Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1835-01-29
RELIGIOUS.
Prom me Resyisss .'fayasns.
THE EPISCOPAL RITUAL.


THE EPISCOPAL RITUAL.
Among the other excellent conirivance. Of
the Episcopal Church for extending and
deepening the impression for religious truth,
by means VI her external arrangements, -
the practice of coRmemorst ing, st different
seasons OF the year. the great events ron
neeted with Christianity. We take up the
work whose title we have given sbove,s for
the purpose Of making Il the occasion Of
giving 10 our readers some information ON
this subject. enced not say that Ne rite
chiefly for members Of other dcU,min stious.
well informed Episcopalians being, VI course,
familiar with all which We have Co saw
Other denomin ations. how ever often have
occasion for some know ledge Of the forms Of
tho Episcopal Church. In fact, q better un.
derstanding Is growing up among the various
families OF the great Church OF Christ. II
|" good omen, and, at the present time, rs
much 90 IN Inference to the Episcopal Church
- any; for We believe that church IN the 4.
States is making very rapid and decided pro-
sress ~ respec; TO the prevalence of vital
p'ety among ITS member, and Christian zeal
and devotedness among its CLERGY.
u Is the custom. then, in the Episcopal
Church, TO celebrate, at different season. Of
the year. the various important even,, con-
nected with the establishment Of christianity,
and The various services Of their ritual cor
respond with them. The portions Of Scrip
lure read, and some one or more Of tic
prayers are appropriate TO the day. Thu,
Easter Is the Sunday celebrated ~ the ami
versary Of our SAVIOUR resurrection The
portions OF Scripture, Tor "LSssons" a. they
are called for that day, are the account m
Exodus Of the institution OF the passover,
feter's account, st the day OF Pentecost, of
our SaNiour's resurrection and An interest
ing chapter relating TO this subject, in the
EPtstie TO the Romans.
The series Of religious Observance. NAV
DC considered a. commencing with
.idrenf-The celebration OF the advent, or
! coming Of Christ There are four Sunds, ,
| 90 .fdrtHf, and they are considered ~ prepa-
rstory 10 the festival of Christs birth, ctie-
GRATED on Christians day. Of course. the
season OF Advent commences near the last
Of November.
Chrtima,-At the close Of the season
mentioned above, comes Christmas, the day
eommemoraiing the birth Of Christ. u 4,
always on the 25th Of December, or rather.
the night before; for IL is Christmas night.
rather than Christmas day, which is the real
period OF interest. the birth OF the Saviour
having taken place in the night. u Is not by
any means certain, that the night between
u, ~
anhi'ersary Of this event, nor Ia II at all ne.
Glossary that It Lh0uld &c. Il Is ,uficieu,
that there is agreement.
The Sundays which follow Christina. are
called the frat and second SUNDAYS after
Christmas, when We come 10
Epiphany, January s. which commemo-
rates the Wait paid TO Christ by the wise men
OF the East, or more generally the msnifes-
tation OF Christ 70 the GentiIes. Six Sun
days follow, called the frat SUNDAY after
Epiphany, second Sunday after Epiphany Y.
&c, and thess bring Us TO The last Of Fsbrus.
-, and TO the cOaEmeneement Of q serie, OF
services, relating TO the death and re.urree-
ton Of Christ. The eonnemoratioa Of this
event Is preceded by the season Of Lent, q
fast OF forty days, not including Sundsya.-
The six Sundays sfier Epiphany do not, how
ever, bring us quite to the commencement OF
this fast Three Sundays intervene, called
Septuagesima, Sexsgesiua, and Quinqua &c =
alma, because they are nearly seventy, sixiy.
and fifty days before the Sunday eommemo-
rating the resurrection Of Christ, or Easter.
~ Is called. We have then Septuagesim
sunday, Sexsgesima Sunday, QvihSuagesima
Sunday, occurring IN the last Of February.
and first Of March, and followed by
s1sA Wednesday, The frat day Of LsAf, which
V, as before remarked, . PERIOD Of forty DAYS.
observed ~ fast preparatory 10 the com
memoratiOa Of the death Of Christ. This
Sundays occurring during this period are
called first, second, &C. Sundays in Lent, and
A. u - terminated By
Psssion Hssk, The week on which are eeIe-
bratsd the death Asd resurrection Of Ihe So.
Siour' = week which, from the sole mo ser
vees assigned TO u, and The solemn sssocia-
Tons connected with 10, 10 The tnost interest,"
ing week In the eeeIesisstieal year. There
are appropriate services Of . DournfuI aud
solemn character for every day until the dsv
OF the erue ihAion, which IL on
Good Friday, which, a. the annotator Of
the work before " remarks, Is ''the most 90
Tenn fast OF the Christian Church, observed
IN commemorstion Of her sstiours erpei.
hXIos, making atonement for tho sins Of
men" "a is followed by
EssisT Ees, which CONNIE morales the pa-
Rod between the SaVlour's death and resur-
rection.
Ea'fsT Dog is the Sunday Of the re.urrse-
ton. IL comes near the last Of March. or an
april, the particular day being deterrinsL
oJ rules which the early western Church
speohed. Tbs day regulates q great many
others and its determination Is eonsequenIiy
: laSier OF much importance. The day !.
followed by
Easisr Val. TO each Of the DAYS Of which
appropriate services sro assigned
Five Sundays follow, called first. second
ihird. sc. Sundays after Easter, Nhsb we
come 10
.f,csHsios Dry, which comes on Thur,Ja,
the iort'sih day from Easter, snd as ils nam.
imports, y designed 10 CONNIE norate cur
osriOuF's sscensioH, u occurs II rf,lr.e .,
May OF June. The sunday f,lIouioe !.
called The sunday after Ascension, and hen
comes
van Susirg, commemorative a. the day
Of PeItscosL Each day 81 the ussk E,Ilo.-
ing has IT. appropriate services Ths com.
pleiss Whst nay be c1iled the sbniterssr,
celebrations % the ecclesiastical, year. vitb
the exception % those relating 10 p.rt,sul,,
saints, which, 10 svoid confusion. us b.y,
not noticed N thi, brief summary. Abou,
80 months 81 the year. LouetsT. remain.
the hrsi sunday ~ phich y called Trio,ty
SUNDAY, snd the Others 6rst. second. fhisd
sc. up 10 iseniy-lourih SUNDAY sf,sr Tr,.,-
y. Thu brings us round again 10 die Ca.
600 q Advent, v'ih which ibe series Of SER
vices began.
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