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

Coadjutor.—(See BISHOP COADJUTOR).

Collect.—The name given to the prayers set forth in the Prayer Book and especially to the short prayers used in connection with Epistles and Gospels. The origin of the name is uncertain and various meanings have been given to it. Some have connected it with the collected assembly of the people; others have interpreted the name as indicating that the prayer so-called, collects together the topics of previous prayers or else those of the Epistle and Gospel for the day. Another interpretation is that which distinguishes the Collect as the prayer offered by the Priest alone on behalf of the people, while in the Litanies and Versicles the Priest and people pray alternately. As of Common Prayer in general, so it may be concluded especially of the Collect in particular, "that it is the supplications of many gathered into one by the voice of the Priest and offered up by him to the Father through our Lord and Mediator Jesus Christ." {65}

Comfortable Words.—The name given to the short passages of Scripture read after the Absolution in the Communion service. It has been pointed out that these are peculiar to our Liturgy and that "perhaps the object of their introduction was the obvious one suggested in the title of Comfortable Words, of confirming the words of Absolution with those of Christ and His Apostles; and of holding forth our Lord and Saviour before the communicants, in the words of Holy Scripture to prepare them for 'discerning' His Body in the Sacrament."

Commendatory Prayer.—A beautiful and impressive prayer added to the Prayer Book in 1661, and which is to be said over a dying person. This prayer ought to be memorized by every Churchman so as to use it in any emergency for, as Bishop Coxe suggests in "Thoughts on the Services," "whether a Clergyman be present or not, no Christian should be willing to die, or be permitted to die, without the Commendatory Prayer said by some one present at or near the moment of departure. Church people are not heathen, that they should neglect this bounden duty to one who is passing away. 'Father into Thy hands I commend My spirit,' said the Saviour with His dying breath. So should the sick person in his own behalf; or those who love him in his behalf, if because of the pain or unconsciousness of death, he cannot frame the petition for himself."

Commandments, The Ten.—(See DECALOGUE.)

Common Prayer.—Bishop Whitehead has given the following explanation of this term: "Common Prayer is so called in distinction from private or {66} special prayer. It comprehends those needs and expresses those religious feelings which are common to all God's children who come together to worship. So we make our common supplications, confess our common sins, and offer our common sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, of alms and devotion." (See WORSHIP, also PRAYER BOOK.)

Communion, Holy.—(See HOLY COMMUNION.)

Communion of Saints.—An article of the Creed by which is meant the fellowship with, or union in Christ of all who are one with Him whether they are among the living in the Church on earth or the departed in Paradise. The Communion of Saints is specially realized in the Holy Eucharist. This spiritual food is our Lord's own divine substance and life, by participation in which the faithful Christian enters into a communion with his Lord which death cannot end or even interrupt. All who enter, whether in the present or in the past, into this communion with their risen Lord are thereby bound together in holy fellowship one with another also. It is this holy fellowship of those whom the Spirit has sanctified, one with another and with their Lord, that we call the Communion of Saints. (See ALL SAINTS' DAY.)

Compline.—One of the seven CANONICAL HOURS (which see).

Confirmation.—An ordinance of the Church, sacramental in character and grace conferring. It is administered to those who have been baptized and is effected by prayer and the Laying on of Hands by the Bishop. Hence the Scriptural name for it is "The Laying on of Hands." Its chief grace is the seven-fold {67} gift of the Holy Ghost by means of which we are sealed, made firm or strong, and equipped "manfully to fight under Christ's banner against sin, the world and the devil." Confirmation is a further advance in the Christian Life and entitles the recipient to be admitted to the Holy Communion.

The Scriptural authority for Confirmation is very manifest. Thus in Acts 8:5-17, we have the first recorded Confirmation, and in the 19th chapter we find another account of the same administration. In Hebrews 6:1, 2, we find Confirmation or the Laying on of Hands mentioned as a first or foundation principle of the Doctrine of Christ, as necessary to the health of the soul as Repentance, Faith, Baptism, Resurrection and eternal judgment. In Ephesians 1:13 and 14, it is spoken of as a "sealing," and made a plea for righteousness of life: and in the fourth chapter, verse 30, it is spoken of in the same way, as well as other passages which might be cited. Confirmation having such Scriptural authority, it is to be noted that it has always and in all places been practiced by the Historic Church and that even at this present time nine-tenths of all Christian people still hold to Confirmation as essential and necessary to the religious life. While the above Scriptural authority and universal practice are sufficient evidence that the use of Confirmation is according to the mind of Christ, yet it will be interesting to know the estimate of this holy ordinance by those who have departed from the practice of the Universal Church, which is given as follows:

Methodist Testimony.—"I was determined {68} not to be without it, and therefore went and received Confirmation, even since I became a Methodist preacher."—Dr. Adam Clarke.

Baptist Testimony.—"We believe that Laying on of Hands, with prayer, upon baptized believers as such, is an ordinance of Christ, and ought to be submitted unto by all persons to partake of the Lord's Supper."—Baptist Association, September 17, 1742.

Congregational Testimony.—"The confession of the Name of Christ is, after all, very lame, and will be so till the discipline which Christ ordained be restored, and the Rite of Confirmation be recovered in its full use and solemnity."—Dr. Coleman, Boston.

