ORDINATION (ante), the Roman Catholic church, the Church of England, and the Protestant Episcopal church of the United States do not consider valid unless the officiating bishops are in the line of succession from the apostles. The former rejects ordination by the Greek and other eastern not as invalid, but as unlawful, because the officiating bishops arc not in ecclesiastical connection with the pope. In common with the eastern churches, it places ordination among the seven sacraments, and teaches that it conveys to the candidate supernatural grace micd fitness for his office, and imparts to him a permanent character which forever distinguishes him from the laity. Presbyterian churches believe that, in accordance with apostolic precedent, the power to ordain is vested in the ministers of a presbytery, all of whom are, in scriptural usage, identical with bishops. In Congregational churches (including the Baptist) the power of ordination rests with the local church, which is always expected in the interest of fellowship to call a council of churches to which they intrust the exercise of the power on behalf of the church; thus a congreg,ation exercises the right of judgment concerning the qualifications of a candidate, and gives hint a call to be its minister; after which it invites other churches in council to examine his credentials, character, and theological views. If the council be satisfied with him they ordain him with prayer and laying on
of hands. In Wesleyan Methodist churches ordination is performed in the annual con ference, with a bishop or president at its head, and without the laying on of hands. Among Calvinistic Methodists the sanction and assistance of their ministers alone is required. The society of Friends select their ministers according to their usual quiet methods of arriving at general consent, and dispense with all ceremonial in setting them apart to the work.