techism
treating of the two Sacraments "generally necessary to salvation,
that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord," defines a
sacrament as being an outward and visible sign ordained by Christ,
of an inward and spiritual grace given by Him as its accompaniment.
This definition has reference to the Sacramental system of the
Church and means that Christ appointed only two Sacraments that are
generally or universally necessary to salvation. It does not imply
that there are not other Sacramental agencies in the Church--but
only that these two are absolutely necessary to salvation. For
example, if a man would be saved he must receive Holy Baptism and
Holy Communion where these Sacraments are to be had; but for his
salvation it is not necessary that he should be married, or ordained
to the Sacred Ministry, and yet Marriage and {236} Ordination are
thoroughly sacramental in character in that they are grace
conferring, and therefore, in her book of Homilies the Church calls
them Sacraments, The great English divines generally take this
position in regard to the Sacraments and the Sacramental System
of the Church. Thus Archbishop Bramhall declares: "The proper and
certain Sacraments of the Christian Church, common to all, or (in
the words of our Church) _generally necessary_ to Salvation, are
but two, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. . . . The rest we
retain, though not under the notion of such proper and general
Sacraments,--as Confirmation, Ordination, Matrimony, Penitence and
lastly, the Visitation of the Sick." So also, Bishop Jeremy Taylor
says, "it is none of the doctrine of the Church of England, that
there are two Sacraments only, but that 'two only are generally
necessary to salvation.'"

Sacred Vessels.--(See VESSELS, SACRED.)

Sacrifice.--A solemn offering made to God according to His ordinance,
for His honor and for the benefit of sinners, as in the Holy
Communion which is called "our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving,"
and in which the merits and death of Christ are pleaded for the
remission of our sins.

Sacristan.--An old word derived from the Latin _sacra_, meaning
sacred things, still retained to designate one who has charge of
the Sacristy with all its contents, viz., the vestments and sacred
vessels. The word has been corrupted into _sexton_ which is now used
for the man who takes care of the church building.

Sacristy.--The apartment in a church building {237} where the
vestments, books