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

Oblation.—The act of offering the memorial of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Holy Eucharist, as is done in the second paragraph of the Prayer of Consecration, entitled "The Oblation." Sometimes this name is given to the whole office. The Oblations are the Bread and Wine placed on the Altar at the Offertory preparatory to their Consecration.

Obligation, Days of.—(See DAYS OF OBLIGATION.)

Obsecrations.—The three petitions of the Litany beginning (1) "By the Mystery of Thy Holy Incarnation," (2) "By Thine Agony and Bloody Sweat" and (3) "In all time of our tribulation" are called the Obsecrations, or entreaties. These petitions "go on the principle that every several act of our Lord's Mediatorial Life has its appropriate saving energy; that virtue goes out of each, because each is the act of a Divine Person and has a Divine preciousness." (See LITANY.)

Occasional Offices.—Those services of the Prayer Book which are not in constant use, but used only as occasion may require, such as the Office for Holy Matrimony, the Order for the Burial of the Dead, the Order for Confirmation, the Baptismal services, Visitation of the Sick, etc.

Occasional Prayers.—The prayers set forth in the Prayer Book under the title, "Prayers and Thanksgivings upon several Occasions," such as the Prayer for Congress to be used during their session; the prayer for a Sick Person; Thanksgiving for Recovery from Sickness, etc., which are read on request. {199}

Occurrence of Holy Days.—The coincidence of two or more Holy Days falling on the same date. When this happens, the question arises which is to be observed, which takes precedence. The ancient rule may be illustrated by the following: When the First Sunday in Advent and St. Andrew's Day fell on the same date the Sunday took precedence and only the Collect for the Saint's Day was read; the Fourth Sunday in Advent took precedence of St. Thomas Day; while the Feasts of St. Stephen, St. John Evangelist, Holy Innocents, and the Circumcision, if any of these days occurred on the same date as the First Sunday after Christmas, the Saint's Day and also the Circumcision took precedence of the Sunday. A good Church Almanac will give the needed information concerning the "Occurrence of Holy Days" which takes place during the year.

Octave.—The eighth day after a Festival. The intervening days are said to be "of" or within its Octave and partake of the character of the Festival. The only Feasts mentioned in the Prayer Book, having an Octave as of obligation are Christmas, Easter, Ascension and Whitsun Day, each being honored with a Proper Preface in the Communion Office which is to be used each day during the week. Trinity Sunday was formerly the Octave of Whitsun Day, and probably for this reason its Proper Preface is not repeated during the week.

Offertory, The.—That portion of the Communion service during which the alms of the people, and the Bread and the Wine are received and solemnly presented on the Altar. The word "offertory" is often {200} wrongly applied to the offerings, a mistake which should be carefully avoided. It is to be noted that The Offertory is an important part of worship. It is not an impertinence, but stands in the line of duties along side of prayer and singing. To give money each time you go to church, and in the appointed way will bring blessings from God. Pew rent is not "giving" in this sense, any more than paying the butter bill or for a seat at the opera house. We refer to the offering to God for religious or charitable purposes, regularly through the Offertory in church. So your alms will go up with your prayers as a memorial before God.

Offertory Sentences.—In the old Liturgies there was formerly a short anthem after the Gospel, called Offertorium; for this in our Liturgy has been substituted the "Offertory Sentences," being short selections from Holy Scripture setting forth "instructions, injunctions and exhortations to the great duty of giving; setting before us the necessity of performing it and the manner of doing it."

Office.—The term "office," in ecclesiastical usage, means a formulary of devotions; a form of service appointed for a particular occasion; a prescribed form or act of worship; thus the Daily Morning and Evening Prayer are called the "Daily Offices." The word is commonly used of the various services set forth in the Prayer Book, as "Baptismal Office," "Communion Office," etc.

Open Churches.—(See FREE AND OPEN CHURCHES.)

Ordain, Ordination.—The act of setting apart to the Sacred Ministry and whereby {201} the grace of Orders is conferred. The right or power to ordain belongs solely to the Bishop and this he does with prayer and Laying on of Hands. (See IMPOSITION OF HANDS.) The times of Ordination prescribed by Canon Law are the Sundays after the EMBER DAYS (which see). These became the settled times of Ordination as early as the Fourth or Fifth Century. But the Bishops are privileged to ordain at other times if necessity require.

Order.—The word "Order" as used in the Prayer Book means regulation or ordinance, according to its derivation from the Latin word ordo. This is seen in the title of the Communion Office which reads, "The Order for the Administration of the Lord's Supper, or Holy Communion," i.e., the prescribed way in which the Holy Communion shall be celebrated. So, also, of all other services; the Prayer Book sets forth the order or manner in which they shall be ministered, and such they are called.

Orders, Holy.—(See HOLY ORDERS.)

Ordinal, The.—The name given to that portion of the Prayer Book containing the Offices for the consecration of Bishops and the ordination of Priests and Deacons. The Ordinal being what it is, is very properly prefaced with a statement of the witness of history to the fact "that from the Apostles' time there have been these Orders of Ministers in Christ's Church—Bishops, Priests and Deacons." It is interesting to note that "our Ordinal was not taken word for word from the Roman Pontifical, but was framed on the comprehensive and broad ground of all known forms and manners of Ordination used in all branches of the {202} Catholic Church." The Ordinal is also sometimes called "The Pontifical."

Ordinary.—The name given to the Bishop of the Diocese, or other ecclesiastical authority who has ordinary jurisdiction.

