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Tassing thought. They suggested that the
Christian should do more than the Jew.
Nor is too much to say that tithes honestly
paid with a glad heart bring prosperity and
contentment. It is a trust from GOD that
enables us to have anything to give, and it

grace of the HOLY GHOST in the heart
that enables the devout giver to give joy-
fu and to prove that he is fit to be trusted
with more. Tithes were held to be the
Timum. Free-will-offerings, Gifts, Thank-
offerings, were also poured into the treasury
of the Church. St. Cyprian upon his tak-
ing orders, after providing for his sister,
are all his goods to the Church in Carthage,
mong other real estate some gardens which
be owned. So others upon coming into the
Church gave freely. Were the tithes and
the ancient system of a common treasury
for each Diocese faithfully carried out, the
work of the Church in Missions and other
responsibilities would be well supplied with
all things needful.

Titles. The ancient Canon law provided
that no one could receive holy orders unless he
were appointed to serve some Parish church
or some Priest in a Parish. An exception
was made in favor of those who were to
serve in a Cathedral and those who were
officers in a College. Under this principle
the Canons require that no one can receive
Priest's orders who cannot produce to the
Bishop a satisfactory certificate that he is
engaged to serve some Church, Parish, or
Congregation, or is an agent for some Mis-
sionary Society recognized by the General
Convention, or is a Tutor, Professor, or In-
structor of youth in some incorporated edu-
cational Institution, or is to serve as Chap-
lain in the Army or Navy (Tit. i., Can. viii.,
iii.). It is eminently proper, or many
could receive orders in the Ministry with no
field in which to minister their office.

The

Titles, the, of the Holy Trinity.
first Person of the Ever-Blessed TRINITY is
in Holy Scripture styled a "CREATOR"
(Ecc. xii. 1; Isa. xl. 28; Rom. i. 25; 1 Pet.
iv. 19). The endearing term "FATHER" is
applied to Him (Deut. xxxii. 6; 1 Cor. viii.
6); "FATHER of all" (Eph. iv. 6); "One
FATHER" (Mal. ii. 10); "Our FATHER" in
the LORD's Prayer (St. Matt. vi. 9). Our
SAVIOUR addresses Him as "FATHER"
(St. John xvii. 1), and "the only true GOD"
(v. 3); “Holy FATHER" (v. 11); “Right-
eous FATHER" (v. 25); "LORD of heaven
and earth" (St. Matt. xi. 25). In the fourth
verse of the sixty-eighth Psalm GoD is
called "JAH," and in the next verse, "A
Father of the fatherless and a Judge of the
widows." "Maker," "Husband," "Holy
One of Israel," and "GOD of the whole
earth" (Isa. liv. 5). The Spirit of adoption
teaches men to "cry, Abba, Father" (Rom.
viii. 15). The idea of the Fatherhood of
GOD expresses a still closer relation in the
term, The Father of our LORD JESUS
CHRIST" (Rom. xv. 6; 2 Cor. xi. 31; and
Eph. i. 3). The majesty of GoD is shown

in Ps. xxiv. 7, by the expression "King of
glory," and St. Paul calls GOD "The
Blessed and only Potentate; the King of
kings, and Lord of lords" (1 Tim. vi. 15).
In Abraham's prayer for Sodom he pleads
with GoD as "the Judge of all the earth"
(Gen. xviii. 25). He is represented as a
"Lawgiver" (Isa. xxxiii. 22; James iv. 12).
The glorious orb of day furnishes an emblem
of the beneficence of GOD: "The LORD GOD
is a sun" (Ps. lxxxiv. 11). The same verse
indicates His protective power by the word
"shield." "GOD is our Refuge and strength"
(Ps. xlvi. 1). The stability of GoD draws
from David the figure of a "Rock" and
"Fortress" (Ps. xxxi. 3). The word rock
is a favorite one in the Psalms in this con-
nection: "Lead me to the Rock that is
higher than I" (Ps. lxi. 2). The song of
Moses refers to this comparison: "For
their rock is not as our Rock, even our ene-
mies themselves being judges" (Deut. xxxii.
31).

