Saving His own continual Church Congress. The Church Congress Protestant Episcopal Church in the ed States is a voluntary organization, is membership co-extensive with the cosamanion of that Church. In the main dalies of its purpose and plan similar to he kindred institution in the Church of Bugand, its history also, although measured Sy lewer years than that of the former, like that has been one of half-doubtful experiment, eventually illustrated and vindicated by signal success. Originating in a small conference of clergy and laity, held in Trinity Church, New Haven, some ten years since, it took permanent form and title at a succeeding meeting, held in the parish of Christ Church, "Riverdale," New York City. At the latter meeting permanent officers were elected, as also the members of the General and Executive Committees. Subcommittees also were appointed, for the selection of topics, writers, and speakers for the first annual session, to be held in Association Hall, New York. On that occasion, in October, 1875 A.D., memorable for the Churchly order of its proceedings, the scholarly and eloquent character of the papers and addresses, and, as at all succeeding sessions, the thoroughly catholic comprehensiveness of opinion and representation at the several discussions, it wrought conviction, even in the minds of its earlier opponents, of the rightfulness, the wisdom, and expediency of such a deliberative organization within the Church in the United States. Inclusive of the first meeting in New York, and excepting, as is now the rule of the Congress, the years in which a General Convention is held, eight sessions of the Congress, each occupying four or more days, have been held. Two of these have been in New York, and others in Philadelphia, Boston, Cincinnati, Albany, Providence, and Richmond. The opening service is uniformly that of Holy Communion, with an address by some one of the Bishops. On the same day, and at the place appointed for the discussion of topics, the Bishop of the Diocese has, with one exception, delivered the inaugural address. lowed by a service, memorial of deceased This has been folofficials, with an address by the General Secretary. The presiding officer at any meeting is the Bishop of the Diocese in which any Congress is held. The permanent officers are all the Bishops, thirteen of other clergy and of the laity, thirty-one as Vice-Presidents, together with a General Committee of forty, and an Executive Committee of CHURCH CONGRESS twenty, clerical members. This latter, for convenience, is in the main composed of gentlemen residing in the city of New York, and holds its meetings semi-monthly during the greater part of the year. Vice-Presidents and members of the General Committee are, to a considerable extent, representatives of the different Dioceses throughout the country. Two Honorary Vice-Presidents, by election, are the Very Rev. Canon E. H. Plumptre, D.D., and the Rev. Archdeacon Emery, both of the English Church, and the latter one of the founders, and the present Honorary Secretary of the English Congress. The General Secretary, Rev. Geo. D. Wildes, D.D., of New York, is assisted by four clerical Secretaries, one of office, with that of the Congress, is at 2 whom is the Secretary of the Executive Committee. A permanent Treasurer, whose Bible House, completes the list of officials. days, with three daily sessions, and a disThe annual meetings extend over four speakers, and such volunteers as may pretinct topic, selected by the Executive Committee. Usually two writers, three appointed sent cards, occupy the time of the session. All these are limited as to length; the rule is Secretary. By the rules none but members in every instance unvaried, and the expiration of the limit is signified by the bell of the of the Protestant Episcopal Church, or of Churches in communion with the same, can address the Congress, and no person is permitted to speak twice upon the same subject. All questions of order are in the discretion speakers are required to send their cards to of the Chairman, and his decision is final. Persons offering themselves as volunteer the General Secretary, and are called upon speaking, and no question arising out of any in the order in which these are received. The Chairman only is to be addressed in paper or subject can be put to vote. rules, so fitted for public deliberation, and The pleting a system of order unexceptionable realized as admirable in their working, embrace also some minor specialties, comin the regulation of debate. with Collects and the singing of a hymn. The several daily sessions are opened Three of the latter are used on every occaaudiences, filling the music-halls or operasion. Printed, as are the hymns, on programmes, with the Collects also, the large houses in the various cities, have been engrandeur of effect seldom realized in any abled to join in response and singing with a other assembly of Church people. A Local Committee appointed by the charge of the immediate local arrangements Bishop and others in the Diocese in which through sub-committees. The hospitalities any Congress convenes, initiates and takes been uniformly abounding and cheerfully dispensed. Not the least worthy among noof Church and other Christian people have ticeable things is the fact that families connected with other Christian bodies have, as in England, extended generous welcomes to their homes to large numbers of attendants at the various