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_.

S

Sabaoth.--The Hebrew word for "Hosts." The words "Lord God of
Sabaoth," to be found in the Te Deum, mean the same as "Lord God of
Hosts" in the Ter Sanctus in the Communion Service. {235}

Sabbath.--The Jewish weekly day of _rest_ (which the word means)
observed on the seventh day because God rested on that day from His
work of creation. It is no longer binding on Christians, and the
name is very improperly applied to the first day of the week which
Christians observe as a day of rest and worship. (See LORD'S DAY.)

Sacrament.--The word "Sacrament" is derived from the Latin
_Sacramentum_, meaning the military oath required of the soldiers
of ancient Rome. Its outward sign was the uplifted hand whereby the
soldier pledged himself to loyalty, which may be regarded as the
thing signified by that outward gesture. The word came to be used
for those ordinances of the Christian Church possessing an "outward
sign" and conveying an "inward grace." Thus the Church Ca