CHURCH

(Yunanca köken — orijinale bakınız.) A building dedicated to the Lord. The word church, however, is not confined to this signification, but answers to all the senses in which ckkXtjo-io (Fr. eglise) is used in the New Testament, which from its original meaning of a convened a embly, is employed, 1st, to denote the whole body of true believers, or the visible church; 2nd, in addition to these, the spirits of the just made perfect, or the invisible church; "rd, any ^u;. t;ation f Christian - i.i in a single place, or the body of believer.- resident io a town or district.; and 4th, the edifice in which they meet, for divine worship. To these we may add a fifth sense ol the modern term church, when it is applied to a distinct religious community; as the Romish, the English, the Luther an, . The true definition of the visible church has been a matter of much controversy. The English church, In her 19th article, explains it to be "a congregation ol faithful men, in which the pure word of God is preached and the sacraments duly administered, according ti. Christ's ordinance, in all those things that of nece ity ar.> requisite to the same." What these nece ary requisites are is not dogmatically laid down, whence many comma nities come to be comprehended in the visible church by English divines which the Romish and other authorities exclude. Many sects, however, extend the pale still further, not considering the reception of the sacraments as any test of churchmanship, but referring it solely to the earnest belief and moral conduct of individuals. Church. In Architecture, a building dedicated to the performance of Christian worship. Under the art. Architecture an account is eiven of the Basilica; which were first used for the a embly of the early Christians, to which the reader is referred. Among the first of the churches was that of St. Peter's at Rome, about the year 326, nearly on the site of the present church; and it is supposed that the first church of St. Sophia at Constantinople was built somewhat on its model. That which was afterwards erected by Just in i an seems in its turn to have afford er I the model of St. Mark's at Venice, which was the first in Italy constructed with pendentives and a dome, the former affording the means of covering a square plan with an hemispherical vault. The four most celebrated churches in Europe erected since the revival of the arts are, St. Peter's at Rome, which stands on an area of 227,069 feet superficial; Sta. Maria del Fiore at Florence, sfandins on 84,802 feet.; St. Paul's, London, which stands on 84,025 feet; and St. Genevieve at Paris, 00.287 feet. The churches on the Continent are usually ranged under seven cla es: Pontifical, as St. Peter's, where the pope occasionally officiates; Patriarchal, where the government is in a patriarch; Metropolitan, where an archbishop is the head; Cathedral, where a bishop presides; Collegiate, when attached to a college; Parochial, attached to a parish;and Conventual, when belonging to a convent. foundCHUSITE.near Limbonrg.(Gr. xvoii Ip°ur-'> A verv fusible mineral [s. 248]