A MANUAL FOR THE VISITATION OF THE SICK; INTENDED AS A HELP TO CLERGYMEN IN THE PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. WHEN the Compiler of this little work was first called upon by his office as a Clergyman to visit the sick, he thought it right to make as much use as possible of the Service provided for that purpose in the Prayer Book; but he found that much more was necessary than the mere use of the forms there provided. The Service itself directs that an examination should be instituted respecting the person's repentance; yet it is difficult. to conduct such an examination extempore from the offence which is evidently given by many necessary and proper questions, especially when put by a young man ; whilst, when read from a book, they are received without offence. One of Mr. Kettlewell's tracts supplies a suitable series of questions, and having been found useful, they have been transferred with some alterations to Appendix, No. 2, of this Manual. Again the direction to question the sick person as to his belief in the Apostles' Creed is often perfectly nugatory if it goes no further; partly because some do not really understand it, partly because many more have no idea that the belief of it is to have any influence in detail on their feelings or conduct. A tract of Bishop Wilson's has supplied suitable questions, which have been found exceedingly useful, and which will be found in the first part of the Appendix. The examination, whether the person is in charity with all the world is provided for in a similar manner in Appendix, No. 3. These tracts likewise suggested the idea of reading passages of Scripture having a relation to the subjects of examination, and of weaving portions of Scripture into forms of devotion, such as are to be found in Appendices, No. 4, 5, and 6 and experience further suggested the great convenience of arranging such portions of Scripture as are suited for a sick room under certain heads, for more convenient reference, which has been done in No. 7. |