DEA'CON, a minister of religion, hold ing, in Protestant churches, the lowest degree in holy orders. The first appoint ment of deacons is mentioned in Acts vi., where the Apost les direct the congrega tion to lock out seven own of honest report, upon whom they may lay their hands. Their office at this time seems to have been chiefly the care of the poor and the distribution of the bread and wino in the love feasts. We lea-rn, how ever, from the example of Philip, Acts viii., that they also had authority to preach. In the English church it is the low est of the three orders of clergy (deacons, priests and bishops.) The word is some thins used in the Now Testament for any or,e that ministers in the service of God; in which sense, bishops and presbyters are styled deacons; but, in its restrained sense, it is taken for the third order of the clergy. In the church of England, the form of ordaining a deacon declares that. it is his office to assist in the distri
bution of the holy communion ; in which, agreeably- to the practice of the ancient church, he is confined to the administra tion of the wine to the commtuticants. A deacon is not capable of any ecclesias tical promotion; yet he may Lie to a family, curate to a beneficed clergy man, or lecturer to a parish eherch.—In the Romish church, the deacon's office is to incense the officiating priest, to incense the choir, to put the mitre on the bishop's head at the pontifical mass, and to assist at the commumen.—In Presbyterian and Independent places of worship, the dea cons distribute the bread and wine to the communicants.--In Scotland, an overseer of the poor, or the master of an Moor poi-a-tett company, is styled a deacon.