : we are not of the night, nor of darkness ; so then let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night ; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, since we are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love ; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God ap- pointed us not unto wrath, but unto the obtain- ing of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as also ye do. 2 Peter 3 : 8-14. The Coiriing of the Lord. But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness ; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all 149 The Pastor s Manual. should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief ; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness, looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dis- solved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat ? But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, give diligence that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight. XII. Victory. Rejoicing in Deliverance. Psalm 31 : 7-24. I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy : For thou hast seen my affliction ; Thou hast known my soul in adversities : And thou hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy ; Thou hast set my feet in a large place. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in distress : 15° The Burial of the Dead, Mine eye wasteth away with grief, yea, my soul and my body. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing : My strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are wasted away. . . . But I trusted in thee, O Lord : I said, Thou art my God. My times are in thy hand : Deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant : Save me in thy lovingkindness. Let me not be ashamed, O Lord ; for I have called upon thee : . . . Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, Which thou hast wrought for them that put their trust in thee, before the sons of men! . . . Blessed be the Lord : For he hath shewed me his marvellous loving- kindness in a strong city. As for me, I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes : Nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee. O love the Lord, all ye his saints : The Lord preserveth the faithful, And plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. 151 The Pastor s Manual, Be strong, and let your heart take courage, All ye that hope in the Lord. The Redemption of the Body. Romans 8: 16-25. The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God : and if chil- dren, then heirs : heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us- ward. For the earnest expectation of the crea- tion waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain to- gether until now. And not only so, but our- selves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within our- selves, waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For by hope were we saved : but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth ? But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. 152 The Burial of the Dead. Romans 8: 31-39. More than Conquerors. What then shall we say to these things ? If God is for us, who is against us ? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things ? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect ? It is God that justifieth ; who is he that shall condemn ? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword ? Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long ; We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than con- querors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:50-58. The Victory, Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God ; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, i53 The Pastor's Manual, I tell 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. But when this corruptible shall have put on incor- ruption, and this mortal shall have put on im- mortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in vic- tory. O death, where is thy victory ? O death, where is thy sting ? The sting of death is sin ; and the power of sin is the law : but thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not vain in the Lord. The Last Beatitude. Revelation 22 : 12-14. Behold, I come quickly ; and my reward is with me, to render to each man according as his work is. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city. i54 The Burial of the Dead. XIII. The Resurrection. Matthew 28 : i-io. The Resurrection of Jesus. Now late on the sabbath day, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And behold, there was a great earthquake ; for an angel of the Lord de- scended from heaven, and came and rolled away the stone, and sat upon it. His appear- ance was as lightning, and his raiment white as snow : and for fear of him the watchers did quake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye : for I know that ye seek Jesus, which hath been crucified. He is not here ; for he is risen, even as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples, He is risen from the dead ; and lo, he goeth before you into Galilee ; there shall ye see him : lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word. And behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. Then saith Jesus unto them, Fear not : go tell my brethren that they depart into Galilee, and there shall they see me. Luke 24: 1-6. The Resurrection of Jesus. But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came unto the tomb, bringing the *55 The Pastor 1 s Manual. spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, while they were perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel : and as they were affrighted, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead ? He is not here, but is risen. The Dead are the Living. Mark 12: 26, 27. But as touching the dead, that they are raised ; have ye not read in the book of Moses, in the place concerning the Bush, how God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abra- ham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob ? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living: ye do greatly err. The Voice of the Son of God. John 5 : 19-29. Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing : for what things soever he doeth, these the Son also doeth in like manner. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth : and greater works than these will he shew him, that ye may mar- vel. For as the Father raiseth the dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son also quick- 156 The Burial of the Dead. eneth whom he will. For neither doth the Father judge any man, but he hath given all judgement unto the Son ; that all may honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and be- lieveth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgement, but hath passed out of death into life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself: and he gave him authority to execute judgement, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this : for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth ; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life ; and they that have done ill, unto the resurrection of judgement. John ii : 1-44. Lazarus restored to Life. Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, of the village of Mary and her sister Martha. And it was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. The sisters therefore sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. But i57 The Pastor s Manual. when Jesus heard it, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may Be glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When therefore he heard that he was sick, he abode at that time two days in the place where he was. Then after this he saith to the disci- ples, Let us go unto Judaea again. The disciples say unto him, Rabbi, the Jews were but now seeking to stone thee ; and goest thou thither again ? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day ? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him. These things spake he : and after this he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus is fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. The disciples therefore said unto him, Lord, if he is fallen asleep, he will recover. Now Jesus had spoken of his death : but they thought that he spake of taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus therefore said unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe ; never- theless let us go unto him. Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said unto his fellow- disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. So when Jesus came, he found that he had 158 The Burial of the Dead. been in the tomb four days already. Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off; and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concern- ing their brother. Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him : but Mary still sat in the house. Martha there- fore said unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. And even now I know that, whatsoever thou shalt ask of God, God will give thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life : he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live : and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die. Believest thou this ? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord : I have be- lieved that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, even he that cometh into the world. And when she had said this, she went away, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is here, and calleth thee. And she, when she heard it, arose quickly, and went unto him. (Now Jesus was not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met him.) The Jews then which were with her in the house, and were comforting her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly K9 The Pastor s Manual. and went out, followed her, supposing that she was going unto the tomb to weep there. Mary therefore, when she came where Jesus was, and saw him, fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weep- ing, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, Where have ye laid him ? They say unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. The Jews therefore said, Behold how he loved him ! But some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of him that was blind, have caused that this man also should not die ? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus saith, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh : for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou believedst, thou shouldest see the glory of God ? So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou heardest me. And I knew that thou hearest me always : but because of the multitude which standeth around I said it, that they may believe that thou didst send me. And when he had thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 160 The Burial of the Dead, He that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes ; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. i Cor. 15 : 20-28. Assurance of the Resurrection. But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order : Christ the first- fruits ; then they that are Christ'sjfct his com- ing. Then cometh the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father ; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be abol- ished is death. For, He put all things in sub- jection under his feet. But when he saith, All things are put in subjection, it is evident that he is excepted who did subject all things unto him. And when all things have been subjected unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subjected to him that did subject all things unto him, that God may be all in all. 1 Corinthians 15: 35-49. The Spiritual Body. But some one will say, How are the dead raised ? and with what manner of body do they 161 The Pastor s Manual. come ? Thou foolish one, that which thou thy- self sowest is not quickened, except it die : and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other kind ; but God giveth it a body even as it pleased him, and to each seed a body of its own. All flesh is not the same flesh : but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fishes. