realized in the Holy Eucharist. This spiritual food is our Lord's
own divine substance and life, by participation in which the faithful
Christian enters into a communion with his Lord which death cannot
end or even interrupt. All who enter, whether in the present or in
the past, into this communion with their risen Lord are thereby
bound together in holy fellowship one with another also. It is this
holy fellowship of those whom the Spirit has sanctified, one with
another and with their Lord, that we call the Communion of Saints.
(See ALL SAINTS' DAY.)

Compline.--One of the seven CANONICAL HOURS (which see).

Confirmation.--An ordinance of the Church, sacramental in character
and grace conferring. It is administered to those who have been
baptized and is effected by prayer and the Laying on of Hands by
the Bishop. Hence the Scriptural name for it is "The Laying on of
Hands." Its chief grace is the seven-fold {67} gift of the Holy Ghost
by means of which we are sealed, made firm or strong, and equipped
"manfully to fight under Christ's banner against sin, the world
and the devil." Confirmation is a further advance in the Christian
Life and entitles the recipient to be admitted to the Holy Communion.

The Scriptural authority for Confirmation is very manifest. Thus in
Acts 8:5-17, we have the first recorded Confirmation, and in the
19th chapter we find another account of the same administration. In
Hebrews 6:1, 2, we find Confirmation or the Laying on of Hands
mentioned as a first or foundation principle of the Doctrine of
Christ, as necessary to the health of the soul as Repentance, Faith,
Baptism, Resurrection and eternal judgment. In Ephesians 1:13 and 14,
it is spoken of as a "sealing," and made a plea for righteousness
of life: and in the fourth chapter, verse 30, it is spoken of in
the same way, as well as other passages which might be cited.
Confirmation having such Scriptural authority, it is to be noted
that it has always and in all places been practiced by the Historic
Church and that even at this present time nine-tenths of all
Christian people still hold to Confirmation as essential and
necessary to the religious life. While the above Scriptural authority
and universal practice are sufficient evidence that the use of
Confirmation is according to the mind of Christ, yet it will be
interesting to know the estimate of this holy ordinance by those
who have departed from the practice of the Universal Church, whi