the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies in General Convention; and without the aforesaid requisites, no Consecration shall take place during the recess of the General Convention. But in case the election of a Bishop shall take place within a year before the meeting of the General Convention, all matters relative to the Consecration shall be deferred until the said meeting.

CANON VI.-Of Assistant Bishops.

[The former Canon on this subject was the fifth of 1829.]

When a Bishop of a Diocese is unable, by reason of old age, or other permanent cause of infirmity, to discharge the Episcopal duties, one Assistant Bishop may be elected by, and for the said Diocese, who shall in all cases succeed the Bishop in case of surviving him. The Assistant Bishop shall perform such Episcopal duties, and exercise such Episcopal authority in the Diocese, as the Bishop shall assign to him; and in case of the Bishop's inability to assign such duties declared by the Convention of the Diocese, the Assistant Bishop shall, during such inability, perform all the duties and exercise all the authorities which appertain to the office of Bishop. No person shall be Elected or Consecrated a Suffragan Bishop, nor shall there be more than one Assistant Bishop in a Diocese at the same time.

CANON VII.-Of the performance of Episcopal Duties in vacant Dioceses.

[Repealed by the third Canon of 1838.]

CANON VIII. Of the Age of those who are to be Ordained or Consecrated.

[Former Canons on this subject were the fourth of 1789; the third of 1795, and the sixth of 1808.]

Deacon's Orders shall not be conferred on any person until he shall be twenty-one years old, nor Priest's Orders on any one until he shall be twenty-four years old. And no Deacon shall be ordained Priest, unless he shall have been a Deacon one year, except for reasonable causes it shall otherwise seem good unto the Bishop. No man shall be consecrated a Bishop of this Church, until he shall be thirty years old.

CANON IX.-Of Candidates for Orders.

[Repealed by the fourth Canon of 1838.]

CANON X.-Of the Conduct required in Candidates for Orders.

[The former Canon on this subject was the eighth of 1808.]

The Bishop, or other Ecclesiastical Authority who may have the superintendence of Candidates for Orders, shall take care that they pursue their studies diligently, and under proper direction, and that they do not indulge in any vain or trifling conduct, or in any amusements most liable to be abused to licentiousness, or unfavourable to that seriousness, and to those pious and studious habits, which become those who are preparing for the holy ministry.

CANON XI.-Of Candidates for Orders who are Lay Readers. [Former Canons on this subject were the tenth of 1804, and the nineteenth of 1808.]

No Candidate for Holy Orders shall take upon himself

to perform the service of the Church, but by a license from the Bishop, or, if there be no Bishop, the Clerical Members of the Standing Committee of the Diocese, in which such Candidate may wish to perform the service. And such Candidate shall submit to all the regulations which the Bishop or the said Clerical Members may prescribe; he shall not use the absolution or benediction; he shall not assume the dress appropriate to Clergymen ministering in the congregation; and shall officiate from the desk only; he shall conform to the directions of the Bishop, or said Clerical Members, as to the sermons or homilies to be read; nor shall any Lay reader deliver sermons of his own composition; nor, except in cases of extraordinary emergency, or very peculiar expediency, perform any part of the service, when a Clergyman is present in the congregation.

CANON XII.-Of Candidates who may be refused Orders.

[Former Canons on this subject were the ninth of 1804, and the sixteenth of 1808.]

No Bishop shall ordain any Candidate, until he has inquired of him whether he has ever directly or indirectly, applied for Orders in any other Diocese; and if the Bishop has reason to believe that the Candidate has been refused Orders in any other Diocese, he shall write to the Bishop of the Diocese, or if there be no Bishop, to the Standing Committee, to know whether any just cause exists why the Candidate should not be Ordained. When any Bishop rejects the application of any Candidate for Orders, he shall immediately give notice to the Bishop of every Diocese, or, where there is no Bishop, to the Standing Committee.

CANON XIII.-Of the Learning of those who are to be Ordained.

[Repealed by the fifth Canon of 1838.]

CANON XIV. Of the Preparatory Exercises of a Candidate for Deacon's Orders.

[Former Canons on this subject were the sixth of 1795, and the tenth of 1808.]

Sect. 1. There shall be assigned to every Candidate for Deacon's Orders, four different examinations, at such times and places as the Bishop to whom he applies for Orders shall appoint. The examination shall take place in the presence of the Bishop, and two or more Presbyters, on the following studies prescribed by the Canons, and by the course of study established by the House of Bishops. At the first examination-on some approved Treatises on Natural Philosophy, Moral Philosophy, and Rhetoric, and in the Hebrew Bible, the Greek Testament, and the Latin tongue. At the second examination on the book of Scripture; the Candidate being required to give an account of the different books, and to explain such passages as may be proposed to him. At the third examination—-on the Evidences of Christianity, and Systematic Divinity. And at the last examination-on Church History, Ecclesiastical Polity, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Constitution and Canons of the Church, and of the Diocese for which he is to be ordained. In the choice of books on the above subjects, the Candidate is to be guided by the course of study established by the House of Bishops. At each of the forementioned examinations, he shall produce and read a Sermon or Discourse, composed by himself, on some passage of Scripture previously assigned to him, which, together with one other Sermon or Discourse on some

passage of Scripture selected by himself, shall be submitted to the criticism of the Bishop and Clergy present. And before his Ordination, he shall be required to perform such exercises in reading, in the presence of the Bishop and Clergy, as may enable them to give him such advice and instructions as may aid him in performing the service of the Church, and in delivering his Sermons with propriety and devotion.

Sect. 2. The Bishop may appoint some of his Presby. ters to conduct the above examinations; and a certificate from these Presbyters, that the prescribed examinations have been held accordingly, and satisfaction given, shall be required of the Candidate. Provided that, in this case, the Candidate shall, before his ordination, be examined by the Bishop, and two or more Presbyters, on the above named studies.

Sect. 3. In a Diocese where there is no Bishop, the Standing Committee shall act in his place in appointing the examining Presbyters required by this Canon; and in this case the candidate shall be again examined by the Bishop to whom he applies for orders, and two or more Presbyters, on the studies prescribed by the Canons.

Sect. 4. A Clergyman who presents a person to the Bishop for orders, as specified in the office of Ordination, without having good grounds to believe that the requisitions of the Canons have been complied with, shall be liable to ecclesiastical censure.

CANON XV. Of the Testimonials to be produced on the part of those who are to be Ordained.

[Former Canons on this subject were the sixth of 1789; the fourth of 1792; the second of 1795; and the twelfth of 1808.]

Sect. 1. No person shall be ordained Deacon or Priest