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial : but the gl^ry of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 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 sown in dishonour ; 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. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. Howbeit that is not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; then that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy : the second man is of heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy : and as is the 162 The Burial of the Dead. heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 2 Corinthians 4: 7-18. Raised up with Jesus. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves ; we are pressed on every side, yet not straitened ; per- plexed, yet not unto despair ; pursued, yet not forsaken ; smitten down, yet not destroyed ; always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be mani- fested in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, I be- lieved, and therefore did I speak ; we also be- lieve, and therefore also we speak ; knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also with Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound unto the glory of God. Wherefore we faint not ; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. For our light afflic- tion, which is for the moment, worketh for us 163 The Pastor's Manual. more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory ; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen : for the things which are seen are temporal ; but the things which are not seen are eternal. Attaining the Resurrection. Philippians 3;8-ii. Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord : for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith : that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death ; if by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead. Dead and raised with Christ. Colossi ans 3 : 1-4. If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory. 164 The Burial of the Dead. I Thessalonians 4: 13-18. The Dead rise First. But we would not have you ignorant, breth- ren, concerning them that fall asleep ; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. For the Lord him- self shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God : and the dead in Christ shall rise first : then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up 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. XIV. The Heavenly Life. Matthew 25 : 34-40. The King's Welcome. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world : for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat : I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me in ; naked, and ye clothed me : I was sick, 165 The Pastor s Manual. and ye visited me : I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee ? or athirst, and gave thee drink ? And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in ? or naked, and clothed thee ? And when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee ? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inas- much as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me. The Things Prepared. i Corinthians 2 : 9, 10. Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, And which entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him. But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit : for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. At Home with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5 : 1-10. For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eter- nal, in the heavens. For verily in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our hab- itation which is from heaven : if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For indeed we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened ; not for that we would 166 The Burial of the Dead. be unclothed, but that we would be clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up of life. Now he that wrought us for this very thing is God, who gave unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord (for we walk by faith, not by sight) ; we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well- pleasing unto him. For we must all be made manifest before the judgement-seat of Christ ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Revelation 7:9-17. The Praise and Peace of Heaven. After these things I saw, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation, and of all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, arrayed in white robes, and palms in their hands ; and they cry with a great voice, saying, Salvation unto our God which sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels were standing round about the throne, and about the elders and the four living crea- tures ; and they fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen : 167 The Pastor s Manual. Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanks- giving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, These which are arrayed in the white robes, who are they, and whence came they ? And I say unto him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God ; and they serve him day and night in his temple : and he that sitteth on the throne shall spread his tabernacle over them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more: neither shall the sun strike upon them, nor any heat : for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them unto fountains of waters of life : and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes. The Blessedness of the Dead. Revelation 14: 13. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth : yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours ; for their works follow with them. The Marriage of the Lamb. Revelation 19 : 5-9. And a voice came forth from the throne, say- ing, Give praise to our God, all ye his servants, 168 The Burial of the Dead. ye that fear him, the small and the great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunders, saying, Hallelujah : for the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigneth. Let us rejoice and be exceeding glad, and let us give the glory unto him : for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure : for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are bidden to the mar- riage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are true words of God. Revelation 21 : 1-5. The New Heaven. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth : for the first heaven and the first earth are passed away ; and the sea is no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God : and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes ; and death shall be no more. ; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more : the first things are passed 169 The Pastor s Manual. away.. And he that sitteth on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. The Holy City. Revelation 21 : 10-13. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and shewed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God : her light was like unto a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal : having a wall great and high ; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels ; and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel : on the east were three gates ; and on the north three gates ; and on the south three gates ; and on the west three gates. The New Jerusalem. Revelation 21 : 22-27. And I saw no temple therein : for the Lord God the Almighty, and the Lamb, are the tem- ple thereof. And the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine upon it : for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb. And the nations shall walk amidst the light thereof : and the kings of the earth do bring their glory into it. And the gates thereof shall in no wise be shut by day (for there shall be no night there) : and they shall bring the glory and the honour of the nations into it : and there shall in no wise enter 170 The Burial of the Dead. into it anything unclean, or he that maketh an abomination and a lie : but only they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. Revelation 22 : 1-6. The New Life. And he shewed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the midst of the street thereof. And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, yielding its fruit every month : and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no curse any more : and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be therein : and his servants shall do him service ; and they shall see his face ; and his name shall be on their foreheads. And there shall be night no more ; and they need no light of lamp, neither light of sun ; for the Lord God shall give them light : and they shall reign for ever and ever. And he said unto me, These words are faith- ful and true. XV. Benedictions. The Lord bless thee, and keep thee : The Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee : The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. — Numbers 6:24-26. 171 The Pastor s Manual. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Ghost. — Romans 15: 13. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. — Romans 15 : 33. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. — 2 Corinthians 13: 14. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 4:7. Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of the eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus, make you perfect in every good thing to do his will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ ; to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13: 20, 21. Now unto him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and power, before all time, and now, and for evermore. Amen. — Jude 24, 25. 172 The Burial of the Dead. SERVICES AT THE GRAVE. When all is ready but before the casket is lowered into the grave, the following or other appropriate verses may be repeated by the minister : — I am the resurrection, and the life : he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live : and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die. — John ii : 25, 26. But we would not have you ignorant, breth- ren, concerning them that fall asleep ; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him. — 1 Thessalonians 4: 13, 14. I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth : yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours ; for their works follow with them. — Revelation 14: 13. A Form of Commitment. Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God, in his wise providence, to take out of this world the soul of our deceased [brother], we there- fore commit [his] body to the ground ; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust ; here to await the general resurrection in the last day, and the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. i73 The Pastor 9 s Manual. FIRST LINES OF APPROPRIATE HYMNS. A few more years shall roll. — Horatius Bonar. Around the throne of God in heaven. — Anne Shepherd. Asleep in Jesus ! blessed sleep. — Mrs. Margaret Mackay. At evening time let there be light. — Anon. Beyond the smiling and the weeping. — Horatius Bonar. Brief life is here our portion. — Bernard of Cluny, Tr. Come unto me, when shadows darkly gather. — Anon. Come, ye disconsolate, where'er ye languish. — Thomas Moore. Forever with the Lord. — James Montgomery. Go to the grave in all thy glorious prime. — James Mont- gomery. Guide me, O thou great Jehovah. — William Williams. Hark ! hark, my soul ! angelic songs are swelling. — Frederick W. Faber. He leadeth me : O blessed thought ! — Joseph H. Gilmore. I know not the hour when my Lord will come. — P. P. Bliss. It is not death to die. — Ccesar H. A. Malan, Tr. I would not live alway. — Williain Augustus Muhlenberg. Jesus ! lover of my soul. — Charles Wesley. Jerusalem my happy home — Latin Hymn, eighth century. Jerusalem the golden. — Bernard of Cluny, Tr. Just as I am, without one plea. — Charlotte Flliott. Lead, kindly Light, amid th' encircling gloom. — John Henry Newman. Lord, it belongs not to my care. — Richard Baxter. My days are gliding swiftly by. — David Nelson. My Jesus, as thou wilt. — Benjamin Schmolke, Tr. No, no ! it is not dying. — Ccesar H. A. Malan, Tr, O mother, dear Jerusalem. — Francis Baker. O Paradise ! O Paradise. — Frederick W. Faber. One sweetly solemn thought. — Phcebe Cary. Rest for the toiling hand. — Horatius Bonar. Safe in the arms of Jesus. — Fa?iny J. Crosby. Servant of God, well done ! — James Montgomery. Sleep thy last sleep, free from care and sorrow. — E. A, Dayman. J 74 The Burial of the Dead. Ten thousand times ten thousand. — Henry Alford. The sands of time are sinking. — A. R. Cousin. There is a land of pure delight. — Isaac Watts. There 's a land that is fairer than day. — S. Fillmore Bennett. There is an hour of peaceful rest. — William B. Tappan. This is not my place of resting. — Hor alius Bonar, Thy will be done. — John Bowring. Unveil thy bosom, faithful tomb. — Isaac Watts. We are but strangers here, heaven is our home. — T. R, Taylor. We shall meet beyond the river. — John Atkinson. What a friend we have in Jesus ! — Horatius Bonar. When I can read my title clear. — Isaac Watts. Who are these in bright array? — James Montgomery, 175 IX. THE CONGREGATIONAL CREEDS. THE APOSTLES' CREED. THE BURIAL HILL DECLARATION OF FAITH. THE NATIONAL COUNCIL COMMISSION'S CREED. 177 CREEDS, The Congregational churches have never adopted a common creed; nor could they without the separate action of each particular church. By general consent the Apostles' Creed is accepted as an expression of the historic facts which underlie the Christian faith. Though not of apostolic origin, this is the earliest formulated Christian creed. I. The Apostles' Creed. I believe in God 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 Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried ; He descended into hell, The third day he rose from the dead ; He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I 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. Amen. II. The Burial Hill Declaration of Faith. A National Council of the Congregational Churches was held in Boston, June, 1865. On the next to the last day of its session, the Council met on Burial Hill, Plymouth, on the spot where the first meetinghouse of the Pilgrims stood, and there adopted the following Declaration of Faith : — Standing by the rock where the Pilgrims set foot upon these shores, upon the spot where they worshipped God, and among the graves of the early generations, we, Elders 179 The Pastor's Manual. and Messengers of the Congregational Churches of the United States, in National Council assembled — like them acknowledging no rule of faith but the Word of God — do now declare our adherence to the faith and order of the Apostolic and Primitive Churches held by our fathers, and substantially embodied in the confessions and plat- forms which our Synods of 1648 1 and 1680 2 set forth or reaffirmed. We declare that the experience of the nearly two and a half centuries, which have elapsed since the memorable day when our sires founded here a Christian commonwealth, with all the development of new forms of .error since their times, has only deepened our confidence in the faith and polity of those fathers. We bless God for the inheritance of those doctrines. We invoke the help of the Divine Redeemer, that, through the presence of the promised Comforter, he will enable us to transmit them in purity to our children. In the times that are before us as a nation, times at once of duty and of danger, we rest all our hope in the gospel of the Son of God. It was the grand peculiarity of our Puritan fathers, that they held this gospel, not merely as the ground of their personal salvation, but as declaring the worth of man by the incarnation and sacri- fice of the Son of God ; and therefore applied its princi- ples to elevate society, to regulate education, to civilize 1 1648. The Cambridge Synod, to which all the fifty-three Congrega- tional churches of New England were invited, and which convened in 1646 and continued by successive adjournments to 1648, assented to the Westminster Confession of Faith for substance of doctrine, except in mat- ters of church polity, which are covered by the Cambridge Platform. - 1680. The Massachusetts (or Boston) Synod, which assembled Septem- ber, 1679, unanimously approved the Cambridge Platform, and a confession of Faith nearly identical with that adopted at the Savoy Palace in London in 1658. The Savoy Synod was composed of representatives of about 120 English Congregational Churches, including several ministers who had been members of the Westminster Assembly; the Westminster Confession was adopted by them in a slightly modified form. The Savoy platform of polity was never adopted in America, the Cambridge platform being preferred. 180 Creeds. humanity, to purify law, to reform the Church and the State, to assert and defend liberty ; in short, to mold and redeem, by its all-transforming energy, every thing that belongs to man in his individual and social relations. It was the faith of our fathers that gave us this free land in which we dwell. It is by this faith only that we can transmit to our children a free and happy, because a Chris- tian, commonwealth. We hold it to be a distinctive excellence of our Congre- gational system, that it exalts that which is more above that which is less important ; and, by the simplicity of its organization, facilitates, in communities where the popula- tion is limited, the union of all true believers in one Chris- tian Church; and that the division of such communi- ties into several weak and jealous societies, holding the same common faith, is a sin against the unity of the body of Christ, and at once the shame and scandal of Christendom. We rejoice, that, through the influence of our free sys- tem of Apostolic order, we can hold fellowship with all who acknowledge Christ, and act efficiently in the work of restoring unity to the divided Church, and of bringing back harmony and peace among all " who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.'" Thus recognizing the unity of the Church of Christ in all the world, and knowing that we are but one branch of Christ's people, while adhering to our peculiar faith and order, we extend to all believers the hand of Christian fellowship, upon the basis of those great fundamental truths in which all Christians should agree. With them we con- fess our faith in God ; in Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word, who is exalted to be our Redeemer and King ; and in the Holy Comforter, who is present in the Church to regen- erate and sanctify the soul. With the whole Church we confess the common sinful- ness and ruin of our race, and acknowledge that it is only 181 The Pastor s Manual. through the work accomplished by the life and expiatory death of Christ, that believers in him are justified before God, receive the remission of sins, and, through the pres- ence and grace of the Holy Comforter, are delivered from the power of sin and perfected in holiness. We believe also in an organized and visible church, in the ministry of the Word, in the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, in the resurrection of the body, and in the final judgment, the issues of which are eternal life and everlasting punishment. We receive these truths on the testimony of God, given through Prophets and Apostles, and in the life, the mira- cles, the death, the resurrection, of his Son, our Divine Redeemer, — a testimony preserved for the Church in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, which were composed by holy men as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Affirming now our belief that those who thus hold " One Faith, one Lord, one Baptism," together constitute the one Catholic Church, the several households of which, though called by different names, are the one body of Christ ; and that these members of his body are sacredly bound to keep "The unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," we declare that we will cooperate with all who hold these truths. With these we will carry the gospel into every part of the land, and with them we will go into all the world, and " Preach the gospel to every creature." May He to whom " all power is given in heaven and earth "fulfil the promise which is all our hope: " Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." To Him be praise in the Church forever. Amen. III. The National Council Commission's Creed. The Creed prepared by the National Council Com- mission, appointed in November, 1880, and presented for the consideration of the churches, December, 1883, is as follows : — 182 Creeds. I. We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible ; And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who is of one substance with the Father ; by whom all things were made ; And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, who is sent from the Father and Son, and who together with the Father and Son is worshiped and glorified. II. We believe that the Providence of God, by which he executes his eternal purposes in the government of the world, is in and over all events ; yet so that the free- dom and responsibility of man are not impaired, and sin is the act of the creature alone. III. We believe that man was made in the image of God, that he might know, love, and obey God, and enjoy him forever ; that our first parents by disobedience fell under the righteous condemnation of God ; and that all men are so alienated from God that there is no salvation from the guilt and power of sin except through God's redeeming grace. IV. We believe that God would have all men return to him ; that to this end he has made himself known, not only through the works of nature, the course of his providence, and the consciences of men, but also through supernatural revelations made especially to a chosen peo- ple, and above all, when the fulness of time was come, through Jesus Christ his Son. V. We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the record of God's revelation of himself in the work of redemption ; that they were written by men under the special guidance of the Holy Spirit ; that they are able to make wise unto salvation ; and that they constitute the authoritative standard by which religious teaching and human conduct are to be regulated and judged. 