The American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia

by William James Miller

Forms.—One great objection brought against the Episcopal Church by many persons not members of it is what they call forms and ceremonies. They say what they want is "spiritual religion," and this objection seems to be so final with them there is evidently nothing more to be said. It is not the purpose of this article to go into a vindication of forms, but rather to point out how unreasonable this objection is. If it were real, it would do away with all social forms and all forms in business as well as in religion. But they who make this objection do not adhere to it in their own religion. They cannot come together, even in a "Prayer Meeting" without some method or form which must be gone through with. Even the Quakers who, above all others, lay the greatest stress on "spiritual religion," must have their form—of silence, speech, dress and of even the architecture of their meeting-place, and which form is peculiar to them. This being the case the question, therefore, is not "Shall we have forms?" but, "What form shall we have in our Public Worship?" for we have learned that we must have some kind of FORM. The Episcopal Church simply clings to that which was from the {113} beginning, because the experience of centuries demonstrates that this is best, more consonant to reason and more expressive of the religious wants of man. Hence she values her Book of Common Prayer which is the outgrowth of the devotions of the ages and she cherishes the usages and traditions that have grown up around it. The Episcopal Church does not insist on forms merely for the sake of forms, but she values them for their helpfulness, for what they convey to the soul faithfully using them, and also, because they enable us to worship God as did His faithful people in all the ages past.

Forty Days, The Great.—Easter Tide which commemorates the period of Forty Days our Lord spent on earth after His Resurrection with His Apostles "and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:2 and 3). From many of our Lord's Parables as well as from other utterances by Him in His Teaching we learn that the words "Kingdom of God" mean His Church. So, then, during this mysterious time of His Resurrection Life our Lord was giving His final instructions concerning His Church, and to this instruction is to be traced many of the Church's usages and practices set forth in the Acts of the Apostles which otherwise are inexplicable—for example—the choice of St. Matthias in the place of the traitor Judas—thus indicating the perpetuity of the Apostolate; the observance of the first day of the week instead of the seventh; the ordaining of Deacons thus indicating "divers orders" in His Church; the Rite of Confirmation; Frequent Communion, Infant Baptism and many other things to be noted in the {114} Acts of the Apostles, which have become inherent features of the Church; how else are they to be accounted for and explained but as being among "the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God" of which the Master spake during these Great Forty Days? If not, then how came about their universal acceptance and continuance even unto this present day?

Fourth Sunday in Lent.—The Sundays in Lent are numbered. First, Second, Third, etc., through the six Sundays. But the last three Sundays are so striking in their teaching that additional names are given to them in order to emphasize that special teaching. Thus the 6th Sunday is called Palm Sunday; the 5th, Passion Sunday. So, also, the Fourth Sunday in Lent has its special name or names. Thus it is called Mid Lent Sunday because the middle of Lent has been reached. It is also called Refreshment Sunday from the Gospel for the Day which gives the account of our Lord feeding the multitude in the wilderness, and thereby indicating a more joyous note in the service for this day than belongs to the other Sundays in Lent. An old English name for this Sunday is Mothering Sunday. Mid Lent was considered somewhat of a holiday on which servants and children absent from home were permitted by their employers to visit their mothers. The name, doubtless, had its origin from the ancient custom of making pilgrimages to the Mother Church or Cathedral of the Diocese. (See LENT, SUNDAYS IN.)

Fraction.—The name given to the manual act of breaking the Bread by the Priest during the Consecration in the Holy Communion, according to the {115} rubric which directs, "And here to break the Bread." (See MANUAL ACTS.)

Free and Open Churches.—These words express the idea embodied in a movement in the American Church that has been making for many years to make the House of Prayer what it was originally, viz. free for all people, no reserved or rented pews, but every seat free and unreserved, so that high and low, rich and poor alike shall be equal in the Father's House; and open not simply when there is a service, but open all the time for private prayer as well as public. This movement is growing rapidly so that to-day more than half of our churches are thus free, and a great many of them are kept open all day long every day in the week. It is found that many earnest and devout souls, homeless perhaps, or dwellers in hotels or boarding-houses where there is little or no privacy, as well as others, gladly avail themselves of this privilege of the Open Church and find comfort in it. A society for the promotion of Free and Open Churches has been organized for many years with headquarters in Philadelphia.

Frequent Communion.—The influence of the Puritans on the religious life of the Church was in many instances tremendous and far-reaching. While the Prayer Book provides for frequent Communion, that is, every Lord's Day and Holy Day at the least, yet under the Puritan influence infrequent Communion became prevalent, and four times a year at the most came to be considered sufficient. When the Church began to pass out from under this influence we find that a monthly celebration became the universal rule {116} in the Church, and even with this many seem now to be satisfied. But as the Church grew, as the study of the Prayer Book and of Church History became more general and the Church began to assert herself, to claim her heritage, we find a return to the ancient order and Scriptural rule. The Sunday and Holy Day Eucharist was more and more restored, so that to-day there are very few parishes where "Frequent Communion" is not the rule. On this subject the Bishop of Maryland, the Rt. Rev. William Paret, D.D., has remarked, "God's Word and all history show that receiving the Holy Communion every Lord's Day was the old way and receiving once a month entirely a modern custom. In often receiving we are copying the whole Church of the first three hundred years."

Friday.—In the Prayer Book we find that Friday of each week is placed in the Table of Fasts to be observed in this Church throughout the year, and the rubric directs that it be announced to the congregation on the Sunday before. Friday as a Fast is intended to be the weekly memorial of the Crucifixion of our Lord just as Sunday is the weekly memorial of the Resurrection. Both are alike obligatory as both are enjoined by the same authority. It is encouraging to note a growing recognition of this Fast and a more general desire to honor weekly the day of our Lord's Crucifixion with a public service in Church and by personal acts of self-denial and devotion on the part of the faithful. (See GOOD FRIDAY, also FASTS, TABLE OF.)

Frontal.—The name given to a hanging in front of the Altar. The same as ANTEPENDIUM (which see). {117}

Fruits of the Spirit.—(See SPIRIT, FRUITS OF.)

Funerals.—The solemn BURIAL OF THE DEAD (which see). In the Church there is no such thing as "Preaching a Funeral," as it is called, but the reverent and devout committal of the "body to the ground," "looking for the General Resurrection in the last day and the life of the world to come, through our Lord Jesus Christ." Plainness and simplicity should mark so holy a function.