Deed of Consecration

In the name of God. Amen. Whereas, we, Samuel Gobat, by divine permission Bishop of the United Church of England and Ireland in Jerusalem, did lately receive the Petition of the Right Honorable Lord Ashley, MP, the Right Honorable Sir George Henry Rose, The Reverend William Marsh, Doctor of Divinity, John Lebouchere, Esquire, the Reverend John Nicolayson, Clerk, the Reverend Horace Winbolt, Clerk, Edward Macgowan, Doctor of Medicine, and others, severally professing the doctrine and discipline of the United Church of England and Ireland, setting forth that under the authority and licence of a firman granted by the Sublime Porte of Constantinople on the tenth day of September one thousand eight hundred and forty five, a new Building or Church has been erected in the City of Jerusalem by the London Society for promoting Christianity amongst the Jews, on Ground purchased by the said Society, and then vested in the said Reverend John Nicolayson, Clerk, the Reverend Horace Winbolt, Clerk and Edward Macgowan, Doctor of Medicine, In Trust for the said Society; and that the said Building when consecrated is intended to be called Christ Church, Jerusalem, and is intended for the Spiritual use of members of the United Church of England and Ireland, Inhabitants of, or otherwise resident in the said City.

And Further setting forth that it is intended that the Minister of the said Church shall always be a Clergyman of the Church of England and a Missionary of the said Society, conducting the services in the said Church according to his ordination vows: And that pure Evangelical Congregations of Germany might be permitted to Worship in the said Church under such arrangements as shall be agreed upon between the said Society (to be testified in writing under the hand of a Secretary of the said Society) and the Bishop of Jerusalem for the time being but that the said arrangements shall be subject to the approval of his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury for the time being.

And further setting forth that the support and reparation of the fabric of the said Church and the fittings and furniture therein, and the supply of all things necessary for the performance of Divine Service therein according to the rites and ceremonies of the United Church of England and Ireland, will be provided for by the appropriation for that purpose of the sum of One thousand pounds, three pounds per cent consolidate Bank Annuities, now standing in the names of the said Right Honorable Sir George Henry Rose, the Reverend William Marsh, D.D., and John Labouchere, Esquire, Trustees for the said Society.

And further setting forth that it is intended that Divine Service according to the rites and ceremonies of the United Church of England and Ireland shall be conducted within the said Church by a Missionary or Missionaries as aforesaid, appointed by the said Society with the licence or approval and sanction of the Bishop of Jerusalem for the time being, subject however to a power to be expressed in the nomination of such Minister or Missionary or officiating Minister, but if nevertheless the said Society shall not either by a direct appointment or by the agency of any Committee acting for and on behalf of the said Society make due provision for the conduct of Divine Service in the said Church then that the Bishop of Jerusalem for the time being shall be at liberty to appoint a Minister to officiate in the said Church until the said Society shall make or cause to be made an appointment of a Missionary or other Minister to officiate therein.

And further setting forth that the said Church is furnished with all things necessary for the due exercise of public worship and the administration of the Sacraments therein, according to the rubrics of the United Church of England and Ireland, and the rights and ceremonies thereof, as by law established. And further setting forth that the matter of the said Petition hath been approved by his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Petitioners, therefore, humbly prayed that we would be pleased, by virtue of our Episcopal office, to separate the said Edifice or Building from all profane and common uses, and to dedicate and consecrate the said Building as a Church to the honor and worship of Almighty God as hereinbefore setforth, and that the said Building or Church may be for the spiritual use and edification of persons as aforesaid resorting thereto and that same may be known and called by the name of Christ Church, Jerusalem forever.

And whereas having taken the said Petition into consideration, and public notice having been given of this our intended consecration, we consent to comply with the prayer of the said Petition and are willing to consecrate the said Church. We, therefore, by virtue of our Authority Ordinary and Episcopal, do now separate and set apart the said new Building or Church from all profane and common uses. And do by these presented dedicate and consecrate the said Building or Church to the service of Almighty God for the celebration of Divine Worship therein (in accordance with the prayer of the said Petition) by the name of “Christ Church, Jerusalem.”

And we do openly and publicly pronounce decree and declare that the said Church shall so continue for ever separated, dedicated and consecrated by this our definitive sentence or final decree which we make, pronounce and promulge in these writings, saving and restoring unto us and our successors, Bishops of the United Church of England and Ireland, in Jerusalem, all ordinary and Episcopal jurisdiction rights and privileges.

In Testimony where we have caused our Episcopal Seal to be hereunto set, and do now affix our signature thereto this twenty first day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty nine and of our consecration the third

This sentence was, by the command of the within named Lord Bishop, and in his presence read in the Church within mentioned, by the Reverend F.C. Ewald his Lordship’s Honorary Chaplin on Sunday the twenty first day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty nine, and was thereupon signed promulged and given by his Lordship in the said Church in the presence of the said Reverend F.C. Ewald and of E. Macgowan Esq. M.D. and of me the undersigned and others then and there assembled.

Which I attest James Finn
Acting Registrar