meetings. The Church Congress in the United States, while thus manifesting its thorough loyalty to the Church in her seemly order and rightful authority, is also a voluntary association for the free discussion of great questions pertaining to both Church and State. It lays no claim to official authority or responsibility. It takes no votes, it passes no resolutions, it seeks no influence in legislation. Represented in its membership, its debates, and its working forces by a large proportion of distinguished and influential laymen, it thus becomes representative also of the whole Church. A chief feature in its aim, and a foremost and healthful characteristic of its history, has been illustrated in bringing together men of diverse and opposing schools of thought within the bounds of the Church. Such have found themselves drawn nearer together by the close contact of the Congress platform, and, as a distinguished Bishop has well said, "The discussions, instead of widening the breach between brethren, have tended to narrow it." The proceedings, papers, addresses, and speeches of the several sessions are embodied in annual reports, under the editorship of the General Secretary. These form a thesaurus of ripe learning, vigorous thought, and eloquent utterance upon great questions of the times, of which the Protestant Episcopal Church may well be proud. To the student in theology and its cognate topics, no less than to the clergyman and thoughtful layman, these volumes will be found most valuable. The Ninth Church Congress is to be held in October, 1884 A.D. in Detroit, Michigan, under the Presidency of the Bishop of Michigan, the Rt. Rev. S. S. Harris, D.D., L.L.D. REV. GEORGE D. WILDES, D.D. Churching Office. (The thanksgiving of women after childbirth, commonly called the Churching of Women.) A deep sense of the protection of Providence in her great peril has always filled the hearts of devout mothers. While this office, then, may be founded upon the Jewish law, and continued in imitation of the purification of the Holy Virgin Mary, yet it really lies farther back, in the thankfulness of deliverance from danger. The service as it stands in our Prayer-Book is somewhat changed, but in no material point, from the English office. The Kyries are omitted, and only one Psalm (exvi.) in place of two (the cxxvii. also) in the English book. The "decently appareled," meant coming in with a veil of white material, but this is disused. The convenient place, or as the ordinary shall direct, is all that is left of the early office, before the church door. Bishop Andrews directed before the choir, Bishop Wren at the chancel rails. There is less change from the old Salisbury use than in many other services. There should always be an offering made, whether the prayer alone is used in behalf of the woman at the place of the thanksgivings, or whether this office is used. Circumcision. The Jewish Covenant rite of cutting off the foreskin of the male child upon the eighth day, when also the child received its name (Gen. xvii. 28; xxi. 4; Ex. xii. 48; Lev. xii. 3; Josh. v. 2). Circumcision, Feast of. The day was kept as the octave of the Nativity at first. Of the feast of the circumcision there is early observance, but after the seventh century there appear distinct directions for it. As it fell upon the 1st of January, which was a festival of mad riot among the heathen, it was natural that it should not be kept as a feast among Christians when the excesses of the heathen were so uncontrolled. There should be a celebration of the Holy Communion upon this feast, as upon all days when any part of our LORD's life and actions are commemorated. For Circumincession. The indwelling of the Three Divine Persons of the HOLY TRINITY in each other. It is expressly taught (St. John xiv. 10-11), "Believest thou not that I am in the FATHER and the FATHER in me? ... but the FATHER that dwelleth in me. He doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the FATHER, and the FATHER in me." So in xvii. 11, 21-23, and often implied, as in i. 1; Col. ii. 9. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. But it is a reasonable sequence from the mysterious doctrine of the HOLY TRINITY. though the Three Persons are distinct and separate, they are One in the Divine Nature, and the Divine Nature is entire in each Person, yet there is but one GOD; which necessarily follows from the immutability and indivisibility of the Godhead. Yet the distinction of Persons is shown by it, while the deep mystery of the Divine Unity is kept, for, saith Bishop Bull, "in order to that mutual existence (in each other) which is discerned in the FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST, it is absolutely necessary that there should be some distinction between those who are thus joined together,-i.e., that those who mutually exist in each other should be different in reality and not in mode of conception only, for that which is simply one is not said to exist in itself or to interpene trate itself. . . . No similitude can be devised which shall be in every respect apt to illustrate it; no language avails worthily to set it forth, seeing that it is a union which far transcends all other unions." (Bull's Defense of the Nicene Creed, L. iv. ch. iv. ? 