An ecclesiastical dictionary : containing definitions of terms and explanations and illustrations of subjects pertaining to the history, ritual, discipline, worship, ceremonies, and usages of the Christian church : with brief notices of ancient and modern sects, and biographical sketches of the early fathers and writers of the church / by William Staunton.

  • William Staunton
Date:
1875
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An ecclesiastical dictionary : containing definitions of terms and explanations and illustrations of subjects pertaining to the history, ritual, discipline, worship, ceremonies, and usages of the Christian church : with brief notices of ancient and modern sects, and biographical sketches of the early fathers and writers of the church / by William Staunton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    every head can contain, and every tongue can utter, a system which cancels every human tie, consigns the whole human race to the extreme of pre- sumption or despair, erects religion on the ruins of morality, and imparts to the dregs of stupidity all the powers of the most active poison.’—Rev» Robert Hall. ANTIPJEDOBAPTISTS. From avri^ against., nacg, naidog, child, and (iaTTTL^G), I baptize, whence (3a7rTLaTrjg. A title applied to those who ob- ject to the baptism of infants or young children. The ground of their ob- jection is, that infants are incapable of being instructed, and of making that profession of repentance and faith which entitles them to this sacrament, and an admission into the communion of the Church. See Infant Bap- tism. ANTIPASCHA. Among the Greeks, the second Sunday after Easter, which we account the first. The week beginning with this Sunday is named Antipaschal week; but antipascha, in the Western Church, was Dominica in Albis [the first after Easter, or Low Sunday], which is some- times still so called.—Humpson, Medicev. Kaland. ANTIPHON. This word, as now commonly used, has lost much of its original sense, being employed simply to denote alternate singing by two choirs, or by a single voice on one side, and the choir or congregation on the other. In the ancient offices of the Church, while this sense is included, yet the term antiphon is properly and strictly the designation of a certain verse, versicle, sentence, or fragment, interposed between the regular verses of a Psalm, and repeated at intervals during the progress of the Psalm, as if to give emphasis to its sentiments, and also to suggest an evangelical illustration or mystical application of the words, by the juxtaposition of a few luminous thoughts, which come in as a kind of burden to the song. On the subject of Antiphons, the Kev.. J. M. Neale presents a large amount of valuable matter in the Introduction to his Commentary on the Psalms ; from which we shall now offer some extracts (terminating befor the last paragraph), with the view of giving, in a condensed form, such hints as may show the true nature and office of this remarkable feature of the old rituals. After speaking at length of the constant and frequent repetition of the Psalms in ecclesiastical offices, Mr. Neale remarks :—The same Psalm was said at Christmas, said at Easter, said at Lent, said at Whitsuntide, said on the Festivals of Martyrs, said in the Office for the Dead : it could not, at all these seasons, be recited with the same feelings, in the same frame of mind. Its different emphases required to be brought out; the same sun-ray from the Holy Ghost rested, indeed, at all times on the same words, but the prism of the Church separated that colorless light into its component rays: into the violet of penitence, the crimson of martyrdom; the gold of the