shall not, within one year next before such elections, have taken the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, according to the rites of the Church of England." This act, which so often degraded the most solemn service of Christianity into a stepping-stone for civil office, has been repealed.

Act, Five-Mile, an act passed in 1665, which imposed an oath on all nonconformists, binding them to attempt no alteration in either Church or State; and provided that all ministers who did not take it should neither live in, nor come within, five miles of any borough, city, &c.

| been convicted of the alleged crime of heresy, were brought forth from their dungeons to undergo a public execution; and when also such as had been found innocent were absolved.

The details which writers on the inquisition have given us of this tragical service are most painful, but they describe a custom which has been now for some years only known by description, and which we trust may never be revived.

Act of Toleration, William and Mary, sect. i., chap. 18, "Passed for exempting their Majesties' Protestant subjects dissenting from the Church of England from the penalties of certain laws." The Toleration Act, Lord Macaulay says, "approaches very near to the idea of a great English law. To a jurist, versed in the theory of legislation, but not intimately acquainted with the temper of the sects and parties into which the nation was divided at the time of the Revolution, that act would seem to be a mere chaos of absurdities and contradictions. It will not bear to be tried by sound general principles. Nay, it will not bear to be tried by any principle, sound or unsound. The sound principle undoubtedly is, that mere theological error ought not to be punished by the civil magistrate. This principle the Toleration Act not only does not recognize, but positively disclaims. Not a single one of the cruel laws enacted against nonconformists by the Tudors or the Stuarts is repealed. Persecution continues to be the general rule-toleration is the exception. Nor is this all. The freedom which is given to conscience is given in the most capricious manner. A Quaker, by making a declaration of faith in general terms, obtains the full benefit of the act, without signing one of the Thirty-nine Articles; an Independent minister, who is perfectly willing to make the declaration required from the Quaker, but who has doubts about six or seven of the articles, remains still subject to the general laws. Howe is liable to punishment if he preaches before he has solemnly declared his assent to the Anglican doctrine touching the Eucharist: Penn, who altogether rejects the Eucharist, is at perfect liberty to preach, without making any declaration whatever on the subject."

Act of Faith (Auto da Fé), a phrase applied to a transaction which took place (usually at some great festival, and on a Sunday) when a number of prisoners in the inquisition, having

tions of flames with their points downwards, the indication of their escaping the terrible punishment which awaits the relapsed, who come next in succession, whose painted flames point upwards. The direct and avowed opponents of the Catholic faith, besides this latter sign of their doom, are covered with figures of dogs, serpents, and devils, painted with their picture upon their breast. A Jesuit is placed on either side of the individuals destined to be burnt, who are urging them, by reiterated appeals, to recant and abjure their heresies. A troop of familiars follow on horseback, then the inquisitors on mules, with other officers; the inquisitor-general sitting on a white horse, led by two attendants in black hats and green hatbands, closing the procession.

Having arrived at the scaffold, a sermon is delivered, replete with invectives against the victims of inquisitorial malignity, and abundantly encomiastic with regard to the institution, when a priest recapitulates from a desk the sentences of those who are condemned to suffer death, and delivers them over to the magistrate, with the farcical request that their blood may not be touched, nor their lives endangered. They are immediately put in chains, and hurried to the gaol, whence they are soon taken before the civil judge, who inquires, "in what religion they mean to die?" Such as return for answer that they die in the communion of the Romish Church, are first strangled, and afterwards burnt to ashes. All others are burnt alive; and each class of delinquents is instantly conducted to the place of execution. When those who persist in their heresy are fastened to the stake, the Jesuits load them with officious admonitions, and at length, in parting, declare that they leave them to the devil, who is at their elbow, to receive their souls and carry them into the flames of hell. A shout is instantly uttered by the infatuated populace, who exclaim, "Let the dogs' beards be made," which consists in putting flaming furze to the faces of the victims, who are, from the position in which they sit, slowly roasted

Acts of the Apostles (see Biblical Cyclopædia), one of the canonical books of the New Testament. It was the general usage in the ancient churches to read in this book at all the public services from Easter to Pentecost. The reason, as stated by Chrysostom, was that the miracles recorded therein being evidences of the fact of Christ's resurrection, the church appointed them to be publicly read immediately after the commemoration of that glorious event, in order to give men the proofs of the holy mystery which was the completion of their redemption. This rule was observed in the African, Egyptian, Gallican, Spanish, and other churches.

