General Thanksgiving, The.--The title of one of the prayers in
Morning and Evening Prayer. It is called General as being suitable
to all men, and in contradistinction to the special Thanksgivings
to be used by request of members of the congregation for special
mercies vouchsafed.
General Theological Seminary.--An institution of learning for the
education of men for the Sacred Ministry, established by the General
Convention of the American Church, May 27th, 1817, and incorporated
April 5th, 1822. The Institution is situated in Chelsea Square, New
York City, and has a very valuable property worth; $1,081,225.42.
The endowments amount to over; $700,000. The number of students
average about 150 each year. Number of Alumni 1,800. Whole number
matriculated since 1822 about 2,300. Volumes in the Library 30,000.
Generally Necessary.--In the definition given in the Church
Catechism of Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper, these Sacraments
are declared to be "generally necessary to salvation." From the way
many persons postpone their own Baptism, neglect the Baptism of
their children and ignore the Holy Communion, it would seem that they
think the word "generally" in the above clause, means "usually," but
not essential to religious life. This is a mistake. The word
"generally" as used when the Catechism was set forth is simply
the Anglicized form of the Latin word {121} _generaliter_, meaning
_universally_, always, absolutely necessary for every one who would
be saved, and therefore, imperative where the Sacraments may be had.
Genuflexion.--A temporary bending of the knee as distinguished from
actual kneeling; usually made towards the Altar as the symbol of
Christ's Presence.
Ghost. Ghostly.--Ghost is the old Saxon word for _spirit_ and is
still used in the Name of the Third Person of the Holy Trinity.
_Ghostly_, the adjective form of the word, has been retained in the
Prayer Book and means _spiritual_, _e_. _g_., in the Confirmation
service one of the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Ghost is called
"ghostly strength," that is, spiritual strength.