Barbary Deer.
1. The species usually referred to by the above Heb. terms is probably that now known by the name of Cermu barbarv$t or Barbary stag, in sise between the red and fallow deer, diBtinguished by the want of a bisantler, or second branch on the hcxms, reckoning from below, and by a spotted livery, which is effaced only in the third or fomth year. This species is fig- ured on Egyptian monuments, is stUl occasionally seen about the natron lakes west of the Nile, and, it seems, has been observed by travellers in the desert east of the Dead Sea, on the route from Cairo towards Da- mascus. We take this to be the iffkd or qfal of the Arabs, the same which they accuse of eating fieh — that is, the ceps, lizards, and snakes, a propensity common to other species, and similarly ascribed to the Virginian and Mexican deer.
2. Another species is the Persian stag, or fnaral of the Tahtar nations, and gewazen of Armenia, larger than the stag of Europe, clothed with a heavy mane, and likewise destitute of bisantlers. We believe this species to be the so9ffur of Asiatic Turkey, and nutra of the Arabs, and therefbre residing on the borders of the mountain forests of Syria and Palestine. One or both of these species were dedicated to the local bona dta on Mount Libanus^-a presumptive proof that deer were found in the vicinity.
Of the kmd it is unnecessary to say more than that she is the female of the stag, or hart, and that in the manners of these animals the males are always the last to hurry into cover. — ^Kitto, s. v. See Stag.
Deeiing. See Debiho.
Defence. This word, besides its ordinary and proper use, stands in the English Bible as a mistrans- lation of two Heb. terms.
1. MaUor(^iSQ, in connection with Q**'?^^, streams,
DEFENCE OF CHKISTIANITY 728
DEGREE
rendered in 2 Kings xix, 24, "riren of htneged pUuxt^^* Sept irorafkoi (rwox^CfVulg. aqu(B doMtat in Ibr. xix, 6, ** brooks of defence,*^ Sept duitpvytQ rov irorafiovj Yulg. rwiaggerum; in Isa. xzzvii, 25, ** riven of the hetkffedjdaees,'' Sept ffwaywyrj i;5aroc, Vulg. riw c^ gervmy, a proper name for Eotpt, alluding to its oo- fidif, L e. the brancAes of the Nile. The derivation of the term is obscure ; perhaps it is only another appli- cation of the Heb. word of the same form, elsewhere signifying (literally ttraitnegt, hence) a momid orfortir Juation^ and applied to Egypt, especially Lower Egypt, as being strongly fortified, both by nature and art. SeelLkzoB.
2. BfftttT 0$9} probably something dug out of a mine, occurring only in Job, and rendered in chap, xxii, 24, "gold," Sept irlrpa,Vnlg. mUx; in ver. 26, "defence," Sept ^orj^hz airh ix^pwvj Vulg. contra hottet; in chap, xxxvi, 19, **gold,** Sept BwarbQ iv di/dycy, Vulg. iribukUio), precious ore, i. e. of gold or silver, in its native state ; an interpretation evidently required by the corresponding terms in the parallel members of the hemistichs where it occurs. See Gold.
Defence of Christianity. See Apoloot.
Defender of the Faith (Jdei defeiuar)^ a title belonging to the sovereign of England, as Catkolt- au does to the king of Spain, and Chrigdanittimus to the king of France. It was originally conferred by Leo X on Heniy YIII for his work against Martin Luther ; and the bull for it bears date qmUo idut Octob. 1521. It was afterwards confirmed by Clement VII. On Henry's suppression of the monasteries, the pope of Rome deprived him of this title, and deposed him from his throne. The English Parliament (85 Henry YIII, ch. 8) confirmed the title, and it has ever since been used by English monarchs.
Defensor matrimonii, an officer of the Roman Church in every diocese, whose duty it is, in cases where a marriage is claimed to be null, to search for and produce the proofs of its validity, and to follow the case into any court to which it may be carried by ap- peal, with Uie right of originating such an appeal himself in cases where, through some defect in the proceedings or in the testimony, a verdict of nullifica- tion has been granted upon insufficient grounds. The office was instituted by Benedict XIV by his bulls of Aug. 26, 1741, and Nov. 8, 1741 (BuUar, Magn. tom. xvi,p.41,48).
Defile (denoted by several Heb. and 6r. words, especially KS^, tamii\ fuaivw, denoting filthmmy but spoken chiefiy in a figurative or ceremonial sense). Many were the blemishes of person and conduct which, under the Mosaic law, were esteemed defilements; some were voluntary, others involuntary ; some orig. inated with the party, others were received by him ; some were inevitable and the effect of nature, others the consequences of personal transgression. Under the Gospel, defilements are those of the heart, of the mind, the temper, and the conduct Moral defilements are as numerous, and as thoroughly prohibited under the Gospel as ever; but ceremonial defilements are superseded as requiring any religious rites, though many of them clahn attention as usages of health, de- cency, and civility (Matt, xv, 18 ; Gen.xlix,4; Rom. i, 24 ; James iii, 6 ; Ezek. xliii, 8). See Pollutiov.
Degerando. See Gebahdo, dr.
Degradation, in ecclesiastical law, the act of de- priving a clergyman of his orders, or the act of depos- ing an offender fh>m a higher to a lower grade of office. In the case of bishops, this degradation consisted in re* moval from a larger and more important see to one smaller or less considerable. Presbyters were degrad- ed to the rank of deacons, and deacons to that of sub- deacons. This kind of punishment was also inflicted