EAG Eagle, in Episcopalian churches, a common form of the desk from which the lessons are read, borrowed, perhaps, from the usual appearance of this bird as the accompanying symbol of the apostle John. Early English, the name often given to that plainer order of Gothic architecture which appeared in England in succession to the Norman, towards the end of the twelfth century. Its arches are lancet-shaped, and its roofs of high pitch. Its windows (when not circular, as may be seen in York and Lincoln cathedrals) are long and narrow, and the doorways divided by a central shaft. It merged into what is called the decorated Gothic at the end of the thirteenth century. It is sometimes called Gothic-Saxon, and sometimes the "First pointed." Ears, Touching of, an old and obsolete ceremony in the Greek Church. The ears of the catechumen were touched, and the word 66 ephphatha "—be opened, was at the same time pronounced, in imitation of Christ (Mark vii. 34). East.-Churches were usually built from east to west, the most sacred portion of the building being towards the east.-See BoWING TOWARDS THE EAST. Easter, the festival kept in memory of our Lord's resurrection. According to Bede it "had its name from a goddess called Eostre, to whom they used to celebrate festivals at that time." But more probably the word may be traced, like the corresponding German Ostern, to the old Teutonic form of "Auferstehi," "Auferstehung," i. e., resurrection. The term pascha, xácxa, from the Hebrew word for passover, which has been used as synonymous with Easter, was anciently applied to the whole period of fifteen days from Palm Sunday to Low Sunday inclusive, the first seven of these days being distinguished as "arxa oravgáciμov”-the pasch of the crucifixion, and the remainder as "oxa avarrásov "-the pasch of the resurrection. At a later period, i. e., after the council of Nice, pascha was used for our Easter day; and then again, subsequently, it denoted the whole period of the Eastern festival. The earliest record we possess of the celebration of such a festival is connected with a difference of opinion between the Eastern and Western Churches as to the time and manner of keeping it. The Churches of Asia kept the paschal feast on the 14th day of the first Jewish month, whatever day of the week it might happen to be; and some writers suppose that they also commemorated the resurrection on the third day after that paschal feast. Gieseler says, "There is no trace of a yearly festival of the resurrection among them." The Churches of Europe and Africa commemorated the resurrection on the Sunday that followed the But Jewish passover, regarding the preceding Friday as the dies pascha. So Gieseler; but Mosheim says, "They kept the paschal feast on the night that preceded the anniversary of Christ's resurrection." When Polycarp visited Rome, about the year 160, he discussed these points of difference with Anicetus, who was then bishop of the imperial city; and he is said to have defended the Asiatic custom by referring to the authority of the apostle St. John, with whom, in his youth, he had been acquainted. But as the Roman bishop also considered that he had apostolical authority on his side, they parted without either being persuaded to adopt the other's opinion. They parted, however, without such angry feelings as were stirred up a few years later by disputes on the very same subject. Before the end of the century, Victor, Bishop of Rome, had excommunicated the Christians of Asia for adhering to their ancient custom, and had endeavoured to persuade other churches to do the same. he failed altogether in his attempt, which is chiefly memorable for the remonstrance called forth from Irenæus, Bishop of Lyons, and for the evidence afforded that, in those days at least, no particular deference was paid to the judgment of the Bishop of Rome. The churches continued, from that time forward, to retain their several customs, till the council of Nice, in 325, decided in favour of the Western rule. After that time those who persisted in adhering to the Asiatic custom were generally regarded as heretical or schismatical. They were called Quartodecimani, or "socagionaidixarirai"-fourteeners, and are censured under this latter title by the councils of Constantinople and Laodicea. There still remained the difficulty of determining the particular Sunday on which the festival should be kept; and from the various methods of computing the time of the paschal full moon, differences of a week, and even of a month, would sometimes occur between the Easter days of different churches. The Alexandrian canon, which eventually prevailed, was not brought into full use in the Roman Church before the year 525, and the British Churches resisted its introduction till it was sanctioned by a council at Whitby in 664. those who differed as to the time of celebrating Easter, all agreed in keeping it as the most solemn and joyful of all the Christian festivals. The day was ushered in with appropriate salutations and other demonstrations of joy; the Lord's Supper was solemnly celebrated; catechumens were baptized; slaves were set at liberty; and criminals, with the exception of those who had committed very heinous offences, received their pardon from the Christian emperors. Religious assemblies for prayer, and preaching, and communion, were held daily through the Easter But the Old Testament they acknowledged only the Pentateuch, and of that only so much as fell in with their peculiar views. Their name has been derived from Ebion, an imaginary founder of the sect. It more probably came from a Hebrew word signifying poor, either given them in derision, as Origen and Eusebius say, or assumed by themselves to mark their profession of poverty. Ecclesia (Church), used with various epithets and additions, and various adjective and compound forms. Ecclesia apostolica, apostolic Church, a name given very early to the Church in Rome.