A.D.
S. Matt's 60
S. Mark's 64
S. Luke's 64
S. John's 70
The Acts 64
I. Thess. 52
II. Thess. 52
Galatians 52
I. Corinth. 53
II. Corinth. 57
Romans 58
Ephesians 61
Philipp. 62
Colloss. 62
Philemon 62
I. Tim. 56
Titus 56
II. Tim. 61
S. James 61
I. Peter 64
II. Peter 64
Jude 64
I. John 80
II. John 85
III. John 90
Revelation 95
Some scholars assign an earlier date to the Revelation.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | BOOKS ILLUSTRATING | CONTEMPORARY
PERIOD | HISTORY | SAME PERIOD | PROPHETS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Creation | Genesis, | I. Chron. i. to x. |
To | Exodus. | (geneaologies). |
Settlement| Numbers. | Leviticus. |
In | Deuteronomy.| |
Canaan. | Joshua. | |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Judges. | Judges. | Ruth. |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kings. | I. Samuel. \| I. Chron. x. to xxix. 22; Psalms |
| II. Samuel./| of David,Asaph, Ethan, and |
| | Sons of Korah. |
| I. Kings | | Ecclesiastes, Canticles, and | Jonah (time of Jehu).
| \| Proverbs, (time of Solomon). |
| II. Kings /| I. Chron. xxix. 22, to end of II. | Amos
| | Chron. | Hosea | From Uzziah
| | | Isaiah \ to end of
| | | Joel / Hezekiah.
| | | Micah |
| | | Nahum |
| | |
| | | Zephaniah\ Time of
| | | Jeremiah / Josiah.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Esther. | Psalm cxxxvii. | Habakkuk, Daniel,
| | Obadiah, Ezekiel.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ezra. | Psalms cxx. to cxxxiv. (probably sung | Haggai, Zechariah,
| on the way back). | Malachi.
Nehemiah. | Psalms cxiii. to xcviii. at consecration of |
| Temple. |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BIBLE CHRISTIANS. Sometimes called Bryanites. They are the followers
of a Mr. William O'Bryan, a Wesleyan local preacher in Cornwall,
who, in 1815, separated from the Wesleyans, and began himself to
form societies upon the Methodist plan. In doctrine they do not
appear to differ from the various bodies of Arminian Methodists.
The forms of public worship are of the same simple character. But
in the administration of the Lord's Supper "it is usual to receive
the elements in a sitting posture, as it is believed that that
practice is more comformable to the posture of body in which it was
first received by Christ's Apostles, than kneeling; but persons are
at liberty to kneel, if it be more suitable to their views and
feelings to do so." Members of this sect are nearly all Cornish
people.
_Ministers_. _Lay Preachers_. _Members_.
173. 1,442. 24,238.
_On_ _Sunday_
_Probation_. _Chapels_. _Scholars_.
822. 574. 37.361.
BIDDING PRAYER. The Prayer before the Sermon. Before the Reformation
it was called the _Bidding of the beads_. The people were bid to
pray for certain objects as the preacher successively named them.
The canonical form of the present prayer is given in the 55th Canon.
The ordinary practice of using a collect is now sanctioned by
custom. An extempore prayer, however, from the preacher is quite
unauthorized. At the University sermons, and also on occasions of
more than usual solemnity, the Bidding Prayer is always used. In
Borough towns it is appropriately repeated on the Sunday next after
November 9th, when the Mayor is elected.
BIER. The carriage on which the coffin is carried to the grave.
BISHOP, _see_ Orders.
BOUNTY, QUEEN ANNE'S. Before the Reformation, the _Annates_ or
_First-fruits_, being the profits for one year of every vacant
benefice, were paid to the Pope. In Henry VIII.'s reign they were
paid to him instead. Queen Anne, however, instead of receiving
them for her own use, established a fund for the benefit of the
poor clergy. This fund has since been called Queen Anne's Bounty.
Money was granted to it also by Parliament, and many generous
individuals increased the sum.
BOWING AT THE NAME OF JESUS. This pious custom is ordered by the
18th Canon of our Church, in supposed accordance with the idea of
the Apostle in Phil. ii.9. In many churches the custom is now
observed by bowing at the Sacred Name in the Creed only; but the
Canon orders "due and lowly reverence to be done" whenever the
"Name of the Lord Jesus is mentioned in the time of Divine Service."
