'The nature, dignity, and importance of that holy function': Nelson's 'Life of Bull' and ordination in 18th century Anglicanism
The September after the Bishop came into The Care his Diocese, he had a publick Ordination; and the same time every Year, was employed after the same manner. After the other Ember Seasons he Ordain'd but a small Number, more or less, as occasion required.
September Embertide, then, was the usual Ordination season in the diocese of St Davids under Bishop Bull. His requirement was that candidates for holy orders presented themselves to him in "at least a Month before Ordination Sunday" (indicating that the rite of Ordination occurred on the Sunday of the Embertide):
The first thing therefore that Bishop required of such Candidates, was, that they should make their personal Appearance before him, at least a Month before Ordination Sunday. At such their Appearance, they produced their Testimonials and Titles, and were examined by one of his Chaplains, and also by himself, as often as the State of his Health would permit. The Design of this Examination was to judge of their Sufficiency, as to their Knowledge and Capacity, for the weighty Business in which they solicited to engage.
The production of testimonials and titles (that is, the parishes in which the ordained would serve) was no mere formality - it reflected an understanding of holy orders as, in the words of the title of Article XIII, 'Ministering in the Congregation'. Hence the requirement of Canon 33 of the 1604 Canons:
It hath been long since provided by many decrees of the ancient Fathers, that none should be admitted either Deacon or Priest, who had not first some certain place where he might use his function. According to which examples we do ordain, that henceforth no person shall be admitted into Sacred Orders, except he shall at that time exhibit to the Bishop, of whom he desireth imposition of hands, a Presentation of himself to some Ecclesiastical Preferment then void in that diocese ...
A particular issue of the titles addressed by Bull - whether a sufficient income was to be provided - not only deeply practical, it also expressed an understanding of the clergyman within the parish, serving the community:
Now what the Bishop chiefly proposed, by requiring this Early Appearance, was, that he might have sufficient time to inquire into the Characters of the Candidates, and into the Characters of those who had subscribed their Testimonials; as likewise into the Circumstances of such Persons, from whom they had their Titles. Upon the last Subject, the Matter of his Enquiries was, whether they who gave the Title had really an occasion for a Curate; and whether the Benefice or Benefices they enjoy'd could maintain an Incumbent and a Curate, allowing the latter a competent Salary. And finding that the Allowances which some Incumbents gave, under the general Terms of a competent Salary, which are the Words commonly made use of in Forms of Titles, were not always a sufficient Maintenance, nor bore any Proportion to what the Benefice could afford, he made it a Rule, not to admit of any Title, which ran only in such general Terms, but requir'd that the very Sum they design'd to allow, should be expresly mention'd in the Body of the Title.
The seriousness with which Bull and his chaplains approached holy orders is indicated by Nelson's description of the spiritual character of the examination made of the candidates:
Besides the Trial he made of their Attainments as Scholars, he would ask many Questions, in order to discover, whether they could give a good account of their Faith, and to find out the inward Temper and Complexion of their Souls. Whether they had a true Sense of Religion upon their Minds, and whether they were inwardly moved to undertake that most difficult, as well as desirable Employment. At the same time, he laid before them, the Nature, Dignity, and Importance of that Holy Function to which they were to be admitted; and gave them Directions, how to prepare themselves for the receiving their spiritual Powers, especially in the time that intervened, between their Appearance and their solemn Admission.
It is testimony to how ordained ministry was understood in 18th century Anglicanism. It brings to mind, for example, how James Woodforde, before being ordained deacon in 1763, was examined by the chaplain to the Bishop of Oxford, for over 30 minutes, on the fifth chapter of the epistle to the Romans: "He asked a good many hard and deep questions". Likewise, as we have seen in our readings from his 1826 primary visitation charge, Thomas Burgess, Bishop of Salisbury, urged meditation upon "our Ordination vows and engagements". This, Nelson notes, had also been the practice counselled by Bull in his interviews with ordination candidates:
He particularly recommended to the Candidates, a frequent and serious Perusal of the whole Office of Ordination, but especially the Questions and Answers; upon each of which he desired them to dwell for sometime, in order to give themselves Leisure to examine their own Dispositions, and to form sincere and vigorous Resolutions, faithfully to discharge those several Duties of their Function which they were obliged to undertake, and that in so solemn a manner, upon their Admission to it ... He took the occasion also, to explain to them that were entering in to the Order of Deacons, the meaning of that Question in the Office of Ordaining them, 'Do you trust that you are inwardly called by the Holy Ghost, to take upon you this Office and Ministration?'.
Across the 'long 18th century', therefore, from Bull in 1705, to Woodforde in 1763, to Burgess in 1826, we see the spiritual seriousness with with candidates for holy orders were expected to approach ordination. These other two examples also point to how Nelson's account of Bull's examination of ordination candidates was not at all unusual. Again, in other words, we see in Nelson's Life of Bull the contours and character of 18th century Anglicanism, with significantly greater spiritual depth and richness than the still all too prevalent view of an indolent, complacent, barren Church.
Also worth noting is Bull's emphasis on the first question posed to those to be ordained deacon in the 1662 Ordinal:
Do you trust that you are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon you this office and ministration, to serve God, for the promoting of his glory, and the edifying of his people?
This reflects something of how in the Anglican experience, ordained ministry in the parish commences with being ordained deacon. Indeed, in the 18th century, newly-ordained deacons were often leading divine service, preaching, and administering the occasional offices by themselves in parishes. This continues to be part of the Anglican experience: ordained ministry in a parish commences with ordination as a deacon. I do not, therefore, consider the anniversary of my ordination to be the date on which I was ordained priest, but on which I was ordained deacon. In a small but joyful way, it is a reminder that those contours seen in Nelson's account of Bull can continue to shape the Anglican experience.
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