ORDINATION. 



35 



Supper. Performed it, I hope, discreetly, but at any rate was 

 much impressed myself; though I was, all through, more joyous 

 than sadly serious." 



On the following Wednesday, services were held to solemnize 

 his ordination, to which he had been looking forward with 

 great interest and some anxiety. The chapel was densely 

 crowded. After a prayer by the Rev. J. G. Robberds, the 

 venerable Mr. Philips, of the Park, announced the election 

 of the young pastor, and called on him to state the motives 

 which had induced him to engage in the Christian ministry. 

 This he did from the pew where he was seated, and then con- 

 tinued, "When inviting me to become your pastor, you did 

 not require my subscription to any articles of faith ; but while 

 you gave me the liberty of the English Presbyterian Churches, 

 I could not have consented thus to come among you, had 

 I not felt assured that on the grand points of Christian doctrine 

 my opinions were not at variance with your own. I wish 

 to declare, therefore, that I hold the Scriptures to contain the 

 records of the revelations of God to His children of mankind ; 

 that I desire to study these Scriptures, and to lead others 

 to do so, with earnest prayers to God to direct us aright, and 

 with a determination to receive as truth whatever appears to be 

 their teachings. I own God as my Father, Jesus as my only 

 Lord and Master. I joyfully believe in the divinity of his 

 mission; I greatly venerate the love which prompted him 

 to live and die for our salvation; but I consider that I am 

 obeying his commands, when I confine all strictly religious 

 worship to God the Father Almighty. I rejoice that I have 

 'redemption through the blood of Christ, even the forgiveness 

 of sins/ but I pretend not to explain in what way this was 

 effected. It is enough for me that I obey the precepts and 

 imitate the example of my beloved Lord, and then humbly 

 hope for the mercy of God in Christ Jesus unto eternal life. . . . 

 These views I shall make the basis of my teachings; for I 

 have formed them after long deliberation, and with earnest 

 prayer to the Father of Lights : yet I cannot rest satisfied 

 without further inquiry, and constant study." 