David also speaks of GoD as his “Light,”
and "salvation," and "the strength of his
life" (Ps. xxvii. 1). The unlimited power
of GOD the FATHER displays itself in His ad-
dress to Abram: "I am the Almighty
GOD" (Gen. xvii. 1). The Hebrew Name
JEHOVAH, from the verb to be, relates to
the fact that GOD exists of Himself, and
that He has existed from all eternity, and
that He will forever exist (Ex. vi. 3). "I
Aм hath sent me unto you" (Ex. iii. 14).
The troubled Jacob understands that his
Maker is "the GOD of Beth-el" (Gen. xxxi.
13). Similar is the oft-repeated expression,
"The GOD of Israel" (Ex. xxiv. 10, etc.).
The character of GOD shines out in His own
description of Himself as "the Holy One"
(Hosea xi. 9). The echo of this comes back
in our LORD's words, "Holy FATHER"
(St. John xvi. 11). What a comfort in St.
Paul's expression, "the GOD of patience
and consolation" I (Rom. xv. 5.) The dura-
tion of GOD is manifested in the phrase
"the eternal GOD" (Deut. xxxiii. 27), and
"the everlasting GOD" (Gen. xxi. 33. See
Isa. lx. 28). Nebuchadnezzar describes
GOD as "the most high GoD" (Dan. iii. 26),
Cyrus as "the LORD GOD of heaven" (Ezra
i. 2). GOD speaks to Amos as "the LORD,
the GOD of hosts" (Amos v. 16). Moses
designates Him as "the living God” (Deut.
v. 26), and Nehemiah (ix. 31) as “a gra-
cious and merciful God." In Ps. lxxxix.
8, we find the words "strong LORD." These
titles of GOD the FATHER present Him as
Creator, Father, King, Judge, and Refuge,
and as ever-existing, all-holy, all-powerful,
and all-merciful. Thus He is the constant
Preserver and the ceaseless Benefactor of
the creatures whom His own hand has
made.

The Second Person of the Trinity, our
LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, appears
in prophecy in the beginning of the Old
Testament Scriptures as the "Seed" of the
woman who should bruise Satan (Gen. iii.

The

15). He is "the Head-Stone of the corner" (Ps. exviii. 22); "A precious Corner-stone, a sure Foundation" (Isa. xxviii. 16; cf. 1 Pet. ii. 6, and Eph. ii. 20). JESUS CHRIST was "a righteous Branch," and "a King," and should "be called THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jer. xxiii. 5, 6). High-Priest typified CHRIST (Heb. ii. 17): "A merciful and faithful High-Priest." He was "the Lamb of GOD, which taketh away the sin of the world" (St. John i. 29), and "the Messias" (v. 41), "The Son of GOD," and "the King of Israel" (v. 49; compare St. John v. 19, 23, 25; 1 Cor. xv. 28, and St. Mark xiii. 32). But while our LORD claims the homage of "the Son of GOD," He also humbles Himself to be "the SON of man" (v. 27): "JESUS CHRIST our LORD" (Rom. i. 3); "Thou art my SON" (Ps. ii. 7):

