ECCLESIASTICAL

Something belonging to or set apart for the church, as distinguished from “civil” or ”secular,” with regard to the world. Wharton. Ecclesiastical authorities. In England, the clergy, under the sovereign, as temporal head of the Church, set apart from the rest of the people or laity, in order to superintend the public worship of God and the other ceremonies of religion, and to administer spiritual counsel and instruction. The several orders of the clergy are: (1) Archbishops and bishops; (2) deans and chapters; (3) archdeacons; (4) rural deans; (5) parsons (under whom are included appro priators) and vicars; (6) curates. Churchwardens or sidesmen, and parish clerks and sextons, inasmuch as their duties are connected with the church, may be considered to be a species of ecclesiastical authorities. Wharton. Ecclesiastical commissioners. In English law. A body corporate, erected by St. 6 & 7 Wm. IV, c. 77, empowered to suggest measures conducive to the efficiency of the established church, to be ratified by orders in council. Wharton. See 3 Steph. Comm. 156, 157. Ecclesiastical corporation. See Corporation. Ecclesiastical council. In New England. A church court or tribunal, having functions partly judicial and partly advisory, appointed to determine questions relating to church discipline, orthodoxy, standing of ministers, controversies between ministers and their churches, differences and divisions in churches, and the like. Stearns v. First Parish, 21 Pick. (Mass.) 124; Sheldon v. Congregational Parish, 24 Pick. (Mass.) 281. Ecclesiastical courts. A system of courts in England, held by authority of the sovereign, and having jurisdiction over matters pertaining to the religion and ritual of the established church, and the rights, duties, and discipline of ecclesiastical persons as such. Tbev are as follows: The archdeacon’s court, consistory court, court of arches, court of peculiars, prerogative court, court of delegates, court of convocation, court of audience, court of faculties, and court of commissioners of review. See those several titles; and see 3 Bl. Comm. 64 68. Equitable Life Assur. Soc. v. Paterson, 41 Ga. 364, 5 Am. Rep. 535 Ecclesiastical division of England. This is a division into provinces, dioceses, archdeaconries, rural deaneries, and parishes. Ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Jurisdiction over ecclesiastical cases and controversies; such as appertains to the ecclesiastical courts. Short v. Stotts, 58 Ind. 35. Ecclesiastical law. The body of jurisprudence administered by the ecclesiastical courts of England; derived, in large measure, from the canon and civil law. As now restricted, it applies mainly to the affairs, and the doctrine, discipline, and worship, of the established church. De Witt v. De Witt, 67 Ohio St. 340, 66 N. E. 136. Ecclesiastical things. This term, as used in the canon law, includes church buildings, church property, cemeteries, and property given to the church for the support of the poor or for any other pious use. Smith v. Bonhoof. 2 Mich. 115.