Among the =Ordines Minores= the oldest was the office of =Reader=, Ἀναγνώστης. In the time of Cyprian this place was heartily accorded to the Confessors. In later times it was usual to begin the clerical career with service in the readership. The duties of this office were the public reading of the longer scripture portions and the custody of the sacred books. Somewhat later than the readership the office of the =Subdiaconi=, ὑποδιάκονοι was instituted. They were assistants to the Deacons, and as such took first rank among the _Ordines Minores_, and of these were alone regarded as worthy of ordination. Toward the end of the 3rd century the office of the =Cantores=, ψαλταί, was instituted for the conducting of the public service of praise. The =Acolytes=, who are met with in Rome first about the middle of the 3rd century, were those who accompanied the bishop as his servants. The =Exorcists= discharged the spiritual function of dealing with those possessed of evil spirits, ἐνεργούμενοι, δαιμονιζόμενοι, over whom they had to repeat the public prayers and the formula of exorcism. As there was also an exorcism associated with baptism, the official functions of the exorcists extended to the catechumens. The =Ostiarii= or =Janitores=, θυρωροί, πυλωροί, occupied the lowest position.--In the larger churches for the instruction of the catechumens there were special =Catechists= appointed, _Doctores audientium_, and where the need was felt, especially in the churches of North Africa speaking the Punic tongue, there were also =Interpreters= whose duty it was to translate and interpret the scripture lessons. To the =Deaconesses=, for the most part widows or virgins, was committed the care of the poor and sick, the counselling of inexperienced women and maidens, the general oversight of the female catechumens. They had no clerical character.--The =Ordination= of the clergy was performed by the laying on of hands. Those were disqualified who had just recently been baptised or had received baptism only during severe illness (_Neophyti_, _Clinici_), also all who had been excommunicated and those who had mutilated themselves.--Continuation, § 45, 3.