The Son of the living GOD" (St. Matt. xvi. 16); "The CHRIST of GOD" (St. Luke ix. 20). CHRIST means Anointed One, or Messiah: "Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending" (Rev. i. 8); "The Door" (St. John x. 7); "The Good Shepherd" (v. 11); "The Sun of righteousness" (Mal. iv. 2); "A Star out of Jacob" (Num. xxiv. 7); "The bright and morning Star" (Rev. xxii. 16); The true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (St. John i. 9); "The resurrection and the life" (St. John xi. 25); "A Fountain" (Zech. xiii. 1); "The Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the valleys" (Solomon's Song ii. 1); "The Bread of Life" (St. John vi. 35); "The True Vine" (St. John xv. 1); "First-born" (Ps. lxxxix. 27); "The image of the invisible GOD" (Col. i. 15); "The Head of the body, the Church" (v. 18); "A Prince and a Saviour" (Acts v. 31); "Prince of life" (Acts iii. 15); "The Holy One and the Just" (Acts iii. 14); "Heir of all things" (Heb. i. 2); "Brightness of His glory, and the express image of His Person" (v. 3); "The Beginning, the First-born from the dead" (Col. i. 18); "The Way, the Truth, and the Life" (St. John xiv. 6); My LORD and my GoD" (St. John xx. 28); "The Word" (St. John i. 1); "The Word of GOD" (Rev. xix. 13); "Equal with GOD" (Phil. ii. 6. See, also, St. John v. 17, 18, for our LORD's own assertion of Sonship, and the natural inference of the Jews); "The only-begotten SoN" (St. John i. 18); "The CHRIST" (v. 20); "JESUS of Nazareth" (ver. 45); ̧ JESUS') (St. Matt. i. 21, 25); "The LORD JESUS CHRIST" (1 Cor. viii. 6); "The LORD" (Heb. ii. 3); "Emmanuel, GOD with us" (St. Matt. i. 23, and Isa. vii. 14); "Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him" (Heb. v. 9); "The Author and Finisher of our faith" (Heb. xii. 2); "Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty GoD, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isa. ix. 6); "Our LORD JESUS, that great Shepherd of the sheep" (Heb. xiii. 20); "The chief Shepherd" (1 Pet. v. 4); The Shepherd and Bishop of your souls" (1 Pet. i. 25); "CHRIST in

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"Our

you, the hope of glory" (Col. i. 27); LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST" (2 Pet. iii. 18); “ King of kings, and Lord of lords” (Rev. xix. 16); " A Prophet" (Acts iii. 22);

The LORD of glory" (1 Cor. ii. 8). These titles represent the Son of GOD as a Saviour and Redeemer and Lord, and the manner in which, in Holy Writ, the same terms are used for both the Holy FATHER and the Holy Son teach us, to quote our LORD's own words, "That all men should honor the SON, even as they honor the FATHER. He that honoreth not the SON, honoreth not the FATHER which hath sent Him" (St. John v. 23); "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of Me" (v. 39).

The following names are given to the HOLY SPIRIT, the Third Person of the Holy Trinity: "The Spirit of God" (Gen. i. 2, and Job xxxiii. 4). In the reference in Job the phrase is added, "the breath of the Almighty;" "the Comforter" (St. John xiv. 26); "the Eternal Spirit" (Heb. ix. 14); "Free Spirit" (Ps. li. 12); "Spirit of the LORD GOD" (Isa. lxi. 1, and see St. Luke iv. 18); "the Spirit of the LORD;" "the Spirit" (St. Luke iv. 1); "the Spirit of His SON" (Gal. iv. 6); "the Spirit of JESUS CHRIST" (Phil. i. 19); "Spirit of CHRIST" (Rom. viii. 9, and 1 Pet. i. 11); "Spirit of Judgment" and "Spirit of burning" (Isa. iv. 4); "Good Spirit" (Neh. ix. 20; see Ps. cxliií. 10); "the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor. vi. 11); "Spirit of the living GOD" (2 Cor. iii. 3); "the HOLY GHOST" (Acts ix. 31); "God" (Acts v. 4; cf. v. 3); "HOLY SPIRIT" (Ps. li. 11, and St. Luke xi. 13); "Holy Spirit of GOD" (Eph. iv. 30); "Holy Spirit of promise" (Eph. i. 13); "the LORD" (2 Cor. iii. 17; compare Nicene Creed); "the Power of the Highest" (St. Luke i. 35); "Spirit of adoption (Rom. viii. 15); "the Spirit of Truth" (St. John xv. 26); "the Spirit of Him that raised up JESUS from the dead" (Rom. viii. 11); "the Spirit of His Son" (Gal. iv. 6); “the Spirit of life" (Rom. viii. 2); "the Spirit of your Father" (St. Matt. x. 20); "the Spirit of Grace" (Heb. x. 29); "the Spirit of Prophecy" (Rev. xix. 10); "the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the LORD" (Isa. xi. 2); "the Spirit of Holiness" (Rom. i. 4); "the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation" (Eph. i. 17); "the Spirit of Glory" (1 Pet. iv. 14); "the Seven Spirits of GOD" (Rev. iii. 1); "Voice of the LORD" (Ps. cvi. 25). The epithet "Holy" indicates the sanctifying power of the Spirit of GOD: "Sanctified by the HOLY GHOST" (Rom. xv. 16). His guiding and leading work is shown in our LORD's words, "He will guide you into all truth" (St. John xv. 13); "the finger of God" (St. Luke xi. 20). In addition to the titles given to the HOLY SPIRIT in Scripture, several emblems are made use of to explain its work.

