faith and fear; the Church in Heaven. The Church on earth is called
the Church Militant.
TUNICLE, _see_ Vestments.
TYPE. An impression, image, or representation of some model which is
termed the _anti-type_; thus the brazen serpent and the paschal lamb
were types, of which our Lord was the _anti-type_.
UNITARIANS. Heretics who deny the Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the separate personality of the Holy Ghost. The name includes
all Deists, whether the Arians of old, or the Socinians (which see)
of later years.
The Arians were heretics named after Arius, whose doctrine was
condemned at the Council of Nice, A.D. 325. He taught that there was
a time when the Son of God was not, and that He was created by the
Father. He called Him by the name of God, but denied that He was
_homoousios_, "_of one Substance_" with the Father. The Arians seem
to have held that the Holy Ghost also was a created Being. The
Athanasian Creed, vv. 4-19 opposes the Arian heresy.
The Unitarians have in England 325 ministers, 355 chapels, and about
13 mission stations.
UNIVERSITY. (Lat., _universitas_, corporation.) A corporation of
teachers and students instituted for the promotion of the higher
education, and empowered to grant degrees in the various faculties
of Divinity, Arts, Law. Medicine, &c.
England has five Universities, two ancient--Oxford and Cambridge;
and three modern, viz., Durham, London, and the Victoria University,
Manchester.
USE, _see_ Sarum, Use of.
UTILITARIANISM. The name of the peculiar theory of Ethics, or of the
ground of moral obligation, that adopts, as the criterion of right,
the happiness of mankind; or, as Jeremy Bentham defined it, "the
greatest happiness of the greatest number." It is opposed to the
view that founds moral distinctions on the mere arbitrary will of
God. The most eminent modern advocates of Utilitarianism are Hume,
Bentham, Paley, James Mill, John Stuart Mill, Sir James Mackintosh,
John Austin, Samuel Bailey, Herbert Spencer, and Bain.
VENIAL SIN, _see_ Sin.
VENI CREATOR. An old Latin hymn ascribed by common tradition to St.
Ambrose, but with no sufficient authority. It has been used with
special reference to the gifts of Ordination since the 11th century.
The first version in the Ordination Service was inserted in 1662,
previous to that the second and longer form had been used.
VENITE, EXULTEMUS DOMINO. Ps. xcv. has been sung as the "Invitatory
Psalm," opening the Service of Praise, from time immemorial. It is
found in the Sarum Use. In the Eastern Church a condensed form of
it is used.
VERGER. From the Latin _Virga_, a _Rod_. One who carries the
mace before the Dean or Canons in a Cathedral, or conducts the
congregation to their seats in church.
VERSICLES. The short ejaculatory prayers of our Service, generally
taken from Holy Scripture.
VERSION, The AUTHORISED. The version of the Bible now in use in
England. It was published in 1611, and authorised by King James I.
It retains in many places the original translation of Tyndale, very
little altered. A company of Divines and Scholars of the present
day have been engaged in revising this version of the Old Testament.
The result of their labours will probably be given to the public in
1885. (See _Bible_.)
VERSION, THE REVISED. The version of the New Testament put forth in
1881. It is a revision of that of 1611, made by a company of
Scholars and Divines, and aims at being a more exact reproduction
of the original. Although at present it has not been authorised for
public use, yet it will be found by all to be a very useful
commentary on the Authorised Version.
VESPERS, or EVENSONG. The Evening Service of the Church. For
arrangement, &c., see _Morning Prayer_, but the various parts of
the Service are given each under its own heading.
VESTMENTS. Generally, the garments worn by the clergy in the public
services of the Church, but more particularly the special robes worn
by some clergymen during the celebration of the Holy Communion.
_Alb_. A linen vestment longer than the surplice, and with tight
sleeves. It is confined at the waist by a girdle, and, when employed
in the Eucharist, it is often, though not necessarily, ornamented
with patches of embroidery called _apparels_.
_Amice_. A kind of broad linen collar, fastened with strings.
_Biretta_. A square cap of black silk worn at processions and other
out-door functions. It is simply the ordinary cap (beret) of civil
life, and, like the cassock, is not strictly an ecclesiastical
vesture at all. It is worn also in church during certain parts of
the service by extreme Ritualists.
_Cassock_. A long coat buttoning over the breast and reaching to the
feet, confined at the waist by a wide sash, called the cincture. It
is worn immediately over the ordinary clothes of the minister, and
is usually of black, though violet and scarlet are sometimes used.
_Chasuble_. An oval garment without sleeves, open at the sides, and
having an aperture at the neck through which the priest passes his
head. It is embroidered with a Y-Cross behind, and is considered the
principal vestment of the priest. It varies in colour with the
season.
_Cope_. A large semicircular cloak of silk or other material,
fastening in front by a clasp or morse. At the back is a piece of
embroidery in the shape of a shield, called the hood. It varies in
colour with the season.
_Cotta_. A vestment of linen, shorter than the surplice, and not
quite so full. It has short sleeves, and is frequently edged with
lace.
_Dalmatic and Tunicle_. These differ very slightly in form, but the
former is generally the more richly embroidered. It is the special
dress of the Deacon at Holy Communion, and varies in colour with the
season.
_Girdle_. A white cord, used to confine the Alb at the waist.
_Hood_. (See article, _Hood_.)
_Maniple_. A smaller Stole worn over the left arm.
_Stole_. A narrow strip of silk passed round the neck and hanging in
front to about the knees. It varies in colour with the season.
