Spirit, Fruits of the.--In the fifth chapter of the Epistle to
the Galatians St. Paul sets forth the Fruits of the Spirit as
nine in number, viz: (1) Love, (2) Joy, (3) Peace, (4) Longsuffering,
(5) Gentleness, (6) Goodness, (7) Faith, (8) Meekness, (9)
Temperance. In this enumeration it will be found that the
arrangement is threefold, corresponding to the three great aspects
of life. For example, the first three, "Love, Joy, and Peace," have
reference to the life of a Christian in his intercourse _with God_.
The next four, "Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness and Faith,"
describe the qualities which should characterize the Christian in
his bearing towards his _fellow-men_--(Faith, it is to be understood,
in this enumeration means trust, belief in man, and not the
Theological Virtue, which is regarded as a root rather than a
fruit). In the remaining Fruits of the Spirit we have a description
of the Christian Life in respect of _self_ viz., "meekness and
temperance"--"meekness," by which is meant a due estimate of the
place which self ought to hold, and "Temperance," the rigorous
determination to see to it that self is kept in place. It is
interesting to note that the _Fruits of the Spirit_ form the
subject of one of the petitions in the Litany.
Spirit of Missions, The.--The official organ of {243} the American
Church by which knowledge of her missionary work at home and abroad
is made known. It is published monthly, is well edited and filled
each month with very readable and valuable information which all
should possess. The publication office is in the Church Missions
House, 281 Fourth Ave., New York City. (See DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN
MISSIONARY SOCIETY.)
Sponsors.--It would be difficult to say with any degree of certainty
at what period the office of _Sponsors_ was established, but it
appeared in the very earliest ages of the Christian Church. It is
supposed that persecution and the presence of heresy led to its
institution. During the time of those early persecutions it stands
to reason that the heads of the Church must have been aware of the
probability of some at least of those who had been baptized of
receding from their vows and thus sinning away their Baptismal
grace. It was but natural that they should adopt every precaution
to ascertain the character of those whom, by Baptism, they admitted
to the Christian covenant. They required, therefore, that some of
their own body answer for the real conversion of the presumed
neophyte, and should also be SURETIES for the fulfilment of the
promises then made. Then there were the probabilities during
persecution that the parents might not outlive the violence of
the times and be enabled to watch over the moral and religious
education of their baptized children. The Church was anxious not
to lose these lambs of the Flock, and so it was a wise and godly
provision that there should be some one who, in default of their
parents, surviving or {244} in case of their apostasy, might see to
it that their godchildren were "brought up to lead a godly and
a Christian life." The advantages arising from this ancient
institution of _Sponsors_ were so great that it has been continued
throughout all ages of the Church. And even in this present time,
if all Sponsors would fulfil their duties, many a child now lost
to the Church, might have been saved to it and brought up in the
nurture and admonition of the Lord. In the case of Baptism of
Infants, the significance of _Sponsors_ is very great, in that
Baptism is a covenant, in which God on the one hand is represented
by His Minister, and the child is represented by his Sponsors,
who answer for him and agree to see to it that this child shall
be virtuously brought up and so trained that it shall lead the
rest of his life according to this beginning. The Sponsors are
called Godfathers and Godmothers because of the spiritual affinity
created in Baptism, their responsibility for the training of the
child being almost parental. (See BAPTISM, HOLY; INFANT BAPTISM;
also NAME, THE CHRISTIAN.)
Stalls.--Seats in the choir (_i.e._, chancel) for Clergy and
Choristers, commonly called Choir Stalls.
Standing Committee.--The general Canons of the American Church
provide that in every Diocese there shall be a _Standing Committee_
(usually composed of not less than three Clergymen and two laymen
who shall be communicants) to be appointed by the Convention
thereof, whose duties, except so far as provided for by the Canons
of the General Convention, may be prescribed by the Canons of the
respective Dioceses. In every Diocese where there is a Bishop the
{245} Standing Committee acts as his Council of Advice. It recommends
to him persons to be admitted to Holy Orders or as Candidates for
Holy Orders, etc. As the representative of the Diocese, it gives its
consent to the consecration of a Bishop elected by any other
Diocese. When there is no Bishop, the Standing Committee becomes
the ecclesiastical Authority of the Diocese for all purposes
declared in the Canons.