Water is abundant and free. It cleanses,

purifies, and refreshes, hence the prophet says, taught by the Spirit how to speak of Himself, "I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed" (Isa. xliv. 3). Water was naturally used in Holy Baptism, and the SAVIOUR declares that "except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of GOD" (St. John iii. 5). Spiritual life is "living water" (St. John iv. 10). It is not stagnant, but constantly flowing. Fire enlightens and purifies. The disciples of CHRIST were to be baptized "with the HOLY GHOST, and with fire" (St. Matt. iii. 11). On the Day of Pentecost "there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the HOLY GHOST” (Acts ii. 8, 4). The Wind is powerful and reviving. The word Spirit means breath or wind, and our LORD says of its unseen work, "So is every one that is born of the Spirit" (St. John iii. 8). Oil heals, and is used for consecrating. The Wise Virgins in the parable were furnished with oil, or spiritual life (St. Matt. xxv. 4). The rain and the dew are gentle and vivifying. Hosea says of GOD, "He shall come unto us as the rain" (ch. v. 3), and, “I will be as the dew unto Israel" (ch. xiv. 5). The dove is an emblem of meekness and innocence. After the baptism of JESUS we read of "the Spirit of GoD descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him" (St. Matt. iii. 16). A voice teaches, "If any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me" (Rev. iii. 20). A seal impresses and secures: "Ye were sealed with that HOLY SPIRIT of promise" (Eph. i. 13).

The idea of the Holy Trinity embedded in the Scriptures is well compared to that of a cross in the ground plan of a Cathedral. The whole structure shows the design. "And if, too, to him (St. John) this great belief was more than belief, this "light" was also "life"; if he could feel it blessed to acknowledge a Father who is our Father, a Son in whom we also " are called the sons of GOD," a Holy Spirit who "dwelleth with us and shall be in us;" may we also find in the TRINITY the ground of practical devotion, pure and deep, till, quickened by the power of this faith, the Three that bear record in Heaven shall bear their witness in our hearts; and the Trinity shall have become, not the cold conclusion of the intellect, but the priceless treasure of the affections, the blessed foundation, and the perpetual strength of the new and spiritual life!" The mystery of faith is an invaluable treasure, but the vessel that contains it must be clean and undefiled; it must be held in a pure conscience; as the manna, that glorious symbol of the word of faith preached to us by the Gospel, was confined to the tabernacle, and preserved in a vessel of gold.

Authorities: Foster's Cyc. of Illustra

tions, Cruden's Definitions in his Concordance, Knapp's Theology, Bishop Horne's Ser. on the Trinity, E. H. Bickersteth's Rock of Ages, H. T. Bailey's Liturgy Compared with the Bible, Prof. Butler's Ser. on The Trinity Disclosed in the Structure of St. John's Writings, and Jones on The Trinity. ŘEV. S. F. HOTCHKIN.