_Surplice_. A linen vestment of various degrees of fulness, and
with long wide sleeves. It is the garment usually worn by the clergy
of the Church of England, although many of the above are ordered in
the first Prayer Book of Edward VI.
The Eucharistic Vestments are the Amice, Alb, Girdle, Stole,
Maniple, Tunicle, Dalmatic and Chasuble.
Besides these we have the Episcopal Vestments, called the _chimere_
and the _rochet_.
_Chimere_. The upper robe worn by a Bishop, to which the lawn
sleeves are generally attached. Until Queen Elizabeth's time it
was of scarlet, but in her reign it was changed into black satin.
_Rochet_. A linen garment worn by Bishops under the chimere. The
lawn sleeves now sewn on the chimere properly are part of the
rochet, and formerly were much less full than now worn. (See
_Ornaments_.)
VESTRY. A room attached to a church for the keeping of the vestments
and sacred vessels. Meetings of parishioners, for the despatch of
the official business of the parish are held in this room, whence
they are called _Vestries_, or _Vestry Meetings_. It is not however
essential to the validity of the meeting that it should be held in
the Vestry of the church, indeed, by making application under an Act
passed in 1850, meetings in the Vestry can be made illegal. Notice
of the meeting must be affixed on or near the door of the Church
three days previously. The Incumbent is _ex-officio_ chairman of the
meeting, and all persons rated to the relief of the poor are
entitled to attend and vote.
VIA MEDIA. The middle road. This position is occupied in the
Christian world by the Anglican Church. On the one side there is
the Church of Rome; on the other, the ultra-Protestant Sects. The
phrase is also used of any middle way between two extremes.
VIATICUM. A provision made for a journey. In the ancient Church both
baptism and the Eucharist were called _Viatica_, because they are
equally necessary for the safe passage of a man through this world
to eternal life. More particularly, however, the term is used of the
Eucharist given to persons in immediate danger of death. The 13th
Canon of the Council of Nice ordains that none "be deprived of his
perfect and most necessary _viaticum_ when he departs out of this
life."
VICAR, _see_ Rector.
VICARS CHORAL. The assistants or deputies of the canons or
prebendaries of cathedrals and collegiate churches, in the
discharges of their duties. They are not necessarily all in Holy
Orders; those who are so are now generally called "Minor Canons,"
(which see) and the others are "Lay-clerks."
VICAR GENERAL. An officer whose duties are much the same as those of
the Chancellor of a Diocese (which see.)
VIGIL. The night or evening before certain holy-days of the Church.
The word means a _watching_, and is derived from the custom of the
primitive Christians, who used to spend the whole night previous to
any great festival in watching and fasting. The Collect for those
holy-days which have vigils is read at the Evening Service of the
day before. Festivals occurring in seasons of joy as a rule have
no vigil preceding them.
VIRGIN MARY, _see_ Mary.
VISITATION. Once in three years a Bishop goes through his diocese,
calling together the Clergy at different centres, and delivering to
them a _charge_, (which see.) An Archdeacon does the same for his
Archdeaconry once a year. It is at this latter visitation that
Church-wardens are admitted to their office.
VISITATION OF THE SICK, _see_ Sick.
VOLUNTARY. A piece of Music played on the organ at the beginning and
close of Divine Service. Formerly a Voluntary was played after the
Psalms, sometimes after the Second Lesson. The name implies that its
performance is optional. Lord Bacon approved of Voluntaries as giving
time for meditation.
VULGAR TONGUE. The native language of a country. The phrase in the
Baptismal Office stood formerly, "in the English tongue," but it was
altered to embrace the case of foreigners.
VULGATE. The Latin translation of the Bible in common use. The first
Vulgate of the Old Testament was translated, not from the original
Hebrew, but from the Septuagint (which see), the author being
unknown. The second Vulgate was by St. Jerome, and was made from
the Hebrew. A mixture of these two was authorised for use by the
Council of Trent. Other translations have since been made. It is
the official and standard text in the Roman Church.
WAFERS. The bread used by the Romanists, by Lutheran Protestants,
and by some Ritualists in our own Church, in the Eucharist.
WESLEYANS, _see_ Methodists.
WHITSUN-DAY, or WHITSUNDAY. The derivation of the name is doubtful;
some taking it from Whitsun, a corruption of Pentecosten, the old
Anglo-Saxon name for the day; and some from White Sunday, because
those who had been baptized on its eve wore white robes. This
festival is the birthday of the Church, and has been observed, like
Easter, from the first days of Christianity. (See _Pentecost_.)
WILL, FREE, _see_ Free Will.
WORD, THE. A name given to our Lord in the opening of St. John's
Gospel. The term was familiar to the Jews. (See _Logos_.)
WORSHIP. Besides meaning the supreme homage and devotion due to
Almighty God, it is also used in the Bible and Prayer Book, to
denote honour, respect, and reverence given to men. Thus it is
used in Ps. lxxxiv.12; Luke xiv.10; and in 1 Chron. xxix.20, it
seems to be used in both senses.
In the marriage service the husband promises to _worship_ his wife,
that is, to render her all due respect and honour. In like manner
we call a Mayor or a Chancellor "Worshipful."
WORSHIP, PUBLIC, _see_ Public Worship.
YEAR, THE ECCLESIASTICAL. The different seasons of the Church Year
have each a separate notice. The Church begins her year with Advent,
because, as Bishop Cosin says, "she does not number her days, or
measure her seasons, so much by the motion of the sun, as by the
course of our Saviour; beginning and counting her year with Him
who, being the true Sun of Righteousness, began now to rise upon
the world."
End of Project Gutenberg's The Church Handy Dictionary, by Anonymous