urch and being the time for
the revival of old faiths and pledges, and consequently of renewed
interest in the Church, its work and its worship.

Deposition.--The name used in the general Canons for degradation
from the office of the Ministry, as the penalty for offenses therein
enumerated. Deposition can only be performed by a Bishop after
sufficient evidence. When a Bishop thus deposes any one, he is
required to send "notice of such deposition from the Ministry to
the Ecclesiastical Authority of every Diocese and Missionary
Jurisdiction of this Church, in the form in which the same is
recorded." The object of this is to prevent any one thus deposed
from officiating anywhere in the Church. He has been cut off from
all office in the Church and from all rights of exercising that
office.

Deprecations.--The name given to certain petitions in the LITANY
(which see).

Descent into Hell.--An article of the Creed in which we confess our
belief that our Lord while His Body lay in the grave, descended into
the place of departed spirits. The word "Hell" as here used is the
English translation of the Greek word _Hades_, which means not the
place of torment, (for which another Greek word is used, viz.,
Gehenna) but that covered, hidden place where the soul awaits the
General Resurrection. The Rubric before the Creed gives this
interpretation of the word, and permission is given to churches
to use instead of it, the words "place of departed spirits," "which
are considered as words of {80} the same meaning in the Creed." (See
INTERMEDIATE STATE.)

Diaconate.--The office of a Deacon, or the order of Deacons
collectively.

Dies Irae.--The first two words of a Latin hymn, meaning "Day of
Wrath," being the 36th of the Hymnal. It is supposed to have been
written in the Twelfth Century by Thomas of Celano. The translation
of this hymn used in the Hymnal was made by the Rev. W. J. Irons,
in 1869. It seems to be a poetic and devotional embodiment of the
words to be found in Hebrews 10:27, "a certain fearful looking for
of judgment and fiery indignation," and is much used during Advent.
The music to which it is usually sung was written by the Rev. John
B. Dykes in 1861, and is a most beautiful rendering of this ancient
and sublime hymn.

Digest of the Canons.--The name given to the collection of the
laws or canons of the American Church enacted and set forth by
the General Convention. The word "Digest" is derived from the Latin
wo