The American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia

by William James Miller

G

Gehenna.—In the original Greek of the New Testament Scriptures there are two words unfortunately translated by our one English word "Hell." The first of these is Gehenna, meaning the "place of torment." The second is Hades, which also occurs in the original Greek of the Creed, and means the hidden, covered, intermediate world where the soul rests between death and the general Resurrection. When, therefore, we confess in the Creed that our Lord "descended into Hell," we do not mean that He entered the "place of torment," but the "place of departed spirits" or Hades. This difference of meaning of the word "Hell" as used in our English translation of the Bible and the Creed should be borne in mind.

General Clergy Relief Fund.—This is the abbreviated title of a Society organized by the General Convention under the corporate name, "The Trustees of the Fund for the Relief of the Widows and Orphans {118} of Deceased Clergymen, and of Aged, Infirm and Disabled Clergymen of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, a corporation created in the year 1855 by chapter 459 of the laws of the State of New York." This is one of the most important Funds in the Church and commands the generous support of all earnest and devoted Church people. As its name implies, it is a Fund established for the purpose of taking care of Aged and Infirm clergy who through age or sickness have become disabled and can no longer fulfil their ministry. The conscience of the Church makes her feel obligated, like the national government, to take care of her faithful servants in their old age and disability, and also to provide for the care of the widows and orphans of deceased clergymen. The Church, however, cannot do this blessed work of Relief, unless all her people contribute largely to this Fund.

General Confession, The.—The form of words used by both Minister and People in humbly acknowledging their sins before God in preparation for the true worship of His Name about to follow. The General Confession was placed in the Morning Prayer in 1552 and in the Evening Prayer in 1661. Such beginning of our Public Worship is in accordance with the practice of the Primitive Christians, who, as St. Basil, writing in the Fourth Century, tells us, "in all churches, immediately upon their entering into the House of Prayer, made confession of their sins unto God, with much sorrow, concern and tears, every man pronouncing his own confession with his own mouth." A similar General Confession, but more heart searching, {119} is also to be found in the Communion Office, to be said in preparation for the due reception of the Sacrament. A third Confession is also set forth in the Penitential Office and commonly called the "Ash Wednesday Confession."

General Convention, The.—The legislative body of the American Church which meets triennially and is composed of the Bishops and Representatives from all the Dioceses and Missionary Jurisdictions. The Convention is composed of two houses, (1) the House of Bishops and (2) the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies consisting of four Clerical and four Lay representatives from each Diocese, and one delegate of each Order from every Missionary Jurisdiction. Both Houses together constitute the General Convention. All the laws of the Church in the United States are made by this Convention, but it can make no alteration in the Constitution or in the Liturgy and Offices unless the same has been adopted in one Convention, and submitted to all the Dioceses, and afterwards adopted in another Convention. For any measure to become a law it must be adopted by the concurrent action of both Houses. The General Convention provides also for the admission of New Dioceses; for Church extension, and for the erection of Missionary Jurisdictions both in the United States and in foreign lands, electing the Bishops for them. The Presiding Officer is the Senior Bishop by consecration, who presides in the House of Bishops and when both Houses meet as one body. When the Convention is not in session he acts as the Primate of the American Church. (See PRESIDING BISHOP.) The House of {120} Clerical and Lay Deputies also has its President or Presiding Officer who is chosen from among the Clerical Deputies at each meeting of the Convention.

General Council.—(See COUNCIL, also ECUMENICAL.)

General Thanksgiving, The.—The title of one of the prayers in Morning and Evening Prayer. It is called General as being suitable to all men, and in contradistinction to the special Thanksgivings to be used by request of members of the congregation for special mercies vouchsafed.

General Theological Seminary.—An institution of learning for the education of men for the Sacred Ministry, established by the General Convention of the American Church, May 27th, 1817, and incorporated April 5th, 1822. The Institution is situated in Chelsea Square, New York City, and has a very valuable property worth; $1,081,225.42. The endowments amount to over; $700,000. The number of students average about 150 each year. Number of Alumni 1,800. Whole number matriculated since 1822 about 2,300. Volumes in the Library 30,000.

Generally Necessary.—In the definition given in the Church Catechism of Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper, these Sacraments are declared to be "generally necessary to salvation." From the way many persons postpone their own Baptism, neglect the Baptism of their children and ignore the Holy Communion, it would seem that they think the word "generally" in the above clause, means "usually," but not essential to religious life. This is a mistake. The word "generally" as used when the Catechism was set forth is simply the Anglicized form of the Latin word {121} generaliter, meaning universally, always, absolutely necessary for every one who would be saved, and therefore, imperative where the Sacraments may be had.

