censed thereto by the Bishop, he may preach, but he cannot
administer the Holy Communion, or pronounce the Absolution and
the Benediction. He wears his stole over the left shoulder and
fastened under his right arm. If a Candidate for Priest's Orders
and can pass the required examination, he may after a year's
service as a Deacon be advanced to the Priesthood.

Deaconess.--In the Apostles' time there were holy women set apart
for the work of the Church, for example Phoebe, the servant or
deaconess, who was commended by St. Paul. This order of Deaconesses
continued until about the seventh century, when the changed
conditions of the Church interfered with its usefulness. In many
places the order has of late years been revived and is demonstrating
its original usefulness. The American Church has recognized the need
of such an order of women in its work, and in the general canons
provision is made for establishing the order and for its continuance
and regulation. According to these, a woman to be admitted to the
office of Deaconess must be at least twenty-five years of age, a
communicant of the Church, and fit and capable to discharge the
duties of the office. Before she can act as a Deaconess she must
be set apart for that office by an appropriate religious service.
When thus set apart she shall be under the direct oversight of the
Bishop of the Diocese, to whom she may resign her office at any
time, but having once resigned her office she is not privileged to
be reappointed thereto unless the Bishop shall see "weighty cause
for such reappointment." {77}

Training Schools for Deaconesses have been established in various
parts of the country where candidates for this office receive
special instruction and are trained for their work.

Dean.--An Ecclesiastical title; the presiding officer of a Cathedral.
The word is derived from the Latin _decanus_, meaning one presiding
over ten. In England the Dean is a Church dignitary and ranks next
to the Bishop. The word is used in the American Church, but with a
considerable modification of its original meaning. The Cathedral in
the American Church not having become fully developed, the duties
and rights of the Dean as the presiding officer of the Cathedral
have not been fully determined, or at all events not made a
reality. So that for the most part the title as used in this
country is simply honorary.

Decalogue.--The name given to the Ten Commandments and derived from
the Greek