Registrar.--The title of an officer of the {228} Convention, whether
of the General Convention or of the Convention or Council of a
Diocese. His duty is to collect and preserve such papers, reports,
journals and other documents relating to the history and property of
the Church as are now or may hereafter become the property of the
Convention, and to keep the same in a safe and convenient place.
Religious Orders.--In the American Church there are many religious
orders composed of men or women who have separated themselves from
the world that they may devote themselves by associated effort more
unreservedly to the Church's work. Some are bands of Priests, like
the "Society of the Mission Priests of St. John Evangelist," or
the "Order of the Holy Cross," this latter also including laymen;
others are bands of laymen alone, such as the "Order of the Brothers
of Nazareth"; and others are Sisterhoods, composed of women who
have devoted themselves for life to the work of the Church, such
as the "Sisters of St. Mary," "Sisters of St. Monica," etc. Members
of the Sisterhoods do work in schools, hospitals, and among the
wretched, the poor and neglected. These religious orders have
proved to be very efficient aids in the Church's work in many parts
of our land and are highly commended for the sacrifice they display
and for the admirable methods of their work.
Reproaches, The.--In the ancient observance of Good Friday there
was used a service called "The Reproaches." This consisted of
certain striking passages read from Micah 3:3 and 4, as well as
other Scriptures, with the respond, "Holy God, Holy and Mighty,
Holy and Immortal, have mercy upon us." {229}
They are called "Reproaches" from the character of the first passage
read, namely, "O my people what have I done unto thee, and wherein
have I wearied thee? Answer me;" this being read also as a respond
to the other passages. The Reproaches are now frequently used in
many churches on Good Friday as a separate service and are very
solemn and impressive.
Reredos.--A carved or sculptured screen of wood or stone placed
above and back of the Altar, The word is a compound of the old
English _rere_, the same as "rear," and the French word _dos_,
derived from the Latin _dorsum_, meaning "back."
Responds.--In the old system of reading Holy Scripture in Divine
Service, short selections from different books of the Bible were
read successively, with short Anthems being sung after each, which
were called "responds." This responsory system of reading Holy
Scripture is still retained in its old form in the case of the Ten
Commandments when read in the Communion service. One of the
principal changes made in revising the Prayer-book in 1549 was the
setting forth of longer Lessons with responsory canticles sung at
the end only. Thus the respond to the First Morning Lesson is the
Te Deum, and the respond to the Second Lesson is the Benedictus, etc.
Responses.--The name given to the answers made by the people in the
Church services as in the Versicles, the Litany, after the Ten
Commandments, etc.
Responsive Service.--The glory of the Episcopal Church is its
_responsive service_, as provided by the Book of Common Prayer. By
means of this, the people have their part in the service. Thus {230}
worship becomes general throughout the whole congregation and the
people are not silent spectators, nor yet simply an audience. But
however reasonable and desirable this may be, there is a deeper
principle involved. The responsive character of the services brings
out and emphasizes the "Priesthood of the People." St. Peter, in
his First General Epistle, writing to the Baptized, says of them,
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal Priesthood, an holy nation,
a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praise of Him who
hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous Light." Thus the
Baptized are called in Holy Scripture "a royal priesthood," and
this doctrine pervades the Prayer-book. The whole system of
responsive worship is founded upon the Priesthood of the Laity,
and enables them to _show forth the praise_ of Him who hath called
them out of darkness into His marvelous Light. (See AMEN; FORMS;
also VERSICLES.)
Retable.--A shelf at the back of the Altar, usually fastened to the
reredos, on which are placed the Altar cross, the vases for flowers,
and the candlesticks. The necessity for the retable arises from
the fact of the reverent usage of the Church, which requires that
nothing shall be placed on the Altar but the Eucharistic vessels,
the book rest and the book.
Retreat.--This is a term used to designate a time of retirement as
a means of deepening the Spiritual life of the Clergy, for whose
benefit it is held. It involves a temporary submission to the
monastic rule of silence, meditation, confession and conference.
In Holy Scripture we read of our Lord and His disciples {231}
constantly going into retreat in some shape or other. Christ on the
hilltop, St. Paul in the desert near Damascus, St. Peter on the roof
of his house, retired for prayer and meditation. The Retreat as now
conducted gives each one the opportunity to make special effort to
see more clearly those great principles of Religion which can only
be seen by such effort and by such special spiritual exercises.
In some Dioceses an annual Pre-Lenten Retreat is held for both
Bishop and clergy in preparation for the solemn and spiritual work
of Lent. It is a cheering sign of spiritual revival which many will
welcome, to see Bishop and Clergy thus meeting and withdrawing for
a season from the world, for prayer, for intercommunion and
instruction.
Ring.--The custom of the Wedding Ring was probably adopted by the
early Church from the marriage customs of the Jews and also of the
heathen, as its use has been almost universal. From its shape,
having neither beginning nor ending, it is regarded as an emblem
of eternity, constancy, and integrity. It is placed on the fourth
finger of the woman's left hand, and the ancient ceremony of doing
so was to place it first on the thumb at the Name of the first
Person of the Trinity; on the next finger, at the Name of the Son;
on the third at the Name of the Holy Ghost, and then on the fourth
finger, and leaving it there at the word "Amen." The ring is, also,
frequently given at the consecration of a Bishop, to symbolize his
espousal with the Church in his Diocese. Thus bestowed, it is the
symbol of authority and is called the _Episcopal Ring_. {232}
Rites and Ceremonies.--The Rites and Ceremonies of the Church are
based on the Apostolic injunction, "Let all things be done decently
and in order." By _rites_ are meant certain prescribed ordinances,
and by _ceremonies_ certain sacred observances, as distinguished
from Sacraments. These when prescribed by lawful authority are
instrumental in promoting uniformity of worship and are conducive
to regularity and edification. We learn from the Twentieth Article
of Religion that the power to decree Rites and Ceremonies rests with
the Church, and, as set forth in the Twenty-fourth Article, "every
particular and national Church hath authority to ordain, change
and abolish ceremonies, ordained only by man's authority." The
Rites and Ceremonies of the American Church, are set forth and
implied in the Book of Common Prayer, marked out in the rubrics
and the Tables prefixed to it.