183 The Pastor s Manual. VI. We believe that the love of God to sinful men has found its highest expression in the redemptive work of his Son ; who became man, uniting his divine nature with our human nature in one person ; who was tempted like other men, yet without sin ; who, by his humiliation, his holy obedience, his sufferings, his death on the cross, and his resurrection, became a perfect Redeemer ; whose sac- rifice of himself for the sins of the world declares the righteousness of God, and is the sole and sufficient ground of forgiveness and of reconciliation with Him. VII. We believe that Jesus Christ, after he had risen from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, as the one Mediator between God and man, he carries forward his work of saving men ; that he sends the Holy Spirit to convict them of sin, and to lead them to repentance and faith ; and that those who through renewing grace turn to righteousness, and trust in Jesus Christ as their Redeemer, receive for his sake the forgiveness of their sins, and are made the children of God. VIII. We believe that those who are thus regenerated and justified, grow in sanctified character through fellow- ship with Christ, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and obedience to the truth; that a holy life is the fruit and evidence of saving faith ; and that the believer's hope of continuance in such a life is in the preserving grace of God. IX. We believe that Jesus Christ came to establish among men the kingdom of God, the reign of truth and love, righteousness and peace ; that to Jesus Christ, the Head of this kingdom, Christians are directly responsible in faith and conduct ; and that to him all have imme- diate access without mediatorial or priestly intervention. X. We believe that the Church of Christ, invisible and spiritual, comprises all true believers, whose duty it is to associate themselves in churches, for the maintenance of worship, for the promotion of spiritual growth and fellow- 184 Creeds. ship, and for the conversion of men ; that these churches, under the guidance of the Holy Scriptures and in fellow- ship with one another, may determine — each for itself — their organization, statements of belief, and forms of worship ; may appoint and set apart their own ministers, and should cooperate in the work which Christ has com- mitted to them for the furtherance of the gospel through- out the world. XI. We believe in the observance of the Lord's day, as a day of holy rest and worship ; in the ministry of the Word ; and in the two Sacraments, which Christ has appointed for his church : Baptism, to be administered to believers and their children, as the sign of cleansing from sin, of union to Christ, and of the impartation of the Holy Spirit ; and the Lord's Supper as a symbol of his atoning death, a seal of its efficacy, and a means whereby he confirms and strengthens the spiritual union and com- munion of believers with himself. XII. We believe in the ultimate prevalence of the kingdom of Christ over all the earth ; in the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ ; in the resurrection of the dead ; and in a final judgment, the issues of which are everlasting punishment, and ever- lasting life. 185 ORDER OF PROCEDURE AT ECCLE- SIASTICAL COUNCILS. TO ORGANIZE A CHURCH. TO ORDAIN OR INSTALL A PASTOR. TO DISMISS A PASTOR. I8 7 ORDER OF PROCEDURE AT ECCLESIAS TICAL COUNCILS. THE ORGANIZATION OF A CHURCH. Preliminary meetings are usually held in an informal way to consider the propriety and possibility of such a step. To the meeting to take formal action all should be invited who have expressed their willingness to take part in such a movement. They should elect a chairman and clerk, and, after prayer, should by vote decide to proceed to take steps toward the organization of a church. Com- mittees should be appointed to draft or recommend a form of Creed, Covenant, and By-laws, to secure the letters of those proposing to come from other churches, and the names of those proposing to make confession of faith in Christ. For a form of Creed and Covenant, see page 179. At a later meeting the reports of these committees should be heard, if necessary amended by vote and approved, to take effect at the organization of the church. From this point these members can either proceed to complete their own organization, electing officers and publicly entering into covenant wdth each other, and later calling a council to review the proceedings, recognize the church thus organized, and receive it into the fellowship of the Congregational churches ; or a committee may be authorized to call a council "to consider the expediency of the proposed step, review the preliminary proceedings, with authority, if it seem best, to complete the organiza- tion." The order suggested below is especially adapted to this latter case ; the modifications necessary to a coun- cil of recognition are easily made. 189 The Pastor s Manual. 1 . The Council is called to order by one of the older members, who reads the letter missive, and calls for the nomination of a moderator, who is then elected either by acclamation or by ballot. 2. Prayer is offered by the moderator, after which a scribe is elected. 3. The scribe gathers the names of pastors and dele- gates, and prepares the record of the Council. 4. If a majority of the churches invited are found to be present, the council reviews the proceedings of those pro- posing to unite in the new organization. Statements are made in regard to the need of the new church and the prospect of sustaining it in the locality. The articles of faith and the covenant adopted as its basis, and the letters of dismission from the churches with which any have been formerly connected are examined by the Council as a whole or by a committee. 5. If these proceedings, statements, and documents are satisfactory, upon a motion made it is so voted ; also that the Council proceed to complete the organization. 6. The Council by committee listens to the religious experience of those persons who desire to unite in the new organization on confession of their faith, and those approved by the Council on report of this committee share in the further proceedings with those whose letters have been approved. 7. At this point the records may be read and ap- proved so far as written and the scribe and moderator authorized to complete and sign them at the close of the service. [If the public services of organization (or recognition) are to be held at a special hour and separate service, a recess is now taken until the time appointed.] 8. The public services should properly be opened by the reading by the scribe of the records of the proceedings of the Council thus far. 190 Procedure at Ecclesiastical Councils. 9. The articles of faith are read and assented to by all those approved for membership in the new church. 10. Such persons as have not been baptized now receive that ordinance. 11. The covenant is read and assented to. 12. A brief address with the right hand of fellowship may be given here if desired. 13. Prayer of consecration. 14. Hymn. 15. Sermon or addresses. 16. Communion. 17. Hymn. 18. Benediction. 19. Dissolution of the Council. Note. — A full copy of the records signed by the moderator and scribe should be placed in the hands of the Clerk of the church, to be filed by him and a copy spread upon the records of the church. AN ORDINATION OR INSTALLATION. 1. The Council is organized as in the preceding case 0, 2, 3). 2. If the moderator announces a majority of the churches present by pastors or delegates, the documents in the case are presented ; namely, the records of the church and of the society (if there be one) in relation to the matter ; the call extended to the pastor-elect and his letter or letters of acceptance ; also his certificate of church membership ; his letter of approbation to preach, if a licentiate ; or, if previously a pastor, the "result" of the Council or the action of the church at his dismission. 3. If the Council declares by vote that these documents and statements are satisfactory, they listen to statements by the candidate (either written or oral as he may prefer) as to his religious experience, his call to the ministry and 19. The Pastor's Manual. his motives in it; his knowledge and views of the doc- trines and institutions of the gospel, and of church polity and discipline. In case of a layman applying for ordina- tion his attainments in knowledge of the Scriptures, both in the English Version and in the original languages, his skill in exegesis, and his ability to preach may also be inquired into. After the statements which the candidate may choose to present have been heard, such further questions as may be desired are asked by the moderator and by other members of the Council. 4. The council votes to be " by itself. 1 ' The spectators and candidate withdraw, or the council adjourns to a sep- arate room for a private session. 5. If deemed necessary, the opinion of each pastor and delegate is asked in turn. If the majority is satisfied with the completeness of the papers and with the examination, the council by vote decides to proceed to the ordination or installation. 6. The parts to be taken in the public service are assigned through a committee. If the church or pastor- elect has already selected these in part or in whole, the Committee reports its concurrence in this arrangement, or suggests any changes which may seem to it important. 7. The minutes are read by the scribe, corrected if need be, adopted as far as written, and the scribe and modera- tor are authorized to complete and sign them at the close of the service. 8. The doors being opened to the public the moderator reports the result of the Council, which then takes recess until the hour appointed for the public services. Order of the Public Service. 1. The Scribe reads the minutes. 2. [Singing.] 3. Introductory prayer. 4. Reading the Scriptures. 192 Procedure at Ecclesiastical Councils. 5. Hymn. 6. [Sermon.] 7. Ordaining prayer and laying on of hands, or install- ing prayer. 8. Charge to the pastor. 9. Right hand of fellowship. 10. Address to the people. 11. Hymn, or anthem. 12. Prayer. 13. Benediction by the pastor. 14. The minutes being completed, and signed by the moderator and scribe, the council adjourns sine die. Note. — The scribe should give a copy of the minutes attested by the moderator and himself to the church to be entered on the records of the same. In case of an ordination, a Certificate of Ordination l should be given to the person en- titled to it. (See page 199.) A COUNCIL TO DISMISS A PASTOR. The general proceedings of organization, etc., are the same as in preceding cases. The resignation of the pastor and the action of the church in response to it are read from the church records. Any further information may be asked from the pastor or the Committee appointed to call the council, but only in the presence of both. When the council is " by itself " a vote is taken, and if they unite in approving the dismission, a committee is appointed to draw up the "result." This is intended to express the judgment of the Council in the matter and to contain any ex- pression of approval or disapproval of the course of either the church or pastor which is deemed just and fraternal. When the public is admitted the moderator states the 1 Certificates of Ordination in printed form may be procured from the Congregational Sunday-School and Publishing Society at five cents each. 193 The Pastor 's Manual. nature of the action, the scribe reads the result, and after prayer the Council is dissolved. Note. — A copy of the proceedings duly attested by the moderator and scribe should be given to the minister and also to the church. 