Genuflexion.—A temporary bending of the knee as distinguished from actual kneeling; usually made towards the Altar as the symbol of Christ's Presence.

Ghost. Ghostly.—Ghost is the old Saxon word for spirit and is still used in the Name of the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. Ghostly, the adjective form of the word, has been retained in the Prayer Book and means spiritual, e. g., in the Confirmation service one of the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Ghost is called "ghostly strength," that is, spiritual strength.

Ghost, The Holy.—(See HOLY GHOST.)

Gifts of the Holy Ghost, Sevenfold.—The gifts bestowed on the Baptized by the Laying on of Hands in Confirmation, viz.: "the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and ghostly strength, the spirit of knowledge and true godliness and the spirit of holy fear," as enumerated in Isaiah 11:2. These gifts may be briefly interpreted as follows:

WISDOM, to choose the one thing needful.
UNDERSTANDING, to know how to attain it.
COUNSEL, the habit of asking guidance of God.
STRENGTH, to follow where He shall lead.
KNOWLEDGE, that we may learn to know God.
GODLINESS, that knowing Him we may grow like Him.
HOLY FEAR, meaning reverence and adoration.

Girdle.—A white cord to confine the alb at the {122} waist: used at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. (See VESTMENTS.)

Girls' Friendly Society.—A Society of young women organized in the American Church in 1877, and is a branch of a similar Society in the Church of England. The society has for its object the spiritual welfare of girls and young women through association and friendship with one another. The Society has (in 1901) 16,316 members in the United States and 4,022 associate members. A monthly magazine, the G. F. S. A. Record, is published as the official organ of the Society. Headquarters, the Church Missions House, New York City.

Gloria in Excelsis.—Meaning "Glory in the Highest," the title of the final hymn in the Communion Office. It is called the "Greater Doxology," and also, the "Angelic Hymn" as it is based on the song of the angels at Christ's Birth, which forms its opening words. The Gloria in Excelsis is the oldest and most inspiring of all Christian hymns. Its author and the time of its composition are unknown, but it was in use in the very earliest ages of the Church as a daily morning hymn. Its introduction into the Liturgy appears to have been gradual. The first words of it are found in the Liturgy of St. James, from which fact we learn that the germ of it was evidently used in Apostolic times. It is interesting to note that in ancient Liturgies the Gloria in Excelsis was placed at the beginning and not at the end of the Communion Office. It occupied such a position in our own Liturgy until A.D. 1552, when it was placed after the Thanksgiving. By the rubric permission is {123} given to use a hymn instead of it, and this is often done during Advent and Lent, thus reserving the Gloria in Excelsis for use in more joyous seasons such as Christmas, Easter, etc.

Gloria Patri.—Meaning "Glory to the Father," the first words of the short anthem used after each Psalm and elsewhere in the services, viz. "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen." It is often called the "Lesser Doxology." The Gloria Patri has been used in Christian worship from the beginning and is traceable to the Baptismal formula. Its frequent use in our services is not a vain repetition, as some suppose, but is very devotional and helpful to increased earnestness in worship, drawing our thoughts from man, his wants and experiences, and directing them to the Triune God, the Author and Giver of every good and perfect gift. Sung after the Psalms it gives to them a Christian meaning and interpretation. In accordance with the ancient usage the Gloria is said with bowed head as an act of worship and of faith, and is also said facing the Altar or East. (See EAST, TURNING TO.)

Gloria Tibi.—The Latin title of the words of praise sung when the Holy Gospel is announced in the Holy Communion, viz. "Glory be to Thee, O Lord." This Gloria also comes down to us from the ancient usage of the Church. It is said with the bowed head as an act of worship.

Godfathers, Godmothers.—(See SPONSORS.)

Golden Number.—The Golden Number is that {124} which marks the position of any given year in the Lunar Cycle, which is a period of nineteen years. Meton, an Athenian philosopher, discovered that, at the end of every such period, the new moons take place on the same days of the months whereon they occurred before its commencement. This discovery was considered to be so important, it became the custom to inscribe the rule for finding the moon's age on a tablet in golden letters and placed in the market-place at Athens; hence arose the term Golden Number. The Golden Number may be found by adding one to the year of our Lord, and dividing the sum by 19, when the remainder, if any, is the Golden Number. If there be no remainder, the Golden Number is 19. One is added to the year of our Lord because the first year of the Christian era was the second of the Cycle. The time of Easter may be found by means of the Golden Number. (See Tables in Prayer Book.)