Acts of the Apostles-Spurious. Such as the Acts of Peter and Paul; Acts of Paul and Thecla; Acts of Paul and Seneca, or a correspondence between the apostle and the Roman philosopher; Acts of Philip, of Andrew, Thomas, Barnabas, &c. A handsome edition in octavo has been published by Tischendorf, Leipzig, 1851.

Acts of the Martyrs or Saints—“Acta Martyrum aut Sanctorum"-Records of the Lives of Saints and Martyrs. These began to be collected very early, and were read on special occasions, such as commemorative festivals. Many martyrologies seem to have been in early circulation-sometimes mere catalogues of names and dates (kalendaria), and, by and by, also full biographical sketches. Separate congregations told to one another in detail the heroism and suffering of their members. Amongst the various attempts made to collect such fragments, or confirm other accounts, that known by the name of Bolland, is the most famous. Bolland, aided by the Jesuits of Antwerp, collected immense materials from all quarters. In 1773 the order was suppressed, when the work, in forty-nine large folio volumes, had been brought down to the 7th October. The French Revolution created further interruption; but the work was again resumed, and the seventh volume for October, making the fifty-fifth of the entire work, was published at Brussels in 1845. The huge enterprise is still in progress, and the ninth volume for the same month was published during the currency of the present year. These volumes are an immense repertory, often full of legends and absurdity, yet often honest and able in sifting documentary evidence. So many writers having been employed in succession for so long a period, the Bollandist tomes are by no means of equal merit. The work will stretch to seventy folio volumes.

Actual Sin is opposed in meaning to Original

Adamites, or Adamians, heretics of the second century, who imitated Adam's nudity, and returned, as they imagined, to his state of pristine innocence. On entering their places of public worship, which were chiefly caves, they threw off their clothes. They professed to live in continence, and condemned marriage, which they affirmed was the consequence of the introduction of sin into the world. Whoever broke the laws of the society was expelled from Paradise, as they termed it—that is, from their assemblies-as one who had eaten of the forbidden fruit, and was henceforth called Adam. Dr. Lardner questions their existence; and the hesitating account of Epiphanius, from whom it is received, is certainly suspicious.-The same title was given to a body of enthusiasts who, in the fifteenth century, were massacred by the Bohemians under Zisca; and other sects have, at various times, been charged with the absurdities implied in the name, in most instances, perhaps, without sufficient cause.

Adelphians, a sect of heretics censured by Maximus, Anastasius, and others, for keeping the Sabbath as a fast.

Adessenarians.-The name is from the Latin word "adesse"-to be present; and they, as a section of the sacramentarians got this name, because they held to the special presence of Christ's body in the Eucharist, though in a different manner from the view held by the Roman Catholic Church.

Adiaphorists (diápagos, indifferent), -8 name given to those who sided with Melanchthon in the unhappy controversy which arose upon the promulgation of the Interim, in 1548. Maurice, the new elector of Saxony, assembled some divines at Leipzig to consider the propriety of accepting that edict. In this synod the too gentle temper of Melanchthon betrayed him into unwary and unbecoming concessions. He placed among things indifferent-and in which, therefore, compliance was due-the number of the sacraments, the jurisdiction of the pope and bishops, extreme unction, and many other rites of the Romish Church. The evangelical doctrine, also, was not fully stated. On these points he was vehemently opposed by Flacius and other Lutherans; and the controversy which thus arose, and which for many years distracted the Reformers, is known in ecclesiastical history under the name of the adiaphoristic controversy. The history of the promulgation of the Interim is detailed by Sleidanus, xx.; Fra Paolo, Hist. Conc. Trid., iii., ad ann. 1548; Burnet, Hist. Ref., part ii., book i., ad ann. 1548; Mosheim, Cent. xvi., sec. i., ch. 3, 4, and sec. iii., part ii., ch. i. 28; Robertson, History of Charles V., book ix., ad ann. 1548; by D'Aubigné also, and other recent historians of the Reformation.

