GOSPEL

(A word compounded of two Saxon words, god , “good,” and spell , a “me age” or “tidings,” and so answering to the Greek εὐαγγέλιον .) God’s or Good Tidings—the glad tidings of the salvation wrought for man by the Lord Jesus Christ . In a stricter sense, the word means each of the four histories of our Saviour , written by the Evangelists: in a more confined sense still, it means that portion of Scripture which is read immediately after the Epistle in the ante-communion service, and which is taken from one of the four Gospels. A Gospel is also read in the Baptismal Service. In the med iæval Church there were always peculiar ceremonies used in honour of the Gospel, as for instance, the bringing special lights even during day-time, placing the book of the Gospels reverently on the altar, incensing them, . In the Anglican Church we retain some vestiges of this in standing whilst the Gospel is read, and preceding it by the “Glory be to thee, O Lord ,” a sentence retained traditionally from the ancient Church.