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BAPTISM, ADULT. This office was added at the last revision of the Prayer Book, in 1661. It was made necessary by the general neglect of Church ordinances during the Rebellion. The Service is formed from that for the Baptism of Infants, but there are important differences, as will be seen by comparison. Confirmation and Communion should immediately follow the Baptism of an adult.

The words which express the reception of the newly-baptized child into the congregation belong altogether to the English Prayer Book. The ceremony of making the sign of the cross has come down from the ancient Church.

The Address to the congregation, the Lord's Prayer, and the Thanksgiving which follows, were placed here in 1552. It is to be noticed how clearly the Church expresses her belief in the regeneration of each baptized infant. The latter part of the last exhortation was added in 1661. "The vulgar tongue" of course means the "common" or English language.

The note at the end of the Office, although declaring the eternal safety of a baptized child, dying before it commits actual sin, does not express any opinion as to the future of an unbaptized child.

Under this head we may also treat of

Lay Baptism. Until 1604 this was allowed in the Church of England, but the rubrics were then brought into such a shape that Baptism by any but a "lawful minister" was distinctly disallowed. Still we find that by the present law, Lay Baptism, that is to say, Baptism by any man, or even woman, is valid so far as to qualify for burial with the usual service. Lay Baptism is allowed in the Roman Church, as it was in the Mediaeval Church, and in primitive times. Such having always been the custom of the Catholic Church, it is well that anybody should baptize a child in a case of great emergency, when a "lawful minister" cannot be procured. Should the child live and be brought to church, the clergyman can always, if doubtful of the validity of the Baptism, use the hypothetical form at the end of the Office for Private Baptism.

In addition to these they have numerous congregations abroad, and they raise about L200,000 yearly for missionary and benevolent purposes.

Infant Baptism. The following reasons seem to afford ample proof that the baptism of infants has always been the practice of the Church, notwithstanding all the Baptists allege against it.

Under the Law infants were admitted into covenant with God by circumcision when eight days old. Gen. xvii.10, 14, so, too, when the Jews admitted proselytes into their communion, they not only circumcised all the males, but baptized all, male and female, infant and adult.

Thus, when the Apostles were sent "to make proselytes of all nations, by baptizing them" would they not baptize infants as well as adults, seeing that such was the Jewish custom?

The early Fathers show that children were baptized in their time, which, in some cases, was less than a century after the Apostles lived. Justin Martyr, for instance, writing A.D. 148 , speaks of persons 60 and 70 years old, who had been made disciples to Christ in their infancy. How can infants be made disciples, but by baptism? And, if these had been baptized in their infancy, it must have been during the lifetime of the Apostle St. John, and of other apostolic men.

BARNABAS' DAY. June 11th. This Apostle's name was changed from Joses into Barnabas, which means the "Son of Consolation." He was a highly educated man, being brought up, as St. Paul was, at the feet of Gamaliel. He travelled with St. Paul until there was a disagreement on the subject of Mark, the kinsman of Barnabas. After they separated, it is probable that St. Barnabas laboured in Cyprus. He is believed to have suffered martyrdom at Salamis by being stoned.

BARTHOLOMEW'S DAY. August 24th. This Apostle is believed to have been identical with Nathaniel. We are told nothing of his labours in the Bible. He is believed to have worked in Armenia and Lycaonia, and to have suffered martyrdom by crucifixion at Albanople.

This day is rendered famous in history, on account of the horrible massacre of Protestants in Paris in 1572. Thirty thousand persons were put to death in France, and this with the deliberate consent of the Pope and the authorities of the Roman Church!

BELFRY. Originally and properly, a watch-tower. That part of a church where the bells are hung.

BELLS. Bells have been used in churches in England from the 7th century. Their various uses are well summed up in the following monkish distichs,--

"Laudo Deum verum, plebem voco, congrego clerum, Defunctos ploro, pestem fugo, festa decoro."

"Funera plango, fulgura frango, sabbata pango, Excito lentos, dissipo ventos, paco cruentos."

In the Roman Church they are "baptized," with a certain ceremony; in the English Church they are merely consecrated, that is, set apart for a sacred purpose.

BENEDICTION. A solemn act of blessing performed by Bishops and Priests of the Church. A certain form was given by God Himself for the use of the Jewish Priests, Num. vi.22-27. In our Church several forms are used agreeing with the Office of which they form a part. The ordinary benediction at the end of the Communion Service is from Phil, iv.7, and Num. vi.23.

BENEFICE or LIVING. A church endowed with a revenue for the performance of Divine Service; the holder of which is called a Rector, or Vicar, or Incumbent, or Perpetual Curate . Heresy, Simony, and other grave offences, disqualify a man from holding a benefice.

A clergyman can only be deprived of his benefice for want of capacity, Heresy, Contempt of Court, or crime.

The chief translations of the Bible into English are Wiclif's, 1360; Tindal and Coverdale's, 1526; The Geneva Bible, 1560; The Bishops' Bible, 1568. The Translation we use now, called the Authorized Version, was published in 1611. About 50 learned men were appointed by King James 1st for the task.

We will now proceed to consider the contents of the Bible, first remarking that the division into Chapters and verses does not date back beyond the 13th century, that it rests on no authority, and very often spoils the sense.

The Old Testament consists of 39 books, which may be thus classified:--The Books of the Law; The Historical Books; The Holy Writings, or Poetical Books; and the Prophetical Books.