Adjuration, the act of binding with the solemnity of an oath. We read that Saul "adjured" the people not to eat anything, while in pursuit of the Philistines, till the sun should go down, (2 Sam. xiv.) It is worthy of remark that in the Bible of 1539, the original word rendered "adjured" in verse 28, is in verse 24 translated "charged "-"he charged the people with an oath." In King James's version, verse 24 has "adjured," while in the latter verse (28) the passage reads "charged the people with an oath." Verse 28, in the Geneva Bible (1561), reads" he made the people to sweare.'

Adjutants-General, those fathers, among the Jesuits, who dwelt with the general of the order; and whose business it was to watch over the principal occurrences of distant countries, and from time to time communicate information to the general.

Administrators of Baptism, in the early churches, were the bishops, presbyters, sometimes the deacons, and occasionally laymen, in cases of extreme urgency and danger. Women, though at first strictly forbidden to administer this rite, are, by the Church of Rome, allowed to perform it in circumstances similar to those which would justify laymen in the irregular discharge of this clerical duty. A question has risen in the Anglican Church, whether such baptism (that by laymen and midwives) is to be regarded as null or valid. Some have replied that, as the Reformed Church rejects the popish doctrine respecting the danger of children who die unbaptized, there is no necessity for an irregular performance of it; that as the benefit of the ordinance is clearly connected with its administration by a lawfully ordained minister, the children so irregularly baptized derive no advantage whatever; and that, in the event, therefore, of their growing to maturity, they are bound to apply to a "lawful minister or bishop for that holy sacrament, of which they only received a profanation before." A contrary opinion has, however, been held by other clergymen, who contend that the essence of a sacrament is not invalidated by an irregular administration of it; and on the same principle, that clergymen coming from the Church of Rome to that of England are not required to be reordained, so children baptized irregularly in the Catholic communion should not be rejected as unbaptized, when in maturer age they are

Admission or Ordination Service, a religious service observed in the Church of Scotland, and other sections of the Fresbyterian body, at the inauguration of a minister to a new congregation. The sermon preached on the occasion is called the admission or ordination sermon.

Admittendo Clerico, a writ granted to any one who has established his right of presentation against the bishop in the Court of Common Pleas.

Admonition, an essential part of the ancient discipline of the Church. In cases of private offence it was performed, according to the rule prescribed in Matt. xviii., privately. In public cases, openly before the church; and no delinquent was excommunicated unless this step were ineffectual.

Admonitionists, a party of puritans in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, who published two "Admonitions to the Parliament," in which they condemned, as contrary to the Word of God, some distinctive peculiarities in the ceremonial and discipline of the Church of England, such as the imposition of vestments, &c. The first petition was burnt at St. Paul's Cross; Field and Wilcox, who presented it, were flung into prison; and Cartwright, who had a hand in it, was degraded from his chair of divinity, and expelled from the university of Cambridge.

Adonists, a party, among theological critics, who maintained that the vowel points usually annexed to the consonants of the Hebrew word Jehovah, neither originally belonged to it, nor express the true pronunciation, but are the points belonging to the words Adonai and Elohim, applied to the consonants of the ineffable name JEHOVAH, to warn the readers that instead of this word, which the Jews were forbidden to pronounce, they are always to read Adonai.

Adoptians, the followers of Felix, Bishop of Urgel, who, towards the end of the eighth century, in answer to a question proposed to him by Elipand, Archbishop of Toledo, put forth the doctrine that Christ, considered in his divine nature, was truly and essentially the Son of God; but that, considered as a man, he was so only nominally and by adoption. Those who taught or embraced this doctrine were charged with reviving the Nestorian heresy, and great discord was the consequence in Spain, France, and Germany.-See PERSON OF CHRIST.

