dance with the mind of the
Master. This, at least, is the conclusion of the best scholarship
of the day, both Episcopal and non-Episcopal. For example, a
non-Episcopal divine has set forth his conclusions in the following
statement: "The Apostles embodied the Episcopal element into the
constitution of the Church, and from their days to the time of the
Reformation, or for fifteen hundred years, there was no other form
of Church government anywhere to be found. Wheresoever there were
Christians there were also Bishops; and often where Christians
differed in other points of doctrine or custom, and made schisms
and divisions in the Church, yet did they all remain unanimous in
this, in retaining Bishops." So {100} also, the historian Gibbon
gives his conclusion as follows: "'No Church without a Bishop' has
been a _fact_ well as a maxim since the time of Tertullian and
Irenaeus; after we have passed over the difficulties of the first
century, we find the _Episcopal government established_, till it
was interrupted by the republican genius of the Swiss and German
reformers." (See MINISTRY, THE.)

Episcopate.--The office of a Bishop. The term is variously used. It
means not only the office or dignity of a Bishop, but it may also
mean the period of time during which any particular Bishop exercises
his office in presiding over a Diocese. Again, _Episcopate_ is the
collective name for the whole body of Bishops of the Christian
Church, lists of which have been carefully preserved from the
beginning. The Episcopate of the American Church includes all the
Bishops from Bishop Seabury, our first Bishop, down to the Bishop
who was last consecrated.

Epistle, The.--The portion of Holy Scripture read before the Gospel
in the Communion Office, generally taken from one of the N. T.
Epistles, though sometimes from the Acts of the Apostles or from
one of the books of the Prophets of the Old Testament. It is well
to note that the Collect, Epistle and Gospel embody the special
teaching of the day for which they are appointed.

Epistle Side.--The south or right side of the Altar from which the
Epistle is read. When the Priest celebrates alone, he first reads
the Epistle at the south side and then passes to the north side
where he reads the Gospel. {101}

Epistoler.--The minister who reads the Epistle for the day and acts
as sub-deacon at the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

Eschatology.--That department of Theology devoted to inquiry
c