Titus. One of the nearest and dearest of the companions St. Paul took with him. Silas, Timotheus, Titus, Luke, seem to have been his loving associates. "I had no rest in my spirit," wrote St. Paul to the Corinthians, "because I found not Titus, my brother." He is only noticed in the Epistles, but these notices and the missions he is sent upon all imply a man of forcible and upright character, thoroughly to be trusted, and zealous in anything he undertook. St. Paul tells the Galatians that Titus was a Gentile. He sends him to Corinth twice upon a mission which was connected with the discipline of the Church. He left him in Crete to establish the Church there, and the charge he gave him implied that Titus was a man of firmness and nerve. St. Andrew, Archbishop of Crete, describes him as the first founder of the Church in Crete, "the pillar of the Truth, the main stay of the Faith, the unwearied trumpeter of the Evangelical Promises, the lofty utterer as s tongue for St. Paul." The Apostle recalled him from Crete, apparently after his first imprisonment, and was probably with him till the second, when he was sent on a mission to Dalmatia. Here all our really authentic information ends.

Titus, Epistle to. The Apostle writes after his first imprisonment this second of the three Pastoral Epistles to Titus, his own son after the common Faith. The Apostle knowing the difficulties of his position and the character of the Cretans, gives him short, clear, and authoritative counsels for action. The directions are all explicit, and show that Titus was a man of more than ordinary vigor and capable of dealing sharply and promptly, as he probably had proven in his mission to the Corinthians. He is biddento set the Church in order; to ordain Elders; to rebuke the careless, that they may be sound in the Faith; to see that the men and women conduct themselves soberly and discreetly in all things; to direct the slaves to honest, faithful service; to put them in mind of the rightful authority of the powers that be; to reject heretics. It is evident that age ard toil had not lessened the Apostle's sense of authority and responsibility, and that he bade his fellow-workers exercise their commission to the full. There is one argument in favor of the continuance and increase of the Apostolic office drawn from this Epistle of the Apostle. It is impossible to suppose that St. Paul had planted a Church without giving to it Elders. the Elders (Presbyters) were competent to perpetuate their office, why leave Titus, then, with special instructions about them? If he

If

was an Apostle also, as St. Paul's words elsewhere imply (2 Cor. viii. 23), then all is clear and plain. And, too, Titus is in exactly the same position that Timothy held in Ephesus. Now Timothy is numbered by St. Paul in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians with himself as an Apostle (1 Thess. i. 1): "Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, when we might have been burdensome as the Apostles of CHRIST" (ch. ii. 6). If Silas and Timothy, then Titus too. In fact, St. Paul's company must have consisted of men with Apostolic Commission above the rank of the Presbyters fitted to take the missions upon which St. Paul sent them. He was too skilled an organizer and too delicately appreciative of others' feelings and rights to have made so signal a blunder as would be implied by any other course.

Tobit, Book of. This story of a faithful captive Jew contains many points which are interesting and instructive. It was highly esteemed among the Jews. Tobit's prayer of rejoicing (chap. xiii.) is a hearty rendering of praise to GOD. The doctrine of good and evil spirits is plainly taught by the introduction of the evil Asmodeus, and of "Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the glory of the Holy One." The miracles are not in keeping with those narrated in historical Scripture. The book may have had a historical basis, but extraordinary details have found place in it. The point is in the good moral lessons, while the incidents are pictures to enliven the story and impress the teaching. It is thought by Ewald that the work may have been written in the East, "towards the close of the Persian period." The way in which Media is spoken of (ch. xiv. 4) would imply the strength of the Persian monarchy at that time. There is much reference to alms-giving, and the burial of the dead, and to the Jerusalem worship. Luther said of this book that it was "a truly beautiful, wholesome, and profitable fiction, the work of a gifted poet. A book useful for Christian reading." Tobit is quoted in the Second Book of Homilies (of Alms-deeds). Three verses are found among the sentences at the offertory, beginning, "Give alms of thy goods," etc. (iv. 7-9). For the reference to the sins of our forefathers in the