BOWING TOWARDS THE ALTAR. This reverent custom is still practised
in many of the Royal Chapels, and in some churches and Cathedrals,
_e.g._, in Christ Church, Oxford, in many village churches where
the custom, once universal, has not died out, and it survives in
some College Chapels.
The synod of 1640 said, "We heartily commend it to all good and
well affected people, that they be ready to tender to the Lord
their reverence and obeisance, both at their coming in and going
out of church, according to the most ancient custom of the primitive
Church in the purest times."
BROAD CHURCH, _see_ Church Parties.
BURIALS ACT. A Bill passed in Parliament, 1880. Before the passing
of the Act no deceased persons (with certain exceptions, specified
in the Rubric) could be buried in consecrated ground without the
Service of the Church of England being read over their remains.
Now, anyone who wishes to have his relatives or friends buried in
any such ground without any religious service, or with any other
Christian and orderly service than that of the Church of England,
can do so. This service may be conducted by anybody, man, woman, or
child, but 48 hours' notice must be given in writing to the
incumbent, who still has all his legal rights preserved. The
Burials Bill deals solely with the churchyard, and confers no
rights as to the tolling of the bell, or to the use of any church
or consecrated chapel.
Under this Act the Clergy are empowered to use the Service of the
Church for the burial of the dead in any unconsecrated burial
ground or cemetery.
The Bill owes its origin to the agitation of Dissenters, and that
their supposed grievances were purely sentimental is shown by the
fact that comparatively few funerals are taken under this Act.
BURIAL SERVICE, THE. The present arrangement of this Office is the
outcome of several revisions. In 1549 (1st Prayer Book of Edward VI.)
there was a special Communion Office for use at funerals. The custom
obtaining in many places of the mourners coming to church on the
Sunday next following the funeral perhaps has its origin in the
ancient practice of their receiving Holy Communion together. The
Rubric denying Christian burial to the unbaptized, the excommunicate,
and to suicides was added in 1661. The first two sentences, or
anthems--John xi.25, 26, and Job xix.25-27, formed part of an
ancient Office. The third sentence, I Tim. vi.7, and Job i.21, and
the two Psalms, were added in 1549. The Lesson formerly formed part
of the Mass for the Dead. The sentences, or anthems, to be said at
the grave side are from old Offices, so also what follows down to
the Collects. The prayer, "For as much," &c., is called the
_Committal Prayer_, and the practice of casting earth upon the
coffin is part of a very old ceremony. The last two prayers were
added in 1552, and the "Grace" in 1661. Many of the dissenting
sects use this Service. The whole Office is of a nature to cheer
the heart of the mourner, and to rouse in all a "hope full of
immortality."
CALENDAR, THE CHURCH, is the detailed (excepting, of course, the
rubrics) law of the Church for the daily worship of God. It also
contains a list of Fasts and Festivals, or Holy Days. Our Church
recognises eighty-two such Holy Days, of which the following is a
classification, not including Ash Wednesday, Holy Week or Passion
Week, and Easter Eve:--
In honour of our Blessed Lord (including 50 ordinary Lord's Days) 57
In honour of God the Holy Ghost 3
In honour of the Holy Trinity 1
In honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2
In honour of the Holy Angels 1
In honour of the Apostles and Evangelists 14
In honour of S. John Baptist and other Saints 4
The object for which Holy Days are instituted, is the commemoration
of some person or event by devotional observance, the devotion
being, of course, offered to Almighty God. (_Blunt's Household
Theology_.)
The Calendar contains a Table of Lessons, or portions of Holy
Scripture, to be read in Church, and rules for finding the date of
the Moveable Feasts.
The present Table of Lessons came into use Jan. 1st, 1873.
(For Holy Days, &c., see under their respective heads.)
CALL TO THE MINISTRY. Every Candidate for Deacon's Orders (see
Ordinal) has this question put to him by the Bishop,--"Do you trust
that you are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon you this
Office and Ministration, to serve God for the promoting of His
glory and the edifying of His people?"
In the "Ordering of Priests" a similar question is put in this
form,--"Do you think in your heart that you be truly called,
according to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the order of
this Church of England, to the Order and Ministry of Priesthood?"
And in the "Consecration of Bishops" the question is put thus,--"Are
you persuaded that you be truly called to this Ministration,
according to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the order of
this realm?"
