The times., 1899-07-30
EPISCOPAL CHURCH NAMES.
Their Doctrines Indicated in Some
Cases by Their Titles.
(From the New York sun.)


Their Doctrines Indicated in Some
Cases by Their Titles.
From the New York SUM-
A statistician has discovered that more
names of the Episcopal churches are deriy-
ed from the Deity than from any other
source. These number 697 in the United
States and the various titles by which
the Deity is known in the Scriptures ana
liturgy Of the church are included in the
list. The next most popular name is Trim
ity, or Holy Trinity. The source to which
the names of ether churches are traced are
given as follows: Thirteen hundred and
seventy-nine to the Apostles; 100 to the
Blessed Virgin Mary, $50 TO the Saints, 2i9
to Grace, $50 to events and mysteries, sucn
as Advent, Nativity, Incarnation, Eplph-
any, etc; l24 to sacred localities, like Cal
vary, Bethel, Zion, Bethesda, 76 to All
Saints, All Souls, and All Hallows, 80 to
the Holy Angels, 80 10 holy objects, the
Cross, the Holy Gross, Precious Blood,
ETC.; 20 to the Holy Ghost by his various
names, is TO the Holy Communion, II TO
our Lords mediatorial works, such as
Atonement and Redemption; 10 to states OF
being, like Heavenly Rest and Holy Eel
lowship; to the Divine Attributes, to
Faith, All Faith, Hope, and Holy Faith,
TO the Reformation, and l to Our Father.
This list was derived from the study OF
4,022 parishes in various parts of the coun-
try. The names of Episcopal churches are
not without significance here, although
their especial meaning might not always
be evident. 1t is in reference to the So
called advanced position OF church that
its name is frequently indicative OF its
character. Ritualistic churches have al
ways leaned to the names of saints, in
cluding that of the Virgin, and some saints
I bod rAra V
for churches were introduced here by the
ritualistic parishes No church named aft
er St AIban existed in New York until an
English priest opened the first dedicated
to the elaborate services so common today
! in Episcopal parishes. There are several
churches of st. Alban in the country now
and they are all ritualistic in practice. The
name, however, is not always guide to
the character of the services. Some OF the
ritualistic parishes in other cities are call
ed by names that have almost an evangeli-
cal sound. Nobody would suppose that the
House of Prayer, the Church of the Ascen-
, sion. and the Church of the Advent were
really among the most advanced parishes
! in the country, but they are and even Grace
| churches in various parts of the country
have had the ritualistic services in their
I full elaborateness.
In one small town near New York city
there is probably the only church in the
entire Episcopal communion named after
St. Bernard. 1t is a gratifying fact that
the inhabitants pronounce the name cor
rectly, with the accent on the first sylIa-
| BILE, although when il comes to the dog
named after the monastery founded by the
same saint they linger lovingly on the Sec
ond syllable. The most popular saints on
the list of church names shown are st.
Paul and st. John. Here only the saints
a
chosen, although in England the names OF
less known saints and often saints OF only
local importance have been taken fo.
churches. Some of these have been adopt
ed by parishes here, which will be found
in nearly every case to be ritualistic. The
name of St. Adams came to have that sig
nifeance for this country because ST. AL
bans Holborn London, was one Of the
first and best known of the ritualistic
churches in London. For that reason a
number of churches were named after il
when the ritualistic propaganda began in
this country.
There are other names which are just
as significant of an adherence to Low
Church principles. Bethel, Bethesda, and
Zion are among these. The use of these
titles by Methodist congregations may have
had something to do with this impression
But 1t is a fact that most of the churches
bearing lueSe names 70 tue Olu-
fashioned Low Church practices. Calvary
used to be name that conveyed the same
impression, but that has been OF late years
considerably weakened by the establish
ment OF several churches of that name
which are quite as ritualistic as If they
were named after saint not in the Prayer
Book.
In England there are few churches nam
ed after the Deity and the names of tn,
I af,,tS Ct t. ttnn
popular. Out of IS 500 churches the name!
were found to range in the following or
der: All Saints, St. Thomas lin some case
st. Thomas, of Canterbury, st. Andrew
st. Peter, st. Michael, st. John, St. JONI
Baptist, st. James, Trinity Holy Trinity
! Christ, St. Nicholas, Saints Peter AM
Paul, St. Mary Magdalene. St. Paul. st
Margaret st. Lawrence, st. George, ST
Leonard, St. Matthew, ST. Martin, St Hell
, en-. 81. Mark, and st. Stephen.
The names of places in the Bible pla,
, little or no part in the naming of the Eng
, lish churches, and there are other marke
: points of difference in nomenclature. Their
is not one church in England. for instance
, called Grace, nor is there any called Zio
or Calvary. In England such names ar
the exclusive possession OF the Wesleya
, congregations, along with Bethel az
Bethesda. The dignity OF an establishe
, church would prevent it from using name
so closely identified with n dissenting body
In the Episcopal Church OF this countr
there are 279 Grace churches. Englan
has but one Epiphany among its parishe;
| while the United States has 80. In thi
country there are 67 parishes devoted I
!, the Good Shepherd, while in England ther
v are only two.
Bcrnhnrdt Described by Rostnnd.
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