Functionaries

Functionaries "persons ceho are appointed to discharge any office. Thus the clergy are 'functionaries' of the particular church of which they are members, to fulfill an office and administration in the same,' in that capacity deriving their station and power from Christ, by virtue of the sanction given by him to Christian communities. Thus the authority of those officers comes direct from the society so constituted, in whose name and behalf they act as its representatives, just to that extent to which it has empowered and directed them to act. In conformity with these views, each person about to be ordained as priest in the Church of England is asked whether he thinks he is ' truly called,' both 'according to the will of Christ and the order of this Church of England.'"