Page:The church manual (Church of the Brethren 1916).djvu/31

30 If he answers in the affirmative, he is then installed after the following form:

Dear brother, your duties, while in the first degree of the ministry, are not very onerous. The church authorizes you to exhort and to preach as an assistant to the elder and older ministers, as they may give you liberty to do. It is your duty, however, faithfully to attend the meetings of the church, and, when liberty is given, to exhort or preach, and do it humbly, and willingly, and faithfully, as the Lord will afford you grace to do. But should it happen that none of the older ministering brethren should come to the regular appointment, then it will be your duty, and you are hereby authorized, to conduct the meeting according to the usual order of the Brethren, to the best of your ability, and to announce the regular appointments; but you have no authority to make or announce any appointments on your own or private account. In case, however, you are called to preach on a funeral occasion, you are at liberty, and are hereby authorized, to go and conduct the services according to the usual order of the Brethren. And it is thought good that the elder and older ministering brethren should be liberal in giving you liberty to preach, and not always confine you to the closing services, or you may not soon learn to be a "workman of God, that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth."

He is then received by the membership the same as in the second and third degree.

Deacons are elected in the same way as are the ministers, and are installed after the following form: