Bishopric.—The office or jurisdiction of a Bishop.
Black.—One of the Church colors; to be used only on Good Friday and at funerals. This usage applies to the Stole as well as to the Altar hangings. (See CHURCH COLORS).
Blessed Virgin Mary.—The title which the Church has always given to the Mother of our Lord, and by which all devout churchmen speak of her of whom the angel declared, "Blessed art thou among women." "Not even the glorified Saints who have attained to the purity and bliss of Heaven are raised to higher blessedness and purity than that saintly maiden was whom Elizabeth was inspired to call 'the Mother of my Lord.' This sanctity of the Blessed Virgin through her association with her Divine Son has always been kept vividly in view by the Church."
The perpetual Virginity of the lowly Mother of our Lord has always been a very strong tradition among all devout Christians; a belief which is prompted by reverence for the great mystery of the Incarnation, and confirmed by the universal consent of the Church. The term "brethren" of our Lord, which occurs in the New Testament means simply kindred, according to the Jewish use of the word.
Two days are set apart to the honor of the Blessed Virgin, viz.,
The Feast of the Annunciation, March 25th, and the Feast of the
Purification, February 2d. (See articles on these Festivals.) {41}
Blessing of Peace, The.—The Benediction at the end of the Communion
Service, beginning, "The Peace of God," etc. This beautiful Benediction
is peculiar to the Anglican Liturgy, both as to form and place.
Reverence and a devout mind will not permit any one to leave the
Church before this Blessing is pronounced.
Board of Managers.—The executive committee which has charge of the general Missions of the American Church, and which, when the Board of Missions is not in session, exercises all the corporate powers of THE DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY (which see).
Board of Missions.—The legislative branch of THE DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY (which see) and which holds its sessions during the General Convention.
Bounden Duty.—It is thus the Prayer Book expresses the obligation of all the Confirmed to attend and participate in the Holy Communion whenever it is celebrated. The words occur in the Prayer of Consecration.
Bowing.—The late Canon Liddon, in one of his sermons, said, "The reverence of the soul is best secured when the body, its companion and instrument, is reverent also." This truth pervades all the Church's worship. Besides kneeling and standing, bowing, also, was always and is still customary in the devotions of the true disciple. Thus in regard to bowing towards the Altar, the 7th canon of the English Church of 1640, which enjoins the custom, declares, "doing reverence and obeisance both at their coming in and going out of churches, chancels, or chapels was a most {42} ancient custom of the Primitive Church in the purest times." Bowing at the Name of Jesus is a very old and Scriptural custom according to the spirit of St. Paul's words in Phil. 2:10. "At the Name of Jesus every knee should bow," and is enjoined by the 18th canon of 1604 in these words, "When in the time of divine service the Lord Jesus shall be mentioned, due and lowly reverence shall be done by all persons present." Bowing at the Glorias was first introduced about 325 A.D. as a protest against Arianism, a heresy which denied the Divinity and coequality of God the Son.