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THE FORM OF

Consecration of a Church or Chapel,

According to the order of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, as established by the Bishops, the Clergy, and Laity of said Church, in General Convention, in the month of September, A. D. 1799.

The Bishop is to be received at the entrance of the Church or Chapel by the Church-wardens and Vestrymen, or some other Persons appointed for that purpose. The Bishop and the Clergy who are present, shall go up the isle of the Church or Chapel, to the Communion Table, repeating the 24th Psalm alternately, the Bishop one verse, and the Clergy another.

Psalm xxiv.

THE earth is the Lord's and all that therein is: the compass of the world, and they that dwell therein.

2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and prepared it upon the floods.

3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord, or who shall rise up in his holy place?

Jeven the Lord of Hosts, he is the

King of Glory.

The Bishop shall go within the rails, with such of the Clergy as can be there accommodated. The Bishop, sitting in his chair, shall have the nstruments of donation and endowment, if there be any presented to him, and then standing up, and turning to the Congregation, shall say,

DEARLY beloved in the Lord; forasinuch as devout and holy men, as well under the law as 4 Even he that hath clean under the gospel, moved either hands and a pure heart; and that by the express command of God, hath not lift up his mind unto or by the secret inspiration of vanity, nor sworn to deceive his the blessed Spirit, and acting neighbour. agreeably to their own reason 5 He shall receive the blessing and sense of the natural decency from the Lord, and righteousness of things, have erected houses from the God of his salvation. for the public worship of God,

6 This is the generation of and separated them from all unthem that seek him; even of them hallowed, worldly, and common that seek thy face, O Jacob. Juses, in order to fill men's minds

7 Lift up your heads, O ye with greater reverence for his gates; and be ye lift up, ye ever-glorious Majesty, and affect their lasting doors: and the King of hearts with more devotion and Glory shall come in. humility in his service; which 8 Who is the King of Glory pious works have been approved it is the Lord strong and mighty, of and graciously accepted by our even the Lord mighty in battle. heavenly Father: Let us not 9 Lift up your heads, O ye doubt but that he will also favourgates; and be ye lift up, ye ever-ably approve our godly purpose lasting doors: and the King of of setting apart this place in soGlory shall come in. lemn manner, for the perform 10 Who is the King of Glory ?ance of the several offices of re

ligious worship, and let us faith-wrath and eternal death, and re fully and devoutly beg his bless-ceived as a living member of ing on this our undertaking. Christ's Church, and may ever

Then the Bishop kneeling, shall say remain in the number of thy the following Prayer. faithful children. Amen.

Eternal God, mighty in Grant, O Lord, that they who power and of majesty incom-at this place shall in their own prehensible, whom the heaven of persons renew the promises and heavens cannot contain, much vows which they made, or which less the walls of temples made were made for them by their with bands; and who yet hast been sureties at their Baptism, and graciously pleased to promise thy thereupon shall be confirmed by especial presence, wherever two the Bishop, may receive such a or three of thy faithful servants measure of thy holy Spirit, that shall assemble in thy name to of-they may be enabled faithfully to fer up their praises and suppli- fulfil the same, and cations unto thee; vouchsafe, Ounto their lives' end. Amen. grow in grace Lord, to be present with us, who Grant, O Lord, that whosoever are here gathered together, with shall receive in this place the all humility and readiness of blessed sacrament of the body heart, to consecrate this place to and blood of Christ, may come the honour of thy great name; to that holy ordinance with faith. separating it henceforth from all charity, and true repentance: and unhallowed, ordinary, and com- being filled with thy grace and mon uses, and dedicating it to thy heavenly benediction, may, to service, for reading thy holy their great and endless comfort, word, for celebrating thy holy obtain remission of their sins, sacraments, for offering to thy and all other benefits of his pas glorious Majesty the sacrifices of sion. Amen.

prayer and thanksgiving, for bless- Grant, O Lord, that by thy ing thy people in thy name, and holy word which shall be read for the performance of all other and preached in this place, and holy offices: accept, O Lord, this by thy holy Spirit grafting it inservice at our hands, and bless it wardly in the heart, the hearers with such success as may tend thereof may both perceive and most to thy glory, and the fur-know what things they ought to do therance of our happiness both and may have power and strength temporal and spiritual, through to fulfil the same. Amer. Jesus Christ our blessed Lord Grant, O Lord, that whosoever shall be joined together in this After this the Bishop shall stand up. place in the holy estate of matri mony, may faithfully perform and REGARD, O Lord, the suppli- keep the vow and covenant be cations of thy servants, and tween them made, and may re grant that whosoever shall be de- main in perfect love together dicated to thee in this house by unto their lives' end.

and Saviour. Amen.

and turning his face towards the Congregation, shall say,

Baptism, may be sanctified by the Grant, we beseech thee, blessed Holy Ghost, delivered from thy Lord, that whosoever shall draw

shall be the Collect, Epistle, ena Gos pel, for the occasion.

