00-HodgeAA - Manual of Forms (b)

MANUAL OF FORMS Baptism, Admission to the Communion, Administra tion of the Lord s Supper, Marriage and Funerals, Ordination of Elders and Deacons, etc.

CONFORMED TO THE f ortritte anb JBisripline of tjje fnsogienan jmre|j BY ARCHIBALD ALEXANDER HODGE, D. D.

FEW AND REWRITTEN EDITION

PHILADELPHIA :

PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION AND SABBATH-SCHOOL WORK,

1920.

COPYRIGHT, 1982, BY THE TRUSTEES OF THE PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION Publishcd March, 1SSS.

36374

Contenido ORDER FOR THE BAPTISM OF INFANTS3 ORDER PUBLIC RECEPTION INTO FULL OR CONFIRMED7 COMMUNION OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN7 BAPTIZED IN INFANCY.7 ORDER FOR THE10 BAPTISM OF ADULTS.10 ORDER20 FOR THE20 SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGE.20 ORDER24 FOR THE24 ORDINATION OF ELDERS.24 ORDER27 FOR THE27 ORDINATION OF DEACONS.27 ORDER29 FOR THE29 DEDICATION OF A CHURCH.29 ORDER32 FOB THE32 BURIAL OF THE DEAD.32 SELECTIONS OF SCRIPTURE41 USE OF THE PASTOR IN THE SICK-ROOM.41 REPENTANCE FOR SIN.41 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.58

PREFACE.

NOTWITHSTANDING the fact that the founders of all the several national branches of the Reformed Church prepared and used written formularies of public worship (as, e. g, Calvin. Knox, the authors of the Dutch and the German Reformed Liturgies, and in tne next century Richard Baxter), the genius of Scottish and American Presbyterianism has discarded them as uncongenial, and the matured judgment of our Church has pronounced them to be inexpedient. The action of our recent General Assemblies from 1873 to 1875 proves that the mind of the Church is decidedly averse to the recommendation by authority of even the simplest forms for special services. With this jealous care for the freedom and spirituality of the Church the compiler of this little manual is in perfect sympathy.

Nevertheless, accurate verbal preparation is felt by all to be necessary for the edifying performance of certain special services, as, for instance, the administration of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, the admission of the baptized to full communion, and the celebration of Marriage.

Any approximation to a uniformity of method in these particulars which can be secured with it the sacrifice of 3

4 PREFACE. freedom and adaptability to varying circumstances will be generally welcomed.* The very spirit of liberty, which opposes the authoritative recommendation of such formulas by the General Assembly, will approve as legitimate such offerings to the brethren as the present, made by private persons, and thoroughly conformed to the doctrinal principles of the “Confession of Faith “ and to the regulative injunctions of the “ Directory for Worship.” The present compiler drew up from various sources a “ Manual of Forms,” which he presented to the public in the year 1877 through the favorable auspices of the Presbyterian Board of Publication. Since that time a permanent and somewhat general demand for it seems to have been established in the Church. In order to render it more worthy this Manual now appears in a greatly improved form, in which the compiler has great confidence in commending it to the approbation and use of his brethren. This confidence is justified by the fact that he has enjoyed the criticism and effective assistance of Drs. James O. Murray and Francis L. Patton, and of Rev. Edward B. Hodge, and that a very valuable portion of the new work is borrowed by per mission from the “Liturgy of the Reformed (Dutch), Church in America.”

A. A. HODGE.

PRINCETON, N. J, Sept. 19, 1882.

Se report of committee “to consider and report, if necessary, a formula for recognition of member* admitted to church privileges,” to General Assembly of 1875.