Confirmation Manual

Prefatory

The compiler of this Manual, after many years of experience in the ministry, and frequent occasions of conferring the rite of Confirmation on his pupils, desires to place before his colleagues and the public a series of exercises as prepared by him and used at this interesting ceremony. He does not presume to lay these exercises before them with the intention or expectation that they be strictly followed, but that they may serve as a guide and help in the preparation of the pupils, and in the service at the Temple. Nor does he claim originality for all the parts of this work, a few of them having been borrowed or adapted, yet the greater portion of it is of his own production.

The catechisms on religion and on history are, of course, not intended to be used both at the same time, neither all the prayers and recitations; and room is left to the minister to exercise his judgment in abrogating or changing such parts as he may deem proper.

That this little work may be of some utility in facilitating one of our most interesting divine services, is the most earnest desire of

The Author.

The Service of Confirmation

After the regular morning service two members of the Board conduct the candidates for confirmation into the temple. The minister addresses the class as follows:

My Beloved Pupils of the Confirmation Class!

I bid you welcome to this holy temple in this holy hour; welcome to the new period of life on which you are to-day entering. For some time past I have prepared your minds and hearts for the solemn ceremony which we are about to perform, and the hour has now arrived when you are required to give some proof before this congregation that you have been instructed in the principles and duties of the religion you profess, and that you are deserving to have the rite of confirmation conferred upon you.

I shall ask you a series of questions on the subject of our religion (concerning the history of our nation), of which you are expected to have some knowledge, but I shall ask of you no promises to do this or that, no engagements which might easily be broken. I shall not take advantage of the influence of the present occasion to ask from you vows which are apt to be violated. It is my opinion that if liberty is a thing to be prized, it is especially appreciable in the exercise of the mind. [ . . . ] I have never said to you, you must believe this or that. I have tried all along to lay before you the excellencies of our ancestral religion, and have allowed you to exercise your understanding on the same, and I have reason to believe that the doctrines and duties I taught you have found an entrance in your hearts. I shall, therefore, ask of you to-day to bind yourselves to nothing more than the common obligations which virtue and morality impose on every member of society. [ . . . ]

Offering the Flowers¹

Thine, O Lord, are the greatness and the power, the glory, the dominion and the majesty. All that is in Heaven and on earth is thine.

Riches and honor come from thee, and thou rulest over all. All that we can bring to adorn thy sanctuary comes from thy hand, and is all thine own. Yet thou condescendest to accept the humble offerings of thy creatures when laid before thee with willing minds and grateful hearts.

Our ancestors worshiped thee on this day with a sacrifice of the first cereals, to acknowledge that it is thy blessing which ripens the golden fruit, and we approach thee this day with the first fruits of our youthful hearts, to acknowledge that it is thy blessing which gives us youth with all its bright hopes and enjoyments.

On this day also didst thou reveal to us thy heavenly word to be as a guiding star on our earthly wanderings. In token of our deep veneration for that precious gift we deposit these flowers before the shrine containing the scrolls of thy holy law, and even as these beautiful, fresh flowers are laid here, so be our young lives and our best sentiments devoted to thee, O God, who art the bountiful giver of all.

Graciously accept, O Lord, this feeble token of our child-like devotion, the faint expression of our hearts overflowing with gratitude to thee.

May thy name be glorified by our holy feelings, which together with these flowers we humbly offer to thee, most gracious Father, that thy glory and thy goodness be proclaimed even “out of the mouths of babes and sucklings,” that all the world may know and praise thy holy name. Amen.

[The one offering the prayer then deposits her bouquet on a certain stand or receptacle set for the purpose and the rest of the class do likewise.]

Hymn by the Choir

After which the minister invites the scholars to take their places on the platform.