The Collect.

near to thee in this place, to give thee thanks for the benefits which they have received at thy hands, to set forth thy most worthy praise, to confess their sins unto Most glorious Lord, we acknowledge that we are not thee, and to ask such things as worthy to offer unto thee any are requisite and necessary as thing belonging unto us; yet we well for the body as for the soul, beseech thee in thy great goodmay do it with such steadiness of faith, and with such seriousness,dication of this place to thy serness, graciously to accept the deaffection, and devotion of mind, vice, and to prosper this our unthat thou mayest accept their dertaking; receive the prayers bounden duty and service, and and intercessions of all those thy vouchsafe to give whatever inservants, who shall call upon thee thy infinite wisdom thou shalt see in this house; and give them to be most expedient for them: all which we beg for Jesus Christ's race to prepare their hearts to serve thee with reverence and sake our most blessed Lord and godly fear; affect them with an Saviour. Amen. awful apprehension of thy Divine Then the Bishop sitting in his chair, Majesty, and a deep sense of their read by some person appointed by own unworthiness; that so aphim, and then laid by him upon the proaching thy sanctuary with Communion Table,-after which the lowliness and devotion, and comBishop shall say, BLESSED be thy name, oing before thee with clean

the sentence of Consecration is to be

Lord, that it hath pleased thoughts and pure hearts, with thee to put it into the hearts of bodies undefiled, and minds thy servants, to appropriate and sanctified, they may always perdevote this house to thy honour form a service acceptable to thee, and worship; and grant that all through Jesus Christ our Lord. who shall enjoy the benefit of this pious work, may show forth their The Epistle. 2 Cor. vi, verse 14 thankfulness, by making a right use of it, to the glory of thy blessed name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

After this the Minister appointed is to read the service for the day. PROPER PSALMS, 84.....122.....

132.

FIRST LESSON., 1 Kings, 8th,

verse 22 to verse 63.

SECOND LESSON. Heb. 10th,

verse 19 to verse 27.

Amen.

to verse 17.

BE ye not unequally yoked to

gether with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with Idols?

Morning Prayer being ended, there For ye are the temple of the Livshall be sung from the book of Psalms ing God: as God hath said. I will in metre, Psal. xxvi. verse 6, 7, 8, dwell in them and walk in them, with the Gloria Patri. and I will be their God, and they 1 The Bishop shall then proceed to the Communion Service. The following shall be my peuple.

The Gospel. St. John, ii. verse 13. be worshipped in truth and purity AND the Jews' Passover was at through all generations, through hand, and Jesus went up to Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Jerusalem, and found in the tem- THE peace of God, which passple those that sold oxen, and eth all understanding, keep sheep, and doves, and the chan- your hearts and minds in the gers of money sitting: And when knowledge and love of God, and he had made a scourge of small of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, cords, he drove them all out of and the blessing of God Almighty, the temple, and the sheep, and the Father, the Son, and the Holy the oxen, and poured out the Ghost, be amongst you, and remain changers of money, and overthrew with you always. Amen. the tables, and said unto them a Prayer to be used at the Meetings that sold doves, "Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchan ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who, by thy Holy Spirit, dise." And his disciples remem- didst preside in the councils of bered that it was written, The the blessed Apostles, and hast zeal of thine house hath eaten promised, through thy Son Jesus

me up.

of Convention.

Christ, to be with thy Church to

Then shall be said or sung the 100th the end of the world; we beseech

*

Psalni.

at that time.

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thee to be present with the council of thy Church here assembled in thy name and presence. Save them from all error, ignorance,

7 The Sermon being ended, the Bishop shall proceed in the service for the pride, and prejudice; and of thy Communion, if it is to be administered great mercy vouchsafe, we beseech thee, so to direct, sanctify, After the Communion, or if it is not and govern us in our present administered at that time, after the work, by the mighty power of Sermon, and immediately before the final blessing, the Bishop shall say the the Holy Ghost, that the comfortfollowing Prayer. abie gospel of Christ may be BLESSED be thy name, O Lord truly preached, truly received, God, for that it hath pleased and truly followed, in all places, thee to have thy habitation among to the breaking down the kingthe sons of men, and to dwell in dom of sin, satan, and death; till the midst of the assembly of the at length the whole of thy dissaints upon the earth; bless, we persed sheep, being gathered into beseech thee, the religious per-one fold, shall become partakers formance of this day, and grant of everlasting life, through the that in this place now set apart to merits and death of Jesus Christ thy service thy holy name may four Saviour. Amen.

INSTITUTION OF MINISTERS

INTO

PARISHES OR CHURCHES,

Prescribed by the Protestant Episcopa! Church in the United States of America; established in General Convention of the Bishops, the Clergy, and Laity, 1804; and set forth, with Alterations, in General Convention, 1803.

The Bishop having received due Notice of the election of a Minister into a Parish or Church, as prescribed by the Canon "concerning the Election and Institution of Ministers," and being satisfied that "the Person chosen is a qualified Minister of this Church," may transmit the following Letter of Institution, for the proposed Rector, Associated Rector, or Assistant Minister, to one of his Presbyters, whom he may appoint as the Institutor.

In any State or Diocese the concluding Paragraph in the Letter of Institution may be omitted, where it interferes with the Usages, Laws, or Charters of the Church in the same.

To our well-beloved in Christ, A. B. Presbyter, Greeting.

Sigillum.

WE do by these Presents give and grant unto you, in whose Learning, Diligence, sound Doctrine, and Prudence, we do fully confide, our License and Authority, to perform the Office of a Priest in the Parish [or Church] of E. And also hereby do institute you into said Parish [or Church,] possessed of full power to perform every Act of sacerdotal Function among the People of the same; you continuing in communion with us, and complying with the rubrics and canons of the Church, and with such lawful directions as you shall at any time receive from us.

Signat.

And as a canonically instituted Priest into the Office of Rector [Associated Rector, or Assistant Minister, as the case may be] of

Parish [or Church,] you are faithfully to feed that portion of the flock of Christ which is now entrusted to you; not as a manpleaser, but as continually bearing in mind, that you are accountable to us here, and to the Chief Bishop and Sovereign Judge of all hereafter.

And as the Lord hath ordained, that they who serve at the altar should live of the things belonging to the altar; so we authorize you to claim and enjoy all the accustomed temporalities appertain ing to your cure, until some urgent reason or reasons occasion a wish in you, or in the congregation committed to your charge, to bring about a separation, and dissolution of all sacerdotal relation between you and them; of all which you will give us due notice ·