The American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia by William James Miller (free novel 24 .txt) 📖

Incense.—Incense is one of the Six Points of Ritual which it is claimed have always characterized the worship of the Christian Church. It was the practice of the Church of England up to the Reformation, and even after that was frequently used. It is used in many Churches at the present time. It is more of a Scriptural usage than a Roman use, and while there is no canon or enactment forbidding its use, yet in the present state of our Church life it is not likely to become a very popular restoration for some time to come.

Incumbent.—A term peculiar to the English Church but frequently used in this country to designate the Rector of a Parish. The word means one who holds or is in possession of any office; it occurs in the Institution Office.

Infant Baptism.—If the Church were simply a voluntary society founded on the Bible, as is commonly supposed, there would be no special reason why Infants should be baptized, except as a matter of sentiment. If, on the other hand, the Church is a Divine Institution, founded on Christ and His Apostles, and is declared in Holy Scripture to be the Mystical Body of Christ, in which we are united to Him, admitted into covenant with God and so brought into a new relationship with God, then Infant Baptism is not only one of the most reasonable, but one of the most urgent doctrines of the Christian Religion, because it is in Holy Baptism that all these blessings are vouchsafed to us. (See BAPTISM, HOLY.) By this Sacrament the youngest infant is lifted up, so to speak, out of the world of nature and transplanted into {146} Christ's spiritual kingdom. It becomes thus a child of grace. Its little life is made right with God. The old evil of our race has been rectified. It is henceforth not only a child of Adam, but also a child, or member of the second Adam, Jesus our Lord. By its new Birth in Holy Baptism, the child becomes as fully incorporated into the new and spiritual race of which Christ is the Head, as ever it was incorporated into the race of mankind by its natural birth. It may not be conscious of this, any more than it was conscious of its natural birth, but it has, nevertheless, made a right beginning through the thoughtful care of others. It has, by this ministration, been grafted into the Body of Christ. It has been put in the way of true spiritual growth and training. Henceforth it may be brought up as "the child of God" and not as an alien. To this end the church gives it spiritual caretakers, whose duty it is to see that this child is virtuously brought up to lead a Godly and a Christian life according to this beginning. This is the meaning of Infant Baptism; and the Church has always regarded such Baptism as a reasonable and benevolent work, as is exemplified by her universal practice from the beginning. The "Mercy to Babes" in the Old Dispensation has not been lost out of the New, the Dispensation of the Spirit of love, which brings to all, even to the infant, as well as to its parents, God's mercy which "He promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed forever." (See NAME, THE CHRISTIAN.)

Inhibit.—Meaning to restrain or prohibit the exercise of the Sacred
Ministry; a discipline exercised by a Bishop for cause. {147}

Innocents, The.—(See HOLY INNOCENTS' DAY.)

I. N. R. I.—The initials of the Latin version of the accusation
placed over our Lord's Head on the Cross, viz.: "Jesus Nazarenus
Rex Judaeorum," and meaning "Jesus of Nazareth (the) King of (the)
Jews." These letters are often used in Church decoration.

Institution, Letter of.—(See INSTITUTION, OFFICE OF.)

Institution, Office of.—The service in the Prayer Book entitled, "An Office of Institution of Ministers into Parishes or Churches." Canon 18, Title I of the Digest requires "that on the election of a Minister into any Church or Parish, the Vestry shall notify the Bishop of such election, in writing; and if the Minister be a Priest, the Bishop may, if requested by the Vestry to do so, institute him according to the Office established by this Church." If the institution is to take place, the Bishop issues an official letter, called, "The Letter of Institution," in which he gives and grants unto the duly elected Rector his license and authority to perform the Office of a Priest in the parish, stating name and place. The Rector is then duly instituted according to the service set forth, either by the Bishop himself, or by a Priest appointed by him, in which the Letter of Institution is read; God's blessing invoked on the newly appointed Rector and his work; the keys of the Church are given him by the Wardens; a sermon is preached on the duties of Pastor and People by some one appointed by the Bishop, and the Holy Eucharist is celebrated by the newly instituted Minister. After the Benediction, it is directed that, the Wardens, Vestry and others shall {148} salute and welcome him, bidding him Godspeed. By the wording of the Canon this service is not obligatory and adds nothing to the contract or agreement already made between the Minister and Vestry. The service, therefore, is not often used, although it would be desirable that every Pastorate should be thus inaugurated.

Institution, Words of.—The words used by our Blessed Lord when He instituted the Sacrament of His Body and Blood, and which are incorporated in the Prayer of Consecration as set forth in the Communion Service. These words form the essential part of the Consecration and the rubric directs that they be accompanied by certain manual acts which are prescribed. (See MANUAL ACTS.) To effect a valid Sacrament there must be the unfailing use of our Lord's own words in instituting the Blessed Sacrament, the elements of bread and wine, and a duly appointed Priesthood.

Instruction.—The name given to a short, practical address, generally on some usage, feature or doctrine of the Church, as distinguished from the more formal sermon.

Intercessions of the Litany.—Those petitions in the Litany which have for their response the words, "We beseech Thee to hear us, Good Lord," are so called. (See LITANY.)

