Church, to ordain these men, now standing in the presence of Christ and before you, to be ambassadors of Jesus Christ, and to confer on them full authority to exercise the sacred ministry, according to the power vested in you by Christ and his Church."

The bishop replied; "Are these men worthy and qualified to take upon themselves this sacred office, and are they endowed with those virtues, which ought to adorn an ambassador of Christ?"

One of the conseniors returned for answer: "God hath endowed them with the requisite talents, they have been carefully instructed from their youth, and, according to the testimony we have received, have led irreproachable lives. We have examined them, and found them sound in faith, and doctrine, and sincere in their desire to serve Christ and his Church; their consciences are pure, and we believe they are called by God and his Church, to undertake the office of the holy ministry, for which they have prepared themselves by fasting and prayer.' The bishop rejoined, "The testimony you have now given, before the congregation of Christ, is received, and your request shall be granted in the name of God."

The candidates having solemnly pledged themselves to take heed to their ministry, the bishop thus addressed them. "Beloved Brethren; in order that you may place unshaken confidence in the help of the Lord, hear, I beseech you, how the eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ, hath prayed for you, who, when he was going to present himself to God, as an offering for the sins of the world, fervently prayed to his Father, for all those who should preach his redemption to the nations of the world." Hereupon another bishop read the seventeenth chapter of John's Gospel. Then followed the ordination, with prayer and imposition of hands. The assembly meanwhile kneeled, and at the close sung the hymn.

"Come, Holy Ghost, come, Lord our God,

And shed thy heavenly gifts abroad."*

When the assembly had risen, the bishop invoked the divine blessing on the new presbyters, exhorted them to be diligent in

* Brethren's Hymn book of 1809. No. 217.

their labours, and patient in tribulation, to abide in Christ, let his words abide in them, and to go and bring forth fruit, encouraging them with a promise of a rich and eternal reward of grace. The whole congregation added a loud Amen. The usual tokens of respect, and brotherly love and fellowship, were then exchanged between the newly ordained presbyters, the bishops, and other ministers; and the service was concluded with the celebration of the Lord's Supper.

From the order of presbyters, Conseniors were elected. The votes written on slips of paper, were sent sealed to the bishops, and he that had the majority, was declared duly elected, and ordained with imposition of hands, after which he took his seat in the Ecclesiastical Council.

Whenever a new Bishop was to be elected a special Synod was convened. The first day of meeting was solemnly devoted to prayer and fasting. A sermon was preached, in which the duties of the episcopal office, and the necessary qualifications for it, as delineated in the Holy Scriptures, were set forth; and the assembly was earnestly exhorted, to be directed in their choice by this pattern, giving their votes to that man only, whom they conscientiously considered, as bearing the nearest resemblance to it. The service being ended, each bishop, consenior, and presbyter, wrote down his vote, without consulting his brethren. Each vote was sealed, and when all were collected, they were given to the bishops. These held a convocation, for the purpose of opening the papers, not doubting in the least, that he, who had the plurality of votes, was chosen by God himself, to fill up the vacancy in the Episcopal College. The issue remained a secret in their own breasts till the next day.

The whole Synod, being assembled, the President informed them, that God had heard their prayers, and pointed out the man, who, according to his will, was to supply the place, which had become vacant in the government of the church; adding, "he trusted, that the individual, who had been thus nominated, would not be dismayed, or prove disobedient to the heavenly call; but cheerfully come forward and present himself before God and his church." Another bishop then announced his name.

The Bishop clect, having come forward, was asked, whether he considered his nomination as a divine call, and was ready to serve God and his Church? Having answered in the affirmative, the duties of his office, as delineated in the apostolic epistles, were read to him; and he promised to attend on his ministry with fidelity, uprightness, and constancy. Then followed a solemn prayer; at the close of which, the consecration took place, all the bishops joining in laying on their hands. The assembly continued kneeling, while the hymn was sung, "Come holy Ghost, come Lord our God &c." ." The ceremony being ended, the bishops welcomed their new colleague by giving him the right hand of fellowship and a fraternal kiss.

The conseniors and presbyters promised him obedience, and the whole assembly joined in cordial congratulations. The whole was concluded with a hymn of praise.

Visitations were held yearly by each bishop in his own diocese ; or if unavoidably prevented doing it himself he deputed one of his conseniors. In each congregation, the bishop minutely investigated all its circumstances. He consulted the minister on the state of the individual members of his flock; and inquired into his personal concerns, and his ministerial conduct. Afterwards he convened the deacons and acoluths, questioned them on their devotedness to the service of the Church, their personal piety, their studies, and their intercourse with each other, asking whether they had any complaints to make &c? He likewise had separate interviews with the elders of the congregation, relative to the discharge of their office. The same was done with the female elders. And if the lord of the manor, who always acted as a magistrate, was a member of the Church, the bishop paid him a visit, to hear what observations he might have to make. Accompanied by the elders he inspected the public buildings, the dwelling of the minister, his furniture &c. to see that the buildings were kept in proper repair, and nothing neglected, which might conduce to the needful temporal comfort of the minister.

The bishop also employed his time of visitation for adjusting differences, which might have arisen between the magistrate and the congregation, or between them and the minister; for inducting new ministers, directing the election of elders, and

opening new churches.

He likewise delivered sermons and private addresses to the congregation, and never left them without celebrating the Lord's Supper with them.

Every part of their ritual and ceremonial was distinguished by simplicity. Their churches were unadorned, fitted up with plain seats, or forms, the men and women sitting apart. They do not appear to have used any prescribed form of prayer, or instrumental music in their worship. But they delighted in vocal music, and the whole congregation joined in the Singing, led by a Precentor. Their Hymn book went through several enlarged and improved editions. It contained a considerable number of Scriptural hymns, in which the histories and doctrines of holy writ were put in rhyme.

From the preceeding sketch it is evident, that the ecclesiastical constitution of the Brethren was formed on the model of the primitive church. The times in which they lived, and the manners of the age, gave to some parts of it the appearance of greater severity, than may be thought consistent with the mild spirit of Christianity. Inflexible adherence to divine truth, scrupulous attention to the precepts of holy writ, even in their minuter application, and an ever wakeful anxiety to preserve their Church uncontaminated from the corruption, which prevailed all around, infused great gravity into their general deportment, and more than usual strictness in the observance of every religious duty. The whole community resembled a well regulated family, united by the closest bonds of affection, each member endeavouring to supply his quota towards the general good. Ministers from the highest to the lowest, discharged their important trust with fidelity; and thus easily procured, not only respect and honor, but the love and confidence of their flocks, who received their instructions with gratitude, respected their counsels, profited by their reproofs, and " esteemed them very highly for their works' sake." As they had one faith and one hope of their calling so they were animated by one Spirit. "To make their calling and election sure," was their daily study; and thus were they enabled by the grace of God "to witness a good confession," to arm themselves with fortitude in the day of persecution, and be prepared to win the Martyr's

crown.

CHAP. II.

NEGOCIATIONS OF THE BRETHREN WITH THE GERMAN REFORMERS-PERSECUTIONS IN BOHEMIA, AND EXTENSION OF THEIR CHURCH IN PRUSSIA AND POLAND. FROM THE YEAR 1517 TO 1620.

SECTION I.

Negociations with the Reformers in Germany.

THE beginning of the sixteenth century forms one of the most important epochs in the history of the Christian church. After a long night of intellectual and spiritual darkness, barely rendered visible by the scanty rays of scriptural light, bursting forth here and there, it now pleased God to remove from a great portion of nominal Christendom the thick veil of ignorance and "to destroy the face of the covering,"* which had concealed from men the knowledge of his holy Word.

In the year 1517 the celebrated reformer, Dr. Martin Luther, commenced the great and divine work, which, by the blessing of God, once more restored to the world the free use of the Sacred Scriptures, and liberated a large portion of mankind from the thraldom of superstition and error. With an intrepidity, equalled by none, he publicly exposed the absurdities and spiritual tyranny of the church of Rome; and with indefatigable diligence applied himself to the translation of the

*Isaiah xxv. 7.