It should be noticed that the question is not "Are you sure?" but
(_a_) "Do you trust?" (_b_) "Do you think?" (_c_) "Are you
persuaded?" If a man deals earnestly and truly with his own heart,
he can scarcely be deceived as to whether he answers these solemn
questions truly or not. He need not wait for some miraculous
intimation from the Holy Spirit. By ordinary signs he may safely
judge: primarily, from his own sincere inward conviction; and in
an inferior degree from the advice of his parents, or of God's
ministers, or of other godly persons qualified to advise in such a
matter. These are all ways of learning God's will.
Bishop Oxenden, in his "Pastoral Office," says to the Candidate for
Holy Orders, "If, after looking well at your motive, you find it
pure,--if you are entering the Ministry in a serious, thoughtful
spirit,--if the love of souls, and an earnest desire to save them,
impels you--if you feel the work is one in which your soul will
find delight, and that you are heartily willing to labour in the
service of your Heavenly Master,--then I hesitate not to say that
you have chosen for yourself the best and most delightful of all
professions." This consciousness of purity of motive is a true
indication that a candidate is called of God.
CALVINISTS. These form no particular sect, but are to be found
among different bodies of Christians. They are the followers of the
Reformer, John Calvin, who was born in 1509. The five _points_, or
essential doctrines of Calvinism, are (1) particular election, (2)
particular redemption, (3) moral inability in a fallen state, (4)
irresistible grace, and (5) the final perseverance of the saints.
In other words, a Calvinist holds that before the foundation of
the world God _elected_ a certain number to salvation, and
_reprobated_ the rest of mankind to damnation; that Christ Jesus
died only for the elect; that mankind are totally depraved in
consequence of the fall; that God, in His own good time, calls all
those he has before predestinated to life by the _irresistible_
power of the Holy Spirit to grace and salvation; that those once
called can never finally fall from a state of grace.
It is true that the 17th Art. is so ambiguous in language that
even such a doctrine as the above is not reproved by it; but the
Church of England, in her Communion Office, says that "Christ, by
the one oblation of Himself once offered, made a full, perfect,
and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins
of the _whole_ world," and in the Church Catechism it is said that
"God the Son hath redeemed _all_ mankind." These two passages alone
are enough to show that the Church of England is not Calvinistic
in her doctrine. (See _Antinomianism_ and _Arminians_.)
CANDLES, _see_ Altar Lights.
CANON. A Greek word, meaning a Rule or Measure. The laws of
the Church are called _Canons_. The Canons made before the
Reformation are binding on our Church now, and are acted upon
in the Ecclesiastical Courts, except where they have been superseded
by subsequent Canons, or by the provisions of an Act of Parliament.
CANON. An ecclesiastic, having the right to a stall in a Cathedral,
and of giving a vote in the Chapter. He differs from a Prebendary
in that a Prebendary means one who enjoys a Prebend, or endowment,
whereas a Canon does not necessarily do so. In England the Honorary
Canons are all without capitular revenues.
CANON. A name applied to part of the Roman Office of Mass, and it
was also made use of in first Prayer Book of Edward VI. The name
is given to the more solemn part of the Eucharistic Service, from
just after the Preface till the final close.
CANON OF SCRIPTURE, _see_ Bible.
CANONICAL HOURS. At a very early date special hours of prayer were
appointed by the church. In the Church of Rome the Canonical Hours
begin with _vespers_, or evening prayer, about 6 o'clock, or sunset;
next follows _compline_, a service at bedtime; at midnight the
service of _nocturns_, or _matins_, was held; _lauds_, an early
morning service of praise, was held at cock-crow. Then came the
"Little Hours," _prime_ at 6 o'clock, _terce_ at 9, _sext_ at noon,
and _nones_ at 3.
CANTATE DOMINO. Psalm xcviii, used occasionally at Evening Prayer
in place of the Magnificat.
CANTICLES. Songs, especially also the Song of Solomon. The sacred
songs appointed to be sung or said in the Order for Morning and
Evening Prayer. These are the Venite, Te Deum, Benedicite,
Benedictus, Jubilate, Magnificat, Cantate, Nunc Dimittis, and Deus
Misereatur; each of which see.
CASSOCK, _see_ Vestments.
CATECHISM. From a word meaning to _instruct by word of mouth_. The
insertion of this elementary exposition of Christian Faith and
Practice into the Prayer Book is a feature of the Reformation. The
Catechism, as drawn up in 1549, finished with the explanation of
the Lord's Prayer. The explanation of the Sacraments was not added
until 1604. Bishop Overall is believed to have written it. The
Catechism formerly stood in the Confirmation Service, but was
placed in its present position in 1661. The first rubric at the
end of the Catechism has for a long time been rendered practically
obsolete by the institution of Sunday Schools and Children's
Services.
