n, and of the
Holy Ghost." By the rubric in the Office for Holy Baptism it is
directed that the Font is to be filled with "pure water." It is
thus the Church fulfils our Lord's command, following literally
His words, "baptizing them with water." Water, therefore, is the
essential element of Holy Baptism, just as the bread and wine are
the {275} elements in the Holy Communion. Water as used in Holy
Baptism signifies "cleansing," The amount of water to be used the
Church has always regarded as matter of indifference.

Wedding Ring.--(See RING.)

Wednesday.--In the earliest ages of the Christian Church its
devotions were always characterized by both weekly and annual
fasts. During the week the first Christians always kept two fasts;
one on _Wednesday_, the day on which our Lord was betrayed, and the
other on Friday, the day on which He was crucified. Both the English
and American Churches have perpetuated this custom by appointing
Wednesday and Friday of each week as Litany Days.

Western Church.--A term frequently met with in Church history and
denoting the Churches which formerly made part of the western empire
of Rome, _i.e._, the Church in western Europe,--Italy, Spain,
France, etc. The Church of England is also included under this term
as being a branch of the Catholic and Apostolic Church.

Whitsun Day.--A high Festival observed in the Church on the fiftieth
day after Easter, in commemoration of the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost as "they were all
with one accord in one place" in Jerusalem. Whitsun Day is
the Birthday of the Christian Church, and as such it has been
commemorated for nearly two thousand years by Christian people and
observed by them with holy joy and deep thanksgiving for the
fulfilment of our Lord's promise to send the Comforter to His
comfortless people. {276}

By the devotions of Whitsun Day we have brought to our remembrance,
in the most beautiful and striking manner, the operations of God by
the Spirit's power. By Proper Psalms, Proper Lessons and Eucharistic
Scriptures, and by Proper Preface in the Communion Service, we learn
how that in the Holy Ghost and His Presence in the Church we have
the great power and renewing grace of God made availing to us. The
ecclesiastical color is red as symbolical of the "cloven tongues
like as of fire," in which form the Holy Ghost lighted on the head
of each of the Apostles. (See HOLY GHOST.)

As to the derivat