Wednesday.--In the earliest ages of the Christian Church its
devotions were always characterized by both weekly and annual
fasts. During the week the first Christians always kept two fasts;
one on _Wednesday_, the day on which our Lord was betrayed, and the
other on Friday, the day on which He was crucified. Both the English
and American Churches have perpetuated this custom by appointing
Wednesday and Friday of each week as Litany Days.
Western Church.--A term frequently met with in Church history and
denoting the Churches which formerly made part of the western empire
of Rome, _i.e._, the Church in western Europe,--Italy, Spain,
France, etc. The Church of England is also included under this term
as being a branch of the Catholic and Apostolic Church.
Whitsun Day.--A high Festival observed in the Church on the fiftieth
day after Easter, in commemoration of the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost as "they were all
with one accord in one place" in Jerusalem. Whitsun Day is
the Birthday of the Christian Church, and as such it has been
commemorated for nearly two thousand years by Christian people and
observed by them with holy joy and deep thanksgiving for the
fulfilment of our Lord's promise to send the Comforter to His
comfortless people. {276}
By the devotions of Whitsun Day we have brought to our remembrance,
in the most beautiful and striking manner, the operations of God by
the Spirit's power. By Proper Psalms, Proper Lessons and Eucharistic
Scriptures, and by Proper Preface in the Communion Service, we learn
how that in the Holy Ghost and His Presence in the Church we have
the great power and renewing grace of God made availing to us. The
ecclesiastical color is red as symbolical of the "cloven tongues
like as of fire," in which form the Holy Ghost lighted on the head
of each of the Apostles. (See HOLY GHOST.)
As to the derivation of the word "Whitsun" there seems to be great
uncertainty and difference of opinion. Some derive it from the
word _white_, shortened to "whit," in reference to the diffusions
of light and knowledge which on this day were shed upon the Apostles,
in order to the enlightening of the world; also in reference to
this being the time of Baptism in the ancient Church, each candidate
being clothed with white garments. Others derive it from the old
Saxon word _wit_, meaning wisdom which is the special gift of the
Holy Ghost. Again others derive it from the word _Pentecost_, the
original name of the Festival, through the German _Pfingsten_, hence
Pingsten, changed in the Saxon to Wingsten, and this being corrupted
into _Whitsun_, meaning, therefore the same as Pentecost, that is,
the fiftieth day. (This last seems to be the most probable derivation
as is seen in the use of the terms _Whitsun_ Monday, _Whitsun_
Tide, etc.)
This Festival is of especial interest to Churchmen {277} as it was
on Whitsun Day, June 9th, 1549, that the Book of Common Prayer, in
English, was first used. "That day was doubtless chosen," says a
beautiful writer, "as a devout acknowledgment that the Holy Ghost
was with the Church of England in the important work then taken.
May He ever preserve these devotional offices from the attacks of
enmity or _unwisdom_, and continue them in that line of Catholic
unity wherein He has guided the Church hitherto to keep them."
Whitsun Monday; Whitsun Tuesday.--Two days observed with great
solemnity as the continuation of the High Festival of Whitsun Day.
For the origin and appointment of these days see EASTER MONDAY and
TUESDAY.
Whitsun Tide.--The week beginning with Whitsun Day is so called.
During this week the Whitsun Ember Days are observed, (Wednesday,
Friday, and Saturday), as a preparation for Trinity Sunday, one of
the stated times of Ordination.
Wine.--One of the elements used in the celebration of the Holy
Communion as our Lord commanded. It is to be noticed that unfermented
grape juice, raisin water, and the like do not constitute the proper
element in the Holy Communion, and if these are used the Sacrament
is not valid. In the General Convention which met in Chicago in
1886, the House of Bishops declared by resolution that "the use of
unfermented wine was unwarranted by the example of our Lord, and
contrary to the custom of the Catholic Church." This was still more
strongly affirmed by the Lambeth Conference which met in 1888, in
the {278} following resolution: "That the Bishops assembled in this
conference declare that the use of unfermented juice of the grape
or any other liquid other than true Wine diluted or undiluted, as
the element in the Administration of the Cup in Holy Communion, is
unwarranted by the example of our Lord and is an unauthorized
departure from the custom of the Catholic Church." This declaration
by both these bodies was called forth by the agitation of the
"Temperance people."
Woman's Auxiliary, The.--This is a Society, as its name indicates,
composed of the women of the Church which acts as an auxiliary to
the DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY (which see), and by
the labors and generous gifts of its members supplements the work
of the general Society. There is also a Junior Department including
the younger women of the Church who have become interested in
missionary work. Besides systematic efforts to raise money for
the work of missions, the members prepare boxes of clothing and
household necessities for the families of missionaries. The
Auxiliary is very helpful and has enlisted the faithful labors of
Christian women in fifty-nine dioceses and twenty-one missionary
districts. An idea of the work accomplished by this organization
may be gained by considering the report made for the year ending
September 1st, 1900, from which it is learned that the Woman's
Auxiliary contributed that year the noble sum of $210,841.55, and
prepared and sent out 4,680 boxes valued at $191,434.96, making a
total for the year of $402,276.51. It may be interesting to note
that the UNITED OFFERING placed {279} on the Altar by the Woman's
Auxiliary at the Triennial meeting held in San Francisco during
the General Convention of 1901, amounted to the handsome sum of
$104,295.53. The Headquarters of the Society are in the Church
Missions House, New York City.
Word, The.--The name given to our Blessed Lord by St. John in the
beginning of his Gospel, to set forth the preexistence and Divinity
of the Son of God and the creation of the world by Him. Pearson on
the Creed makes the following comment: "The Jews were constantly
taught that the Word of God was the same with God, and that by that
Word all things were made. And therefore, St. John delivered so
great a mystery so briefly, as speaking to those who at once
understood him. Only what they knew not was that this Word was made
Flesh, and that this Word made Flesh was Jesus Christ." The Greek
for "The Word" is _Logos_.
Words on the Cross, The Seven.--Our Blessed Lord was nailed to the
Cross at nine o'clock in the morning and hanged thereon until three
o'clock, when He died. During these six hours of His Crucifixion He
uttered seven sayings, called the _Seven Words from the Cross_; they
are as follows: