§ 2. OF THE FORM, SITE, AND POSITION OF CHUrches.

1. Form. The first structures of Christians for religious worship were apparently built after the model of the Jewish synagogue, where, with the increase of their means and their number, they began to build larger edifices. The most approved form for churches was an oblong, with parallel sides, or the form of a ship. As it was common to speak of the Christian community under the metaphor of a ship, so the edifice in which they worshipped was denominated navis, a ship; arca, an ark; navis Noæ, the ark of Noah; navicula Petri, the boat of Peter; having an allegorical reference to the perils to which the church was exposed, and its safety in God.

Another favourite form for several ages after Constantine the Great was that of a cross, σταυροῦ δίκην, σταυροειδή, σταυρωτά. Some were also quadrangular, octagonal, polygonal, and sometimes, though very rarely, circular; this was the usual form of heathen temples, and, therefore, was disapproved by Christians.

2. Site. For the location of their churches the primitive Christians selected the summit of some high hill or elevated ground, unless compelled, for the sake of concealment, to resort to some place less conspicuous. At other times they erected their churches over the graves of martyrs and confessors. And not unfrequently, for some special reason, they prepared for themselves churches and oratories under ground, which served both for devotional purposes and as sepulchres for their dead.1 In the tenth and eleventh centuries, there were many such in Germany; these were denominated κρυπταί, cryptæ.

"During the sanguinary persecutions that assailed the primitive disciples, the myrmidons of imperial vengeance often broke in upon their worship, dispersed their assemblies, and violently dispossessed them of the upper rooms,' in which they were wont to congregate; and in these circumstances, while some fled to the mountains and some to the deserts, multitudes took permanent refuge in the spacious cemeteries that were situated in the outskirts of the ancient cities. Amid the deep and unbroken solitude of the catacombs— places of abode less irksome, perhaps, from the ancient style of building, than we are apt to imagine-they solaced and animated one another from midnight till dawn, with spiritual exhortations to constancy in the faith; and while the sword of vengeance was

sheathed, and the fury of their persecutors slumbered in the night, they continued, in those undiscovered retreats, their wonted exercises of prayer and praise. About forty-three of such subterranean excavations still remain in the neighbourhood of Rome alone, containing the most convincing evidences that they were employed for the ordinances of religion as well as for concealment; and when we consider that numbers died and deposited their bones there, some of whom had eminently distinguished themselves as martyrs in the cause of Christ, it is not difficult to imagine the strong emotions that would animate the primitive Christians for the venerable dust that surrounded them, and the intense power which religion would acquire over their minds, in places which served at once for the offices of worship and for the burial of the saints."

3. Position, or aspect.-In the aspect of their churches, the ancient Christians reversed the order of the Jews, placing the altar on the east, so that in facing toward the altar in their devotions they were turned to the east, in opposition to the Jewish custom of turning toward the west in prayer. This appears to have been the general, though not, perhaps, the universal custom after the fourth century.

As the Jews began their day with the setting sun, so the followers of Christ began theirs with the rising sun. The eye of the Christian turned with peculiar interest to the east, whence the dayspring from on high had visited him. There the morning star of his hope fixed his admiring gaze. Thence arose the Sun of righteousness with all his heavenly influences. Thither in prayer his soul turned with kindling emotions to the altar of his God. And even in his grave, thither still he directed his slumbering eye, in quiet expectation of awaking to behold, in the same direction, the second appearing of his Lord, when he shall come in the clouds of heaven to gather his saints.3

§3. OF THE ARRANGEMENT AND CONSTITUENT PARTS.'

