Evening star., 1903-10-22
RITUAL PARTLY ADOPTED.
Spiritualists Prepare Form Of Service
for the Churches

Important parts of the new ritual of the
spiritualists of America and Canada We're
adopted at todays session of the national
association In National Rifles Armory.
The business scheduled on the published
program was postponed in order that the
ritual might be considered without delay.
Immediately after the opening exercises
at 10 o'clock this morning that matter was
introduced. copy had been prepared by
a committee consisting Of President Har-
rison D. Barrett. Rev. F. y. Wiggin and
DR.. George r. Fuller. all of Massachusetts.
After long-continued discussion and some
heated debate the portions relating to the
ordination of ministers, whicn will give
the spirtualst church legal standing in
this country, We're adopted
The following is quoted from the accepted
sections:
mo pastor or minister shall be settled
over a church or society without first hav-
ing been formally inducted into office by
what has been known from the earliest
ages of religious history as the service Of
ordination. No person can become Il can
didate for ordination until he has received
a call to the pastorate of some church or
society, 'or been appointed missionary by
some State Spiritualist Association. incor-
porated as religious body in the state
in which II is located, or by the National
Spiritualist Association of the United States
of America. All persons who are candi-
dates for pastorates or for missionary
work must have been for at least three
years in full fellowship with some spiritual
ist church or society and for at least two
wears a HCentiate, commissioned by state
or the national association as trial
speaker Pastors settled for less than one
fun calendar year shall be ineligible for or
dination.
mo person heretofore ordained by any
church society or other organization, other
than the National Spritualist Association
or state association affiliated herewith
shall be deemed to be an ordained minister
until ordination sanction shall have been
obtained by such person from the board
of trustees of the National Spiritualist AS
sociation.
The object of this clause is to weed out
those persons acting without the sanction
of the national association, and in some
cases. it is alleged, dishonesty.
Another clause provides for the revoking
of the ordination in case of immortality, in
ability or deterioration of ability.
The following relates to mediums:
Mediums for the production of physical
phenomena. and all others who depend upon
seances or private sittings for a livelihood.
who are members in good standing of some
Spiritualist church. and are known To pos
sesS psychical powers of a genuine nature.
shall constitute the associate ministers of
Spiritualism.
Consideration of the remainder of the pro-
posed ritual with a view to its adoption.
will probably consume most of the time of
the convention until tomorrow evening
which is the time set for the adjournment.
The election of the national officers will
occur tomorrow afternoon. Evening meet
ingS. at which spirit meSSa ges will be re-
cefVed Will be held tonight and tomorrow
night In the armory, on q street northWest
between 9th and 10th streets.