The American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia

by William James Miller

Retable.—A shelf at the back of the Altar, usually fastened to the reredos, on which are placed the Altar cross, the vases for flowers, and the candlesticks. The necessity for the retable arises from the fact of the reverent usage of the Church, which requires that nothing shall be placed on the Altar but the Eucharistic vessels, the book rest and the book.

Retreat.—This is a term used to designate a time of retirement as a means of deepening the Spiritual life of the Clergy, for whose benefit it is held. It involves a temporary submission to the monastic rule of silence, meditation, confession and conference. In Holy Scripture we read of our Lord and His disciples {231} constantly going into retreat in some shape or other. Christ on the hilltop, St. Paul in the desert near Damascus, St. Peter on the roof of his house, retired for prayer and meditation. The Retreat as now conducted gives each one the opportunity to make special effort to see more clearly those great principles of Religion which can only be seen by such effort and by such special spiritual exercises. In some Dioceses an annual Pre-Lenten Retreat is held for both Bishop and clergy in preparation for the solemn and spiritual work of Lent. It is a cheering sign of spiritual revival which many will welcome, to see Bishop and Clergy thus meeting and withdrawing for a season from the world, for prayer, for intercommunion and instruction.

Ring.—The custom of the Wedding Ring was probably adopted by the early Church from the marriage customs of the Jews and also of the heathen, as its use has been almost universal. From its shape, having neither beginning nor ending, it is regarded as an emblem of eternity, constancy, and integrity. It is placed on the fourth finger of the woman's left hand, and the ancient ceremony of doing so was to place it first on the thumb at the Name of the first Person of the Trinity; on the next finger, at the Name of the Son; on the third at the Name of the Holy Ghost, and then on the fourth finger, and leaving it there at the word "Amen." The ring is, also, frequently given at the consecration of a Bishop, to symbolize his espousal with the Church in his Diocese. Thus bestowed, it is the symbol of authority and is called the Episcopal Ring. {232}

Rites and Ceremonies.—The Rites and Ceremonies of the Church are based on the Apostolic injunction, "Let all things be done decently and in order." By rites are meant certain prescribed ordinances, and by ceremonies certain sacred observances, as distinguished from Sacraments. These when prescribed by lawful authority are instrumental in promoting uniformity of worship and are conducive to regularity and edification. We learn from the Twentieth Article of Religion that the power to decree Rites and Ceremonies rests with the Church, and, as set forth in the Twenty-fourth Article, "every particular and national Church hath authority to ordain, change and abolish ceremonies, ordained only by man's authority." The Rites and Ceremonies of the American Church, are set forth and implied in the Book of Common Prayer, marked out in the rubrics and the Tables prefixed to it.

Ritual. Ritualism.—By ritual is meant the ceremonial part of Religion; the name is also applied to the book in which the Rites and Ceremonies are set forth. By ritualism is meant the system of ritual or prescribed form of religious worship. Therefore, these words meaning what they do are to be lifted up out of all party spirit and are to be regarded as expressive of the Church's real system of worship. Loyalty to the Prayer-book demands obedience to the rubrics on the part of both minister and people. Then it is well to remember that when the Prayer-book was first set forth in 1549, the principal change was that the services should be said in English; the ritual remained the same. This explains the origin of many practices which now prevail in the Church as {233} a matter of course, such as kneeling, bowing at the Name of Jesus, the use of vestments, etc. These are simply what had been in use in the early Church, and the use of the Prayer-book presupposes them all. It is well, also, to observe that Ritualism properly considered, emphasizes the continuity of the Church before and after the Reformation, and is a standing protest against the false idea that the Episcopal Church was founded by Henry the Eighth, or that it is a mere schism from the Church of Rome. (See ORNAMENTS; also UNDIVIDED CHURCH, THE.)

Rochet.—A Bishop's vestment, and may be described as a long narrow surplice or alb which he wears under the CHIMERE (which see).

Rogation Days.—The Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before Ascension Day. They are days of abstinence preparatory to the great Feast of the Ascension. They are so called from the Latin word rogare, meaning to ask, and coming as they do in the early part of the year, it was customary on these days to ask God's blessing on the fruits of the earth. So that the Rogation Days bear the same relation to the plowing and sowing that Thanksgiving Day bears to the harvest. Two special prayers for this purpose, entitled "For Fruitful Seasons,—To be used on Rogation Sunday and the Rogation Days," were introduced into the American Prayer-book at its last revision in 1892. The Rogation Days were originated about the middle of the Fifth Century by Mamercus, Bishop of Vienne in Gaul, on the occasion of a great calamity that threatened his Diocese; whence arose the custom of saying the Litany and certain Psalms such as 103d {234} and 104th, during perambulations of parishes. This method of celebrating the Rogation Days still prevails in many parishes in England.

Rogation Sunday.—The Fifth Sunday after Easter, being the Sunday next before the Rogation Days and Ascension Day is so called, and no doubt from the words with which the Gospel for the day begins, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My Name, He will give it you." (See ROGATION DAYS.)

Rood Screen.—The word "rood" is the old Saxon word for cross or crucifix; and the term "rood screen" is the name given to the screen or open partition to be seen in many churches, placed between the chancel and the nave, and which is always surmounted by the rood, i.e., the cross.

Rubric.—The rules or directions in the Prayer-book, printed in Italics, concerning the method of conducting the services. While they are now usually printed in black ink, they are still called rubrics from the fact that they were formerly always printed in red; rubric being derived from a Latin word meaning red.