Good Friday.—The Last Friday in Lent on which we commemorate the Death of our Lord. It is called Good Friday from the blessed results of our Saviour's sufferings, for by the shedding of His own most precious Blood He obtained eternal Redemption for us. It is the most solemn and binding of all Fridays and should be observed as an absolute Fast in token of our sorrow for sin, and in preparation for the Easter Communion. All unnecessary work, all social engagements and pleasures are especially to be avoided by all those who reverence their Lord, and remember of what Good Friday is the solemn memorial. It is a day of Church-going, and it will be found that the Good Friday services are very {125} impressive, solemn and soul-stirring. The Proper Psalms are the 22d, 40th and 54th in Morning Prayer, and the 69th and 88th for Evening Prayer. Proper Lessons and three special Collects, together with the Epistle and Gospel all set forth, amid the solemnities of worship, the momentous story of the Saviour's Passion and Death. In many places, it is usual to have in addition to the appointed services, the "THREE HOURS SERVICE" (which see), held from 12 M. to 3 P. M., in commemoration of our Lord's Agony on the Cross, and consisting of special prayers and hymns with addresses or meditations. The Holy Communion is not celebrated on Good Friday, in accordance with the immemorial usage of the Church; only the introductory portion of the service is used. The Altar is entirely stripped of its hangings and ornaments, except the cross, and is sometimes covered with black hangings. The observance of Good Friday is inwoven into the very texture of the Christian Religion, having been kept from the very first age of Christianity with strictest fasting and humiliation. The mind of the Church seems always to have been, "this day is not one of man's institution, but was consecrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when He made it the day of His most Holy Passion."

Good Shepherd, Sunday of.—The name given in the Western Church to the Second Sunday after Easter. The French know it as the Sunday of the Bon Pasteur. The name is suggested by the Gospel for the day which sets forth our Lord as "the Good Shepherd," and who in the Epistle is called the "Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls." {126}

Gospel.—The word "Gospel" is derived from the Anglo-Saxon Godspell, signifying "good news"; founded originally on certain words used by the angel in announcing the Saviour's Birth, viz.: "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy" (St. Luke 2:10). The word is greatly misunderstood and frequently misapplied, the idea seems to be that "Gospel religion," "Gospel sermons" and "preaching the Gospel," mean certain doctrines such as individual election, calling, justification, sanctification and the like. These are regarded as being very Scriptural, and in accordance with the Scriptural method. When, however, we turn to the Scriptures we find that such doctrines are not "the Gospel" at all, but simply deductions from it. In the New Testament the word "Gospel" is applied exclusively to the announcement of certain events, certain outward facts connected with the Second Person in the Blessed Trinity, namely, the Incarnation, Birth, Life, Death, Burial, Resurrection and Ascension of the Son of God. Such was the "good tidings" announced by the angelic choir, such is the purpose of the New Testament Scriptures, and that Gospel religion or Gospel preaching which brings these sublime facts to bear on the hearts and lives of men, as living realities and guiding motives, alone can be Scriptural and truly Gospel. This being the case, we can understand how the Church's Year with its changing seasons of joy and penitence, setting forth so clearly all these facts in our Lord's Life, preaches the very Gospel of Christ and in accordance with the Scriptural method. (See CHRISTIAN YEAR.)

Gospels, The.—The four canonical records of the {127} Life of our Lord written by St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke and St. John. The first three are called the "Synoptic Gospels," because they all look at the events they describe from the same point of view; while the standpoint of St. John is quite different. His purpose was not to give the history of our Lord as did the other Evangelists, but to teach the mysteries arising out of that history. For example, St. John says nothing about the circumstances of our Lord's Birth, but he sets forth the mystery which those circumstances embraced,—the Incarnation of the Word, or eternal Son of God. For this reason, the Fourth Gospel is called by ancient writers a "Spiritual Gospel," because it contains less of historical narrative than the others and more of Doctrine.

Gospel, The Holy.—The title given to the passage from the Gospels read at Holy Communion, commonly called "the Gospel for the Day." During the reading of the Holy Gospel the people are to stand as required by the rubric. This custom is intended to show a reverent regard to the Son of God above all other messengers.

Gospel Side.—The north side of the Altar (the left side as we face the Altar) at which the Holy Gospel is read. (See EPISTLE SIDE.)

Gospeller.—The Priest or Deacon appointed to read the Holy Gospel at a celebration of the Holy Eucharist, is so, called.

Government, Church.—(See EPISCOPACY.)

