Ordination

Among Mr James’s papers I found a rather curious document It has ah-eady been seen how he was “called of God “to the work of the ministry, and qualified by Divine gifts for its duties; and in this chapter will presently be given an account of his being solemnly ordained to the pastorate of a Christian church by prayer and the imposition of hands. But in those days His Majesty George the Third was graciously pleased to exercise a very watchful care over the spiritual interests of his subjects; and soon after the young draper had become a student at Gosport, he had to appear at the “Winchester Quarter Sessions, and invoke His Majesty’s protection, by taking some very loyal oaths, and solemnly renouncing some very abominable errors. Here is the document: —

“CERTIFICATE FOR DISSENTING MINISTERS.

I do hereby certify, that at the General Quarter Ses-

“Scntljampton, g.^^^g p Sovereign Lord the King,

fcoit. holden by adjournment at the Castle of Wixchester,

in and for the said county, on Monday the eighteenth day of July, in the forty-third Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord Geobge the Third, and in the Year of our Lord, 1803, John James,

ft Dissenting Teacher, did in open Court, between the Houi-s of Nina

LIFE OF JOHN ANGELL JAJIES.

and Twelve of the Clock in the t”orenoon, take and subscribe the Oaths of Allegiance, Supremacy, and Abjuration, and did also make and subscribe the Declaration against Transubstantiation, and against the Invocation and Adoration of the Virgin Mary, and the Sacrament of the Mass, and all other Idolatry, and also did subscribe the Declaration mentioned in the Act passed in the nineteenth year of his present Majesty George the Third.

“Witness my Hand, this eighteenth Day of July 1803.

“Peter Kerby,
” Clerk of the Peaces

Among Congregationalists the ministerial office is divested of much of the mystery and awe which surround it in many other ecclesiastical communities. As a matter of expediency and order, the administration of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper is commonly restricted to those who have been ordained to the ministry, but ordination is not supposed to confer any mystic spiritual Character necessary to give the sacraments validity. What is generally understood by the doctrine of Apostolical Succession is universally repudiated. Perhaps as a consequence of having been called through many generations to protest against the assumption by the Christian ministry of priestly prerogatives, the Independents have too much forgotten that it was by Christ himself that an order of men was established in the Church, separated to spiritual work, and clothed with official authority.

The rite of Ordination, however, is almost universally observed, and, though simple and severe in its outward and visible form, is mighty in all those elements of power by which the spiritual nature of a devout man is most profoundly stirred. After reading the Scriptures and prayer, an “Introductory Discourse” is commonly delivered, in which the Independent polity is developed and vindicated, and the true significance of the day explained. And the preacher seldom forgets to recall the troublous times when imprisonment and banishment and death were the penalty of bold and courageous Nonconformity. The church is then asked, most usually by some grave and venerable pastor, who for many years has “fed the flock of God,” whether by its own free choice the minister to be ordained has been selected. And the newlychosen minister is required to answer in his own words, a series 01 questions, relating to his personal Christian life, his reasons for supiosing himself called of God to the ministry, his doctrinal faith, his opinions on ecclesiastical polity, and the manner in which he hopes to fulfil the duties of his oflSce. If these replies are deemed satisfactory, he kneels down in the presence of his church; his ministerial brethren gather round him; one commends him to the Divine keeping, and invokes upon him the richest benedictions of Heaven, the baytism of fire, the spirit of wisdom, of power, of holiness, and joy; all lay their hands upon his head, and silently join in the invocation. A “Charge” is then delivered to the ordained minister; and, either before the congregation separates or at a service held a few hours later, a sermon is delivered to the people, upon the duties they owe to their minister.

This is the usual form of the service. Mr James’s ordination was rather longer. He says: —

This solemn and public event took place May 8, 1806, after AutoWo-I had been eight months with the church. This was an unne- ^”’^^’^^ cessaiy, and I must say injudicious and unscriptural delay, and occasioned some inconvenience to the church as regards the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. As the time drew near it became a grave and serious question, what ministers should be invited to conduct the service. The pastors of the churches in the vicinity had nearly all become the friends of Ir Brewer, who had been rejected by the church for immorality of conduct, and therefore my friends would not have them invited. It is probable that in this they carried their opposition to Mr Brewer a little too far. Still I can scarcely wonder at their decision. My mind was, of course, somewhat solemn in prospect of such a service, and through it. Yet I had not then the deep impressions I have acquired since, of the tremendous responsibility of the ministerial office.

LIFE OF JOHN ANGELL JAMES.

itorial. The ordination certificate was signed by

James Moody, Warwick.
Edward Williajvis, Rotherham.
David Bogue, Gosport.
Thomas Bijkkitt, Kenilworth.
George Osboen, Worcester.
Alexander Steill, Kidderminster.
James Bennett, Eomsey.
John Styles, Cowes.
Ingram Cobbin, Banbury.
William Jay, Bath.