13, 14.) Citation. A precept or a summons from the proper officer or Ecclesiastical judge, citing the person against whom complaint is made to appear before him on a certain day at a certain place to answer to the complaints made against him. Clergy. (Clergy, from kleros, a lot, as men having chosen GoD for their heritage.) crate churches, and, in case of great need, to reconcile penitents. He was also Counselor to his Bishop upon all Diocesan matters. The Deacon had the collection and dispensing of the moneys of the Diocese; he could baptize, assist in divine service, administer the cup at the Communion, could preach and aid in parochial work; but of these offices, baptizing and preaching were exercised when neither Bishop nor Presbyter were present. The clergy were supported at first, and for many centuries, from the common fund of the Diocese, which was divided usually every month. This common fund came from tithes and gifts, bequests and endowments, which were often made; the Bishop or Presbyter, if rich, often giv ing all of his property into the common treasury, as did Cyprian and many others. The clergy had many immunities. Before the Empire was Christianized their immunities were only within the Church. They were supported by the Church, and were forbidden any secular employment. They received the respect and honor due to their office. After the Empire became Christian the civil law gave the Bishops certain prerogatives, as a share in municipal affairs and a power to pardon criminals, and also gave donations and revenues from the public treasury for the building of churches and the support of charitable work, till finally Bishops had their own Courts, and at last withdrew the inferior clergy from the secu lar jurisdiction of the courts for crimes or misdemeanors. It was one of the causes of the Reformation to do away with the abuses that flowed from the exemption of the clergy from secular trial for secular causes. The power of the clergy was always very great, as with their monopoly, as it were, of the They were also called Canonici, from being under a rule or a canon. The name was made to include readers, acolytes, subdeacons. The title, however, properly belongs only to the three orders, the Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. In the Scriptures St. Paul, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, implies theirs to be an office of authority; so in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus. And again, St. Peter (1 Pet. v. 3) warns the clergy against a vainglorious use of their office. This rank comes out clearly immediately after Apostolic times. In the Epistles of St. Ignatius, "without these (the Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons) it cannot be called a Church" (to the Trallians, c. ix.), and Clement of Alexandria (Stro., 1. vi. c. v. in fin.). "For I suppose that the developments in the Church of the Bishops, Priests, and Deacons are imitated from the angelic glory, and of that economy which the Scriptures declare belong to those who live in the footsteps of the Apostles, in perfection of righteousness according to the Gospel." The appointment of Timothy and Titus over the Churches of Ephesus and of Crete to order and ordain, is an early proof of the development of Episcopal order in the footsteps of the Apostles. For if the Presbyters thus were competent to arrange these things and to perpetuate their order by ordination, why give Timothy and Titus such special instructions? why send them at all?” (But vide articles BISHOP, PRESBYTER, DEACON, ORDINATION.) The clergy were from the Apostolic times regarded as a separate order, with special responsibilities and special immunities. In the Acts of the Apostles (xv. 23), "The Apostles and Eldersbrethren," seems to be the soundest form of the words, segregating them from the laity. The Bishop exercised the highest adminis-learning of the Middle Ages, and with their trative and spiritual office, held in himself all the minor offices, and was (Rev. ii., iii.) held personally responsible for the growth, purity, discipline and orthodoxy of the Church committed to him. Certain of his prerogatives he reserved to himself, chief of which were the ordination of fit persons to the Diaconate and to the Presbyterate; and the admission by consecration of the elect to the office, to his own Episcopal rank; confirmation, excommunication. As administrator of jurisdiction he gave letters dimissory to Presbyters going to other Dioceses, administered the revenues, enforced the discipline of the Canons upon his clergy and laity, and was the officer with whom lay the last appeal in all Ecclesiastical cases in his Diocese; but if he were too arbitrary other Bishops could interfere. He sat as presiding officer in his Diocesan Synod, and had his place according to the precedence of his See (usually according to its political importance) in the Provincial Synod. The Presbyter shared with the Bishop, or had committed to him, the right to celebrate the Eucharist, to administer baptism, to give the benediction and the absolution, to conse authority under the laws, civil and feudal, the churches and religious houses were the seats both of learning and of asylum. To-day, with the impressions that Independentism has made upon the minds of the majority of people, there is less than proper regard paid to the office of the clergy. While the cleric must, so far as his personal ability and character reach, only receive the consideration due him from them, yet his office and his teaching in that office need to be more reverentially received than they are. Surely something of the force