CATHEDRAL. The chief church of every diocese is called the
Cathedral, because in it is the _cathedra_, or _seat_, of the
Bishop. Every Cathedral has a body of clergy belonging to it of
various degrees of dignity. (See _Dean_, _Dean and Chapter_.)
CATHOLIC. A Greek word, meaning _universal_ or _general_. The
Holy Catholic Church is the visible Church of Christ throughout
the world, of all ages, all whose branches have retained unbroken
the Apostolical succession in the Ministry. There may be erring
Branches of the True Church. Art. xix. declares, "As the Church of
Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch have erred, so also the Church
of Rome hath erred...."
It is improper to speak of the _Roman_ Catholic Church simply by
the name of Catholic; in England, members of the Church of England
are _Catholics_.
CEMETERY. _A sleeping place_. The beautiful name given to places of
burial by Christians.
CEREMONY. _Ceremonia_ in its classical sense was a general term for
worship. Johnson defines a ceremony to be "outward rite, external
form in religion." Hooker uses the word in this sense. In a larger
sense it may mean a whole office. All should read that part of the
introduction to our Prayer Book which treats "Of Ceremonies, why
some are to be abolished, and some retained" (written in 1549).
_see_ also Art. xxxiv.
CHALICE, _see_ Altar Vessels.
CHANCEL. The choir, or upper part of a church, commonly at the east
end, is called the chancel. It is the freehold of the Incumbent
should he be a Rector. Where there is a lay impropriator he has the
freehold. It usually is raised some steps above the level of the
nave, from which it was formerly separated by a screen, called the
_rood_ screen, upon which was the _rood_, or figure of our Blessed
Lord on the Cross. The chancel contains the seats, or stalls, for
the clergy and the choir. The east end of the chancel is partitioned
off by the altar rails. The part thus enclosed is called the
sanctuary, and contains the altar. The sanctuary is usually raised
still higher than the chancel by additional steps.
CHANCELLOR. A deputy of the Bishop, with a jurisdiction in all
ecclesiastical matters throughout the diocese.
The Chancellor of a Cathedral is quite a different personage. He is
an ecclesiastic, frequently a canon, who discharges many duties in
connection with the Cathedral of which he is Chancellor. He directs
the services, is secretary of the chapter, the librarian, the
superintendent of schools connected with the Cathedral, &c. These
offices, however, are not always combined.
CHANT, _see_ Church Music
CHAPEL. Any consecrated building other than a Parish Church or
Cathedral. The word is also now applied to the Meeting Houses of
the various dissenting bodies. Lately, some of these bodies have
taken to calling their places of worship _churches_.
CHAPLAIN. A person authorized to officiate in places other than
the Parish Church, such as the private chapels of noblemen, and
the chapels attached to Asylums, Workhouses, Hospitals, and the like.
A statute of Henry VIII. restricts the number of chaplains which
may be appointed by personages of various ranks as follows:--an
Archbishop, eight; a Duke or Bishop, six; Marquis or Earl, five;
Viscount, four; Baron, Knight of the Garter, or Lord Chancellor,
three; a Duchess, Marchioness, Countess, Baroness, the Treasurer
or Comptroller of the King's household, the Clerk of the Closet,
the King's Secretary, the Dean of the Chapel, Almoner, and Master
of the Rolls, each of them two chaplains. The Queen has forty-eight
chaplains, called Chaplains in Ordinary.
CHAPTER. The governing body of a Cathedral or Collegiate Church,
consisting of the Dean, the Canons, Prebendaries, &c. (See _Dean
and Chapter_.)
CHAPTER HOUSE. A building attached to a Cathedral, in which the
Dean and Chapter meet for the transaction of business.
CHARGE. The address delivered by a Bishop or Archdeacon at their
respective Visitations of the Clergy.
CHASIBLE, or CHASUBLE, _see_ Vestment.
CHERUB, _see_ Angel.
CHIMERE, _see_ Vestments
CHOIR, or QUIRE. That part of a church which is called the chancel,
is generally called the _choir_ in a Cathedral. The word is also
applied to the singing men and boys, who lead the musical part of
the service. (See _Church Music_.)
CHORISTER. A member of the choir, and more properly one of the boys
of the choir.
CHRIST. _The Anointed One_. The Greek form of the Hebrew _Messiah_.
One of the titles of our Blessed Lord. Acts x.38. (See _Trinity_,
_The Holy_.)
