Page:Delineation of Roman Catholicism.djvu/461

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Oil)nS, cioe if'without a special license from the bishop. "Gree? abuses, such &s the avarice of the exorcism," says Dens, "and the credulity of the people, c?ed for the extinction of the order." Now so these exorcists cast out devils, as Romanlets say, in the name of the Lord Jesus, how does it happen that the church has dis- continued the office, or has forbiddes them to cast them out, thereby coming iu direct opposition to this passage of Scripture, "Forbid them not." Besides, according to the Church of Rome, the power of cast- ing out devils was given to wicked men. Thus Satan casts out Satan. And "he that casteth out devils in the name of Christ,' cannot easily speak evil of the 8on of man;" or, in other words, he cannot be wick- ed. Now they seem to believe that wickedness is not a material hinderance. At any rate, neither the credulity of the ignorant, nor the avarice of the exorcists, seems to be as great an abuse as that of the bishop in depriving the exorcist of his ottlce, or of restraining it to particular priests. Was ever such power exercised by any apostle as that of personally interfering with the gift of casting out devils, so as ?o say precisely by wf4tten license who should, and who should not, exercise i, ?. 5. TI? ae. olyte, afollou?r, or asz?stant. It is his duty to attend the sub-deacon, deacon, and presbyter, in the discharge of their sacred functions. He furnishes the lights used at mass and at processions; h? prepares and presents the wine and water at mass; c&n'ies a censer, and burns incense on certain occasions, &c. At his ordination, the bishop places in his hand a candlestick containing an unlighted candle, with these words, "Receive this waxlight, and know, that hencefor. ward you are devoted to light the church, in the name of the Lord." He then hands him empty cruets, saying, "Receive these cruets, which are to supply wine and water for the eucharist of the blood of Christ, in the name of the Lord." V. TI? greater, or Aoly orders. This embraces three, namely, the ?b-dm?o?te, the d?acoMt?, Mid the prs#byterate, or ?thood. The episcopate, as we have already seen, comprises the priesthood, is a part thereof, or a distinct order. Each of these orders of clergy will require a separate consideration. 1. T/? sub-deacon. Some place this kmong the minor orders; but the Council of Trent and the Roman Catechism place it in the list of holy, or greater orders; and here it must now remain, as the infallible council and its faithful copyists have determined this matter. And no Roman Catholic can doubt die certainty of the decision, though the ?heologians came very near calling into question its truth. The sub deaconship is an order to which power is given of minister- ing to the deacon, and of solemnly singing the epistle. The following ceremonies are used at his consecration: "In the firat place the bishop admonishes him that by his ordination he assumes the solemn obliga- tion of perpetual continence, and proclaims aloud that he alone is eli- gible to this office who is prepared freely to embrace this law. In the next place, when'the so4emn prayer of the litanies has been recited, the bishop enumerates and explains the duties and functions of the sub- deacon. This done, each of the candidates for ordination receives from the bishop a chalice and consecrated patens, and from the archdeacon cruet* l?11ed with wine and water, and a basin and towel for washing 1