The American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia by William James Miller (thriller books to read .TXT) 📕

Generally Necessary.—In the definition given in the Church Catechism of Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper, these Sacraments are declared to be "generally necessary to salvation." From the way many persons postpone their own Baptism, neglect the Baptism of their children and ignore the Holy Communion, it would seem that they think the word "generally" in the above clause, means "usually," but not essential to religious life. This is a mistake. The word "generally" as used when the Catechism was set forth is simply the Anglicized form of the Latin word {121} generaliter, meaning universally, always, absolutely necessary for every one who would be saved, and therefore, imperative where the Sacraments may be had.

Genuflexion.—A temporary bending of the knee as distinguished from actual kneeling; usually made towards the Altar as the symbol of Christ's Presence.

Ghost. Ghostly.—Ghost is the old Saxon word for spirit and is still used in the Name of the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. Ghostly, the adjective form of the word, has been retained in the Prayer Book and means spiritual, e. g., in the Confirmation service one of the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Ghost is called "ghostly strength," that is, spiritual strength.

Ghost, The Holy.—(See HOLY GHOST.)

Gifts of the Holy Ghost, Sevenfold.—The gifts bestowed on the Baptized by the Laying on of Hands in Confirmation, viz.: "the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and ghostly strength, the spirit of knowledge and true godliness and the spirit of holy fear," as enumerated in Isaiah 11:2. These gifts may be briefly interpreted as follows:

  WISDOM, to choose the one thing needful.
  UNDERSTANDING, to know how to attain it.
  COUNSEL, the habit of asking guidance of God.
  STRENGTH, to follow where He shall lead.
  KNOWLEDGE, that we may learn to know God.
  GODLINESS, that knowing Him we may grow like Him.
  HOLY FEAR, meaning reverence and adoration.

Girdle.—A white cord to confine the alb at the {122} waist: used at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. (See VESTMENTS.)

Girls' Friendly Society.—A Society of young women organized in the American Church in 1877, and is a branch of a similar Society in the Church of England. The society has for its object the spiritual welfare of girls and young women through association and friendship with one another. The Society has (in 1901) 16,316 members in the United States and 4,022 associate members. A monthly magazine, the G. F. S. A. Record, is published as the official organ of the Society. Headquarters, the Church Missions House, New York City.

Gloria in Excelsis.—Meaning "Glory in the Highest," the title of the final hymn in the Communion Office. It is called the "Greater Doxology," and also, the "Angelic Hymn" as it is based on the song of the angels at Christ's Birth, which forms its opening words. The Gloria in Excelsis is the oldest and most inspiring of all Christian hymns. Its author and the time of its composition are unknown, but it was in use in the very earliest ages of the Church as a daily morning hymn. Its introduction into the Liturgy appears to have been gradual. The first words of it are found in the Liturgy of St. James, from which fact we learn that the germ of it was evidently used in Apostolic times. It is interesting to note that in ancient Liturgies the Gloria in Excelsis was placed at the beginning and not at the end of the Communion Office. It occupied such a position in our own Liturgy until A.D. 1552, when it was placed after the Thanksgiving. By the rubric permission is {123} given to use a hymn instead of it, and this is often done during Advent and Lent, thus reserving the Gloria in Excelsis for use in more joyous seasons such as Christmas, Easter, etc.

Gloria Patri.—Meaning "Glory to the Father," the first words of the short anthem used after each Psalm and elsewhere in the services, viz. "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen." It is often called the "Lesser Doxology." The Gloria Patri has been used in Christian worship from the beginning and is traceable to the Baptismal formula. Its frequent use in our services is not a vain repetition, as some suppose, but is very devotional and helpful to increased earnestness in worship, drawing our thoughts from man, his wants and experiences, and directing them to the Triune God, the Author and Giver of every good and perfect gift. Sung after the Psalms it gives to them a Christian meaning and interpretation. In accordance with the ancient usage the Gloria is said with bowed head as an act of worship and of faith, and is also said facing the Altar or East. (See EAST, TURNING TO.)

Gloria Tibi.—The Latin title of the words of praise sung when the Holy Gospel is announced in the Holy Communion, viz. "Glory be to Thee, O Lord." This Gloria also comes down to us from the ancient usage of the Church. It is said with the bowed head as an act of worship.

Godfathers, Godmothers.—(See SPONSORS.)

Golden Number.—The Golden Number is that {124} which marks the position of any given year in the Lunar Cycle, which is a period of nineteen years. Meton, an Athenian philosopher, discovered that, at the end of every such period, the new moons take place on the same days of the months whereon they occurred before its commencement. This discovery was considered to be so important, it became the custom to inscribe the rule for finding the moon's age on a tablet in golden letters and placed in the market-place at Athens; hence arose the term Golden Number. The Golden Number may be found by adding one to the year of our Lord, and dividing the sum by 19, when the remainder, if any, is the Golden Number. If there be no remainder, the Golden Number is 19. One is added to the year of our Lord because the first year of the Christian era was the second of the Cycle. The time of Easter may be found by means of the Golden Number. (See Tables in Prayer Book.)

