power or privilege is asserted for the elect
to do what they please without prejudice to their sanctity; it being
maintained that to them nothing is sinful, and this is represented
as the perfection of Christian Liberty. History shows, as was to be
expected, that this doctrine has borne the most disastrous fruits
among those who have embraced it.

ANTIPHON, ANTIPHONALLY, _see_ Church Music.

ANTI-TYPE, _see_ Type.

APOSTASY. A renouncing of our religion either formally, or virtually
by our actions.

APOSTLE. From a Greek word, meaning "one sent." A designation of
those twelve who were our Lord's companions on earth, and who,
afterwards, were _sent_ into "all the world to preach the Gospel to
every creature." After the treachery and death of Judas Iscariot,
Matthias was chosen to fill his place, St. Paul, by virtue of his
heavenly commission, is also termed an Apostle.

APOSTLES' CREED, _see_ Creed.

APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION. "The line in which the ministry of the
Church is handed on from age to age by the laying on of hands by
Bishops; the _corporate_ lineage of the Christian clergy, just as
in the Jewish Church there was a _family_ lineage. The Church of
England maintains the Apostolical Succession in the preface to her
Ordination Service. Those are said to be in Apostolical Succession
who have been sent to labour in the Lord's vineyard by Bishops, who
were consecrated by other Bishops, who, in their turn, were
consecrated by others, until the derived authority is traced to the
Apostles, and through them to the great Head of the Church. The
Apostolical Succession of the Ministry is essential to the right
administration of the Sacraments. The clergy of the Church of
England can trace their connexion with the Apostles by links in the
long chain, not one of which is wanting, from the times of St. Paul
and St. Peter to our own." (_Hook's Church Dictionary_.)

APPROPRIATION. In pre-Reformation times. Monasteries, and other
spiritual corporations, frequently annexed to themselves benefices,
placing in them some clergyman, who was called a Vicar, to do the
work of the place, for which they allowed him a certain sum out
of the income they had appropriated. At the Reformation, the
Monasteries, and religious houses were put down, and their property
distributed among the favourites of Henry VIII., and so the
patronage and major part of the income of these appropriated
benefices came into the hands of laymen. Thus, at the