Lay Baptism.--Baptism administered by a layman. The Church has always
held that Baptism by any man in case of necessity is valid. But only
great necessity, such as sudden danger or sickness and the inability
to secure the services of a clergyman, should be just cause for
baptism by a layman, and then great care should be taken that the
proper form and words are used. (See BAPTISM, HOLY.) It is well to
note that when Holy Baptism is administered by one who is not a
Clergyman _without such necessity_ as mentioned above, the person
baptizing is guilty of a great sin, even though his act may bring a
blessing to the person baptized. His act cannot be undone, but it
ought not to have been done.
Layman.--One of the LAITY (which see).
Lay-Reader.--A layman who reads the Church service in the absence
of the Priest. Usually he is licensed to do so by the Bishop of the
Diocese. The American Church has a canon on the subject, setting
forth the method of appointment and regulating his work, from which
it is learned that the lay-reader is very much limited in the
service he renders being permitted to use only those portions of
the service which do not belong properly to the Ministry. When the
Priest is present a laymen may read the Lessons in the Daily Morning
and Evening Prayer, and also the Litany as far as the Lord's Prayer.
Laying on of Hands.--The ceremony by which one is ordained to the
Sacred Ministry by the Bishop, and by which he administers the Rite
of Confirmation, (See IMPOSITION OF HANDS.) {166}
Lectern.--The desk or stand from which the Scriptural Lessons in
Church are read, and is so called from this fact. The term "lectern"
is derived from the Latin word _lecturni_, meaning a pulpit or from
the Greek _lektron_, a couch or rest for a book. Lecterns as used
in our churches are sometimes constructed of wood or stone,
but frequently of polished brass, in the form of an eagle with
outstretched wings, (on which the Bible rests) to symbolize the
flight of the Gospel message throughout the world.
Lectionary.--The Tables to be found in the Prayer Book setting forth
the portions of Scripture to be read daily in Public Worship
throughout the year, also the Proper Lessons for Sundays and the
Holy Days of the Church. The word is derived from the Latin _lectus_,
from _lego_, to gather, to read. From this origin we have the word
_lection_, meaning a reading or lesson read; he who reads was called
_lector_, a name given to one of the minor orders in the ancient
Church. _The Lectionary_ as found in the Prayer Book contains most
ample provision for the reading of God's Holy Word. By this
appointment the Old Testament is read once during the year, and
some portions of it more frequently. The New Testament is read
three times, while the Book of Psalms is read twelve times or once
a month. No other religious body makes so large provision for the
public reading of the Scriptures, and the Episcopal Church has been
appropriately called a "Bible Reading Church." The Lectionary as it
now stands was set forth by the General Convention of 1883, being a
revision of the old Lectionary which had been in use since 1789, the
time of the first {167} setting forth of the American Prayer Book.
(See LESSONS; also SCRIPTURES IN PRAYER BOOK.)
Lent, The Season of.--The word "Lent" has no special significance
save only as it designates the time of the Fast before Easter. The
word is derived from the Anglo-Saxon _lencten_, meaning the spring
season. From this we learn that the _Lenten Fast_ means simply the
Fast that comes in the spring of the year. It was appointed at this
time for the reason that our Lord's Passion and Death occurred at
this time of the year and these devotions of the faithful grouped
themselves around that sad hour on Calvary. At first, the Fast may
not have extended over the Paschal Week, but it was arranged at a
very early period to cover the forty days preceding Easter. Beginning
with Ash Wednesday the Lenten Season really covers a period of
forty-six days, but as Sunday has always been regarded as a Feast,
these six Sundays are not counted as belonging to the Fast. (See
LENT, SUNDAYS in.) There can be no great difficulty in assigning a
reason for this solemnity to be kept for forty days. For many
reasons "Forty" is a Scriptural number. _Forty_ years the children of
Israel were under discipline in their pilgrimage in the wilderness.
Moses fasted _forty_ days in the mount. Elijah was _forty_ days in
the wilderness. _Forty_ days did the Ninevites fast and repent them
of their sins to avert the judgments foretold by the prophet Jonah.
And _forty_ days did our Lord fast in the wilderness when about to
enter upon His public ministry. From these references we learn that
it is both Scriptural and helpful that this Season of Penitence
should be prolonged for us, that bearing {168} in mind these
incidents of "forty years" and "forty days" of devotion and
discipline which characterized the history of God's people, and
also our Lord's example, we may be like minded in prayer, in
discipline and in turning to God. The devotions of the Lenten Fast
are intimately connected with Easter which it precedes and are
intended to prepare the mind and heart for the devout celebration
of the "Queen of Festivals" and for the Easter Communion. Lent being
a penitential season the ecclesiastical color is purple or violet.
The _Benedicite_ takes the place of the _Te Deum_ and the Ash
Wednesday Collect is used every day throughout the Season.
Lent, Sundays in.--As stated in the preceding article the Lenten
fast does not include all the days between Ash Wednesday and Easter,
for the _Sundays_ are so many days above the number forty. They are
excluded because the Lord's Day is always kept as a Festival and
never as a Fast. These six Sundays, therefore, are called "Sundays
IN Lent, not _of_ Lent; they are in the midst of it, but do not form
part of it; on these Sundays we continue without interruption to
celebrate our Saviour's Resurrection." The Sundays in Lent are
named in the Prayer Book First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth; the
last Sunday being set forth as "The Sunday next before Easter."
Popular usage, however, has assigned other names to the closing
Sundays in Lent, for example, the Fourth Sunday is usually called
_Mid Lent Sunday_, for the reason that the Lenten Fast is half over.
It is also called _Refreshment Sunday_, from the Gospel for the Day
which gives the account of our Lord {169} miraculously feeding the
five thousand in the wilderness; another name is _Mothering Sunday_
(which see). The Fifth Sunday is called _Passion Sunday_, from the
fact that on that day the Church begins the solemn recital of our
Lord's sufferings. The Sixth Sunday is known as _Palm Sunday_ as it
was on this day our Lord made His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem,
when the people hailed Him as King and strewed palm branches in His
way, crying "Hosanna to the Son of David."
Lesser Litany, The.--That portion of the Litany beginning, "O
Christ, hear us," and ending with the prayer, "We humbly beseech
Thee, O Father," is so called. It is often used as a penitential
ending to week-day services during Lent.
Lessons, The.--The word "Lesson" is derived from the Latin _lectio_,
meaning a reading, and signifies a portion of Scripture appointed
to be read during Divine service; applied especially to those
Scriptures read in the Daily Services. Two Lessons are to be read
at each service in accordance with the custom of the early
Christians, one from the Old Testament and one from the New. The
principle upon which the Lessons are thus selected is set forth by
Justin Martyr, who lived A.D. 103-164, as follows: "The Apostles
have taught, as they learned themselves, first the Law and then the
Gospel; for what is the Law but the Gospel foreshadowed; or what is
the Gospel but the Law fulfilled." (See CALENDAR, LECTIONARY, and
also SCRIPTURES IN PRAYER BOOK.)