the Sacraments, the Decalogue, and the Lord's Prayer. It is one of the standards of doctrine in the Church of Rome, though the Jesuits deny its sjrmbolical author- ity. Hdhler refuses to it the character of a *' public confession," bat admits "the great authority which undoubtedly belon:^ to it" (Symboiismj Introduction, p. 105; see also Elliott, Delineation ofBomcemm^ bk. i, ch. i; Cramp, Texi-bodk of Popery^ ch. xxii). The Catechism is not fitted for the instruction of children, but is a mannal for the use of pastors. It was not
nre, was compared to a ship; the bishop was 6 wpa>- p€wc, the pilot; the presbyters, oi vaitraiy the mariners; the deacons, ol roixapxoti the chief rowen; the cate- chists, ol vavToXSyoi, It was properly the catechists' duty to show the catechumens the contract they were to make, and the conditions they were to perform, in order to their admittance into the Christian ship.
originally in the form of question and answer, but ; The deaconesses were also catechists to the more Ig- > of the later editions took that shape. There is norant and rustic women-catechumens, whicti proves
an Eo^ish translation by Dr. Donovan, of Bfaynooth College (Dublin, 1829 ; Baltimore, n. d. 8vo). Cramp remarks of this translatkm that it *' suppresses or al- tera such passages as express the peculiar tenets of popery in too open and undisguised a manner," and furnishes prooft of tlie charge {Text-book of Popery^ p. 430). Besides the Catechismus Romanm^ numerous
that catechists were not necessarily of the clerical or- der. Origen, when only eighteen years of age, and consequently when incapable of being ordained a dea- con, was appointed a catechist (Eusebius, Hiet, EccU$, vi, 3).
(2.) In the modem churdies, ministers are generally required by Church law to be catechists (i. e. for the
other Catechisms have appeared within the Church of instruction of children) ; and since the growth of the.
Rome flrom time to time. The most unpo-tant are those of Canisius (q. v.), the Jesuit (1554 ani 1566), which lure been largely used flrom that time to this, espe-
Sunday-school (q. v.), the Sunday-school teachers are, or ought to be, all catechists. — Farrar, Eecke, Diet, s. Bingham, Orig, Eede$, bk. iii, ch. x ; Coleman,
dally m Germany ; and that of Bellarmine (1608), and Ckr%ttianAntiq,iih,rry%^\ KxtLuae, De Catechetit prim'
oi Bossnet (1687). On recent Roman Catholic Cate- chisms, as compared with Canisius, see T^oologisehe I QfiJrtaUd^Jl, 1863, III, p. 448.
7. The Greek Church, — Palmer (in Herzog, Real- Emstfldop, s. V. Katechismus) remarks that the only j Chordi without an authorized Catechism is the Greek Church. But a Catechism prepared by Hogilas, me- |
iOvcB ecckiia (Lips. 1704) ; Siegel, AUerihSmer, p. 840. • CateohumeuStin the ancient Church, candidates for baptism, who were placed under a course of re- ligious instruction in order to their admission into the Church. For the derivation, see Catechetic^ 1. They are classed by ancient writers as members of the Church, but the lowest order of members (e. g. Origen,
tropoUtan of EUew (1|S42), was recognised l^ a synod Eusebius, Jerome ; cited by Bingham, bk. i, ch. iii).
of Jerusalem (1672) as a standard*
8. Sodmcm, — 1. The Craoooian Catechism was drawn up b^ Schomann, 1574, for the Polish churches ; it is nude up chiefly of verses of Scripture. 2. The Cate- chism of FoMMtiu Socinm was published at Raoovia, 1S18, hi an nnfiniahed form, owing to the death of So- ctnos, under the title Chriet.-ReSff, breviesima inttitutio, etc 8. The Saanfian Caiechismij larger and smaller, composed by Moecorovins, a Polish nobleman, and
1. Names. — Besides the name catechumens, they were called candidates (cctndld*)^ because they were ac- customed to appear dressed in white on their admission to the Church. They were also called novUiati, th- rones Deif rudesj ineipientes (e. g. by Tertullian, De Pes- niteat. c. vi. ; and by Augustine, De Fide ad Catechum, Ub. ii, cap. i).
2. Admission to the Catechumenate, — Heathens were admitted to the catechumenate by the imposition of
Scfamalz, a Sodnian minister (Latin, Racovia, 1609, hands and prayer, with the sign of the cross. The
12mo; new ed. by Crellius, 1630, 4to; and another, vith refutation, by CEder, Frankfort and Leips. 1789, 8w; Eni^h translation by Rees, Lond. 1818, with pre&ce, treating of the literary history of the Cate- chism).
There have been many Catechisms prepared by in- dividuals and used in various countries and churches, hot as none of them have been clothed with sjrmboU- csl aothorify, we do not attempt to give a list of them,
children of believers were admitted as soon as they were of age to receive instruction, but there does not appear to have been any specific age fixed at which Jewish and heathen converts were considered as cate- chumens. The greater part were of adult age ; even Constantine the Great was in this class. But it was essential that they should not have been baptized.
8. Period of the Catedutmenate,— The time spent in preparation varied according to the usages of various
—Smith's Hagenbach, ^st, ofDoctnnes^ § 226 ; Shedd, churches, and particukrly according to the proficiency ^^ of Doctrines, ii, 457-498; Smith's Gieseler's Ch, of each individual. In the ApostoUcal Constitutions ^Jwy, vol. iv, § 81; Augusti, Corpus £Abr, Symbol, three years are enjoined ; by the Council of Eliberis, Wor^i. (Uberf.1827, 8vo); Winer, TheoL LUeratur, § A.D. 678, two years; by that of Agatha, A.D. 606, ^^▼ii; Welch, Bibliotheea Theologica, voL i, ch. iv; I eight months. Sometimes the catechumenate period Henog, RsaUEnqfklopddie, vii, 454 sq. ; Zeitschrift \ was limited to the forty days of Lent. Socrates ob- fir Uthr. Theobgie^ 1865, p. 800. ^1 serves that, in the conversion of the Burgundians, the