The ordinary reader of the Bible misses much from the fact that the books are not grouped in any chronological order. In the following table the books are placed so as to form a continuous history of the Jews, while, by their side, are the names of those books which should be read as commentaries on the period. The book of Job, however, it is impossible to place. He seems to have been a shepherd king, perhaps of the time of Abraham, but he was not of the Hebrew nation. The two books of the Chronicles contain a summary of history from the Creation down to the Restoration under Cyrus; parts, however, may be read with other books.

We now pass on to consider the New Testament. It consists of 27 books, written by eight persons. They were all written in Greek, unless perhaps St. Matthew's Gospel, which some critics hold was originally written in Hebrew. The whole of the New Testament was written before the end of the first century, and during the lifetime of the Apostle John. The books were all received from the first as inspired, except the Epistle to the Hebrews, Epistles of James and Jude, 2nd of Peter, 2nd and 3rd of John, and the Book of the Revelation; but all these were in early times accepted as Canonical. It is still doubtful who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews.

The Book of Revelation, or Apocalypse, is by St. John the Apostle.

The following is a chronological table of the books of the New Testament, with their probable dates:--

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

BIBLE CHRISTIANS. Sometimes called Bryanites. They are the followers of a Mr. William O'Bryan, a Wesleyan local preacher in Cornwall, who, in 1815, separated from the Wesleyans, and began himself to form societies upon the Methodist plan. In doctrine they do not appear to differ from the various bodies of Arminian Methodists. The forms of public worship are of the same simple character. But in the administration of the Lord's Supper "it is usual to receive the elements in a sitting posture, as it is believed that that practice is more comformable to the posture of body in which it was first received by Christ's Apostles, than kneeling; but persons are at liberty to kneel, if it be more suitable to their views and feelings to do so." Members of this sect are nearly all Cornish people.

BIER. The carriage on which the coffin is carried to the grave.

BOWING AT THE NAME OF JESUS. This pious custom is ordered by the 18th Canon of our Church, in supposed accordance with the idea of the Apostle in Phil. ii.9. In many churches the custom is now observed by bowing at the Sacred Name in the Creed only; but the Canon orders "due and lowly reverence to be done" whenever the "Name of the Lord Jesus is mentioned in the time of Divine Service."

The synod of 1640 said, "We heartily commend it to all good and well affected people, that they be ready to tender to the Lord their reverence and obeisance, both at their coming in and going out of church, according to the most ancient custom of the primitive Church in the purest times."

BURIALS ACT. A Bill passed in Parliament, 1880. Before the passing of the Act no deceased persons could be buried in consecrated ground without the Service of the Church of England being read over their remains. Now, anyone who wishes to have his relatives or friends buried in any such ground without any religious service, or with any other Christian and orderly service than that of the Church of England, can do so. This service may be conducted by anybody, man, woman, or child, but 48 hours' notice must be given in writing to the incumbent, who still has all his legal rights preserved. The Burials Bill deals solely with the churchyard, and confers no rights as to the tolling of the bell, or to the use of any church or consecrated chapel.

Under this Act the Clergy are empowered to use the Service of the Church for the burial of the dead in any unconsecrated burial ground or cemetery.

The Bill owes its origin to the agitation of Dissenters, and that their supposed grievances were purely sentimental is shown by the fact that comparatively few funerals are taken under this Act.

CALENDAR, THE CHURCH, is the detailed law of the Church for the daily worship of God. It also contains a list of Fasts and Festivals, or Holy Days. Our Church recognises eighty-two such Holy Days, of which the following is a classification, not including Ash Wednesday, Holy Week or Passion Week, and Easter Eve:--

In honour of our Blessed Lord 57

In honour of God the Holy Ghost 3

In honour of the Holy Trinity 1

In honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2

In honour of the Holy Angels 1

In honour of the Apostles and Evangelists 14

In honour of S. John Baptist and other Saints 4

The object for which Holy Days are instituted, is the commemoration of some person or event by devotional observance, the devotion being, of course, offered to Almighty God.

The Calendar contains a Table of Lessons, or portions of Holy Scripture, to be read in Church, and rules for finding the date of the Moveable Feasts.

The present Table of Lessons came into use Jan. 1st, 1873.

CALL TO THE MINISTRY. Every Candidate for Deacon's Orders has this question put to him by the Bishop,--"Do you trust that you are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon you this Office and Ministration, to serve God for the promoting of His glory and the edifying of His people?"

In the "Ordering of Priests" a similar question is put in this form,--"Do you think in your heart that you be truly called, according to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the order of this Church of England, to the Order and Ministry of Priesthood?" And in the "Consecration of Bishops" the question is put thus,--"Are you persuaded that you be truly called to this Ministration, according to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the order of this realm?"

Bishop Oxenden, in his "Pastoral Office," says to the Candidate for Holy Orders, "If, after looking well at your motive, you find it pure,--if you are entering the Ministry in a serious, thoughtful spirit,--if the love of souls, and an earnest desire to save them, impels you--if you feel the work is one in which your soul will find delight, and that you are heartily willing to labour in the service of your Heavenly Master,--then I hesitate not to say that you have chosen for yourself the best and most delightful of all professions." This consciousness of purity of motive is a true indication that a candidate is called of God.

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