No established order of arrangement and division prevailed in the first three centuries. The churches of this period were rude and simple structures, varying in form and size according to circumstances; but about the fourth century, great uniformity began to be observed in this respect. The body of the church was divided into three divisions, corresponding with the three orders. among Christians; the clergy, including all of their three highest.

orders, the faithful, or believers, and the catechumens. This arrangement also bore a resemblance to the division of the Jewish temple into the holy of holies, the sanctuary, and the court. Perhaps there was an intentional reference to both of these divisions; for it must be remembered that there was, at this time, an increasing disposition in the Christian church to imitate the rites of Jewish worship, and to magnify the office of the priesthood. The distinction between the clergy and the laity was carefully maintained, and the doctrine industriously propagated that the Jewish was universally to be received as a type of the Christian religion. The bishop assumed to be the high-priest of the Christian temple, which had also its holy place, which none but the priesthood were allowed, to enter. The faithful had their place, corresponding to the court of the Jews. The catechumens and others occupied the outer portion, similar to the court of the Gentiles. The three divisions were, 1. The bema or sanctuary, a sacred enclosure around the altar appropriated to the clergy. 2. The naos or nave, occupied by the faithful, the lay members of the church. 3. The narthex, or antetemple, the place of the penitents and catechumens. Sometimes four or five divisions are enumerated; which arise from subdividing the narthex into outer and inner, and reckoning the exedrae, or outer buildings, as a portion of the church. We adhere to the threefold, or more simple division, and proceed to speak of each part in the order already described.

§4. OF THE BEMA, OR SANCTUARY.'

THE bema, or sanctuary, the inner portion of the church which was appropriated to the clergy, was known by many different names. It was called the chorus or choir,1 from the chanting of the service. by the clergy, ẞnua, from avaßaive, to ascend, being an elevated platform, ἅγιον, ἁγίασμα, ἅγιον ἁγιων, sanctum sanctuarium, etc., because it was the sanctuary where most of the sacred rites were performed. It was also denominated ἱερατείον, πρεσβυτή ριον, διακονικόν, θυσιαστήριον, altar, ἄβατον, ἄδυτον, places not to be entered. Neither laymen nor females were permitted, on any occasion, to enter it;t kings and emperors, in the Eastern

*See plans, pp. 236–239.

+ Sacerdotes et levitæ ante altare communicent; in choro, clerus; extra chorum, populus.-IV. Conc. Tobet. c. 18, A. D. 633. Intra sanctuarium altaris ingredi ad communicandum non liceat laicis, viris, vel mulieribus, nisi tantum

churches, were privileged with a seat within this sacred enclosure, from whence it received the name of aváxτopov, royal palace.

The platform of this portion of the church was a semicircular or elliptical recess, with a corresponding arch overhead, and separated from the nave by a railing curiously wrought in the form of network, cancelli-hence the name chancel. In the earliest centuries, however, this part of the church was extremely simple in its structure, and simply furnished with a table, on which the elements were placed in the celebration of the Lord's supper. But at a later period a mysterious sanctity was attached to the place. It was styled the sanctuary, the holy place, the most holy place, the altaplace, the advτov, the aßatov, or more frequently, in the plural, places not to be approached. The bishop was now honoured by a separate throne, elevated above the other orders of the clergy, who sat below him on the right and the left. The bishop's throne was usually covered with a vail, and for this reason was styled cathedra velata. In the middle of the church stood the holy altar, or communion table, τράπεζα ἱερά, μυστική, πνευματική, the sacred, mysterious, or spiritual table, in such a position as to be easily encompassed on every side. On this the sacred elements were placed in the sacrament of the Lord's supper. On one side of the altar was a small table or secretary for receiving the customary oblations previous to the sacrament; and on the other stood the oxɛvoqv2άxɩov, a recess into which the sacramental vessels were conveyed to be washed and replaced before being removed to the sacristry in which they were usually kept.

iɛpa,

In process of time, this part of the church became the depository of sacred relics and the burial-place of the sainted dead.

This sanctuary, like the holy of holies in the temple, was also provided with a vail, so as to be screened at pleasure from the view of the congregation.

$5. OF THE ALTAR.

PAGAN nations were wont to erect altars in their sacred groves, on their high places, in their houses, by the wayside, and in public places. Toward such altars the primitive Christians entertained an irreconcilable aversion. When reproached with the charge of having no altars, no temples, no images, they simply replied,

clericis.-1 Conc. Bragar. c. 13, A. D. 563. Móvos ¿òv ɛivai tois iɛparıxois eloLévai eis tò Svolastŕpiov xai xowwveiv.-Conc. Laod. c. 19, A. D. 320. Comp. c. 44.