-See APOSTOLICAL, CHURCH. Ecclesia advocati.-See ADVOWSON. Ecclesia defensores. See DEFENSORES. Ecclesia matrix, the mother church or cathedral.- See CATHEDRAL, MOTHERING SUNDAY. Ecclesiæ casideci, or ecclesiecdici, church lawyers. See week. All public games and shows, both of the theatre and the circus, were forbidden, not only by the decrees of councils, but also by the laws of the emperors; and the prohibition extended to Jews and Pagans, that they might not offend the feelings of those who desired to do honour to this holy season. Even the courts of law were closed through the week, except for business of extreme urgency. As Easter day, or the evening before it, was the most solemn and important of the times appointed for the baptism of catechumens, so the neophytes, or newly baptized, used to wear the white garments then given them throughout the following week, which obtained from this custom the name of Septimana in albis. The octave, or first Sunday after Easter, on which they appeared in these robes for the last time, was called Dominica in albis. It was also called Dies neophytorum | CHANCELLOR. (though Augustine gives that name to all the Ecclesiastic, Ecclesiastical, belonging to days of Easter week, Ep., cxix., ad Januar., c. the Church. The word comes from the Greek 17), and Octava infantium, and by the Greek "ixnλnoía”"—an assembly,—and this again from writers xanh xugiann, or New Sunday, all with the verb "ix-xaλía"-to call together. The reference to the same custom. Its more modern | Athenian ixxλnoía (ecclesia), was a public astitle among the foreign Protestants of Quasimo-sembly of the citizens called together, according dogeniti is taken from the first words of the to law, to consult about the affairs of the comLatin version of 1 Peter ii. 2; and its English monwealth. Applied to the Christian Church, the name, Low Sunday, is supposed by some to be word means an assembly called or summoned by a corruption from the Latin title, which alludes the proclamation of the Gospel to eternal life. to its being the close of the paschal feast (pascha Though the term ecclesiastical is now chiefly, if clausum). It has also borne the Greek name of not exclusively, applied to the priesthood, and to Αντίπασχα.—See ALB. all matters pertaining thereto, it was not so limited in ancient times; for we find it used to denote Christians in general, as distinguished from Jews-those who worshipped in the synagogue; and from heathens-those who attended the services of the temples. Ecclesiastical Books. CANONICAL - See DEUTERO Ecclesiastical History,-See HISTORY OF THE CHURCH. Eastern Church, as opposed to Western Church, is the general name for the Churches of Monophysite faith, and the Church in Greece and Russia. The genius of the East and West soon came into sharp antagonism, first, as to a point of chronology about the keeping of Easter, as we have just said in the preceding article; then, secondly, as to a jealous adjustment about the respective prerogatives of the bishops of Constantinople and Rome; thirdly, upon the subject of image-worship, the Eastern Church being op- Economical, a term employed in theology to posed to such innovations; and, fourthly, as to denote what happens by voluntary arrangement, the procession of the Holy Ghost,-the addition and is not necessary or according to nature. of the word filioque (and from the Son) to the Thus, the subordination of the Son to the Father Nicene Creed leading to a complete severance.-in the scheme of mercy, is said to be economical, See CREED, NICENE; GREEK CHURCH. Ebionites, a sect concerning which the ancient writers have left rather confused accounts. Their existence, as a sect, may perhaps be dated from the time when one Thebutis is said to have begun to corrupt the church, i. e., soon after the martyrdom of Symeon, Bishop of Jerusalem, in 107. The Ebionites are supposed to have then separated from the Nazarenes, who adhered to the apostolic doctrines. They taught that the law of Moses was binding in all cases, and that Jesus was the son of Joseph and Mary. They rejected all the New Testament, and especially the epistles of St. Paul, using only what they called the Gospel according to the Hebrews, which was probably a mutilated copy of St. Matthew. Of Eclectics.