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A clergyman or layman who promotes revivals of religion; an advocate for religious revivals; sometimes, specifically, a clergyman, without a particular charge, who goes about to promote revivals. Also used adjectively.

er discipline and greater regard for morals, both in the religious orders and the secular clergy. Prescett.

Seats in the chancel of a church near the altar for the officiating clergy during intervals of service. Hook.

Specifically, a discourse delivered in public, usually by a clergyman, for the purpose of religious instruction and grounded on some text or passage of Scripture. This our life exempt from public haunts Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, Sermons in stones and good in everything. Shak. His preaching mu…

g and the vessels, vestments, etc., belonging to the church, to attend on the officiating clergyman, and to perform other duties pertaining to the church, such as to dig graves, ring the bell, etc. Sexton beetle (Zoöl.), a burying beetle.

mmed hat, turned up at the sides, and projecting in front like a shovel, - - worn by some clergy of the English Church. [Colloq.] -- Shovelspur (Zoöl.), a flat, horny process on the tarsus of some toads, -- used in burrowing. -- Steam shovel, a machine with a scoop or scoops, operated by a steam engine, for excavating…

Humble; lowly; undistinguished. A simple husbandman in garments gray. Spenser. Clergy and laity, male and female, gentle and simple made the fuel of the same fire. Fuller.

bachelor of arts; -- formerly colloquially, and sometimes contemptuously, applied to the clergy. Nares. Instead of a faithful and painful teacher, they hire a Sir John, which hath better skill in playing at tables, or in keeping of a garden, than in God's word. Latimer.

oned in front from top to bottom; especially, the black garment of this shape worn by the clergy in France and Italy as their daily dress; a cassock.

r temporal; relating to sacred things; ecclesiastical; as, the spiritual functions of the clergy; lords spiritual and temporal; a spiritual corporation. Spiritual coadjuctor. (Eccl.) See the Note under Jesuit. -- Spiritual court (Eccl. Law), an ecclesiastical court, or a court having jurisdiction in ecclesiastical aff…

An ecclesiastical body; the whole body of the clergy, as distinct from, or opposed to, the temporality. [Obs.] Five entire subsidies were granted to the king by the spirituality. Fuller.

A seat in the choir of a church, for one of the officiating clergy. It is inclosed, either wholly or partially, at the back and sides. The stalls are frequently very rich, with canopies and elaborate carving. The dignifird clergy, out of humanility, have called their thrones by the names of stalls. Bp. Warburton. Loud…

ance, before the Revolution, the assembly of the three orders of the kingdom, namely, the clergy, the nobility, and the third estate, or commonalty.

. Chaucer. They stripped Joseph out of his coat. Gen. xxxvii. 23. Opinions which . . . no clergyman could have avowed without imminent risk of being stripped of his gown. Macaulay.

-- often followed by a dependent proposition as the object. Whether the condition of the clergy be able to bear a heavy burden, is submitted to the house. Swift. We submit that a wooden spoon of our day would not be justified in calling Galileo and Napier blockheads because they never heard of the differential calculu…

ho fills a place for a time; one who supplies the place of another; a substitute; esp., a clergyman who supplies a vacant pulpit. Stated supply (Eccl.), a clergyman employed to supply a pulpit for a definite time, but not settled as a pastor. [U.S.] -- Supply and demand. (Polit. Econ.) "Demand means the quantity of a g…

A white garment worn over another dress by the clergy of the Roman Catholic, Episcopal, and certain other churches, in some of their ministrations. Surplice fees (Eccl.), fees paid to the English clergy for occasional duties.

xercise of his office, powers, prerogative, etc.; as, the suspension of a student or of a clergyman.

ns in Great Britain; -- so called in distinction from, and as inferior to, the nobles and clergy.

the tenthpart of the increase arising from the profits of land and stock, allotted to the clergy for their support, as in England, or devoted to religious or charitable uses. Almost all the tithes of England and Wales are commuted by law into rent charges. The tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil. Neh. xiii. 5…