Organizations, Church.—The American church is not simply a teaching and worshipping body, but it is also a working organization. Its activities reach out in all directions and touch almost every conceivable need. Besides its well organized Dioceses and Parishes which are working with such effectiveness in their several localities, there are many other organizations enlisting the cooperation of Churchmen everywhere. There are the general Institutions, such as the General Theological Seminary, the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, the Woman's Auxiliary, the American Church Building Fund Commission, Free and Open Church Association, the Prayer-book Distribution Society, the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, the Girls' Friendly Society, the Fund for Relief of Widows and Orphans of Deceased Clergymen and of the Aged and Infirm and Disabled Clergymen, the Daughters of the King; all of which are treated of under their proper heads. Other organizations are The Society for the Increase of the Ministry, the Evangelical Education Society, the American Church Missionary Society, Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews, the Guild of St. Barnabas for Nurses; Church Temperance Society; Missions among Deaf Mutes; etc. Besides these, there are religious Orders, Church Clubs, Sisterhoods, many Charity and Hospital organizations; and while this enumeration does {203} not include all the various organizations that are at work, yet these are given that the reader may form some idea of what this Church is doing and how fully she enlists the cooperation of the laity in her general work.

Organs.—Musical instruments have been used in the worship of God from the time when, after the passage of the Red Sea, Moses and Miriam sang their song of praise accompanied by timbrels. The worship of the Temple was noted for the great number and variety of musical instruments employed in it. As to when organs were first brought into use, it is not clearly known, but it is recorded that about the year 766 Constantius Copronymus, Emperor of Constantinople, sent an organ as a present to King Pepin of France. Soon after Charlemagne's time organs became common. In the Eleventh Century a monk named Theophilus wrote a curious treatise on organ-building. But it was not until the Fifteenth Century that the organ began to be anything like the noble instrument which it now is, the most comprehensive and important of all wind instruments.

Orientation.—The name given to the act of turning to the east or
Altar as an act of faith and worship in the Church service. (See
EAST, TURNING TO.) It is also an architectural term used in
reference to church buildings running east and west.

Ornaments.—By "ornaments" is meant the necessary furniture of the church for the proper conduct of divine service, and the vestments to be worn by the clergy. In this the Church of the present day is largely guided by what is called the "Ornaments {204} Rubric" of the English Prayer-book. According to this it would seem that among the necessary ornaments for the proper furnishing of the church are the following: the Altar, with its cross, candlesticks and coverings; Paten and Chalice; Cruets, Font and Pulpit; and that the necessary vestments of the Priest are the chasuble, alb and girdle, stole, surplice, cope; for the Bishop the same with the addition of the rochette, mitre and Pastoral staff.

Orphrey.—A band of embroidery used to ornament the vestments.

Orthodox.—In accordance with the doctrine of the Church; holding fast "the Faith once delivered to the Saints." The Faith has been defined by the Ecumenical Councils as set forth in the Creeds which "ought thoroughly to be received and believed, for they may be proved by most certain warrants of Holy Scripture" (VIII Article of Religion).

Pall.—A square card, the upper side of which is covered with silk the color of the Church Season and underneath with linen, loosely stitched so as to be readily removed in order to be washed. It is used to cover the Chalice when the Holy Eucharist is celebrated.

Palm Sunday.—The Sixth Sunday in Lent, the first day in Holy Week. It commemorates the entry of our Lord into Jerusalem when the people strewed {205} the way with palm branches and cried, "Hosanna to the Son of David." It was formerly customary for worshippers to appear on this day in procession carrying in their hands palms, or yew or willow branches, which were blessed before the beginning of the Communion Service. On Palm Sunday the Church has always begun to set before God and man the Gospel account of the Passion of our Lord, that by St. Matthew being read on this day. (See LENT, SUNDAYS IN.)

Paraclete.—Another name for the Holy Ghost, signifying one who is invoked to aid or comfort. It was this word our Lord used when He said, "I will send you another Comforter," i.e., Paraclete. Elsewhere, the word is also translated Advocate.

Paradise.—The place where the souls of the righteous dwell during the INTERMEDIATE STATE (which see). The name is also applied to the happy abode of Adam and Eve before the Fall.

Parish.—The term "Parish" as used in the American Church signifies a local congregation having a church building, and duly organized under the title of "Rector, Wardens and Vestrymen." It is always given a name, such as St. John's, Christ Church, Trinity, etc. It is competent for any number of persons, usually not less than ten, to associate themselves together to form a Parish. In the articles of association, the Parish acknowledges and accedes to the Constitution, Canons, Doctrines, Discipline and Worship of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese in which it is located. If on presentation of these articles, the Council or Convention of the Diocese gives its consent, the Parish shall be accounted duly established. {206}

The word is derived from the Greek Paroikia, and was originally used to designate the sphere of a Bishop's jurisdiction as distinguished from that of an Archbishop, but when the former was gradually parcelled out into smaller portions these began to be called Parishes.

Parish House.—By reason of the growing activities of the American Church, it is found necessary to have some building other than the church where the active and sometimes secular work of the Parish can be carried on, a place where societies, guilds, schools, etc., can have their own proper "workshop." Such building is called the "Parish House," and is absolutely necessary for any active and growing Parish.

Parish Register.—A book in which all births. Baptisms, Confirmations, deaths, and marriages that occur in the Parish are recorded, together with the list of Families and Communicants. The importance of