194 XI. FORMS FOR LETTERS MISSIVE, ETC. FOR A COUNCIL. TO ORGANIZE A CHURCH. TO ORDAIN OR INSTALL A PASTOR. A CERTIFICATE OF ORDINATION. TO DISMISS A PASTOR. FOR A MINISTER OR LICENTIATE. APPROBATION TO PREACH. GENERAL COMMENDATION. DISMISSION FROM AN ASSOCIATION, FOR A CHURCH MEMBER. GENERAL COMMENDATION. DISMISSION AND COMMENDATION. RECEPTION. »95 FORMS OF LETTERS. [A few forms are here given, such as are most frequently needed for use by Churches. As these must often be drawn up by the Minister, it may be an aid to some to have a model at hand, though it will be a great advantage to use the printed forms as indi- cated in the footnotes on the following pages. The substance is the most important thing, and the expression may be varied, within the limits of a simple dignity and propriety.] i. Forms Relating to the Church. Form A. A Letter-Missive requesting the presence of a Council for the formation of a Congregational Church* To the Congregational Church of Christ in . Dear Brethren : The Great Head of the Church having inclined a number of believers here to think it their duty to become associated as a Congregational Church, they respectfully request you to meet, by your Pastor and a delegate, in Ecclesiastical Council at in this place, on the of next, at o'clock — .M., to con- sider the expediency of the course proposed by them, and advise in reference thereto ; and should the formation of such a Church be deemed expedient, to assist in the public services appropriate to its (formation and) recogni- tion as a Congregational Church. Wishing you grace, mercy, and peace, We subscribe ourselves, Your brethren in Christ, Committee of those proposing to f become a Church. [Place and Date.] 197 The Pastor s Manual, The Churches invited to sit in this Council are the fol- lowing, namely : — Congregational Church in . [Name them all.] Form B. 1 A Letter-Missive for a Council to Ordain [or Install] a Pastor. The Congregational Church [and Society] in , to the Congregational Church in , sendeth greeting. Dear Brethren : The Great Head of the Church has kindly united us, and the Congregation statedly worshiping with us, in the choice of Rev. [Mr.] to be our Pastor and Teacher, and he has accepted our invitation to that office, subject to the advice of Council. We, therefore, affectionately request your attendance, by your Pastor and a delegate, in Ecclesiastical Council, at our house of worship in this place, on the day of next, at o'clock — .m., to examine the candidate, review our proceedings, and advise us in reference to the same ; and, if judged expedient, to assist in the Installation [Ordination] service. Wishing you grace, mercy, and peace, We are fraternally yours, Committee of the Church. [Place and Date.] Committee of the Society. 1 This letter, neatly printed, is issued by the Congregational Sunday- School and Publishing Society at five cents per copy, twelve copies twenty- five cents. I98 Forms of Letters. The other Churches invited to this Council are as follows : — [Name them all.] Form C. Certificate of Ordination. This certifies that by an Ecclesiastical Council of Con- gregational churches, convened for that purpose at , at the invitation of the church of , was duly ordained to the ministry of the gospel, and is hereby commended to the fellowship and confidence of the churches of our order, and to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ. Given at , this day of , a.d. . Signed: , Moderator of Council. Scribe of Council. Form D. 1 A Letter- Missive for the Dismission of a Pastor. The Congregational Church in — to the Congrega- tional Church in , sendeth greeting. Dear Brethren : Whereas, our Pastor, Rev. , has tendered the resignation of his office as Pastor of this Church, and the Church [and Society] have voted to accept the same, subject to the advice of Council; this is to request your attendance, by your Pastor and a dele- gate, in Ecclesiastical Council, at our house of worship in this place, on the day of next, at 1 This letter, neatly printed, is issued by the Congregational Sunday- School and Publishing Society at five cents per copy, twelve copies twenty- five cents. 199 The Pastor } s Manual. o'clock — .M., to examine the facts, and advise us in the premises. Wishing you grace, mercy, and peace, We are yours in the Gospel, , Pastor. Committee of J> the Church [and Society]. [Place and Date.] The other Churches invited to sit in Council are the [Name them all.] following : Form E. 1 Letter announcing appointment as a Delegate, to be used as a Credential. [To be handed in to the Scribe of the Council.] The Congregational Church in to This certifies that at a meeting of this Church, held on the day of , a.d. , you were elected Delegate, with the Pastor, to represent this Church in an Ecclesiastical Council, called by the Congregational Church in — , to be held in their house of worship, on Street, , on the day of next, at o'clock — .m., for the pur- pose of Attest: , Clerk. 1 This form of credential is for sale by the Congregational Sunday-School and Publishing Society, in books with stubs, at $1.00 per book of fifty. 200 Forms of Letters. 2. Forms Relating to Ministers and Licentiates. Form F. 1 A Certificate of Approval and Commendation of a Candi- date for the Pastorate to the Churches, by an Association or Conference. This may certify that Mr. , having pre- sented himself to the * Congregational for inquiry as to his qualifications for the Gospel Ministry; and having been this day carefully examined by us with regard to the same ; and having satisfied us of his good and regular standing in the Christian Church, of his reputable and faithful personal character, his sufficient literary and theological attainments, the purity of his motives in entering the ministry, and the reasonable prob- ability, with God's blessing, of his success therein ; is hereby approved by us, and commended to the Congrega- tional Churches, as a candidate for the sacred office. In testimony whereof we have directed this certificate of approbation to be signed by our Moderator and Scribe ; with the understanding that, unless revoked for cause, it will be valid for one year from the date thereof. , Moderator. , Scribe. [Place and Date.] Form G, A General Letter of Commendation. To whom it may concern : The bearer, the Rev. , a member of the Congregational , 2 who contemplates remov- ing from this community to other parts, is hereby cor- * Insert Association of . . . Ministers, or Conference of . . . Churches, as may meet the case. 1 This certificate, neatly printed, is issued by the Congregational Sunday- School and Publishing Society at five cents per copy, twelve copies twenty- five cents. 2 Supply name of the Association or Conference, as the case may be. 20I The Pastor's Manual. dially commended to the confidence of the churches as a minister of Christ in good standing. By vote of the , x [Place and Date.] •, Scribe, Form H. A Letter of Dismission. Rev. , having requested to be dis- missed from Congregational ,* and rec- ommended to the Congregational ,* it was voted to grant his request. He is therefore dis- missed, and cordially recommended as a brother faith- ful and beloved. In behalf of the / , Scribe. [Place and Date.] 3. Forms Relating to Members of the Church. Form I. A Letter which may be given by the Pastor or Clerk, with- out special vote of the Church, to a member expecting to be absent for a considerable period. To all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Dear Brethren : Let this certify that the bearer, , is a member, in good and regular standing, of the Congregational Church in ; and, as such, is affectionately commended to the Christian fellowship of any Church of Christ with which he may desire to com- 1 Supply name of the Association or Conference, as the case may be. 202 Forms of Letters. mune, and to the confidence and kind offices of all the people of God. Witness my hand, Pastor [or Clerk] of the Congregational Church in [Place and Date.] Form K. 1 A Letter of Dismission and Commendation of a Member to another Church. The Congregational Church of to the Church of , greeting : This certifies that is a member in good and regular standing of the Congregational Church of . As such, he {she) is, at his {her) own request, hereby dismissed, and affectionately recommended to the fellowship and care of the Church of and, when received by it, his {her) membership with this Church will cease. By vote of the Church, , Clerk. [Place and Date.] NOTE. — Please fill out the accompanying notice of reception to your membership promptly, and return by mail to the Church Clerk. It is expected that this Certificate will be presented to the Church to which it is addressed within one year from date. Form L. 1 A Notice of Reception, to be Returned to the Church grant- ing a Letter of Dismission. To the Congregational Church of . This Certifies that , recommended to 1 This Letter of Dismission and the Notice of Reception, bound in books of fifty and one hundred, with stubs and perforations for detachment, is issued by the Congregational Sunday-School and Publishing Society. Price per book of fifty, $1.00. 203 The Pastor s Manual. our Christian fellowship by you, was, on the day of a.d. , received into the membership of the Church of . Attest: , Clerk. [Place and Date.] 204 XII. RULES OF ORDER FOR ECCLESI ASTICAL MEETINGS. THE ORGANIZATION. THE MODERATOR. THE SCRIBE OR CLERK. DISCUSSION. MOTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS. MOTIONS CLASSIFIED BY THEIR OBJECT. COMMITTEES. THE VOTE. A TABULATED STATEMENT. 205 RULES OF ORDER FOR ECCLESIASTICAL MEETINGS. All matters relating to the affairs of any Christian Church, or of the churches assembled together, should be discussed and decided in the simplest and most fraternal way. And yet, in order that progress may be made, and that all may be content with the results, it is necessary that the common rules for conducting business should be observed by all and enforced by the presiding officer. It ought to be remembered that rules and methods adopted by particular State legislatures, or by Congress, are often variations from and additions to common parlia- mentary practice, and that such variations should not be regarded in ecclesiastical affairs. The following rules are taken from the ordinary practice of deliberative bodies in the United States of America. They have been carefully compiled by the editor and sub- mitted to Rev. Alonzo H. Quint, d.d., for his revision and valuable suggestions, and go forth with his approval and endorsement. I. ORGANIZATION, ETC. All meetings should be opened with prayer. In permanent bodies whose officers hold over, the Mod- erator last elected, if present, should call the meeting to order. In his absence this should be done by the clerk or scribe. In councils the senior pastor present may serve this purpose and call for the election of a moder- ator. In ordinary gatherings the Chairman of the Com- mittee which has issued the call for the meeting may call to order. The organization is completed by the election of a secretary, clerk, or scribe, except in bodies having a per- manent scribe. 