ORDINATION (or'dI-na'shiln), the act of con ferring holy orders; of initiating a person into the ministry, or of publicly recognizing the relation which has been entered into, by mutual agree ment, between a minister and the church.
In Episcopal churches ordination has always been esteetned the principal prerogative of bish ops, and they still retain the function as a mark of their spiritual sovereignty in their diocese or j urisdiction.
1. Bible Usage. (1) Old Testament Ordi nation was practiced early in Bible times. The Hebrew priests, Levites, prophets, and kings were solemnly ordained for their several offices (see tinder their several articles). Moses thus, c., by laying on of hands, appointed JOSHUA (which see) as his successor ( Num. xxvii :i8; Deut. xxxiv :9).
(2) Example of Christ. It is said of Christ, that he ordained twelve (Mark iii :LI), that is, he chose them to the office of apostleship, as he himself explains it (John vi :70).
2. In the Apostolic Church. (1) Deacons. The first ordination was that of deacons. They were of the lowest order of ministering servants in the church. In character grave, not double tongued, not given to wine (Phil. i :1 ; I Tim. iii :to, 12, 13).
The office of deacons originally was to serve tables, the Lord's table, the table of the minister, and of the poor. They took care of the secular affairs of the church, received and disbursed moneys, kept the church's accounts, and provided everything necessary for its temporal good. Thus, while the bishop attended to the souls, the deacons attended to the bodies of the people; the pastor to the spiritual, and the deacons the temporal interests of the church (Acts vi). St.
Paul NY a S ordained by the action of the whole church (Acts xiii:r-3).
(2) Elders. Paul and Barnabas are said to ordain elders in every church ( Acts xiv :23) or to choose them; that is, they gave orders and di rcctions to every church as to the choice of elders over them. The word that is used in Acts xiv 23, is translated chosen in 2 Cor. viii :19, where the apostle speaks of a brother who was chosen of the churches to travel with us, and is so ren dered when ascribed to God (Acts x :41). For further information See EPISCOPACY ; PRESBYTER ; PRESBYTERY.
OREB (o'reb), (Heb. o-rabe'), written also Arab and Arabim, occurs in several passages of Scripture, in all of which it is translated willow in the Authorized, and most other modern versions.
There is little doubt of this being the correct interpretation, from its suitableness to all the passages. Thus in Job x1:22, referring to be hemoth it is said, 'The shady trees cover him with thcir shadow ; the willows (orabint) of the brook compass him about.' So the Jews when in captivity sang, 'By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down ; we hanged our harps upon the wil lows (orebint) in the midst thercof' ( Ps.cxxxvii). And again, in Is. xliv :4. 'And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows (orebin0 of thc water-courses.' Thc willow is as applicable as any other plant to the other passages, quoted above, in which orebim is mentioned. (See Wm Lows.) J. F. R.