ment during that time. Excepting only, that if an ordained minister comes well recommended for piety and learning, by a Consistorium, or a number of individuals known to the Ministerium as orthodox and evangelical, and if the Ministerium believe they can safely confide in the testimonials, they may receive him for twelve months, after which the vote for his permanent reception as a regular member shall be taken, and the case decided according to Sec. 5.

SEC. 7. All business not specifically entrusted to the Ministerium in this Formula, shall belong to the Synod.

SEC. 8. The order of business in the Ministerium may be as follows:

1. After the session has been opened with prayer, the Presi dent shall communicate any business which he may have to report or propose.

2. The licentiates shall hand in their licenses, sermons, and journals, which ought if possible to be read by the licentiate before the whole body. If want of time renders this inconvenient, Committees ought then to be appointed to examine and report on them. 3. Applicants for licensure are examined.

4. After the examination of the applicants and of the sermons and journals of licentiates, the applicants and licentiates may be desired to withdraw, and the question of their licensure and renewal of license or ordination, be discussed and decided.

5. The licensure and ordination may be performed either in the Ministerium, or at an appointed hour, before a promiscuous assembly.

6. Promiscuous matters relative to Ministerial business may then be attended to.

7. Some time then shall be spent in conversation on pastoral experience.

8. The session closed as directed Ch. XII. Sec. 2.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Examination and Licensure of Candidates.

SEC. 1. The examination shall be conducted by an Examining Committee of two or more ordained ministers, appointed for the purpose at the meeting of the previous year, or by a Committee appointed at the time. As these examinations may be highly interesting and useful to the whole Ministerium, and will be more faithfully performed if public, it is earnestly recommended that they be performed before the whole body.

SEC. 2. After the examination by the Committee is ended, every member of the Ministerium has the right to ask the applicant any additional questions.

SEC. 3. The examination shall embrace at least the following subjects, viz. Personal piety and the motives of the applicant for seeking the holy office, the Greek and Hebrew Scriptures, the Evidences of Christianity, Natural and Revealed Theology, Church History, Pastoral Theology, the rules of Sermonizing, and Church Government.

SEC. 4. No Ministerium shall, in any case whatever, license an individual whom they do not believe to be hopefully pious. Nor shall any applicant, extraordinary cases excepted, be licensed, whom the Ministeriun do not find possessed of a competent acquaintance with the subjects named in Sec. 3. the Hebrew language alone excepted.

SEC. 5. The Ceremony of Licensure shall be performed as follows: viz. after an address from the President as prescribed in the Liturgy, he shall read the duties and privileges of licentiates in Ch. 10. Sec. 6.-10. and then propose to him the following questions :

1. Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the word of God and the only infallible rule of faith and practice?1

2. Do you believe that the fundamental doctrines of the word of 12 Tim. 3: 16. Eph. 2: 20.

1

God are taught in a manner substantially correct in the doctrinal articles of the Augsburg Confession?

3. Do you promise, by the aid of God, faithfully to perform all the duties enjoined on you in this Formula, and to submit yourselves to its rules of Government and Discipline, so long as you remain a member of a Lutheran Synod ? 2

SEC. 6. These questions being answered in the affirmative, the President offers up a suitable prayer, delivers him his license, and concludes with a short address as directed in the Liturgy.

SEC. 7. All licenses shall extend to the time of the next annual meeting of the Ministerium, and shall be renewed as a matter of course, whether the licentiate be present or not, unless satisfactory reasons are known to the Ministerium, which render a renewal inexpedient. And if for any reason, no meeting be held at the appointed time, the licenses granted by said Ministerium shall remain in force, until revoked at a subsequent meeting.

SEC. 8. If a licentiate after some time of probation, does in the judgment of the Ministerium, prove himself unqualified for the duties of the ministry, his license shall be withdrawn.

CHAPTER XIX.

Ordination.

SEC. 1. Whenever the Ministerium has decided that an individual shall be ordained, the ceremony may be performed, either at the time by the assembled Ministerium, or if preferred, in the church by which he has been called, by the Special Conference, or by a Committee appointed for the purpose by the President.

SEC. 2. The Ceremony of ordination, wherever performed, shall be as follows: viz.

1. A sermon shall be preached by a person previously ap

12 Tim. 1: 13.

2 2 Pet. 5: 5.

pointed, on the nature, duties and responsibilities of the ministerial office.

2. The President of the Ministerium, or the Chairman of the Conference or Committee, shall then, after a short address, such as is contained in the Liturgy, propose to the candidate the following questions:

1. Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the word of God, and the only infallible rule of faith and practice?

2. Do you believe that the fundamental doctrines of the word of God, are taught in a manner substantially correct, in the doctrinal articles of the Augsburg Confession?

3. Do you promise, by the aid of God, faithfully to perform all the duties enjoined on you in this Formula, and to submit yourself to its rules of Government and Discipline, so long as you remain a member of any Lutheran Synod?

4. Do you believe that in seeking the ministerial office you are influenced by a sincere love to God your Saviour, and desire to promote his glory in the welfare of men?

5. Do you promise faithfully and zealously to preach the truths of the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as contained in the Holy Scriptures?

SEC. 3. These questions being answered in the affirmative, the candidate shall kneel down, when the President or presiding minister shall ordain him after the apostolic example by prayer1 and the laying on of the hands of the ministry2 i. e. presbytery. The candidate shall then rise, and the officiating minister, and after him the ordained ministers present shall take him by the right hand and welcome him to take part in the ministry with them.3 (The ceremonies may then be concluded by the benediction. But if the ordination was performed in a church to which he is called, the presiding minister shall proceed without any interruption with the ceremonies of installation.)

1 Acts 13: 2. 3.

21 Tim. 4: 14.

3 Acts 1: 25.

CHAPTER XX.

Installation.

SEC. 1. He shall then propose to the minister just ordained this question: viz. Are you willing to take charge of this congregation, and do you promise by the grace of God, faithfully to discharge the duties of a Christian pastor to them?

SEC. 2. This question being answered in the affirmative, the President shall ask the congregation:

Do you desire to receive as the regular pastor of your church (or churches) to which you have given him a call? And do you promise faithfully to discharge towards him the duties, which a Christian congregation owe to their pastor?

These questions being answered in the affirmative; The presiding minister shall solemnly pronounce the individual installed to be the regular pastor of said charge; and conclude with the benediction.

SEC. 3. If a minister already ordained, is to be installed, the ceremony of Installation shall be preceded by a sermon on the relation between a minister and the people of his charge, or on some suitable subject, by a person previously appointed. The minister shall then be formally installed, according to Sec. 1. 2., after which, a charge may be delivered by a minister previously appointed, to the pastor and his people on their respective duties, and the whole be closed with the benediction.

P. S. As different Synods might differ in opinion relative to matters of a minor nature, so many particulars only as are necessary to general uniformity, and harmony of operation among the churches, were introduced into this Formula. Each Synod adopting this Constitution, has the power to form such by-laws, as may seem proper to itself.