207 The Pastors Manual. In meetings which are especially important or formal, a temporary moderator and scribe may be elected by viva voce vote, and permanent officers afterwards elected by ballot either with or without nomination by any member or by a committee appointed for that purpose. If the meeting is called to consider special business, the call should be read by the scribe or stated by the Moder- ator or at his invitation by the Chairman of the Committee which has issued the call. A Quorum. In a council representing churches, a majority of the churches invited constitutes the quorum. If the number necessary for the transaction of business is not fixed in By-laws, any number present at a properly called meet- ing are competent to transact business, though often it may be unwise to proceed with a small number. If a quorum has been present at a meeting, it is pre- sumed to be still present, unless the question is raised by the Chair or any member. If the quorum is not found to be present, the proceedings must be stayed until a quorum is secured; otherwise the body must adjourn, but it may fix the time and place to which it adjourns. The Roll. In local councils the pastors and such delegates present as may be reported are enrolled. Where written credentials are required, the scribe, or a Committee of Credentials, if appointed, forms the roll of those alone who furnish such evidence of their appoint- ment as delegates. 1 A council cannot add to the delegates appointed by a church, nor can a church send delegates other than as invited by the letter-missive. 1 For form of Credential see page 200. 208 Rules of Order. Order of Business. The natural order, in the absence of any special rule, after the meeting is opened is (i) to read, correct, and approve the records of the last meeting, if any ; (2) to take up unfinished business, reports of committees, etc. ; (3) to receive and act upon propositions for new business. II. THE MODERATOR. * This is the customary title for the presiding officer in ecclesiastical bodies. He should state all motions made, secure order in the discussion of them, put them to vote, and announce the results. He is to decide points of order, subject always to vote of the members when an appeal is made. If two or more persons claim the floor at the same time, he must impartially decide as to who is entitled to it. If in doubt, he may properly give the preference to the one who has not already spoken, or to the one farthest from him. He cannot speak on the merits of a question without leaving the chair, and calling some other member to pre- side while he is speaking. He may vote in all cases where the vote is by ballot, or by yeas and nays, and at other times when his vote would change the result. If there is no other rule in the By-laws of a church, the pastor acts as Moderator at its meetings, except when matters affecting himself are under consideration, or unless the church appoints some other person to preside. He has no official position in the meetings of the Society. III. THE SECRETARY, SCRIBE, OR CLERK. At State Associations or Conferences the recording officer is usually called the Secretary, in Councils the Scribe, and in the local church the Clerk. 209 The Pastor's Manual His duties are to form the roll if required, to make and keep a record of the business transacted at the meetings, and usually to take charge of all documents belonging to it ; also to read whatever may be called for with the sanc- tion of the Moderator. All motions or resolutions upon which a vote has been taken, and such only, should be recorded. Records should be approved by vote of the body whose proceed- ings they report, and thus declared to be accurate. If the permanent clerk or scribe is not present, a mem- ber should be appointed to fill that office temporarily. Associations which meet annually and Councils which are dissolved should correct and approve their records before adjournment, and the records should be signed by the Moderator and Clerk. IV. DISCUSSION. A member desiring to offer a motion or speak to one should rise and address the Moderator, wait for recogni- tion (the announcement of his name), speak to a question, and resume his seat as soon as he has finished. No discussion is in order unless it be (i) upon a motion already made ; (2) to raise a point of order ; or (3) by unanimous consent. All personalities or discourtesies of speech or manner between members should be carefully avoided and respect should be shown for the suggestions and decisions of the Moderator. Strict attention should be given to those addressing the meeting and private conversation should be abstained from. A speaker or member neglecting these proprieties may be called to order by the Moderator, or by any member, and he must conform to them. A speaker may yield the floor for a question or an explanation by another, but not for continued remarks. In this case he forfeits his claim to it. 210 Rules of Order, Discussion cannot be stopped by calls of * ' Question ! question !" The proper methods are stated elsewhere. V. MOTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS. A motion is a proposal looking to some simple and immediate business ; a resolution is a more formal expres- sion of the opinion or will of an official or public body adopted by vote. A motion, if simple and brief, may be stated verbally, but must be written if it be requested by the Moderator. A resolution should be reduced to writing and read by the clerk before it is discussed or a vote taken. A motion or resolution should be proposed by one member and seconded by another, so that at least two shall agree in presenting it for discussion or adoption. It should then be clearly stated by the Moderator as made and seconded, and opportunity given for its discussion. It cannot then be withdrawn except by unanimous con- sent, but must take its regular course. When a question is under debate, the Moderator shall receive motions only to adjourn, To lay on the table, The previous question, To postpone to a time certain, To commit, To amend, Or to postpone indefinitely, which several motions shall have precedence in the foregoing order. 1 VI. MOTIONS CLASSIFIED BY THEIR OBJECTS. 1 i . To Secure an Expression of Opinion or Action on Any Subject. This is called a main or principal 1 This classification with some modifications generally follows " Roberts' Rules of Order," 211 The Pastor s Manual. question, and may be introduced when no other question is immediately before the body. 2. To Modify or Improve the Main Proposition. (a) To amend. This may be done either (i) by striking out certain words ; or (2) by adding certain words ; or (3) by striking out and adding words ; or (4) by substituting a different proposition on the same subject ; or (5) by dividing the question so as to get a separate vote on its parts. Words inserted by the adoption of an amendment can- not be removed nor those stricken out inserted again ex- cept, in either case, in connection with additional words. An amendment may conflict with the spirit of the original motion if only it is on the same general subject ; that is, it must be germane or relevant. It is not con- sidered proper to amend by inserting the word " not," because a direct vote for or against is more simple. A motion may be entertained to amend an amendment, but not to amend an amendment of an amendment. Motions which cannot be debated cannot be amended. The mover and seconder of the principal motion may accept an amendment if no objection is made, but not otherwise. The amendment thus becomes part of the original motion. When an amendment is under consideration, discussion should be confined to the amendment only. A motion is sometimes passed which leaves blanks to be filled with numbers, names, or dates. If several num- bers are suggested, the vote is taken on the largest num- ber or amount first, and so on to the smallest: if dates, that most remote; if names, that first mentioned is voted on first. This being really an amendment, when the blank is filled, a vote should be taken on the motion thus amended. 212 Rules of Order. (b) To refer to a committee. This is either that the form of the proposition may be improved, or that the sub- ject may be discussed in committee and definite action recommended. This motion can be made while an amendment is pend- ing, and it is debatable. It can be amended by defining the number of the committee, determining how it shall be appointed and where it shall report, or by other instruc- tions. (See Committees.) 3. To defer Action. (a) By postponing to a definite ti7ne. (b) By laying on the table. This is done that some more pressing matter may be first considered. This motion cannot be debated or amended. The question is by it laid aside until by vote it is taken from the table for discussion and action, and cannot be taken from the table until some other business has intervened. Laying an amendment on the table carries with it the main question. 4. TO SUPPRESS THE QUESTION. (a) By postponing indefinitely \ This motion cannot be debated or amended. (J?) By laying on the table with the expectation that it will not be taken up again. This is an easier way of effecting the same result if there is a majority who de- sire it. 5. To suppress Discussion. (a) By moving that the previous question be now taken. This is done to prevent a minority from protracting dis- cussion needlessly or obstructively. A member may "call for the previous question"; this being seconded, the Moderator says: " Shall the main question now be put?" This motion is open to discussion. By an affirm- ative vote discussion ceases and the question is at once put to vote, beginning with any pending amendments. As this is a technical phrase and often not understood, 213 The Pastor s Manual. it would be better not to introduce it into ecclesiastical gatherings, but rather to accomplish the same end, (J?) By moving to close the discussion, which is exactly equivalent, or to (c) Limit the discussion , by fixing the time to be allowed to each speaker, or the time at which the vote shall be taken, which ought not to be immediate. 6. To revise Action already taken. The motion to reconsider. This is the remedy for hasty or uninformed action, or is sometimes used to fix beyond repeal, by its own defeat, action already taken. It can only be moved by one who has voted with the majority. The first motion is to reconsider; this, if carried, brings up the main question as though it had not been voted on at all. It should be made at the same meeting at which the vote to which it refers was passed, and, in fairness, when there are as many members present as voted at that time. The body retains its right to rescind its action at a subsequent meeting, provided due notice is given of the proposal, and unless prohibited by standing rules. 7. To facilitate or hasten Business. (a) By suspension of the rules. This should be done only where speed is essential and the action unanimous, and only where the standing rules give authority therefor. (b) By "the order of the day."" 1 Where it has been decided that certain questions should come up at a definite time, the order of the day must be announced by the Moderator ; or, in case he neglect to do so, it may be called for by a member and must be taken up. The busi- ness thus in order may, of course, be laid on the table or further postponed by vote. 8. To secure Order. (a) Point of order. If the Moderator fails to enforce the rules and preserve order, a member can " rise to a point of order, 1 ' state the matter of which he complains without dis- cussion, and ask for a decision of the Chair. 214 Rules of Order, If a proposition is introduced which a member believes to be outside the proper objects of the meeting, he may object to its consideration as out of order. This must be done on its first introduction, and is decided by the Moderator. (o) Appeal. Any member may appeal from a decision of the Moderator. The appeal must be seconded, when, the decision having been again stated, with the reasons for it, the appeal may be discussed, the members speaking first and the Moderator closing, not, however, leaving the chair therefor. The question is then put: " Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained ? " In regard to indecorum the appeal is undebatable. (c) Question of privilege. This is a question affecting the rights of the meeting, or of any member, who may state the "question of privilege, 1 ' and the Moderator de- cides whether it is such a question or not. This must be disposed of by immediate consideration, postponement, or reference to a committee before the discussion which was interrupted can be resumed. 9. TO CLOSE THE MEETING. (a) By fixing in advance the time at which to adjourn. (ft) By adjourning to a certain time or "sine die." This motion cannot be amended or discussed, unless the motion itself contains a specification of date or place, or unless an adjournment would dissolve the body. VII. COMMITTEES. Committees are appointed as the meeting may direct, or under standing rules. They may be nominated by the Moderator or by a nominating committee, in either case to be confirmed by vote ; or the Moderator may be author- ized to appoint. An odd number of members is usually appointed to avoid a tie vote in committee. A committee appointed to carry out instructions should 215 The Pastor' s Manual. be small, and so composed that a majority shall be favor- able to the proposed action. A committee for investiga- tion or deliberation should be large enough to represent those of various opinions, so as to secure ample discus- sion in the committee. The first-named person on a committee should call it together, and act as chairman until another chairman is appointed. Usually the body intends that the first- named person on the committee shall be its chairman. If he fails to summon the committee, the second person named may call it together. If all do not agree, the majority should report in the name of the committee. A minority report may be made and can be by vote of the body substituted for the committee's report. When a committee to whom any matter may have been referred shall recommend any specific action to the body, or shall desire the body to approve or adopt the senti- ments or statements of a report, such proposed action shall always be embodied in resolutions. While many bodies use the term " accept "as equivalent to "adopt," it is much clearer to distinguish between the two. The question should therefore be : Shall the report of your committee be accepted? This, if carried, receives the report from the committee. The question should then be, Shall the resolutions recommended by the committee be adopted? If no resolutions are appended, the report, after acceptance, should be placed on file. 1 A committee is discharged when its report is received. A committee may, however, merely report progress and be continued until its final report is made. When business is referred to a committee with power, x The National Council of Congregational Churches in the United States, many of our State Associations, and the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions explicitly observe this distinction between "accept" and " adopt " in their rules. 2l6 Rules of Order. it may take final action on the matter referred to it at its discretion. A meeting sometimes resolves itself into a committee of the whole, in order to discuss freely and ascertain the sentiment of the majority. A committee of the whole is governed by the same rules as any other committee. In this case the Moderator does not preside, but calls some other person to the chair. The same end may sometimes be accomplished by agreeing to take an informal vote, be- fore taking formal and final action. A standing committee is one appointed under general rules to act during a given time on all business relating to the department with which it is intrusted, either to make recommendations to the body which has appointed it or to take final action, according to the terms of its appointment. VIII. THE VOTE. For the duty of the Moderator and his rights see the section on that officer. No question is properly put to vote except by taking the votes both for and against. In ecclesiastical meetings the vote is usually taken by raising the hand. If the vote is close, so that the Moder- ator cannot easily decide, the hands may be counted. If the decision is doubted, the vote may be repeated or taken by standing, and tellers may be appointed to make the count. In elections required to be by ballot, every member must have the opportunity to deposit his own ballot and to vote for whom he will. Instructions given by a vote oi the meeting to one person to cast a ballot for all, deprives the members of their rights and makes the election one by acclamation, and violates the rule. A motion to that effect is therefore out of order. Members are not obliged 217 The Pastor's Manual. to vote, but all must have the opportunity to deposit a written or printed ballot. In elections by ballot tellers are appointed to distribute, collect and count the ballots. They report to the Moder- ator, or at his request to the meeting. In announcing the result there should be stated the whole number of votes cast, the number necessary to a choice, and at least the number cast for the successful candidate, and for all other candidates, if called for. The Moderator must announce the names of the persons elected. If there is no choice, the number cast for the various candidates is always reported. A majority vote is always decisive, and no greater pro- portion can ever be required, unless otherwise fixed by a standing rule. A majority vote is more than half of all the votes cast. A plurality is more than those cast for any one other candidate. IX. A TABULATED STATEMENT. Motions which cannot be amended. To adjourn — except to a specified time. To amend an amendment. To lay on the table. To postpone indefinitely. The previous question. To suspend the rules. To take up a question out of its order. To take from the table. Motions which cannot be debated. To adjourn. To lay on the table. A question upon which the previous question has been ordered. 21S Rules of Order, To take up a question out of its order. To take from the table. Motions which cannot be reconsidered. To adjourn. To suspend the rules. An affirmative vote to take from the table, To reconsider a question. 219 XIII. A FEW SELECTED PRAYERS FROM THE PROTESTANT LITURGIES. 221 A FEW SELECTED PRAYERS FROM THE PROTESTANT LITURGIES. The forms of prayer which follow are intended as a suggestion of important themes and of devout and fitting expression. A familiarity with such forms will enrich both the devotional thought and language of our min- isters. They have been sometimes regarded as belonging to one branch of the Christian Church, to which they have been largely abandoned by the other denominations. They are on the other hand the heritage of the holy Church universal. They come to us, some of them, from the ancient Church which preceded all the divisions of later times ; more of them are of Calvinistic origin, coming in their present form through Pollanus and Lasco. Bucer, Cranmer, Luther, Melanchthon, Knox, and others of the period of the Reformation contributed to the enrichment of these liturgical forms ; while the needs of our own land have called for and received appropriate additions. Such forms of prayer, harmful if the Lord's people are restricted to their use, may be most helpful to quicken devotion and to add dignity without detracting from the sincerity and freedom of public worship. The Lord's Prayer. 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from evil : For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. A General Confession. Almighty and most merciful Father ; We have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have fol- lowed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. 22; The Pastor s Manual. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done ; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore thou those who are penitent; According to thy promises de- clared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake ; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen. A General Thanksgiving. Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we, thine un- worthy servants, do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and lovingkindness to us, and to all men. We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life ; but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be un- feignedly thankful, and that we may show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives ; by giving up our- selves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holi- ness and righteousness all our days ; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen. A General Supplication. O God, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of men ; that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations. More especially we pray for thy holy Church universal ; that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be 224 Selected Prayers, led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those who are any ways afflicted, or distressed, in mind, body, or estate ; that it may please thee to comfort and relieve them, according to their several necessities ; giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. At the Close of Prayer. Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee ; and dost promise that when two or three are gath- ered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests ; Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy serv- ants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen. For a Blessing on the Scriptures. Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning ; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience, and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. Before the Sermon. Cleanse the heart and the lips of thy servant, O Almighty God, as thou didst cleanse the lips of thy prophet with a burning coal from thine altar, and vouch- safe, by thy gracious Spirit, so to purify him, that he may worthily and faithfully proclaim thy Holy Gospel : through Christ our Lord. Amen. After the Sermon. Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that the words which we have heard this day with our outward ears, may, 225 The Pastor 's Manual. through thy grace, be so grafted inwardly in our hearts, that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good living, to the honour and praise of thy Name ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. For the Holy Spirit. O God, Holy Ghost, Sanctifler of the faithful, visit, we pray thee, this congregation with thy love and favor; en- lighten their minds more and more with the light of the everlasting gospel ; graft in their hearts a love of the truth ; increase in them true religion ; nourish them with all goodness ; and of thy great mercy, keep them in the same, O blessed Spirit ; whom with the Father and the Son together, we worship and glorify as one God, world without end. Amen. Before the Communion. We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the same Lord, whose property is always to have mercy : Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen. At the Communion. Wherefore, O Lord and heavenly Father, according to the institution of thy dearly beloved Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, we, thy humble servants, do celebrate and make here before thy Divine Majesty, with these thy holy gifts, which we now offer unto thee, the memorial thy Son hath commanded us to make ; having in remembrance his blessed passion and precious death, his mighty resurrec- tion and glorious ascension ; rendering unto thee most 226 Selected Prayers. hearty thanks for the innumerable benefits procured unto us by the same. And we most humbly beseech thee, O merciful Father, to hear us ; and, of thy almighty good- ness, vouchsafe to bless and sanctify, with thy Word and Holy Spirit, these thy gifts and creatures of bread and wine ; that we, receiving them according to thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ's holy institution, in remembrance of his death and passion, may be partakers of his most blessed Body and Blood. And we earnestly desire thy fatherly goodness, mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving ; most humbly beseeching thee to grant, that by the merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we, and all thy whole Church, may obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of his passion. And here we offer and pre- sent unto thee, O Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice unto thee : humbly beseeching thee, that we, and all others who shall be partakers of this Holy Communion, may worthily receive the most precious Body and Blood of thy Son Jesus Christ, be filled with thy grace and heavenly bene- diction, and made one body with him, that he may dwell in them, and they in him. And although we are un- worthy, through our manifold sins, to offer unto thee any sacrifice ; yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and service ; not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offences, through Jesus Christ our Lord ; by whom, and with whom, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, all hon- our and glory be unto thee, O Father Almighty, world without end. Amen. For Christian Missions. O almighty God, whose dearly beloved Son, after his resurrection from the dead, did send his Apostles into all the world to preach the Gospel to every creature ; Hear, we beseech thee, the devout prayers of thy people, and look down in thy compassion upon the multitudes that are 227 The Pastor's Manual. as sheep having no shepherd, and upon the fields now white unto the harvest. Bless those thy servants who, after the example of thy first missionaries, have gone far hence to the Gentiles, and prosper thou their work of faith and labor of love ; Send forth more laborers into thy harvest, to gather fruit unto life eternal ; And grant us grace and power to be fellow-workers with them by prayers and offerings, that we may also rejoice with them in thy heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. For the Heathen. O almighty God, who hast given thine only-begotten Son a propitiation not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world, and hast promised to Him the heathen for an inheritance ; Deliver the nations that know thee not, from the worship of idols, and gather them, by thy ministers, through the Gospel, into thy holy Church, to the glory of thy name ; through Christ our Lord. Amen. For Pastors and Ministers. Almighty and everlasting God, from whom cometh every good and perfect gift ; Send down upon our Pastors, and other Ministers, and upon the Congregations com- mitted to their charge, the healthful Spirit of thy grace ; and, that they may truly please thee, pour upon them the continual dew of thy blessing. Grant this, O Lord, for the honour of our Advocate and Mediator, Jesus Christ. Amen. For the President of the United States, and all in Civil Authority. O Lord, our heavenly Father, the high and mighty Ruler of the universe, who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers upon earth ; Most heartily we beseech thee with thy favour to behold and bless thy servant The President of the United States, and all others in authority ; and so replenish them with the grace of thy 228 Selected Prayers, Holy Spirit, that they may always incline to thy will, and walk in thy way. Endue them plenteously with heavenly gifts ; grant them in health and prosperity long to live ; and finally, after this life, to attain everlasting joy and felicity ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. For Congress. To be used during their Session. Most gracious God, we humbly beseech thee, as for the people of these United States in general, so espe- cially for their Senate and Representatives in Congress assembled ; That thou wouldest be pleased to direct and prosper all their consultations, to the advancement of thy glory, the good of thy Church, the safety, honour, and welfare of thy people ; that all things may be so ordered and settled by their endeavours, upon the best and surest foundations, that peace and happiness, truth and justice, religion and piety, may be established among us for all generations. These and all other necessaries, for them, for us, and thy whole Church, we humbly beg in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ, our most blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen. A Morning Prayer. O Lord, our heavenly Father, Almighty and ever- lasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day ; Defend us in the same with thy mighty power ; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings, being ordered by thy governance, may be righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. An Evening Prayer. Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O heavenly Father, and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers, for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Tesus Christ. Amen. 229 The Pastor s Manual, For Peace. O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed ; give unto thy servants that peace, which the world cannot give ; that our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee, we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness ; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. For Aid in our Ignorance. Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, who knowest our necessities before we ask, and our ignorance in asking; We beseech thee to have compassion upon our infirmities ; and those things, which for our unworthi- ness we dare not, and for our blindness we can not ask, vouchsafe to give us, for the worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. For Guidance through Temporal Things. O God, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy ; Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy ; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ's sake our Lord. Amen. For Contrite Hearts. Almighty and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent ; Create and make in us new and con- trite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness : through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. For Likeness to Christ. Almighty and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy Son, our Saviour 230 Selected Prayers. Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility; Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection ; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. For Conformity to God's Will. O Almighty God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men ; Grant unto thy people, that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise ; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. For Fellowship with the Saints. O Almighty God, who hast knit together thine elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of thy Son Christ our Lord ; Grant us grace so to follow thy blessed Saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys, which thou hast prepared for those who unfeignedly love thee ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 231 INDEX OF SCRIPTURE TEXTS. Gen. 5: 24 . . „ 15:15 • • „ 17 : 7 • • >, 33:5 • • Num. 6: 24-26 Deut. 6:6, 7 . „ 29:29 . 2 Sam. 12: 15-23 1 Kings 17: 17-24 2 Kings 2: 9-12 „ 4: 18-26 1 Chron. 28: 9, 10, 20 „ 29: 1, 10-18 2 Chron. 5: 13, 14 ,, 6: 1, 18, 40 „ 7:12,15 Job 1 : 20-22 . . 5: 17-26 . . 14: 1-15 • • 19:25-27 . Psalm 16: 8-1 1 . 20: 1-4 . 23 : 1-6 . 25: 1-22 . 27: 7-11, 13 30: 1-12 . 31 : 7-24 . 34: 1-9, 17-19 39:4-13 41:1 . . 42:5-11 . 46 : 1-3 51: 1-12 . 61 : 1-4 . 71: 7-21 . 73 : 26 . . 88:1-18 . 90: 1-15 . 91 : 1-4 . 103: 1-22 „ 8-14 ,» i7> J 8 116: 1-19 „ 12-14 119:49,50 130: 1-8 . 132:1-9,13 143; 1-12 146 : 1-10 Prov. 3: 11, 12 . 16: 31 . . 19: 17 • « PAGE 125 125 45 45 171 45 46 108 109 123 no 14 14 17 16 16 TOT 125 96 141 86 95 141 129 in 79 150 80 97 57 141 130 84 131 126 87 101 98 73 131 87 46 81 21 103 103 9 104 119 i°5 127 57 Prov. 22:6 . „ 31:10-31 Eccl. 7 : 1-4 . „ 11:7-10 „ 12:1-8. Is. 1: 18 . . . 25:4 • • 28: 16 . . 32: 1, 2 . 38: 17-20 40: 1-5 • „ 6-10 . „ 11 . . „ 25-29 „ 28-31 „ 30, 31 43 : i-3 • 44: 3 • • 46:4 . . 52:7-9 • 54:7-10 . „ 7-i3 • 55: 6, 7 . 57:1.2 . 61: 1-3 . 63:7-9 • „ 9 • • Jer. 29: n-13 _»» 3i:i5-i7 Lam. 3 : 22-33 Hag. 1: 7,8, 14 „ 2:8 Zech. 4 : 6-10 Matt. 5:3-8 . » ,t 9> l6 »» ,, 16 . „ 6: 19, 20 » » 21,33 » 7:7 • • >> » 21 . „ 9:2,9,22 „ 10:25,31 », „ 32 . ,> „ 32, 33 „ 11:28-30 „ 12: 50 . „ 13:32-37 „ 18:1-6 „ » 3, 4 „ „ 5, 10, „ „ 10-14 „ 19: 14 . 14 39 26, PAGE 46 I20 I05 112 I27 85 133 IO 133 83 133 IOO III 134 74 114 74 46 127 123 74 106 85 127 123 134 75 T35 114 135 10 10 10 25 26 57 57 26 26 57 26 27 26 21 85, 142 27 145 114 46 47 "5 47 ^33 The Pastor s Manual. Matt. Mark Luke -43 John Acts Rom 21:16 . . 24: 13 • • », 36-47 25: 1-13 • „ 34 • • „ 34-40 . 28: 1-10 . 5: 19 . . „ 22-24,35 10 : 13-16 12: 26, 27 13: 32-37 r, 33 • 2: 25-30 „ 36-38 6: 38 . 7: 11-16 10:5 • • „ 42 . 12 : 34, 35, 37 „ 35-48 18: 18-30 19: 8 . „ 9 • 21 : 19 . 24: 1-6 . i : 12 . . 2: 5 . . 3: ^ 17 4 : 34 • • 5 : 19-29 6:35 • • „ 35-58 8: 12, 31, 9:4 . . 10: 3, 14, ,, 7-16 ,, 27-30 11: 1-44 ,, 25,26 12 .'26, 32 *3^3, J 5 ,, 17, 34 14: 1-3 . ,, 1-6 . „ 1,6, 9, 13 21, 23, 26 „ 13-18, 27 ,, 15-23 • • ,,27 ... 15:2, 4, 5, 7" ,, 14-16, 20 16: 13, 22, 27 ,,33 • • 17:24 . . 2: 39 . . , 7' 55—8:2 9:36-42 . 11: 23, 24 . 1:7 . . , 32 36 44 10 33 46 6, PAGE 47 27 143 144 88 165 155 83 "5 117 156 145 27 128 121 58 117 95 27 27 MS 118 58 28 28 155 28 28 85 28 156 28 136 28 28 29 138 88 i57 i73 29 29 30 75 139 3° 76 139 3 1 3 1 32 32 76, 140 88 47 124 122 128 95 PAGE Rom. 5:1... >• ,, i-5 • • „ „ 6-8 . . ,, 6: 11 . . ,, ,,13 • • „ 8: 1, 14, 15 ,, „ 15-^8 ,, ,, 16-25 . „ ,, 3i-34 • „ „ 3i-39 • „ >> 35-37 • „ „ 37-39 • ,, 10: 10 . . ,, 12: 1, 2 . ,, „ IO-I2,2I ,, 13: 14 • • „ 14:7,8,19 ,, I5-I3 „ 33 • „ 16: 19 . 1 Cor. 1:9.. ,, 2:5 . „ „ 9, 10 „ 3:9-23 „ ,, 11, 16, 2 „ 6:19,20 „ 7: 24 . . ,, ,, 29-31 „ 9:7,11,1 „ ,,24 . . „ 11:23,24 „ ,, 25, 26 „ 15:10,58 ,, „ 20-2S „ f, 35-49 M ,, 50-58 2 Cor. 1 : 3, 4 . „ 4:7-18 „ „ 15-1* 5: i-9 • „ 7, 14 7:1. . 9: 6, 7 12: 7-10 „ 9, IO 13:14 . 5 : 22 . . 6:2,9 . ,, 6. 7, ic 2:8, 10 . „ 19-22 5: ii 8,15, ,, 15-21 6: 6, 10, 1 ,, 10-18 1 : 9, 10, 11 1 : 20-23 2: 5 # i2, 13 Gal. Eph Phil 28 23 27 234 Index of Scripture Texts. PAGE Phil. 3: I, 8 37 „ „ 8-11 164 „ „ 20—4: 1 143 „ „ 20, 21 90 „4:i 4° » » 7 i7 2 » » »3 37 „ „ 19 3° Col. 2: 6, 7 ... 38 ,.3:1-4 164 » „ 2, 3, 11, 16, 17, 24 . . . 38 >, 4: 2, 5, 6 38 1 Thess. 2: 12 39 ,, 19, 20 40 a 3: "-13 4 1 „ 4: i3» H *73 „ ,, 13-18 ...... 165 ,, 5: i-ii 148 ,, ,, 16-19, 21, 22 . . - 39 2 Thess. 2: 16, 17 41,140 „. » 3:5, 13 39 1 Tim. 1:15 86 » 4: 12, 15 39 „ 6:6,7, 17-19 59 » » 12 39 2 Tim. 1:12 90 » 2:1 39 „ „i5 4° „ 4: 6-8 . . t . . . . 90, 128 Heb. 4: 11 . . „ „ 14-16 ,, 6: 10 „ 7:25 . „ 10:23 • » 12:1-13 „ 2 . „ 5-i3 „ 13: 16 . „ „ 20,21 James 4: 13-15 1 Peter 4: 12-14 2 Peter 1: 13-15 3:8-14 »» >» *8 • 1 John 3: 1, 2 Jude 24, 25 . Rev. 2: 10 . . „ 3:19,20 „ 7:9-17 ■ „ 14:13 . . „ 19:5-9 • „ 21 : 1-5 . ,, „ 3,4 • » „ 10-13. „ 22: 1-6 . „ „ 12-14 „ >, 17 • 24: 53, PAGE 78 86 106 9 59 172 100 108 124 149 40 9i 60 24, 172 40 86 167 '68, 173 168 169 91 170 171 i54 86 235 &i