Good Friday.—The Last Friday in Lent on which we commemorate the Death of our Lord. It is called Good Friday from the blessed results of our Saviour's sufferings, for by the shedding of His own most precious Blood He obtained eternal Redemption for us. It is the most solemn and binding of all Fridays and should be observed as an absolute Fast in token of our sorrow for sin, and in preparation for the Easter Communion. All unnecessary work, all social engagements and pleasures are especially to be avoided by all those who reverence their Lord, and remember of what Good Friday is the solemn memorial. It is a day of Church-going, and it will be found that the Good Friday services are very {125} impressive, solemn and soul-stirring. The Proper Psalms are the 22d, 40th and 54th in Morning Prayer, and the 69th and 88th for Evening Prayer. Proper Lessons and three special Collects, together with the Epistle and Gospel all set forth, amid the solemnities of worship, the momentous story of the Saviour's Passion and Death. In many places, it is usual to have in addition to the appointed services, the "THREE HOURS SERVICE" (which see), held from 12 M. to 3 P. M., in commemoration of our Lord's Agony on the Cross, and consisting of special prayers and hymns with addresses or meditations. The Holy Communion is not celebrated on Good Friday, in accordance with the immemorial usage of the Church; only the introductory portion of the service is used. The Altar is entirely stripped of its hangings and ornaments, except the cross, and is sometimes covered with black hangings. The observance of Good Friday is inwoven into the very texture of the Christian Religion, having been kept from the very first age of Christianity with strictest fasting and humiliation. The mind of the Church seems always to have been, "this day is not one of man's institution, but was consecrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when He made it the day of His most Holy Passion."

Good Shepherd, Sunday of.—The name given in the Western Church to the Second Sunday after Easter. The French know it as the Sunday of the Bon Pasteur. The name is suggested by the Gospel for the day which sets forth our Lord as "the Good Shepherd," and who in the Epistle is called the "Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls." {126}

Gospel.—The word "Gospel" is derived from the Anglo-Saxon Godspell, signifying "good news"; founded originally on certain words used by the angel in announcing the Saviour's Birth, viz.: "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy" (St. Luke 2:10). The word is greatly misunderstood and frequently misapplied, the idea seems to be that "Gospel religion," "Gospel sermons" and "preaching the Gospel," mean certain doctrines such as individual election, calling, justification, sanctification and the like. These are regarded as being very Scriptural, and in accordance with the Scriptural method. When, however, we turn to the Scriptures we find that such doctrines are not "the Gospel" at all, but simply deductions from it. In the New Testament the word "Gospel" is applied exclusively to the announcement of certain events, certain outward facts connected with the Second Person in the Blessed Trinity, namely, the Incarnation, Birth, Life, Death, Burial, Resurrection and Ascension of the Son of God. Such was the "good tidings" announced by the angelic choir, such is the purpose of the New Testament Scriptures, and that Gospel religion or Gospel preaching which brings these sublime facts to bear on the hearts and lives of men, as living realities and guiding motives, alone can be Scriptural and truly Gospel. This being the case, we can understand how the Church's Year with its changing seasons of joy and penitence, setting forth so clearly all these facts in our Lord's Life, preaches the very Gospel of Christ and in accordance with the Scriptural method. (See CHRISTIAN YEAR.)

Gospels, The.—The four canonical records of the {127} Life of our Lord written by St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke and St. John. The first three are called the "Synoptic Gospels," because they all look at the events they describe from the same point of view; while the standpoint of St. John is quite different. His purpose was not to give the history of our Lord as did the other Evangelists, but to teach the mysteries arising out of that history. For example, St. John says nothing about the circumstances of our Lord's Birth, but he sets forth the mystery which those circumstances embraced,—the Incarnation of the Word, or eternal Son of God. For this reason, the Fourth Gospel is called by ancient writers a "Spiritual Gospel," because it contains less of historical narrative than the others and more of Doctrine.

Gospel, The Holy.—The title given to the passage from the Gospels read at Holy Communion, commonly called "the Gospel for the Day." During the reading of the Holy Gospel the people are to stand as required by the rubric. This custom is intended to show a reverent regard to the Son of God above all other messengers.

Gospel Side.—The north side of the Altar (the left side as we face the Altar) at which the Holy Gospel is read. (See EPISTLE SIDE.)

Gospeller.—The Priest or Deacon appointed to read the Holy Gospel at a celebration of the Holy Eucharist, is so, called.

Government, Church.—(See EPISCOPACY.)

Gown, The Black.—An Academical gown; an official or distinctive dress worn by students and officers of a College or University, and also by officials of a {128} Court of Justice. It is not an ecclesiastical garment, although it was customary during a time of great spiritual decadence in the Church for the gown with bands to be worn during the preaching of the sermon in the service. This, however, has long since been given up; the surplice is more properly worn.

Grace.—The word "grace" means a special favor, and is applied to the whole obedience, merit, Passion and Death of our Lord and the benefits that flow from them,—justification, wisdom, sanctification, Redemption. The Church, which is the Body of Christ, is called the Kingdom of Grace, for in it we become members of Christ and partakers of His grace and heavenly benediction. The Sacraments, as well as other ordinances, are called "means of grace," because they are the appointed instrumentalities whereby God gives grace to His faithful people, to help them in living faithfully and in obtaining Salvation.

Gradine.—A name sometimes