Presbyterian Testimony.—"The Rite of Confirmation thus administered to baptized children, when arrived at competent years, shows clearly that the Primitive Church in her purest days, exercised the authority of a Mother over her baptized children."—Committee of the General Assembly.

Consecrate.—To make sacred; to set apart for sacred use, as the elements in the Holy Communion, Church buildings, etc. A Bishop is said to be consecrated to his office by the act of Laying on of Hands by other Bishops.

Consecration, Prayer of.—That portion of the Communion office beginning with the words, "All glory be to Thee, Almighty God," etc., and by which the Bread and the Wine become the Body and the Blood of Christ. This is the most solemn act of the whole service and comprises (1) the words of Institution, (2) the Oblation and (3) the Invocation, followed by the Intercessions. {69}

Consecration of Church Buildings.—The service provided in the Prayer Book whereby a church building erected and paid for is separated, by the administration of the Bishop from all unhallowed, ordinary and common uses and dedicated to God's service, for reading His Holy Word, for celebrating His Holy Sacraments, for offering to His glorious Majesty the sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiving, for blessing His people in His Name, and for all other holy offices. The building thus set apart becomes God's House and not man's, and as such calls for acts of reverence on man's part as he enters it to meet God where He has thus caused His Name to dwell there.

Convention.—A name quite generally used in the United States for a Council of the Church. (See GENERAL CONVENTION, DIOCESAN CONVENTION, also COUNCIL.)

Convocation.—The term "Convocation" as used in the American Church has reference to certain territorial divisions in a Diocese, or the grouping together of the Clergy and Laity of certain districts of a Diocese, for the more efficient and systematic work of missions. Usually each Diocese is divided into two or more Convocational Districts, each one presided over by a Priest, either elected by the Clergy of the Convocation or appointed by the Bishop, and usually called the "Dean of Convocation." This arrangement has been found to be very helpful in creating a greater interest in the work of Diocesan Missions and in promoting Church extension within the Convocational limits.

The term is also applied to the annual meetings of {70} the Bishop, Clergy and Laity of a Missionary Jurisdiction, which being a mission, is not entitled to hold a Diocesan Council or Convention.

Cope.—A long cloak of silk or other rich material, semicircular in shape, fastened in front at the neck by a clasp or morse and having on the back a flat hood embroidered. It is worn over the alb or surplice and varies in color according to the Church season. Usually worn in processions by Priest or Bishop and is symbolical of rule.

Corporal.—One of the pieces of Altar linen. A napkin of fine linen to be spread on the Altar, and upon which the sacred vessels are placed at the Holy Communion. When the Altar breads are on the Altar, the lower right hand corner of the corporal is turned back over them, except during the oblation and consecration.

Cotta.—A shorter form of the surplice, not so full and having short sleeves. The short surplice worn by choir-boys and choirmen is usually called a cotta.

Council.—An assemblage of the Church met together for the purpose of considering matters of faith and discipline and legislating upon them. The Council may be ecumenical, i.e., general, or else of local interest and as such may be National, provincial or Diocesan. The General Councils are those held by the UNDIVIDED CHURCH (which see) and which have been universally received. They are generally regarded as being six in number, as follows:

I. Council of Nicea, held A.D. 325, met to consider the heresy of
Arius and which gave us the Nicene Creed. {71}

II. Council of Constantinople, held A.D. 381, to consider the heresy of Macedonius and which reaffirmed the Nicene Creed and completed it as it now stands except the "Filioque."

III. Council of Ephesus, held A.D. 431, to consider the Nestorian
Heresy.

IV. Council of Chalcedon, held A.D. 451, to consider the Heresy of the Eutychians.

V. Second Council of Constantinople, held A.D. 553, to confirm the decisions of the first four General Councils.

VI. Third Council of Constantinople, held A.D. 680, against a development of Eutychianism. (See ECUMENICAL.)

Credence.—A table or shelf made of wood or stone placed at the side of the Sanctuary to hold the elements and vessels preparatory to consecration in the Holy Communion. The derivation is not certainly known. Some suppose it is derived from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning "to make ready"; while others think it is derived from the Italian word for "buffet"—credenzare, meaning to taste food or drink before handed to another,—an old court custom. The presence of the Credence in the Sanctuary is made necessary by the rubric which directs that the bread and wine shall not be placed on the Altar until the time of the Offertory.

Creed.—A name derived from the Latin word, credo, meaning I believe, and signifying the Belief. The Creed begins with the words "I believe," because each and every statement in it contains a truth superior to reason, revealed by Almighty God and proposed {72} to our faith faculty. In the American Church two forms of the Creed are used, namely the APOSTLES' and the NICENE, to each of which the reader is referred. (See also ORTHODOX.) Two customs in saying the Creed have come down to us from the most ancient times, (1) that of turning to the East or towards the Altar in saying it, and (2) that of bowing the head at the holy Name of Jesus.

Cross, The.—Among the ancients death by crucifixion was a very common mode of execution. Among the Romans, death on the cross was regarded as the most degraded death possible, and was used in the punishment of slaves and the lowest class of criminals. It was thus our Blessed Lord was humiliated; nay, it was thus that "He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross." (Phil. 2:8.) This humiliating death of our Lord by crucifixion, led His followers to regard the Cross with feelings of the greatest reverence. Henceforth, the Cross, the instrument of a shameful death, became the symbol of glory. It became the emblem of the Christian Religion. It was placed on all church buildings and over the Altar as the everlasting sign of the eternal