-See AMMONIANS. since, in essence, the Son is one with the Father; but he of his own will humbled himself, and became the Father's servant. Ecstacy, a species of trance, in which visionaries held intercourse with saints and angels, and especially the Virgin, and occasionally received in their flesh lasting marks of their spiritual intimacy, such as the print of the nails, and other stigmata of the passion. Ecthesis (proclamation), an edict issued by the Emperor Heraclius in the year 639, for the purpose of composing the troubles occasioned by the Eutychian heresy. This ecthesis, or confession of faith, prohibited all controversies on the question, Whether in Christ there were one or two operations? though in the same edict the towards the end of the second century, by means of the CLEMENTINES, (q. v.) They were sometimes called Sampsaans, sometimes Ebionites, which latter was the general appellation of heretical Jewish Christians. Epiphanius ascribes their origin and their name to one Elxai. But it is very doubtful whether he was a more real person than Ebion. Gieseler derives their name from doctrine of one will was plainly inculcated. A considerable number of the Eastern bishops declared their assent to this law, which was also submissively received by Pyrrhus, the new Patriarch of Constantinople. In the West the case was quite different. The Roman pontiff, John IV., assembled a council at Rome, A.D. 629, in which the ecthesis was rejected, and the Monothelites were condemned. (Mosheim's Eccles. Hist., dúvaμis xixaλuμuέvn, which, in fact, is vol. ii., pp. 33, 34.) Ectypomata (intvæúμata, figures or images cut in relief), gifts made to churches in token of a cure, consisting of a figure of the organ which has been healed.-See ANATHE BIATA. Ecumenical (universal).—See COUNCILS. Edict, the technical name of a paper read in Presbyterian churches, as a species of guard on the purity of the Christian ministry. It is a public invitation to all who can say anything against the minister elect, to come forward for the purpose. The form of the document authorized by the United Presbyterian Church is as follows:-"Whereas the presbytery of of the United Presbyterian Church have received their own interpretation of their supposed founder's name. (Epiphan. Hær., i., 19.) Elders, in the Presbyterian Church, are certain ecclesiastical officers, who, in conjunction with the ministers, constitute the kirk-session in Scotland. The "Form of Church Government " annexed to the Confession of Faith asserts, that "as there were in the Jewish Church elders of the people, joined with the priests and Levites in the government of the Church, so Christ, who hath instituted government and governors ecclesiastical in the Church, bath furnished some in his Church, besides the ministers of the Word, with gifts for government, and with commission to execute the same when called thereunto, who are to join with the minister in the government of the Church, which officers Reformed Churches commonly call elders." The number of elders is proportioned to the extent and population of a parish, or size of a congregation. These elders are chosen from among the members in full communion, and are usually persons of prominence in the church-of tried character and Christian excellence. After their acceptance of office, the minister, in the presence of the congregation, sets them apart to their office by prayer, and sometimes by imposition of hands, and concludes the ceremony of ordination with exhorting both elders and people to discharge their respective duties. This office, in many respects, resembles that of churchwardens in the Church of England; but the elders possess more spiritual jurisdiction than churchwardens have in their respective parishes. They have no right to teach or to dispense the sacraments. They generally discharge the office, which originally belonged to the deacons, Edict of Nantes.-See NANTES. of attending to the interests of the poor. But Effrontes, an obscure Transylvanian sect of their peculiar function is expressed by the name the sixteenth century, who not only denied the ruling elders;' for, in every question of jurisdicHoly Ghost, but, among other fooleries, cut tion, they are the spiritual court of which the their foreheads and anointed them with oil, as a minister is officially moderator, and in the presmode of initiation. Hence their name 66 ex-bytery-of which the pastors within the bounds frons"-out of the brow. are officially members-the elders sit as the representatives of the several sessions or consistories" (Hill's Theolog. Instit., part ii., sec. 2, p. 171). The term lay elder, used even by Dr. Hill, is an improper designation, if the theory of ordination be admitted to have any weight. As ordained persons, the epithet lay does not strictly apply to elders; for they have been taken. out of the people, and solemnly set apart over the people. In the Established Church of Scotland elders are nominated by the session; but in unestablished bodies they are freely chosen by the --; with certification, that if no valid objection be then made, the presbytery will proceed without farther delay. By order of the presbytery." Elcesaites, a party which arose among the Jewish Christians, about the time of Trajan, in the countries lying eastward of the Dead Sea. They united, with the asceticism of the Essenes, the peculiar opinions that the Spirit of God had associated himself from time to time with individual men (Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Jesus), in order that, as the true prophet, he might constantly proclaim the same truth, and restore it when obscured. This party became known beyond their own country, 66 people. To give those at a distance a sample of procedure in the election of such office-bearers, we quote the following rules acted on in the United Presbyterian Church :-"1. The right of electing elders is vested solely in the members of the congregation who are in full communion. 2. No fixed number of elders is required, but the number is regulated by the circumstances of the congregation. Two, however, along with the minister, are required to constitute a session. The number of elders to be chosen is fixed by the session, if there is one, or if there is none, by the presbytery. 