Adoption (see Biblical Cyclopædia), in a theological sense, signifies an act of divine

Kneeling was extremely common, and seems very naturally to import a person's endeavouring to lessen his own self-importance in the presence of a superior.

The worshippers in eastern nations generally turn their faces towards the sun or to the east. Adoration of the Cross, respect paid to the cross, by bending the knee before it, as practised in all Catholic countries, and by the members of the Greek Church. On Good Friday the ceremony of "adoring the cross" is performed at Kome, and in all the cathedrals and principal churches of the Catholic communion throughout the world. After the performance of the usual introductory service, the officiating priest, and all his assistants, advance to the altar, where a bow more reverential than usual is made to the cross by each of them. They then repeat in a low voice certain prayers, on the conclusion of which they rise up and descend from the altar-a signal having been made by the "master of the ceremonies." The cushions on which they knelt are then removed, and the choir, as well as the congregation, repeat certain prayers, all kneeling. Again the officiating priest approaches the altar, kisses it, goes through the lessons for the day in a mumbling voice, receives the cross from the deacon, whose duty it is to hand it to him, removes from the head of it the veil which covers the entire crucifix, and then elevates it with both hands, singing, "Ecce lignum Crucis"-Behold the wood of the cross. Instantly the whole congregation start to their feet, and all the ministers at the altar begin to sing, "In quo Salus mundi pependit"-On which the Saviour of the world was extended. The singers answer, "Venite et adoremus"-Let us come and adore. No sooner is the last syllable chanted than all present, the officiating priest excepted, fall upon their knees, and offer silent adoration to the cross. In a few minutes they all rise up again, and the priest uncovers the right arm of the cross, and again elevates it, saying as before, but in a louder voice, "Ecce lignum,"&c. Next he approaches the middle of the altar, and turning towards the congregation, elevates the cross again, which now he exposes, by the removal of the veil from every part of it, and repeats the same words in a still louder and more emphatic voice. A purple

Then all present, in the order of their rank-the clergy always first-perform the same ceremony of kissing the crucifix, which at last is taken up by a deacon and placed in an upright position on the altar. In Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other cities of Russia, many ceremonies are performed during Passion Week, which are brought to a close about four o'clock on the morning of Easter Sunday by the ceremony of "adoring the cross." The members of the Greek Church not only kiss this symbol of the Christian religion, but when the bishop or archbishop holds it forth for the reverence of the worshippers, they rush forward, to the imminent risk of many of them, and embrace the crucifix with vehement devotion and affection.-See CROSS.

Adoration of the Host, honours paid to the consecrated wafer of the mass,-first by the officiating priest, and afterwards by the whole congregation, who regard its elevation with the profoundest devotion and awe, as an emblem of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Protestant ecolesiastical writers maintain that this practice was unknown to the Christian Church before the twelfth century, about which period many serious innovations in the celebration of the Eucharist crept into the Latin Church. The foundation for this practice is the doctrine of transubstantiation. Previous to the introduction of this dogma, communicants received the elements of the Lord's Supper into their own hands, as emblems of Christ's broken body and shed blood; but as soon as it began to be promulgated this practice was severely prohibited as a dishonour to the very body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ. From this time, too, the elevation of the host takes its rise; also the calling of attention to it by the ringing of bells, the carrying it about in pomp, and exposing it in public to receive adoration of all classes, enjoining those just baptized to fall down and worship it, and other practices of a like nature.

Adrianists, a name given to an obscure sect of heretics of the first century, mentioned by Theodoret, who gives us, however, no account of their founder, or the reason of this appellation.The same term is also applied to the followers of Adrian Hamstedius in the sixteenth century. They were Anabaptists, and maintained several errors concerning the person of Christ.

Adultery.—The following are some particulars of the discipline of the ancient Church with regard to this sin, and others of the same class. The apostolical canons forbade the reception into holy orders of any persons guilty of fornication; and, according to the council of Eliberis, virgins who had fallen into this sin were suspended from the communion of the