Ritual. Ritualism.--By _ritual_ is meant the ceremonial part of
Religion; the name is also applied to the book in which the Rites
and Ceremonies are set forth. By _ritualism_ is meant the system of
ritual or prescribed form of religious worship. Therefore, these
words meaning what they do are to be lifted up out of all party
spirit and are to be regarded as expressive of the Church's real
system of worship. Loyalty to the Prayer-book demands obedience to
the rubrics on the part of both minister and people. Then it is
well to remember that when the Prayer-book was first set forth in
1549, the principal change was that the services should be said in
English; the ritual remained the same. This explains the origin of
many practices which now prevail in the Church as {233} a matter of
course, such as kneeling, bowing at the Name of Jesus, the use of
vestments, etc. These are simply what had been in use in the early
Church, and the use of the Prayer-book presupposes them all. It
is well, also, to observe that Ritualism properly considered,
emphasizes the continuity of the Church before and after the
Reformation, and is a standing protest against the false idea that
the Episcopal Church was founded by Henry the Eighth, or that it
is a mere schism from the Church of Rome. (See ORNAMENTS; also
UNDIVIDED CHURCH, THE.)
Rochet.--A Bishop's vestment, and may be described as a long narrow
surplice or alb which he wears under the CHIMERE (which see).
Rogation Days.--The Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before Ascension
Day. They are days of abstinence preparatory to the great Feast of
the Ascension. They are so called from the Latin word _rogare_,
meaning to ask, and coming as they do in the early part of the year,
it was customary on these days to ask God's blessing on the fruits
of the earth. So that the Rogation Days bear the same relation to
the plowing and sowing that Thanksgiving Day bears to the harvest.
Two special prayers for this purpose, entitled "For Fruitful
Seasons,--To be used on Rogation Sunday and the Rogation Days,"
were introduced into the American Prayer-book at its last revision
in 1892. The Rogation Days were originated about the middle of the
Fifth Century by Mamercus, Bishop of Vienne in Gaul, on the occasion
of a great calamity that threatened his Diocese; whence arose the
custom of saying the Litany and certain Psalms such as 103d {234} and
104th, during perambulations of parishes. This method of celebrating
the Rogation Days still prevails in many parishes in England.
Rogation Sunday.--The Fifth Sunday after Easter, being the Sunday
next before the Rogation Days and Ascension Day is so called, and
no doubt from the words with which the Gospel for the day begins,
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall _ask_ the Father
in My Name, He will give it you." (See ROGATION DAYS.)
Rood Screen.--The word "rood" is the old Saxon word for _cross_ or
crucifix; and the term "rood screen" is the name given to the screen
or open partition to be seen in many churches, placed between the
chancel and the nave, and which is always surmounted by the rood,
_i.e._, the cross.
Rubric.--The rules or directions in the Prayer-book, printed in
Italics, concerning the method of conducting the services. While
they are now usually printed in black ink, they are still called
_rubrics_ from the fact that they were formerly always printed in
red; rubric being derived from a Latin word meaning _red_.
S
Sabaoth.--The Hebrew word for "Hosts." The words "Lord God of
Sabaoth," to be found in the Te Deum, mean the same as "Lord God of
Hosts" in the Ter Sanctus in the Communion Service. {235}
Sabbath.--The Jewish weekly day of _rest_ (which the word means)
observed on the seventh day because God rested on that day from His
work of creation. It is no longer binding on Christians, and the
name is very improperly applied to the first day of the week which
Christians observe as a day of rest and worship. (See LORD'S DAY.)
Sacrament.--The word "Sacrament" is derived from the Latin
_Sacramentum_, meaning the military oath required of the soldiers
of ancient Rome. Its outward sign was the uplifted hand whereby the
soldier pledged himself to loyalty, which may be regarded as the
thing signified by that outward gesture. The word came to be used
for those ordinances of the Christian Church possessing an "outward
sign" and conveying an "inward grace." Thus the Church Catechism
treating of the two Sacraments "generally necessary to salvation,
that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord," defines a
sacrament as being an outward and visible sign ordained by Christ,
of an inward and spiritual grace given by Him as its accompaniment.
This definition has reference to the Sacramental system of the
Church and means that Christ appointed only two Sacraments that are
generally or universally necessary to salvation. It does not imply
that there are not other Sacramental agencies in the Church--but
only that these two are absolutely necessary to salvation. For
example, if a man would be saved he must receive Holy Baptism and
Holy Communion where these Sacraments are to be had; but for his
salvation it is not necessary that he should be married, or ordained
to the Sacred Ministry, and yet Marriage and {236} Ordination are
thoroughly sacramental in character in that they are grace
conferring, and therefore, in her book of Homilies the Church calls
them Sacraments, The great English divines generally take this
position in regard to the Sacraments and the Sacramental System
of the Church. Thus Archbishop Bramhall declares: "The proper and
certain Sacraments of the Christian Church, common to all, or (in
the words of our Church) _generally necessary_ to Salvation, are
but two, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. . . . The rest we
retain, though not under the notion of such proper and general
Sacraments,--as Confirmation, Ordination, Matrimony, Penitence and
lastly, the Visitation of the Sick." So also, Bishop Jeremy Taylor
says, "it is none of the doctrine of the Church of England, that
there are two Sacraments only, but that 'two only are generally
necessary to salvation.'"