3. When the session judge it expedient that an addition should be made to their number, the first step is to intimate their desire to the congregation, and to call a meeting of the members of the congregation, for the purpose of electing the required number. This meeting can only be held after public intimation of the time and purpose is made from the pulpit on the two Sabbath days preceding the day of its being held. It is desirable that the congregation should be apprized of the wish of the session to have an addition to their number some weeks before a meeting for election is held, in order that the members may look out for the best qualified individuals to fill the office. 6. At the meeting for election a discourse is generally delivered suitable to the occasion. The moderator of the session presides at this, as well as the previous meeting for nomination (where one is held), and the session-clerk officiates as clerk. Where there has been no previous meeting for nomination, full opportunity is first of all given to the members to propose candidates, and when all the names proposed have been taken down, the leet is declared closed. The names of all on the leet, whether made up at a previous meeting or at this, are then read over, and, after prayer for the Divine direction, the votes are taken, either by show of hands, by calling the roll, by ballot, or otherwise; and the individuals, to the number previously fixed upon, having the greatest number of votes, are declared to be duly elected. 7. After the election the call of the congregation is intimated to the elders elect, a declaration of their willingness to accept of the office is asked, and the session deal with them as to the propriety of their accepting it. Their willingness to accept being expressed, the session, at a meeting appointed for the purpose, proceed to satisfy themselves in regard to their religious knowledge, piety, and prudence, and their knowledge of the government and discipline of the church, and the duties of their office: And on the session being satisfied on these points, an edict is appointed to be publicly read in the congregation. 8. At the time mentioned in the edict, which must be read in the congregation on two Sabbath days, the session meets, the elders elect being present. After the session is constituted, if no objections are brought forward, the day of ordination is fixed for as early a day as possible. If objec tions are made, the session proceeds to inquire into the grounds of them, and decides on them, after leading evidence if necessary. 9. On the day of ordination, which may either be a Sabbath or week-day, as thought most suitable, the session being constituted and sermon being concluded, the moderator gives a short narrative of the previous proceedings; which being done, he calls on the elders elect to stand forward, and puts to them the questions of the formula. Satisfactory answers being given to these questions by them, the minister proceeds to ordain or set them apart by prayer to the office of ruling elder, and to take part with their brethren in the inspection of the congregation, and commends them to the grace of God for comfort, aid, and countenance in the exercise of their office. Immediately afterwards the right hand of fellowship is given to the persons thus ordained, by the minister and by the other elders present, and the whole is followed by suitable exhortations." (See Millar, M'Kerrow, and King on the Eldership.) Electi, the last class of catechumens ready for baptism.-See COMPETENTES. In early times Christians generally received the same name, while the ascetics called themselves more elect than the elect-ixλstāv indentóregos. Election, the theological name of God's eternal and sovereign choice of sinners to eternal life.-See PREDESTINATION. The men who framed or revised the thirty-nine articles were Calvinists in theology, and the meaning of the articles on this and other points may be gathered from their writings. Election of Pastors.-In such an appointment a special revelation was sometimes claimed, as when Gregory Thaumaturgus proposed Alexander as Bishop of Comena. In early times the bishop was chosen by the suffrages of the clergy and the people, or by a common vote, as Socrates says of Chrysostom. Ambrose was chosen by acclamation, and, as in the case of St. Martin of Tours, the voice of the people prevailed against the opposition of some of the clergy. Various modes of election were resorted to. The Apostolical Constitutions say, that the demand must be made three times whether the candidate be worthy, and sometimes the whole body cried, "aos or ávážios," "dignus or indignus "-that is, worthy or unworthy. Sometimes, if the people opposed a candidate, they shouted with violent clamour, and brought accusations against him. Persons called interventors went round, under the metropolitan's commission, and tried to secure unanimity for a candidate; but this method, which was patronized by Gregory the Great, soon became unpopular. Augustine and Faulinus were made presbyters against their will. Such scenes of popular elections occasionally became tumultuous, as Chrysostom on the priesthood, iii., 15, testifies :-"Go witness a popular assembly convened for the election of ecclesiastical officers. Hear the complaints against the took possession of a see in any irregular manner, the unanimous choice of the people was at once to be disallowed. In cases of division or faction the will of the people was not regarded, and a person named by none of the contending parties was sometimes selected and ordained; or the emperor interposed his authority, and made a selection. Lastly, the bishops sometimes nominated a leet of three, of whom the people were to choose one; or the clergy and the people appointed three, and the bishops cast lots for the successful candidate. See PATRONAGE. Elements.