ORDINA'TION, the conferring holy orders, or initiating a person into the priesthood. In the church of England the first thing necessary on application for holy orders, is the possession of a tilt., that is, a sort of assurance from a rector to the bishop, that, provided the latter finds the party fit to be ordained, the former will take him for his curate, with a stated salary. The candidate is then examined by the bishop or his chap lain, respecting both his faith and his erudition ; and various certificates are necessary, particularly one signed by the clergyman of the parish in which he has resided during a given time. Subscrip tion to the thirty-nine articles is requir ed, and a clerk must have attained his twenty-third year before he can be or dained a deacon ; his tiventy-fout;th to receive priest's orders.—The ceremony of ordination is performed by the bishop by the imposition of hands on the person to be ordained. In the English church,
and in most Protestant countries where the church is connected with the state, ordination is a, requisite to preaching ; hut in some sects ordination is not consid ered necessary for that purpose, although it is considered proper previous to the ad ministration of the sacraments by the preacher.—In the Presbyterian and con gregational churches, ordination means the act of settling or establishing a li censed preacher over a congregation with pastoral charge and authority : or the act of conferring on a clergyman the powers of a settled minister of the gospel, without the charge of a particular church, hut with general pews wherever he may be called to officiate.