English speech is the word, not the point nor the letter form. Just to the extent that we rely on marks of punctuation and emphasis to convey our meaning we betray our ignorance of the really significant elements of the language. The schoolgirl says she “had a perfectly splendid time” at the dance, when she tells about it in her letter to her dearest friend. If “perfectly splendid” were a proper term to use in such a connection, which it is not, the words themselves would carry all the emphasis possible. Nothing could really be added to them by any typographical device. In the same way the common use of profanity among ignorant people probably arises mainly from a feeling that the ordinary words with which they are familiar are colorless and do not express their thoughts with sufficient emphasis.

Just as emphasis in style is difficult when one habitually uses the strongest words and emphasis in voice is difficult when one habitually shouts, so emphasis in print is difficult when one habitually uses large capitals, display type, and italics. Loud printing is as objectionable as loud talking.

USE OF FULL CAPITALS

General uses:

1. Use a capital letter to begin every sentence and every word or group of words punctuated as a sentence.

This rule does not apply to literal reproductions of matter not originally conforming to it.

2. Use a capital letter to begin every line of poetry.

This rule does not apply to turned over lines like the third line in the stanza just preceding.

3. Use a capital letter to begin every quotation consisting of a complete sentence.

Capitalize:

1. Names of the Deity, of the members of the Trinity, of the Virgin Mary, and of the Devil, when a personal devil is referred to.

When the word devil is used as a general term or as an expletive the capital is not used.

2. Nouns and adjectives used to designate the Deity or any member of the Trinity:

The following list of words of this sort to be capitalized, taken from Mr. William Dana Orcutt’s The Writer’s Desk Book (Frederick A. Stokes, New York) will be found useful:

Almighty
Authorized Version
Common Version
Creator
Deity
Father
God
Holy Bible
Holy Spirit
Holy Writ
Jehovah
Jesus Christ
King
Logos
Lord
Messiah
Passover
Pentecost
Redeemer
Revised Version
Sabbath
Saviour
Scriptures
Son of Man
Son
Spirit
The Trinity
The Virgin Mary
Word

Care needs to be taken with words of this class. Particular attention should be paid to the wording of rule 2, just given. The same words in other senses or other connections are not capitalized. Heaven and hell and derived adjectives are not capitalized in their ordinary uses:

Adjectives and other derivatives from these words are not capitalized. We write Messiah, but messianic and messiahship; Christology but christological, fatherhood, sonship, and the like.

Such words as deity, god, and the like are not capitalized where any but the God of the Bible is referred to.

3. Pronouns referring to God, Christ, or the Holy Spirit in direct address or where there might otherwise be ambiguity.

These pronouns are not capitalized in the Bible. They are generally capitalized in hymn books and books of devotion. These pronouns were formerly all capitalized as a mark of respect to God whenever there was any mention of him, even indirect. The tendency is more and more to eliminate them except in the second person (direct address). In view of the change now going on it is best to follow copy if the author appears to have decided preferences.

4. Books, divisions, and versions of the Bible.

Book of Job, Twenty-third Psalm,
New Testament, Revised Version.

5. General biblical terms and titles of parables.

Use lower-case for biblical and scriptural.

6. Capitalize Holy in Holy place and Holy of holies.

Say Gospel of John, but speak of the gospel message.

7. The names of religious bodies and their followers.

8. The names of monastic orders and their followers.

9. The word Church when it stands for the Church universal or is a part of the name of some particular denomination or organization.

For salvation he sought the Church.
The Church of Rome.
The First Presbyterian Church.
I was on my way to church.
He is a student of church history. (Note use of lower-case in this sentence.)

10. The names of creeds and professions of faith.

Note that the adjective ante-Nicene is printed as it here appears.

11. The word “father” when used in direct reference to the fathers of the church, and to the Pilgrim leaders of New England, and the word “reformers” when used of the leaders of the Reformation.

The ante-Nicene Fathers.
Luther, Calvin and the other Reformers.

The word “father” is not capitalized when the reference is general, as in the first sentence of this section.

The capitalization of “reformer” is intended to distinguish persons connected with a certain definite historical movement from persons interested in reform. Many persons might consider that the Reformers were not reformers.

12. Names of persons.

John Smith,
George V.

But write John o’ Groat, Tam o’ Shanter, and the like where o’ is an abbreviation of of and not the Gælic O’ as O’Neil, etc.

In writing foreign names which contain particles, capitalize the particles when not preceded by a Christian name or title.

Alfred de Musset but De