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service are to be found in the book of "Common Prayer." There can be no doubt that a Bishop may ordain any man of sound mind, being a subject of the Queen, and twenty-four years of age, without requiring proof of his having passed through any course of education, literary, scientific, or professional; but there scarcely exists an instance of any one under the degree of a Bachelor of Arts (in an English or Irish university) being admitted to ordination, unless he should have been educated at St. Bees or at Lampeter. In addition to evidence of having graduated at Oxford, Cambridge, Dublin, or Durham, the candidate for holy orders must produce testimonials from three clergymen, at the least, of his moral and religious character: he must subscribe the Thirtynine Articles, and submit to examination, if required, in the holy Scriptures and in theology, by the Bishop of the diocese, or by his Lordship's chaplain, or other person appointed for that purpose. If a Bishop ordain any person not properly qualified, the Archbishop of his province, being assisted by one Bishop, may deprive the offending prelate of the power of ordination for two years. That which is usually called "a qualification for orders," is that the candidate should be previously provided with a curacy, in order to prevent unnecessary additions being made to the clerical body. A Master of Arts of five years' standing, living at his own charge in a university, a Fellow of any college in Oxford, Cambridge, or Dublin, or any person about to be appointed to an ecclesiastical office in a cathedral, may be ordained without being provided with a

curacy.

CURATES.-The members of this class amongst the clergy represent when non-resident, and assist when resident, the incumbents of churches, whether they be vicars, parsons, deans, or archdeacons. Curates are licensed or admitted by the Bishops of the diocese, and though nominated by the incumbent are not removable at his pleasure. The Bishop determines the salaries of Curates at sums varying from £75 to £150, which of course is payable by the incumbent. "Cures of souls" where there is no incumbent are called "perpetual curacies" as happens where the tithes of a parish are impropriate, and no vicarage endowed. A Curate exercises all the clerical functions as completely as any other clergyman.

MINISTERS.-Several district churches and episcopal chapels have been erected, some at private, some at public expense, and at those places the senior officiating clergyman is usually described as the "Minister;" the junior as the assistant Minister." Those places of worship, when licensed by the Bishop of the diocese, are as much an integral part of the Church of England as any portion of the whole establishment. Perpetual curates are sometimes called "Ministers."

CHAPLAIN. In the strict or original meaning of the word, Chaplain signified an ecclesiastic who was provided with a chapel, and who performed divine service therein; but in general it is now understood to mean a clergyman who officiates in the private residences of the nobility, the royal family, and the

monarch. There are in England forty-eight Chaplains to the Queen, who are called "Chaplains in ordinary," and receive an allowance of £30 a-year; in Scotland there are six; the latter have salaries of £50 each.

The Royal Family are not limited in the number of their Chaplains. An Archbishop can qualify eight, a Duke six, a Bishop six, a Marquis five, an Earl five, a Viscount four, a Baron three, a Knight of the Garter three; Dowager Duchesses, Marchionesses, Countesses, Viscountesses, and Baronesses, two each, Treasurer of the Queen's Household two, Comptroller of the Household two, Queen's Secretary two, Dean of the Chapel Royal two, Queen's Almoner two, Master of the Rolls two, Judges of the Queen's Bench one, Judges of the Common Pleas one, Chancellor of the Exchequer one, Chief Baron of the Exchequer one, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports one, the AttorneyGeneral one, the Solicitor-General one.

VICAR. The distinction between Rectors (or parsons) and Vicars, is nominal in all respects but one; the Vicar does not enjoy the rectorial tithes, but he is as completely entitled to small tithes, to glebes, and residences, as any rector, and it frequently happens that vicarages are well endowed with glebe lands.

RECTOR.-Parson, Vicar, and Rector, are three terms not very dissimilar in meaning. Between Parson and Rector there is properly no distinction, however the former may have been debased by vulgar misapplication. A Vicar is not distinguish

able from a Rector in any thing but this, that he shares the tithes of his parish with another proprietor; the Rector does not. A Rector or Vicar is a corporation sole; he enjoys a freehold interest for life in the parsonage-house, the glebe lands, the tithes, and other dues of his parish or benefice. He is bound to perform divine service, to solemnize marriage, to baptize, to catechize young persons, to administer the Holy Communion, to visit the sick, to perform the burial service, to preach on Sundays and holydays. It is not necessary that a Rector should ever have filled the inferior office of curate or minister to any church.

ARCHDEACON.-This ecclesiastical officer is a dignitary of considerable importance, and every diocese has one or more. He is appointed by the Bishop, but not during pleasure. He is entitled to act as a visitor of all the clergy within his archdeaconry, and has a separate court for the punishment of offenders by spiritual censures. He can inflict penance, suspend inferior clergy, allow proof of wills, grant administrations, and hear ecclesiastical causes.

There lies an appeal to the Bishop from all the judgments and acts of the Archdeacon. The proper style of address is, "the Venerable the Archdeacon of ——.”

DEANS AND CANONS.

"He much admires the place and air,
And longs to be a Canon there.
A Canon! that's a place too mean;
No, doctor, you shall be a Dean.
Two dozen Canons round your stall,
And you the tyrant o'er them all."

SWIFT.

A DEAN is justly regarded as a very important dignitary of the Church, but he is so identified with the Chapter or body of Canons, that it is difficult to regard a Dean in any substantive or separate character; and the Chapter is so closely connected with the Cathedral Church, that it becomes in some degree necessary to review the whole three under one title. A cathedral is "the head Church of a diocese," and every diocese contains one; from time to time, however, two or more dioceses have been united under a single Bishop; but the Church in which there is a throne or chair for the Prelate continues to be called a Cathedral, usually retaining its Dean and Chapter, together with its customary forms and ceremonies, as if it were still regarded as the chief place of worship, and regularly attended by the diocesan himself. In the early ages of the Church the elders and priests were accustomed to meet at whatever ecclesiastical edifice was nearest to the residence of the Bishop, where he always took the chair; hence the word cathedral came frequently to be used as an equivalent for episcopal. To a Cathedral Church usually belong a number of Canons,

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