Litany, see Tobit iii. 3. The book is valuable as a beautiful picture of Jewish domestic life

Its works seem to spring from living faith. The alms-giving is loving service (i. 16, 17; ii. 1–7; iv. 7-11, 16). The injunction in the last reference is noteworthy, "let not thine eye be envious when thou givest alms." The tenderness of domestic life displays itself in this book in the weeping of Anna when her son had started on his journey (v. 17) and the father's pious consolation, which pointed to angelic aid, and dried her tears (vs. 20-22). The affection of Raguel and his family (vii. 4-8) is a pleasant touch of Eastern life. Tobit counts the

days, impatiently awaiting the return of his son, while the mother neglects her food, and goes out into the way to watch for her child's coming (x. 1-7). The various family relations are painted in simple patriarchal style, as in the happy return of Tobias (ch. xi.). Prayer is highly esteemed (iv. 19). The angel Raphael is represented as a healer by the appointment of GOD (iii. 17), and the one who brought remembrance of faithful prayers "before the Holy One" (xii. 12). The particular incidents and descriptions of this book may show a historical basis. Horne conjectures that it was begun by Tobit, continued by his son Tobias, and finished by some other member of the family. We have lessons of charity and patience in Tobit's ready aid to his distressed brethren, and his pious submission, like that of Job, to captivity, poverty, and blindness. St. Jerome translated this book into Latin in a rapid manner, by the aid of a learned Jew. The closing up of the book is very striking. Tobit ends his praises of GOD, and declares his faith in the prophecy of GOD by Jonah concerning Nineveh. He looks forward to the destruction of idolatry, and the turning of the nations to sacred Jerusalem, and so in faith he dies, an hundred and fifty-eight years old, and receives honorable burial; his wife follows him shortly to the same tomb. The son Tobias grows old with honor, and dies "an hundred and seven and twenty years old."

Authorities: B. F. Westcott in Wm. Smith's Dict. of the Bible, Prideaux's Connections, Arnald's Comm. in Patrick and Lowth and Whitby, Horne's Introduction. REV. S. F. HOTCHKIN.

Toleration. To bear with those who hold what is not approved of as true is an act in which we imitate the forbearance of our LORD. To tolerate what is wrong or leads to wrong, when we have the responsibility of seeing that it may be amended, or of protesting against it, is contrary to honesty. To tolerate our neighbor's sins without trying to urge him to amendment is a wrong to society. But to force him to do as we think right is to interfere with him and to usurp an illegal authority. The duty and the limits of true toleration are not properly understood. In this country, where equal freedom is given to all "to worship GoD according to the dictates of their own conscience," there is no need to use the word with regard to those who form religious bodies separate from our own, and their rights we are bound to respect. But within the limits of the Church there can be no such thing as toleration. The widest liberty is allowed in accord with the truth. The VI. Article lays down this principle: "Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not required of any man, that it should be believed as an Article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation." There can be no

larger liberty possible; no conditions are laid down other than those in Holy Scriptures. But it would be evidently subversive of the very existence of the Church to yield more, and to tolerate any infringement upon these. It would be fatal to permit any doctrine of men to be substituted and enforced. It is but a just defense of the truth which we must ever enforce. It was on this principle that St. Paul resisted the intolerant conduct of those who would fetter the true Faith with their notions (Gal. ii. 4, 5). It was the disciplinary power of the Church which purged it from heretics and false teachers.