of our LORD's solemn words still rests upon His officers: "He that heareth you heareth Me, and he that despiseth you despiseth Me, and he that despiseth Me despiseth Him that sent Me." Clerk. (From clercius, a clergyman.) It is sometimes used to designate a clergyman, but has gradually received the meaning of the lay clerk, who, in the English Church, does yet, and many years ago did in the Church in this country, lead the responses and otherwise assist in the due conduct of divine service. Clinic Baptism. Baptism administered upon a sick-bed, or to one in imminent danger of death. But since it often happened that baptism so administered was given to one who, through fear of persecution, had deferred it, the person so baptized, if he recovered, could not be admitted to any sacred office. It was one of the charges against Novatus that he had deferred baptism till he was perilously sick, and yet on his recovery, being debarred from clerical office, he procured his consecration by deceitful practices. Cloveshoo. A Council was assembled at Cloveshoo by Ethelbald, king of the Mercians. There is considerable difficulty in determining the date, and more in identifying the place, which is thought to be Rochester or Abingdon, or, perhaps, Tewksbury. The date is given 742 or 747 A.D.; it is possible there may have been two Councils; and if so, the first was chiefly concerned in inquiring how matters of religion, especially the Creed, were ordered in the early Church in Britain, and in confirming the privileges of the Church. In the Council of 747 A.D. two letters were read from Zacharias, "the Pontiff and Apostolic lord to be venerated throughout the world," and it is "acknowledged that the recital of these documents, in which he exhorts the English of every degree to reformation, under the threat of an anathema, was in obedience to his Apostolical authority.'" Thirty Canons were passed at this Council, in which clergy and laity are enjoined to more careful living, and greater diligence in public worship and in the observance of holy-days. Not long after this Council certain Dioceses were taken from the Province of Canterbury and joined together into a new Province for an Archbishop of Lichfield. But Kenulf having annexed Kent to the kingdom of Mercia, and wishing to conciliate the clergy of his new territory, seconded Athelhard, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in his wish to recover these Dioceses to his Province. The matter was pressed at Rome, and Leo III., on attaining the popedom, gave his consent that the new archbishopric should be abolisbed. This was done accordingly by a Council held at Cloveshoo in 803 A.D., which decreed that the Archiepiscopal See, from this time forward, should never be in the monastery of Lichfield, nor in any other place but the city of Canterbury." other Councils were held in Cloveshoo in 822 and 824 A.D. Two assist another Bishop in case of infirmity or old age, was to assist him as long as he lived, and to succeed him when he died. In our Church he bears the title of Assistant Bishop. Cœna Domini. The Supper of the LORD,-i.e., the Holy Communion. Collect. Collects are short, comprehensive prayers, which are found in all known Liturgies and public devotional offices. There is no certain explanation to be given of the origin of the word, only that it is very ancient, as is the Collect itself. (a) The oldest Liturgies contain prayers upon this model, but in the Greek Liturgies it is called the Ectene-intense prayer-or the Exapostellaria. The latter being originally a kind of precatory hymn invocating the grace of GoD, which is a characteristic of the Collect. The oldest collections of offices contain numerous short prayers. These sacramentaries of Leo I., Gelasius, and Gregory I. contain the originals of the major part of our present Collects, with some notable exceptions. As for the model on which they are framed, we may compare them with the two short prayers recorded in the Acts (i. 24, 25; iv. 24 sq.), to which they bear much resemblance, but they may be compared at an humble distance with the compactness and terseness of the LORD'S Prayer. There is so definite and concise a structure in the Collect that it may be reduced as it were to rule. The Collect is said to contain,— First, a single period; forming a single intense sentence. Secondly, only a single petition is offered in it. Thirdly, our LORD'S mediation or atonement is pleaded; or, it closes with an ascription of praise to God. These mark its difference from the long rhetorical prayers with which the Eastern Liturgies are filled, and their intensity and terse pointedness make them very marked. They are the arrows of prayer which Tertullian says Christians shot towards heaven. The structure of the Collect may be seen by studying the similar points of two beautiful ones composed-the first by St. Gregory, about 600 A.D., and the other by Bishop Cosin, 1660 A.D.