MR. MORTIMER devoted a good deal of time and attention to preparing the
candidates for the confirmation that was held at Thornhill, in July,
1843. Mr. Townley was then assisting him; for he began the instruction
of the candidates several months previous to the solemnizing of the rite,
and he was thus left more at liberty than he had ever before been for
this important branch of duty. His plan, on that occasion, was to divide
the candidates into three distinct classes; viz., one comprising the
juniors, and another, the adults of the less educated among his
congregation, and the third embracing the remainder. The first of these
classes was required to learn by heart portions of an explanation of the
Church Catechism, which they repeated to their minister when they met
together on a specified afternoon in each week. Their attention was
particularly directed to the Scripture proofs of the Catechism, which was
also commented upon in a familiar manner, and particularly in connexion
with confirmation. In order to encourage them to learn the Catechism
well, a prize was promised to each of the three who should be able to
repeat the whole of it most accurately. The adult classes met also once
a week in the evening, and were prepared with answers, which they read
from the Bible, to questions on scriptural subjects, with which they were
furnished the previous week. They also repeated a part of Dean Nowell’s
Catechism, which, together with the scriptural questions, formed the
subject for addresses and interrogations. The third class met one
morning in the week at their pastor’s house, and they were expected to
give verbal answers to questions on the Book of Common Prayer, with which
they were previously supplied. For the use of this class also, Mr.
Mortimer prepared a set of questions and answers explanatory of the
sacrament, which will appear in another place; and he made use of a
Catechism on Confirmation to explain that ordinance to the candidates,
besides distributing several tracts on the subject.