ORDINATION SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 408, 18 January 1909, Page 3

ORDINATION SERVICE.

An .ordination service took place at St. Mark's Church yesterday morning, when tho following candidates wcro admitted to the deaconate-by the Anglican Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Wallis):—Mr. G. Kenrick, Mr. W. Raine, Mr. C. B. Tobin, and Mr. Henare Koremehepa. The Maori candidate was presented by the Rev. A. L.'Williams, and the ■.others by the Rev. T. -H. Sprott.'. The : Rev. A. M. Johnston sang the Litany, and the Bishop was the celebrant, at the Communion. The Rev. T. H. Sprott was the preacher.- In the course of an interesting address, he : statedthat the results of historical investigation showed that : the. three orders of the Christian ministry originated in close connection with tho Lord's Supper. In the celebration of the Eucharist the Nearly Church endeavoured as 'far as possible to reproduce, the conditions of the Lord's Supper as instituted by Christ himself, and when the number of believers was very small they all sat together round tho table, a president being chosen to take the central place, which Christ had originally' occupied. In this president at the Eucharist wo had the origin of the Christian bishop. As tho Christian'community grew it was found impossible for al l to sit round the one table, and elders—that is menof age and good repute—were chosen to sit in the place of honour at or near the table with the president. These elders, in the course of time, developed into the second order of the ministry—the priesthood. It also became necessary, to appoint men to act asiwaiters and assist/the president, or.bishop, ■by'..'carrying, the bread and wine to the increasing number of believers present at the Eucharist, and thus the office of deacon came ;into existence. ' The deacons were originally the assistants of the bishops, not only at the Lord's. Supper, but also in- the distribution of alms among the poor. The Church was a living organism, and had to adapt itself from time to time to its. changing'surroundings, and■ as the work of the ministry was extended owing, to the'new duties caused by the-continued growth of the Church, there was ah interchange of. functions between the three orders, but in spite of all changes certain,duties and functions still purvived which clearly pointed to the origin of the minis'tfy; as: above stated, and its close connection with the Lord's Supper. Mr. Sprott-went on to refer; to the duties and qualifications of a deacon, and concluded with few special remarks to, the candidates about.to be ordained.';. .;...-...