-a thousand years apart,the Collect for Whitsunday by St. Gregory, and the Collect for the sixth Sunday after Epiphany by Bishop Cosin. They are both noble prayers, worthy of the holy men who Coadjutor. He was a Bishop ordained to composed them. Benefit. grant us by the same SPIRIT to have a O God, whose blessed Son was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil and make us the Sons of GOD and heirs of eternal life, grant us, we beseech Thee, that having this hope we may purify ourselves even as He is pure, and ever more to rejoice in His holy that when He shall appear again with comfort, power and great glory, we may be made like Him in His eternal and glorious kingdom, Ascription or merits through the merits of CHRIST JESUS our SAVIOUR, who liveth and reign- (b) The title Collect does not belong only to the proper Collect for the Sunday or holy-day, but is also given to the two prayers immediately after the Creed in morning and evening prayer, to the five at the end of the Communion office, and also to the special prayers in the several offices in the PrayerBook as may be rubrically noted therein. There are one hundred and eleven Collects in our Prayer-Book. Eighty-five belong to special Sundays and holy-days, with Epistle and Gospel, and therefore imply a Communion. Seven others, for occasional services, have also Epistle and Gospel for the same end. The remaining nineteen belong to special services, but without any Epistle or Gospel following. College. (From the Latin collegium, a community.) It was an old Roman rule that not fewer than three persons could form a college. Hence it needs at least three Bishops to form a house competent to transact business and to administer affairs. Corporations are in England often called colleges. The House of Bishops is also the College of Bishops. The Color. Colors were not used in the Church at first with any but the most general reference to their symbolism. reference to the spiritual meaning attached to the several hues in common use was of the most general way. The modern use seems to date from the time when vestments and altar-cloths and Ecclesiastical decoration received a remarkable development, 8501300 A.D. It was also the date of the greatest development of Church architecture. In the Mosaic ritual GOD directed the use of color: The blue and the white, the purple and the scarlet, of the Tabernacle hangings, and of the veil of the Most Holy Place; the gold, the blue, the purple, scarlet, and white of the Ephod; the gold chains, the many-hued breastplate, the mitre of blue, the curious girdle of the dress of the HighPriest; the white robes of the ministering Priests. Occasional allusions to the purity of white (Ps. cxxxii.) and the symbolic hues in Ezekiel's vision (Ezek. i.) occur. But there and in the New Testament there is little allusion to symbolism of color, except in the Revelation (ch. iv. 3-5; xxi. 1922). Color was used as a matter of course, but there was apparently no figurative, but only a decorative use of it at the different seasons of the Church's year. Of course vestments were of some color, but apparently of white, seldom of any other hue. But from the ninth to the thirteenth century there was a development of the meaning to be assigned to colors. Throughout Europe there was a great variety of usages, some of which may be preserved in the Sarum use. However, there is no law or authori where with Thee, O FATHER, and Thee, O HOLY GHOST, He liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end. tative rule upon the use of colors in the Church of the Anglican communion. The inventories of Edward VI.'s Commission show a variety of usages in the colors of the vestments and in the altar-cloths. The Sarum use had probably a larger influence than any other in England, but its rubrics were not rigidly enforced. So we may suppose that in reality the earlier English Church practically continued the earliest prominent use of white, at least in her vestments. After the Reformation white was ordered for the vestments of the Holy Communion. The Bishops wore a white rochet and a scarlet chimere. But as good old Bishop Hooper thought scarlet too gay a color for a Bishop,-probably connecting it with the scarlet woman of Revelation,black was afterwards substituted. The stoles are usually of black. The old Sarum colors, which prevailed in the English Church till the Reformation, and were in use in very many places after till 1640 A.D., were as follows: From Christmas to Septuagesima, for Sundays, white. From Septuagesima to Easter-eve, for Sundays, red. From Easter to Whit-Sunday, for Sundays, white. From Whit-Sunday to Christmas, for Sundays, red. All-Saints' days not martyrs, and festivals of our LORD, white. Martyrs, Invention of the Cross, etc., red. Black was not used, at least by order, except in services for the dead. White and red are the only colors spoken of in the rubric of the Sarum missal. The inventories of the vestments in the return made in 1549 A.D., give blue as the color next frequently used, but green and yellow are also found. The colors for the altar-cloths very probably followed the sequence of the colors of the vestments ordered for the seasons. That some series of colors appropriate to, and symbolic of, each season of the Christian year should be used is reasonable enough. It is used with much variation, indeed, everywhere in other parts of the Church, and such a usage is not contrary to, or interfered with by, any rubric or order in the Prayer-Book. The white linen for the vesting of the Holy Table for the Holy Communion is the proper and rubrical color at the celebration of that sacrament. Whether Sarum or Rome, or the Eastern use, or the caprice or taste of influential individuals be the rule followed, as taste develops and more surely as reverence for GoD's house, and care for its decent order and the honor to be paid Him in it, deepens, there must be a desire to use all proper and fit symbolism. As GOD Himself |