others its authenticity is regarded as very doubtful. In ecclesiastical art St. Barnabas is represented as holding St. Matthew's Gospel; as being stoned; as pressing a stone to his breast; as being burned to death; with an open book and staff; with three stones; with a fire near him.

Bartholomew, Feast of St.—Observed on August 24th, in commemoration of the life and virtues of the Apostle St. Bartholomew. In Holy Scripture there is the mere mention of the name of this Apostle, but it is thought that Bartholomew and Nathanael are one and the same person. The reason for this supposition lies in the fact that St. John in his Gospel never mentions Bartholomew, while he often speaks of Nathanael, and the other Evangelists, though they mention Bartholomew, never take notice of Nathanael. From this fact, it is supposed that the same person is designated by these two names. If St. Bartholomew is the same person as Nathanael, then it is he whom our Lord described as "an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile." St. Bartholomew is thought to have preached the Gospel in Northern India, where he is said to have left a Hebrew copy of St. Matthew's {33} Gospel. He afterwards went to Armenia. He suffered martyrdom in Albanopolis, by being crucified with his head downwards. In ecclesiastical art, St. Bartholomew is variously represented with a knife and book; with a knife in his hand and the devil under his feet; also as healing a Princess of Armenia.

Bason.—(See ALMS BASON).

Belfry.—That part of the steeple in which a bell is hung. Sometimes a separate tower is built, in a room of which the bell is placed. The old name was campanile, from campana, a bell. The most remarkable of the campaniles is that at Pisa, commonly called the "Leaning Tower."

Benedic, anima mea.—The canticle beginning, "Praise the Lord, O my soul," which the Latin words mean. It consists of the first four and the last three verses of the 103d Psalm and is used as an alternate to the Nunc Dimittis. It is not set forth in the English Prayer Book as a canticle.

Benedicite.—The Benedicite is taken from the Apocryphal Book of "The Song of the Three Children" and has been used from very ancient times as a hymn in Christian Worship. St. Chrysostom, A.D. 425, spoke of it as "that wonderful and marvelous song which from that day to this has been sung everywhere throughout the world, and shall yet be sung by future generations." An analysis of this hymn shows it to be not simply a haphazard enumeration of the "works of the Lord," but a fine grouping of them in classes to which they belong. The Prelude, contained in the first verse, is a call to all the works of the Lord to "praise Him and magnify Him forever." {34} Then beginning with the angels as God's ministers we find four great divisions or classifications as follows:

I. The Heavens, verses 2 to 8.

II. Mid Air, verses 8 to 18.

III. The Earth, verses 18 to 26.

IV. All Mankind, from verse 26 to the end; this last division being a call to mankind in general—the people of Israel, Priests and servants of the Lord, Spirits and Souls of the Righteous, and all "holy and humble men of heart," to praise the Lord and magnify Him forever,—followed in Christian Worship by the Gloria Patri, as an act of high praise of the holy, blessed and adorable Trinity, made known to us by the Revelation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The Benedicite was first placed in the English Prayer Book in the year 1549, to be sung as an alternate to the Te Deum. It is usually sung during Advent and Lent.

Benediction.—A Blessing, such as that given at the end of the
Communion Office and in the Marriage Service.

It is also the act of setting apart for sacred use that which is to be used in the services of the Church. Reverential instinct teaches that it is unbecoming to transfer from the shop to the Altar or Church articles designed for holy use without first being set apart for such purpose. Hence it is usual to bless by some appropriate service Altar furniture, linen and other objects for holy use, that they may be set apart from all unhallowed and common uses. Such is the meaning of the consecration of our churches, and when new articles are added it seems but fitting {35} that they also should be set apart for sacred use, and this is done by an office of Benediction. The Benediction can only be pronounced by a Bishop or Priest.

Benedictus.—The canticle beginning "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel," used after the Second Lesson at Morning Prayer. It is the song uttered by Zacharias on the naming of St. John Baptist and is found in St. Luke I:68-80. The Benedictus has been used as a responsory canticle to the Gospel Lessons from very ancient times as the daily memorial of the Incarnation. As such it is the proper respond to the Second Lesson, the Jubilate being simply an alternate, to be used when the Benedictus occurs in the Lesson for the day. During Advent it is to be sung entire; at other times only four verses may be used.

Betrothal.—That portion of the Marriage Service in which the man and the woman join hands and give their troth (i.e., truth or promise of fidelity) each to the other. This is the Marriage Vow and is usually said at the foot of the chancel steps, the marriage proper (with the ring) taking place at the Altar Rail.

Bible, The English.—The English Version of the Bible as we now have it, commonly called the "Authorized Version" was set forth A. D. 1611. It was the work of many hands and of several generations. The translation made by William Tyndale, A.D. 1525, is regarded as the foundation or primary version, as the versions that followed were substantially reproductions of it. Three successive stages may be recognized in the work of translation; (1) The publication of the Great Bible in 1540; (2) The Bishop's Bible of 1568 and 1572 in the reign of Elizabeth, and (3) The publication {36} of the King's Bible in 1611 in the reign of James I. Thus the form in which the English Bible has now been read for more than 300 years was the result of various revisions made between 1525 and 1611. This old and familiar version of the Bible was revised A.D. 1881 by a large body of English and American scholars, but their revision has never become very popular. (See LECTIONARY, also SCRIPTURES IN PRAYER BOOK).

Bidding Prayer.—The 55th canon of the English Church in 1603 enjoined a Bidding Prayer in the form of an Exhortation to be used before all sermons, each petition or exhortation beginning, "Let us pray for," or "Ye shall pray for," to which the people responded. The term "Bidding" is from the old Saxon word "Bede," meaning prayer. The Litany and, also, the Prayer for the Church Militant in the Communion Office bear some resemblance to the Bidding Prayer, especially in the enumeration of the objects prayed for. The Bidding Prayer is now very rarely used, although attempts have been made to revive its use, especially in purely preaching services.

Biretta.—A black cap of peculiar shape worn by the clergy in outdoor processions and services and sometimes in Church. When worn by a Bishop the color is purple.

Bishop.—The highest of the three Orders of the Sacred Ministry (Bishops, Priests and Deacons). It is derived from the Greek word Episcopos, the transition being, Episcopus, Biscop, Bishop; the "p" melting into "b." The word means overseer. The functions of a Bishop are to rule his Diocese, ordain to the Ministry, administer Confirmation, consecrate Church {37} buildings, etc. The Bishops are the successors of the Apostles and bear the same office. That they are not now called Apostles will appear from the following statement: "When the Apostles, in anticipation of their approaching death, appointed