Intermediate State.—Death is a separation of the soul and body; the body becoming lifeless and eventually decomposing into dust, the soul continuing to live as truly as ever. What becomes of the living soul when thus separated from the body by death? {149}

"Our Lord," says the Rev. J. H. Blunt, "has answered this question to a certain extent by the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man (St. Luke 16:19-31). By that Parable He has taught us that the living souls of the departed live in a condition of happiness or misery suitable to the judgment which the all-seeing eye of God has passed upon their lives; the good Lazarus at rest in 'Abraham's Bosom,' the wicked Dives 'in torments.' At the same time our Lord has clearly revealed by His own words and those of His Apostles that there will be a general judgment at the last day, when all, good and bad, will have to stand before the Throne of God, not as bodiless souls, but with soul and body. And further, the Book of Revelation follows up the words of Christ and His Apostles with some very distinct disclosures as to the increased happiness of the good and the increased misery of the wicked after the final and open award of the Judge has been given in the general Judgment. The separate existence of the soul between death and the Judgment Day is, therefore, called the Intermediate State!" (See HADES, also DESCENT INTO HELL.)

Intonation.—The first two or three notes of a Gregorian chant introducing the recitative note; usually sung without the organ, by one of the Clergy or choir who is called the Cantor or Precentor.

Intone.—To recite or chant on one note with inflections of the voice at stated places, according to certain rules. The Minister intones the prayers, Epistle, Gospel, etc. Anciently the entire service was musically rendered, the Scriptures having their own peculiar intonation and inflections, the ordinary reading {150} tone being altogether excluded. This practice has been strictly adhered to in many of the English Cathedrals from the most ancient times to the present. In many parishes the services are also musically rendered, the Clergy intoning the prayers, the responses being sung by the congregation. The custom is growing in favor as an inspiring and Scriptural method of rendering the services. (See EVENSONG.)

Introit.—The Psalm which is sung while the Clergy are entering the Sanctuary for the celebration of the Holy Communion. Its literal meaning is The Entrance. Formerly the Introit was appointed for every celebration of the Holy Communion as well as Collect, Epistle and Gospel. In the first Prayer Book of Edward VI, the Introits were all printed before the Collect. Some of these are selected with a "striking appropriateness to the days for which they are appointed and show a deep appreciation of the prophetic sense of Holy Scripture." They are not often used at the present time as Hymns have been generally substituted, since the omission of the Introits from the Prayer Book.

Invitatory.—The name given to the Venite (O come let us sing, etc.) as being an invitation to the use of the Psalms in worship. This Psalm, the 95th, has been so named and used since the time of the Temple Worship at Jerusalem.

Invocation, The.—The words, "In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," used before sermons, is so called; to which the people respond "Amen." This is a very ancient usage, and founded on the belief that so important a work as {151} "preaching the Word" should be done in the Name of the Lord. The Invocation is the name given also to the third paragraph of the Prayer of Consecration in the Communion Office, in which the Merciful Father is invoked that He may "vouchsafe to bless and sanctify with Thy Word and Holy Spirit, these Thy gifts and creatures of bread and wine, that we, receiving them according to Thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ's holy institution, in remembrance of His Death and Passion, may be partakers of His most blessed Body and Blood."

James (St.) The Great.—One of the Apostles of our Lord, whose Festival is observed on July 25th, St. James was the brother of St. John and the son of Zebedee and Salome. With St. John he received the appellation of "Boanerges" from our Lord. He has also been surnamed the Great or the Greater by the Church, but neither of these designations can be satisfactorily accounted for. St. James was the first of the Apostles who suffered martyrdom and the only one whose death is recorded in the New Testament (Acts 12:1). In ecclesiastical art St. James is variously represented as a pilgrim with staff; with staff and shell; as a child with staff and wallet with shell upon it; on a white charger conquering the Saracens; this last with reference to his being regarded as the Patron Saint of Spain, Santiago, "St. Iago of Compostella." {152}

James (St.) The Less.—The son of Cleophas, or Alphaeus and Mary, and brother of Thaddaeus or St. Jude. He was one of the Twelve Apostles and the writer of the Epistle which bears his name. St. James was the first Bishop of Jerusalem and was put to death there, at the Passover A.D. 62, in a popular commotion, probably caused by the publication of his Epistle. He is commemorated on the double Festival of St. Philip and St. James, observed on May 1; these two Apostles having been associated together in the most ancient calendars, although in other calendars they were commemorated on different days. In ecclesiastical art St. James the Less is represented with a fuller's club in his hand; as a child with palm branch; a saw in his hand, etc.

Jesus.—The human Name of our Lord, given to Him at His circumcision and meaning Saviour. The name Jesus was by no means an uncommon name among the Jews. It is in the Greek what Joshua is in Hebrew, who is twice called in the New Testament Jesus, as in Acts 7:45 and Heb. 4:8. In both these passages the word Jesus means Joshua, having reference to his work as a leader and deliverer of Israel. So also we meet with Jesus the Son of Sirach, who wrote the book Ecclesiasticus. St. Paul speaks of one Jesus who was called Justus (Col. 4:11), and in Acts 13:6, we read of "a certain