State of Salvation.--By Holy Baptism we are admitted into Christ's
Church, His Kingdom of grace, which in the Church Catechism is
declared to be a "State of Salvation," _i.e._, a Christian
condition in which it is quite certain the salvation of God is
within our reach and in which as we are responsive to all its
overtures of grace we may grow into the likeness of God's dear
Son. Our final salvation is dependent on our continuance in this
state of Salvation by God's grace unto our life's end.
Stephen, Festival of Saint.--A Holy Day of the Church observed on
December 26, in memory of St. Stephen the Proto-martyr, _i.e._,
the _first_ Christian martyr. The position of the three Holy Days
after Christmas is remarkable. We have here brought into immediate
nearness to the Birth of Christ the three kinds of members who are
joined to Him by martyrdom, viz., those who are martyrs both in
will and deed, as St. Stephen; those who are martyrs in will but
not in deed, _i.e._, escaped with life as St. John; and lastly,
those who are martyrs in deed, but had no wills of their own to
sacrifice to God, as the Holy Innocents. The Festival of St. Stephen
dates as far back as the Fourth Century. The reason for its
institution is thus {246} given by an ancient writer, "Christ was
born on earth that Stephen might be born in heaven." Nothing is known
of St. Stephen before his selection for ordination as a Deacon, but
in the 6th and 7th chapters of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
is given a very full account of his being made a Deacon; of his
doing "great wonders and miracles among the people," because he
was "full of faith and power"; of his accusation and eloquent
defense, and finally of his martyrdom by stoning, in the midst of
which, like his Divine Master, he prayed for his murderers. In
ecclesiastical art, St. Stephen is represented as a Deacon holding
stones in a napkin or in his robe or in his hand.
Stir Up Sunday.--A popular name given to the Sunday next before
Advent, from the first two words with which the Collect for the
Day begins, viz.: "Stir up, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the wills of
Thy faithful people," etc. This Sunday is the end of the Christian
Year, and consequently a time of review, gathering up the
fragments that remain, that so with renewed strength and stronger
purpose--_stirred up wills_, we may enter on the new year which
begins on the following Sunday.
Stole.--A long band or scarf of silk worn by the Priest around the
neck and hanging down in front to about the knees. It is one of the
Altar vestments and should be worn when administering any Sacrament.
The stole should be of the proper color of the Church Season and
may be white, green, red, violet or black. It is intended to
symbolize the ropes or bands with which our Lord was bound to
the pillar when He was {247} scourged. It also signifies the yoke of
patience which the Minister of Christ must bear as the servant of
God. When worn by a Deacon, it is placed on the left shoulder and
fastened under the right arm. (See VESTMENTS; also KISSING
THE STOLE.)
Subdeacon.--In former times the name given to him who assisted the
Celebrant at the Holy Communion was Deacon, and the name _Subdeacon_
to one who waited on the Deacon as the Deacon waited on the
Celebrant, and he was permitted to read the Epistle. In time,
however, these attending clergy came to be called by names
characteristic of the most conspicuous parts of their duties, viz.:
the Gospeler and Epistoler.
Substance.--A word derived from the Latin, used in Theology as the
equivalent of the Greek word _ousia_, meaning "essence," and used
in the definition of the nature of the Godhead. Thus we say that
God is one in substance (_i.e._, essence) but in Persons, Three.
The word is found in the Creed in the article which speaks of the
Son as "Being of one substance with the Father."
Suffrages.--The intercessory versicles and responses after the Creed
in Morning and Evening Prayer and towards the end of the Litany,
are so called.