With one exception, these all have finished their course, and have entered into rest.

On the day after his ordination, as he often told his friends with great delight, he attended the first meeting held in Birmingham on behalf of the British and Foreign Bible Society.

The following extract from a letter to Mr Joseph Phipson gives a full account of the proceedings of the day: —

“May 15, 1806.

“The meeting-house began filling about half-past nine o’clock, and by half-past ten was so crowded as to be unable to contain another person — the place was literally crammed, the seats seemed ready to burst. The moment the pulpit door opened, a solemn stillness and silence took place; every countenance seemed already serious, and eveiy mind solemn and devout. ]Ir Cobbin of Banbury began the ser%dce by prayer and reading the Scriptures. Mr Moody then preached an introductory discourse, explaining the nature and constitution of a Christian church; his sermon was founded on 1 Peter ii. 5, ‘A spiritual house: ’ a very judicious, clever discourse. Mr SteiU then asked the usual questions. The first, which was addressed to the church, to repeat their caU, was answered by your uncle. This being ended, I delivered my answers to the several questions proposed, which were as follows: — to repeat my acceptance of the invitation; to give an account of God’s dealings mth my soul, and my religious experience; to give my ldew3 of the nature and obligations of the pastoral office, with the motives which induced me to take upon me this office; to give the reasons which induced me to dissent from the Church of England, and to deUver

ORDI^^ATION.

a confession of my faitL I stood on the seat in the table pew with my face towards the congregation, that I might be the more distinctly heard Dr “Williams then presented the ordination prayer, which was accompanied with the imposition of hands. This being done, and the right hand of fellowship being given me by the ministers present, Mr Bogiie delivered a charge from 1 Tim. vi. 11, * O man of God.’ He shewed, 1st, what the appellation implied; 2dly, gave some directions for the performance of the duties which it enjoined; and 3dly, advanced some encouragements to animate me. Mr Osborn of Worcester presented the intercessoiy prayer, and Mr Bennett preached from Rev. iii. 23, an ingenious and good discourse. He shewed, 1st, the duties which devolved upon a church to those who are without its limits; 2dly, the duties the members of it owe to each other; 3dly, their duty to their minister. Mr Bm-kitt then concluded the whole with prayer.

“The service, though it began precisely at half-pa-st ten o’clock, did not end tUl haK-past three. The people, however, discovered no mark of inattention even to the last. When Mr Bennett began his discourse their minds seemed as eager and as fresh as at the beginning of the service. We then adjourned to the Castle Inn to dine. About sixty persons, including ministers, sat down at the table, which was very well furnished with the good things of this life. In the evening, the service commenced at seven o’clock. Ir Styles prayed, Mr Jay preached; his discourse was founded on Exodus xxxiii. 14 — 16. He was clever, but not quite so much so as I expected; — allowance though is to be made for illness; he was very much indisposed indeed two or three weeks before he came to Birmingham. Mr Edmonds of Bond Street closed the whole service with a very solemn, serious, and earnest prayer. Never was an ordination service from beginning to end conducted with less confusion. Crowded as was our meeting, and sultry as was the day, we had no fainting amongst the female part of the audience.

“The ministers had their parts all arranged, so that there was no disputing about engaging; everj-thing was done decently and in order. Never did I witness an auditory more apparently interested. Oh, how it would have melted your heart to have seen the aged members of the church meeting each other, unable to address each other but by an exchange of sobs and tears! Joy ghstened in every eye, and every tongue that could speak declared the satisfaction of the heart. It was like the beginning of a new age. We seemed meeting together like the ancient Jews to welcome the return of jubilee.

“To describe to you my feelings on that solemn occasion would be quite beyond my power. I had scarcely a moment’s sound sleep all the

LIFE OF JOHN ANGELL JAMES.

preceding night — I could eat no breakfest the morning of the ordination. However, when I had answered one question, my feelings became less painful. I found God to be as good as His word, — for, as my day was, so I found my strength to be; His grace was sufficient for me. Oh, what a difference was there in the state of my mind Tuesday morning and Tuesday evening! It seemed like a mountain removed from my spirits.

“We have lately made very great exertions in this toTO on behalf of the British and Foreign Bible Society There was a

meeting held at the committee-room of the Blue-Coat School, for the purpose of taking into consideration the best means of aiding this institution. Persons of all descriptions were present, — Quakers, Socinians, Churchmen, Baptists, Independents; and when it was resolved that the town should be divided into twelve districts, and three persons appointed to each to go round and call on all the inhabitants to aid and assist in so good an undertaking, it was so ordered that the three persons to each district should be of different denominations. On Monday week we delivered in our collection, and what would you imagine we collected in Birming’iam? — upwards of £500! This is no bad beginning of the generosity of the people of this town.”