out hesitation: the truth is that, in each of the three ‘sacred orders,’ theologians wage ceaseless war over the essentials of ordination. Students are usually in a state of terror about the numerous possibilities of the invalidity of their ordination, and even bishops betray much nervous anxiety in the matter: the ceremony is sometimes repeated for general satisfaction. A curious story is told of a French bishop in illustration of the strange contingencies that affect the validity of orders. He had exercised episcopal functions for many years, when one day his old nurse was heard to boast that she had baptized him, and that she had not used common water for the purpose, but rose-water. The baptism was, of course, invalid: his subsequent confirmation and ordination were invalid, for baptism is a condition sine qua non of the other sacraments: all the ordinations he had ever held were invalid and had to be repeated—all the masses, absolutions, &c., of himself and his priests had been invalid during that period.
A further source of confusion is found in the necessity of ‘jurisdiction’ for the validity of certain priestly functions. After ordination he has the power of saying Mass, and no earthly authority can affect its validity: it remains with him until death in every circumstance. On the Catholic theory I still possess that power in full, and if I seriously utter the words Hoc est enim corpus meum over the piece of bread I am eating (for that is the essential part of
