THE OFFICE OF CANTOR

The regular singers of a church received in early times a kind of ordination, without imposition of hands, which could be conferred by a presbyter. The form of words prescribed by the so-called Fourth Council of Carthage was: "See that thou believe in thy heart what thou singest with thy mouth, and approve in thy works what thou believest with thy heart." (Smith and Chestham, article Cantor.) Addis and Arnold Catholic Dictionary.

The Pontificale Romanum still contains the rite for making or degrading a singer (psalmista or cantor):

PONTIFICALIS PARS TERTIA

PONTIFICALE ROMANUMClementis VIII. ac Urbani VIII. jussu editum,postremo a Ss.mo Domino Nostro Benedicto XIV. recognitum et castigatumVenetiis MDCCXXIII. Apud Hæredes BalleoniosTyp. ac Edit.

DE OFFICIO PSALMISTATUS

Psalmista, id est, Cantor potest sola jussione Presbyteri Officium suscipere cantandi, dicente sibi Presbytero:

Vide, ut quod ore cantas, corde credas; & quod corde credis, operibus comprobes.

Et si Episcopus Clericos ordinans hæc faciat, bene facit.