-See CHALICE, ELEMENTS, EUCHARIST. COMMUNION Elevation of the Host.-See HOST. Emanations, a term of constant occurrence in the Gnostic philosophy. Out of the divine fulness or pleroma, there are perpetual outflowings, which at length return to their source. Various ranks of Eons and worlds are among such emanations, so that the distinctive doctrine of creation is set aside, and a species of pantheism introduced.-See GNOSTICISM. Ember Days, Ember Weeks.-The Ember Weeks are those weeks during which the Ember Days fall. They were fixed by the council of Placentia, A.D. 1095, to be the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the first Sunday in Lent, Whitsunday, September 14-Holy Cross, and December 13-St. Lucy (Labbe, Concil., x., 502, B). The Sundays immediately following these "quatuor tempora jejunii”—four seasons of fasting, are more especially appointed, by the thirty-first canon of the Church of England, for the ordination of ministers. minister, manifold and numerous as the indivi- | mentius Bishop of the Indies, "oi'Ivdoí." If a bishop duals of that riotous multitude, who are the subjects of church government. All are divided into opposing factions, alike at war with themselves, with the moderator, and with the presbytery. Each is striving to carry his own point; ore voting for one, and another for another, and all equally regardless of that which alone they should consider the qualifications, intellectual and moral, of the candidate. One is in favour of a man of noble birth; another of a man of fortune, who will need no maintenance from the church; and a third, one who has come over to us from the opposite party. One is wholly enlisted for some friend or relative, and another casts his vote for some flatterer. But no one regards the requisite qualifications of the mind and the heart." But such power on the part of the people was gradually restricted. The council of Laodicea (canon 23) took the suffrage from the multitude, "rois xλois," and restricted it to the people," λa," probably taking it from the congregation and confining it to the church, to use a modern distinction. Justinian carried the restriction still farther, and gave the suffrage to the "rera"-first men, or aristocracy of the city. One of his Novels provides-"That when a bishop was to be ordained, the clergy and chief men of the city should meet and nominate three persons, drawing up an instrument, and swearing, in the customary forms of an oath, upon the Holy Bible, that they chose them neither for any gift, nor promise, nor friendship, nor any other cause, but only because they know them to be of the catholic faith, of virtuous life, and men of learning. Of these three, the ordaining person was required to choose, at his own discretion, that one whom he judged best qualified." The council of Paris, 557, protested against such encroachments, decreeing, "No bishop should be consecrated contrary to the will of the citizens," alleging in vindication of this measure the neglect of ancient usage, and of the ordinances of the Church. "Nor should he attain to that honour who had been appointed by the authority of the rulers, and not by the choice of the people and of the clergy, and whose election had not been ratified by the metropolitan and other bishops of the province." Thus the people gradually lost their ancient right. The rulers had it alone, or in alliance with the civil powers for a season, till in the end the state absorbed the entire prerogative. It may be added that a bishop occasionally nominated his successor, but the concurrence of the people was apparently requisite to its validity. In 503 the Church of Rome conceded that right; but the council of Antioch, in 441, had protested against it. The exceptions to the exercise of popular right were, when the majority of the Church was infected with heresy, as among the Donatists in Northern Africa, or when a missionary was sent to distant countries, as when Athanasius at Alexandria ordained Fru Embolus. The side aisles of a church, into which two small doors, from the portico, opened, and which were placed on each side of the larger door in the centre. The embolus opened into the nave by doors on the north and south. Eminence, a title given of old by the popes both to the emperors and the kings of France. Anselm attributes it to the pope himself (iii. Ep. 37). Till the pontificate of Urban VIII. cardinals were addressed as illustrissimi. A bull of this pope in 1530 ordained that their style should be changed into that of eminentia tua, which was also ascribed to the three ecclesiastical electors and the grand master of Malta, but forbidden to all other persons whatsoever. Enconia.-See CONSECRATION. Encratites (abstinents), this name (from the Greek word yxgarns) may have been given to various sects, to denote their rigid abstinence; but it especially belongs to the Gnostic sect of which Tatian, and after him Severus, were the leaders. They held marriage to be unlawful, as well as the eating of flesh and drinking of wine. And from this last tenet was probably derived their custom of using water instead of wine at the Lord's Supper, for which they are condemned by Augustine as Aquarii, and called |