Visitation of Prisoners.--The title of an Office {272} in the
Prayer-book. It is not contained in the English Prayer-book but was
taken from the Irish Book of Common Prayer of 1771 and inserted in
the American Prayer-book in 1789. This is a very comprehensive and
appropriate Office, proving of great value to the Clergy who are
called to minister to the spiritual wants of prisoners.
Visitation of the Sick.--A requirement of the Church is that "When
any person is sick, notice shall be given thereof to the Minister
of the Parish." When the Minister visits such sick person, the
Prayer-book provides a service which may be used, entitled "The
Order for the Visitation of the Sick." This service was first set
forth in 1549 but was added to in 1662, since which date it has
remained practically unchanged. It is a very beautiful and
affecting service, bringing great peace and comfort to the sick
and is another fine illustration of the tender care our Mother
Church shows for all her children in all conditions of their life.
As there is so much misapprehension as to the meaning and purpose
of the ministrations of Christ's Ministers at the bedside of the
sick, we give the following excellent comment on this Office in
Wheatley's Treatise on the Prayer-book: "Though private friends may
pray for us and with us, yet we can by no means place such confidence
in their prayers, as we may in those sent to Heaven in our behalf
by such as are peculiarly commissioned to offer them. For this
reason it is enjoined by St. James in his Epistle, that if any be
sick, they shall call for the Elders of the Church. From this it
may be observed, that the care of sending for the Minister {273} is
left to the sick. For the Priest himself, it is very probable, may
never have heard of his sickness; or, if he has, may not be so good
a judge when his visit will be seasonable. For this reason it is
ordered by the rubric that 'when any person is sick, notice shall
be given thereof to the Minister of the Parish'; Not when the
person is just expiring (as is too often done), but when the
disease first discovers its approach. To put it off to the last
scene of life, is to defer the Office till it can do no good.
For when the sickness is grown past recovery, to pray for his
restoration is only to mock the Almighty; and what spiritual
advantage can be expected from the Minister's assistance to one
who is unable to do anything for himself?"
Vow.--A promise made to God. Being brought into covenant with
God in Holy Baptism, the vows or promises made unto God in that
Sacrament are three in number:
1. RENUNCIATION, by which we renounce the three great powers of
evil,--world, flesh and devil.
2. FAITH, by which we confess our belief in the Name into which
we are baptized--Father, Son and Holy Ghost, around which the
articles of the Christian Faith as contained in the Apostles' Creed
are grouped.
3. OBEDIENCE, by which we promise to serve God truly all the days
of our life.
These three vows of Baptism cover the whole period of life--past,
present and future, and are the basis of all godly and righteous
living.
Over and above these vows of their Baptism members of Religious
Orders make special vows to God,--vows {274} of poverty, obedience
and chastity for the more efficient prosecution of the work they have
undertaken for the glory of God and the benefit of souls.
W