Golden Number.--The Golden Number is that {124} which marks the
position of any given year in the Lunar Cycle, which is a period
of nineteen years. Meton, an Athenian philosopher, discovered that,
at the end of every such period, the new moons take place on
the same days of the months whereon they occurred before its
commencement. This discovery was considered to be so important,
it became the custom to inscribe the rule for finding the moon's
age on a tablet in _golden_ letters and placed in the market-place
at Athens; hence arose the term _Golden Number_. The Golden Number
may be found by adding one to the year of our Lord, and dividing
the sum by 19, when the remainder, if any, is the _Golden Number_.
If there be no remainder, the Golden Number is 19. _One_ is added
to the year of our Lord because the first year of the Christian era
was the second of the Cycle. The time of Easter may be found by
means of the Golden Number. (See Tables in Prayer Book.)
Good Friday.--The Last Friday in Lent on which we commemorate the
Death of our Lord. It is called Good Friday from the blessed results
of our Saviour's sufferings, for by the shedding of His own most
precious Blood He obtained eternal Redemption for us. It is the most
solemn and binding of all Fridays and should be observed as an
absolute Fast in token of our sorrow for sin, and in preparation for
the Easter Communion. All unnecessary work, all social engagements
and pleasures are especially to be avoided by all those who reverence
their Lord, and remember of what Good Friday is the solemn memorial.
It is a day of Church-going, and it will be found that the Good
Friday services are very {125} impressive, solemn and soul-stirring.
The Proper Psalms are the 22d, 40th and 54th in Morning Prayer, and
the 69th and 88th for Evening Prayer. Proper Lessons and three
special Collects, together with the Epistle and Gospel all set forth,
amid the solemnities of worship, the momentous story of the Saviour's
Passion and Death. In many places, it is usual to have in addition
to the appointed services, the "THREE HOURS SERVICE" (which see),
held from 12 M. to 3 P. M., in commemoration of our Lord's Agony on
the Cross, and consisting of special prayers and hymns with addresses
or meditations. The Holy Communion is not celebrated on Good Friday,
in accordance with the immemorial usage of the Church; only the
introductory portion of the service is used. The Altar is entirely
stripped of its hangings and ornaments, except the cross, and is
sometimes covered with black hangings. The observance of Good Friday
is inwoven into the very texture of the Christian Religion, having
been kept from the very first age of Christianity with strictest
fasting and humiliation. The mind of the Church seems always to
have been, "this day is not one of man's institution, but was
consecrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when He made it the day of His
most Holy Passion."
Good Shepherd, Sunday of.--The name given in the Western Church to
the Second Sunday after Easter. The French know it as the Sunday of
the _Bon Pasteur_. The name is suggested by the Gospel for the day
which sets forth our Lord as "the Good Shepherd," and who in the
Epistle is called the "Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls." {126}
Gospel.--The word "Gospel" is derived from the Anglo-Saxon
_Godspell_, signifying "good news"; founded originally on certain
words used by the angel in announcing the Saviour's Birth, viz.:
"Behold, I bring you _good tidings_ of great joy" (St. Luke 2:10).
The word is greatly misunderstood and frequently misapplied, the
idea seems to be that "Gospel religion," "Gospel sermons" and
"preaching the Gospel," mean certain doctrines such as individual
election, calling, justification, sanctification and the like.
These are regarded as being very Scriptural, and in accordance with
the Scriptural method. When, however, we turn to the Scriptures we
find that such doctrines are not "the Gospel" at all, but simply
deductions from it. In the New Testament the word "Gospel" is applied
_exclusively_ to the announcement of certain events, certain outward
facts connected with the Second Person in the Blessed Trinity,
namely, the Incarnation, Birth, Life, Death, Burial, Resurrection
and Ascension of the Son of God. Such was the "good tidings"
announced by the angelic choir, such is the purpose of the New
Testament Scriptures, and that Gospel religion or Gospel preaching
which brings these sublime facts to bear on the hearts and lives
of men, as living realities and guiding motives, alone can be
Scriptural and truly Gospel. This being the case, we can understand
how the Church's Year with its changing seasons of joy and penitence,
setting forth so clearly all these facts in our Lord's Life,
preaches the very Gospel of Christ and in accordance with the
Scriptural method. (See CHRISTIAN YEAR.)
Gospels, The.--The four canonical records of the {127} Life of our
Lord written by St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke and St. John. The
first three are called the "Synoptic Gospels," because they all look
at the events they describe from the same point of view; while the
standpoint of St. John is quite different. His purpose was not to
give the history of our Lord as did the other Evangelists, but to
teach the mysteries arising out of that history. For example, St.
John says nothing about the circumstances of our Lord's Birth, but
he sets forth the _mystery_ which those circumstances embraced,--the
Incarnation of the Word, or eternal Son of God. For this reason,
the Fourth Gospel is called by ancient writers a "Spiritual Gospel,"
because it contains less of historical narrative than the others
and more of Doctrine.
Gospel, The Holy.--The title given to the passage from the Gospels
read at Holy Communion, commonly called "the Gospel for the Day."
During the reading of the Holy Gospel the people are to stand as
required by the rubric. This custom is intended to show a reverent
regard to the Son of God above all other messengers.
Gospel Side.--The north side of the Altar (the left side as we face
the Altar) at which the Holy Gospel is read. (See EPISTLE SIDE.)
Gospeller.--The Priest or Deacon appointed to read the Holy Gospel
at a celebration of the Holy Eucharist, is so, called.