M

Magi. A name given to the "Wise Men from the East."

Magnificat. The first Latin word in the hymn of the Blessed Virgin Mary (S. Luke i. 46), sung or said at Evening Prayer.

Maniple. A vestment worn on the left wrist by the priest at the Holy Eucharist.

Maranathar. "The Lord cometh " (1 Cor. xvi. 22).

Martinmas. The feast of S. Martin (November 11th), the day on which the Armistice was signed in the Great War, 1918.

Martyr. (Greek " witness.") One who lays down his life for Christ's sake.

Mass. A name for the Holy Eucharist. Its derivation is uncertain.

Masters, The Old. The famous painters of the Middle Ages.

Materialist. One who holds the doctrine that the universe is composed wholly of matter.

Mattins or Matins. A morning service. In the Church of England every priest is ordered to say Matins daily.

Maundy Thursday. Thursday in Holy Week, the day on which Christ gave His Church the " New Commandment " (Latin, Mandont I command) ; and instituted the Sacrament of the New Covenant, the Holy Eucharist.

Messiah. Is the equivalent of Christ (Greek), mean-ing the Anointed One.

Methodists. A society formed in 1727, of which John Wesley and his brother Charles became leaders. They were called Methodists from their strictness of life.

Metropolitan. The chief bishop of a province. The Bishop of Calcutta is the Metropolitan of India. Millennium. A period of a thousand years, during which, from a mistaken view of Revelation xx, some said that Christ should reign with His saints upon the earth. (Latin, mille -- 1,000.)

Ministry, Christian. Men set apart by due rites and authority for ministering to the people of the Lord, The three chief Orders of the Ministry are bishops, priests, and deacons.

Minor Canon. A clergyman appointed by the dean and chapter of a cathedral to sing Divine Service.

Minor Orders. The offices in Holy Orders are sometimes classified as follows—Minor Orders: ostiarius (doorkeeper), exorcist, lector, acolyte. Holy Orders : subdeacon, deacon, priest.

Minster. Literally, a monastic church.

Miracle. A supernatural work beyond human explanation.

Miracle Plays. Stories from the Bible and the lives of the saints, formerly acted in churches and elsewhere.

Misericords. Carved brackets underneath the seats in old chancels, forming a shelf on which a monk could lean when the seat was turned up on its hinge. They were allowed out of compassion (misericordia) They are often decorated with curious carvings.

Missal. The Roman prayer book for the Mass, which was superseded in England by the Book of Common Prayer in 1549. Mitre. The ceremonial head-dress of a bishop or abbot.

Monastic Vows. Obedience, poverty, celibacy.

Monotheism. The doctrine that there is one God only.

Morality Play. A play in which the characters represented the virtues and vices. The most famous morality play is " Everyman."

Mothering Sunday. Mid-Lent Sunday, a day on which congregations visited the mother church and children their parents with gifts. It is sometimes called " Refreshment Sunday."

Mystery. As used by S. Paul, the word denotes a divine truth previously hidden and now
revealed to those whose spiritual understanding has been quickened through Christ. Mystery Play. Another name for miracle plays.

Mystic. One who by silent converse with God seeks to bring his will into union with the divine will.