Gown, The Black.—An Academical gown; an official or distinctive dress worn by students and officers of a College or University, and also by officials of a {128} Court of Justice. It is not an ecclesiastical garment, although it was customary during a time of great spiritual decadence in the Church for the gown with bands to be worn during the preaching of the sermon in the service. This, however, has long since been given up; the surplice is more properly worn.

Grace.—The word "grace" means a special favor, and is applied to the whole obedience, merit, Passion and Death of our Lord and the benefits that flow from them,—justification, wisdom, sanctification, Redemption. The Church, which is the Body of Christ, is called the Kingdom of Grace, for in it we become members of Christ and partakers of His grace and heavenly benediction. The Sacraments, as well as other ordinances, are called "means of grace," because they are the appointed instrumentalities whereby God gives grace to His faithful people, to help them in living faithfully and in obtaining Salvation.

Gradine.—A name sometimes given to the shelf at the back of the Altar and attached to the wall or reredos, upon which are placed the candlesticks, flowers and other ornaments. There may be two or more such shelves.

Gradual.—A portion of Scripture formerly sung after the Epistle for the Day, from the steps of the Pulpit or Altar, and hence called Gradual, from the Latin gradus, meaning a step.

Greek Church.—A name often used for the EASTERN CHURCH (which see).

Green.—One of the Church colors, and used during the Epiphany and
Trinity Seasons. (See CHURCH COLORS.) {129}

Gregorian Music.—The Gregorian tones are certain chants of peculiar beauty and solemnity handed down to us from remote antiquity. They are said to have been set forth in their present form by Gregory the Great in the Sixth Century, from whom they are named. They are numbered from one to eight, with a few added supplementary tones of great dignity and beauty. Each tone has various endings. Where the Psalter is sung, the Gregorian chants are usually employed, being sung antiphonally, but the Glorias in full, that is by both sides of the choir together.

Growth of the Church.—The course of the Episcopal Church in the United States has been characterized by a very remarkable growth—a growth that has attracted the attention of the Public Press, both religious and secular. Thus the Roman Catholic News said recently, "The gains of the Episcopalians in this country, steady, onward, undeniable, and that at the expense of the denominations called evangelical, is one of the remarkable characteristics of our times." The following statement appeared in Public Opinion: "A good showing is made by the so-called Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. The general growth of the Church far exceeds, proportionately, that of the population at large, or of any other religious section of it in particular. It looks like the 'Church of the future.'" This statement may be illustrated by the returns of the last census. In the decade ending 1900 the population increased 21 per cent., while the increase of the Episcopal Church was 41 per cent. During the preceding decade (1880-1890) the increase of population was 24 per cent., but that of {130} the Church was 46 per cent. Before the Civil War, (in 1850) this Church had one communicant for about every 300 of the population; in 1880 it had one for every 148; in 1890, one for every 125, and in 1900 it had one communicant for every 107 of the population. The comparison of growth of this Church with other religious bodies was set forth in a statement by the New York Independent, from which it appears that the rate of increase during the period examined was for the Episcopal Church 44 per cent.; for the Lutherans, 14; Baptists, 12; Methodists, 11; and Presbyterians, 8 per cent. In the census returns in 1850 the population of the United States was 23,847,884 and the Episcopal Church had then only 79,987 communicants. To-day (1901) the State of New York alone with a population of only 7,268,012 has 163,379 communicants, being about one-fourth of the population in that State. The Missionary Monthly, a Presbyterian publication, speaking of the Church in New York City, said: "The Episcopalians far outnumber any other denomination in their membership. Their relative growth also surpasses all others. In 1878 the Presbyterian membership in this city was 18,704, while the Episcopalians numbered 20,984. Now the Episcopalians almost double the Presbyterians in the matter of Church membership." These last two items refer only to New York, but it is a well established fact that the Church is growing rapidly in all parts of our land. To-day there is not a State or Territory where the Episcopal Church has not its Bishop or Bishops and body of Clergy and faithful people; even in far away Alaska the Altar and the Cross have been set up, and the rate {131} of increase throughout the United States is larger than that of any other religious body in this land. Moreover, it is a striking fact that the Episcopal Church is the only religious body in the United States (except the Roman Catholic) which covers the entire country.

Guardian Angels.—(See HOLY ANGELS.)

Guild.—An organization or society. A name given to a society in the Church, having for its object the welfare of the Parish to which it belongs, or the promotion of some special church work. Usually the purpose of a Church Guild is to bring the members together in devotion of spirit and in cooperative work under the direction of the Rector; and in every way to bring the full Church system to bear on the hearts and lives of all.