CHRISTEN, TO. The same as to Baptize. (See _Baptism_.)
CHRISTIAN. A title given, in ridicule possibly in the first
instance, to the believers in Christ by the people of Antioch.
(Acts. xi.26.)
CHRISTIAN NAME. The name given us when we were made Christians,
viz., at our baptism.
CHRISTMAS DAY. Dec. 25th. The day kept as the anniversary of our
Saviour's birth. This is believed to be the true day and month.
W. H. Mill says that the objections against it are "for the most
part weak and groundless." This high Festival has been kept at
least since the IVth century. There are special Psalms and Lessons
appointed, and a "proper preface" in the Communion Service. It is
one of those "three times" at which all professing members of the
Church are expected to communicate every year.
CHURCH, THE. Our Prayer Book supplies us with a definition in Art.
xix. The three chief branches of the Church Catholic are--(1) the
Eastern, or Greek Church; (2) the Western, or Roman Church; and (3)
the Anglican Church, of which the Episcopal Churches of England,
Scotland, Ireland, America, and the Colonies form part. Although,
unhappily, there are grave differences in both faith and ceremony
among these great branches of the Church, yet we can still profess
our belief in "one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church," inasmuch
as we are all one by unity of faith in Christ, by Apostolical
foundation, and succession of Orders. It seems well here to give
a brief sketch of the English, Greek, and Roman Churches.
CHURCH OF ENGLAND. Christianity was introduced into Britain at the
end of the first, or beginning of the second, century. Three British
Bishops were present at a Council held at Arles, in Gaul, in 314.
At the invasion of the heathen Anglo-Saxons the British Church
retreated into Wales. In 597 Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome,
sent Augustine to this island, who was instrumental in reviving
Christianity in the south-east of England. When he came he found
seven Bishoprics existing, and two Archbishoprics, viz., London and
York. Augustine was made the first Archbishop of Canterbury; this
was the first appointment by Papal authority in England. The
northern part of England was evangelized in the earlier portion
of the following century, by Irish Missionaries from Iona, under
Aidan, Bishop of Lindisfarne; and his successor, Finan, who lived
to see Christianity everywhere established north of the Humber, and
died in 662. "The planting, therefore, of the Gospel in the
Anglo-Saxon provinces of Britain was the work of two rival
Missionary bands (597 to 662); in the south, the _Roman_, aided
by their converts, and some teachers out of Gaul; in the north,
the _Irish_, whom the conduct of Augustine and his party had
estranged from their communion. If we may judge from the area of
their field of action, it is plain that the Irish were the larger
body; but a host of conspiring causes gradually resulted in the
spread and ascendancy of Roman modes of thought." (Hardwick.)
In the time of Archbishop Theodore (668--689) the fusion of the
English Christians was completed, and the Pope began to assert
(not without opposition) an usurped authority in the English Church
(_c.f._, Hardwick).
What are called the "dark ages" were indeed dark in the Church, for
then it was that she became erring in faith, doctrine, and practice,
and almost a caricature of what she once was. This state of things
continued until the 16th century, when the Reformation took place.
The movement was popular in England, and nearly all, clergy and
people, were glad to see the superstitions and corruptions which
had crept into the Church swept away by Archbishop Cranmer and
his colleagues. Still, there was a party which would take no
share in this movement, but remained faithful to the Pope,--the
representatives of what was falsely called the "old faith."
Notwithstanding the differences of faith between these two parties,
they both continued nominally members of the Church of England. It
was not until 1569 that the Roman Catholic party seceded from the
Church of England, and formed a distinct sect. It is most important
for Churchmen to remember that the Church of England did not secede
from that of Rome, but Romanists seceded from the Church of England.
Just as Naaman the leper remained the same Naaman after he was
cured of his leprosy as he was before, so the Church of England
remained the same Church of England after the Reformation as she
was before, composed of the same duly consecrated Bishops, of the
same duly ordained Clergy, and of the same faithful people. The
present Church of England is the old Catholic Church of England,
reformed in the 16th century of certain superstitious errors, but
still the same Church which came down from our British and Saxon
ancestors, and as such it possesses its original endowments, which
were never, as some suppose, taken from one Church and given to
another. And thus, when Roman Catholics speak of our grand old
Cathedrals and Parish Churches as being once theirs, they assert
what is not historically true. These buildings always belonged, as
they do now, to the Church of England, which Church has been
continuous from British times to the present. (See _Endowment_.)