The American Church Dictionary and CyclopediaMiller, William James
Philosophy
The American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia
Miller, William James
Episcopal Church -- Dictionaries; Theology -- Dictionaries
Fair Linen Cloth, Fair White Linen Cloth.--In the Communion Office
there are two rubrics, the first of which reads as follows: "The
Table, at the Communion time having a _fair white linen cloth_ upon
it," etc. By this is meant the long linen cloth the breadth of the
top of the Altar and falling over the ends eighteen or twenty
inches. The other rubric reads, "When all have communicated, the
Minister shall return to the Lord's Table, and reverently place
upon it what remaineth of the consecrated Elements, covering the
same with a _fair linen cloth_." By this is meant the lawn chalice
veil. It is to be noted that when this rubric was made, the word
"fair" meant _beautiful_. The white linen cloth can be made
"fair," _i.e._, beautiful by means of embroidery, and this
is done by embroidering upon it five crosses to symbolize the five
wounds of our Blessed Lord on the Cross, and by having the ends
finished with a heavy linen fringe. Also, the lawn chalice veil is
made "fair" by being similarly beautified with embroidery, a cross
being worked near the edge.
Faith.--"Divine, or as it is called, Catholic Faith is a gift of
God and a light of the soul; illuminated by which, a man assents
fully and unreservedly to all which Almighty God has revealed and
which He proposes to us by His Church to be believed, whether
written or unwritten. It is also a belief in the whole Gospel, as
distinguished from a reception of some portion of it only; and it
is a faith so full of the love of God as that it leads us to act
differently from what we {107} should if we did not believe and
marks us out as a peculiar people among men."--From Manual of
Instruction.
From the above definition we learn that Faith has a twofold
meaning, (1) the act of believing, and (2) the thing believed, or
the deposit of Faith or Doctrine which all members of Christ are
bound to receive. This Deposit of Faith is embodied in the Holy
Scriptures but is summarized for us in the Articles of the Creed
which are grouped around the Name into which we are baptized,--the
Father, and the Son and the Holy Ghost. In the American Church two
forms of the Creed are used, viz. the APOSTLES' and the NICENE
(which see). These embody "the Faith once delivered to the Saints."
Faithful, The.--The New Testament and Prayer Book name for all the
Baptized, who, being admitted into the Household of Faith, are the
people of the Faith--_fideles_, that is, _believers_.
Faldstool.--Literally, a portable folding seat, similar to a camp
stool, and formerly used by a Bishop when officiating in any church
other than his Cathedral. The name now is generally applied to the
LITANY DESK (which see).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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