Toleration in this sense

748

TRADITION

ings. Now while it may be said that these were not traditions as we now use the word, yet the teaching by "word of mouth" was the foundation of tradition. But there were

necessarily traditional usages, unwritten cusplaces; and for the years of persecution and toms which could and did vary in different trial in the Primitive Church much had to right in themselves which formed that body be intrusted to tradition. There then grew up cases and interpretations of practices

of unwritten common law which is called tradition. To this day we must use tradition. No series of rubrics in the PrayerBook are so closely joined or contain such inherited custom. Such were the directions tion. He practically appealed to the prinof St. Paul when protesting against innova

must be necessarily impossible if the princi- minute directions but something is left to ples set forth in the last message of our LORD to the Church (Rev. ii., iii.) are true. a forbearance and an expostulation

There

is

and an admonition which must be used ciple of tradition when he wrote, "we have (Tit. iii. 10). There must be an allowance

for

defects in education and in capacity to

God" (1 Cor. xi. 16). Using the word, then, no such custom, neither the Churches of

understand, but this is another thing. Be in its true sense as the handing down coryond the point of kindness to the individual, rectly of a custom, a usage, or of some unthere should be care for the safety of others written law of the Church, we find the

in the Church, who might be misled. It lies English Church and our own setting forth with the Bishops as the responsible Angels the just use of tradition in its rites and cereof the Church to judge what is the true monies thus: "It is not necessary that Traand forbearance cease to be rightly and or utterly like, for at all times they have charitably exercised. Tonsure.

limit of a

toleration, and where kindness

ditions and Ceremonies be in all places one,

been divers, and may be changed according to the diversity of countries, times and men's manners, so that nothing be ordained against

. It was a practice in the Church from early times to cut the hair of those entering into holy orders; but tonsure or shav- GOD's word. ing of a portion of the hair of the crown as in the Western Church), or totally (as in the Eastern), was of comparatively late date. The earliest authentic order upon it is said to be a Canon of the fourth Council of Toledo (633 A.D.). From that time, however, directions about it are more and more common. In the English Church, Tonsure was dropped at the Reformation.

Tradition. The word tradition (a thing or fact or belief handed down, whether by written memoranda or orally) has lost so much of its better meaning that it is difficult to make that just and right use of the word which is demanded by facts. condemned the traditions of the Jews, which Our LORD made the commandments of GOD of none effect. This is probably, in part, the reason why the word has gained with us an evil sense. The other reason is that so many false traditions had grown up in the Church during the Middle Ages that when the English Church purged these away, the word was used to brand them as unworthy of credit; and despite the protest of the XXXIV. Article the popular use of the word has overborne its legitimate use. Jews, we know, had an Oral Law which, The while it merited our LORD'S condemnation in many things, yet contained the true explanation of the prophecies concerning Him, and kept ever clearly before them the doctrine of the resurrection. St. Paul speaks of the traditions which he had given the Thessalonians, and condemns others' teach

openly break the traditions and ceremonies Whosoever through his private judgment willingly and purposely doth of the Church which be not repugnant to the Word of GOD, and be ordained and approved by common authority, ought to be the like), as he that offendeth against the rebuked openly (that others may fear to do common Order of the Church and hurteth eth the consciences of the weak Brethren. the Authority of the Magistrate, and woundEvery particular or national Church hath Ceremonies or Rites of the Church ordained authority to ordain, change, and abolish only by man's authority, so that all things be done to edifying." (Art. XXXIV.)

The Consenting witness of the early ages of Christianity is not to be despised. Indeed, much more depends upon it than many have thought. Tradition, in its best importance, has preserved for us the proofs sense, and treating of subjects of the highest of the Apostolic Succession, the genuineness and the Canonical Authority of Holy Scripture, the Apostles' Creed, the observance of the LORD's Day, the continuity of the Church, the rites of Baptism, the early jects of less essential importance, but of proof of the use of Infant Baptism. Subgreat value, are the Liturgical observances, arrangement of the great Feasts, the healthy the divisions of the Christian year, the growth of Ritual. The Rubrics of our own Prayer-Book, which were arranged at its compilation, in 1549 A.D., presuppose a tradition and custom which have been but im

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