wards; then there is a filling and a sealing process, which moves from above downwards.

But we are dealing now with the soul, and not merely with his vehicles. At the words: "Receive the Holy Ghost," the divine power rushes in through the soul or ego of the bishop into that lower stratum of the soul of the candidate which we call the intelligence (or in Sanskrit the higher manas); at the signing of the cross it pushes upwards into the next stage, the intuition or buddhi; and at the words: "I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation," it presses upwards into the spirit or atma. But it must be understood that there is a Third-Person aspect to each of these principles (Diagram 21), and that it is through it in each case that the work is being done; it is all the direct action of the Holy Spirit. Some candidates are far more susceptible to this process of opening up than others; upon some the effect produced is enormous and lasting; in the case of others it is often but slight, because as yet that which has to be awakened is so little developed as to be barely capable of any response.

When the awakening has been achieved as far as it may be, comes the filling and the sealing. This is done, as ever, by the utterance of the great word of power, the Name of the Blessed Trinity. At the Name of the Father the highest principle is filled and sealed; at the Name of the Son the same is done to the intuitional principle, and at the Name of the Holy Ghost the work is finished by the action upon the higher intelligence. As this further outpouring which I have called the filling takes place, the effect upon the spirit is reflected

into the etheric double of the neophyte so far as his development allows; the impression upon the intuition is in the same way reproduced in the emotional vehicle; and what is done to the higher mind should similarly mirror itself in the lower. But all these reflections into the personality depend upon the extent to which it is able to express and reflect the soul behind it.

Sacrament is to

The very intention of the tighten the links all the way up-to bring about a closer connection between the soul and its vehicle the personality, but also between that soul and the spirit which it in turn expresses. This result is not merely temporary; the opening up of these connections makes a wider channel through which a constant flow can be kept going. Confirmation arms and equips a boy for the battle of life, and makes it easier for the soul to act on and through its vehicles.

When this great sacramental act has been performed, the bishop again lays his hand upon the head of the neophyte, saying: "Therefore go thou forth, my brother, in the Name of the Lord, for in His strength thou canst do all things."

Then he touches him lightly on the cheek as a caress of dismissal, and says to him: "Peace be with thee."

When all the neophytes have returned to their places a beautiful and appropriate hymn is sung. After this is finished, the bishop addresses a few words of advice to the neophytes, telling them to see to it that their bodies are ever pure and clean as befits the temple of the most high God and the channel of so great a power; and

he further tells them that as they keep that channel open by a useful life spent in the service of others, so will the divine life that is within them shine forth with ever greater and greater glory. Then he makes a prayer in which he offers unto Christ the lives which He that day has blessed, asking that those whom He has thus accepted as soldiers in the Church militant here on earth may bear themselves as true and faithful knights, so that they may be found worthy to stand before Him in the ranks of the Church triumphant hereafter.

Then, holding his crosier and wearing his mitre, so that the neophytes may have the fullest benefit of all possible channels, he dismisses them with a beautiful variant of the Aaronic blessing:

God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, bless, preserve, and sanctify you; the Lord in His lovingkindness look down upon you and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift up the light of His Countenance upon you and give you His peace, now and for evermore.

This is followed by the first-Ray benediction, just as at the end of the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

There is also in this Sacrament, as I said before, the idea of preparing the boy (or girl) for the temptations and difficulties of attaining to puberty, and, generally speaking, to help him to think and act for himself. Its effect is undoubtedly a great stimulation and strengthening. What use the neophyte makes of this opportunity depends upon himself, but at any rate the opportunity is given to him by the Church. After receiving this, he is then considered eligible for the greatest help of all, the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. The Church,

however, has universally recognized that it is not an essential prerequisite, for she has always been ready to admit to her altars those who are "ready and willing to be confirmed."

I have often been asked whether we are willing to repeat the Sacrament of confirmation for those who have received it from the Church of England. We are ready to do so if desired, because that Church has dropped so many points from the form of confirmation which has been handed down through the ages, that we believe we can add something to what she has given. We do not, of course, insist upon it, for there is no actual necessity for this or any other Sacrament; but we recommend it, for we know that it is helpful, and that the help may often act in unexpected directions. Our attitude is that since our dear Lord and Master has in His lovingkindness offered us this most valuable assistance, it would be foolish as well as ungrateful not to accept it. The sun of His love is always shining; why should we refuse to come out into the sunshine? But if one comes to us from the Roman Church it would be useless and improper to repeat the ceremony, since her form contains everything that we can give.

In the Eastern Church confirmation in our sense of the word cannot be said to exist. What is called by that name is a ceremony supplementary to baptism, and administered to the infant immediately thereafter by the priest, though with chrism that has been blessed by the bishop. It may perhaps be a survival of the tradition of anointing with chrism at baptism, so that the two Sacraments have become to some extent confused.

CHAPTER IV.

HOLY ORDERS

I quote from the preface to this section of our Liturgy:

"Holy Orders is the Sacrament by which, in their various degrees, ministers of the Church receive power and authority to perform their sacred duties. Our Lord works through human agency, and to the end that those who are chosen for this sacred ministry as bishops, priests, or deacons shall become readier channels for His grace, He has ordained that they shall be linked closely with Him by this holy rite, and shall thereby be empowered to administer His Sacraments and act as almoners of His blessing. But it is most important that the people should remember that they receive all Sacraments from the hand of Christ Himself, and that the priest is but an instrument in that hand."

Among students of Church history widely divergent views are held about the origin of Holy Orders. The Roman Church has always maintained that the three Orders (bishop, priest and deacon) were instituted by Christ Himself, and that the first bishops were consecrated by the apostles. Presbyterians and others, not themselves possessing the apostolic succession, contend that in the earliest times bishops and presbyters were synonymous

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