The Directory prescribes no form of prayer, nor any responses on the part of the people, except ilmai. It enjoins that ^* the people shall enter the churches rev- erently, and in a grave and becoming manner, with^ out adoration, or bowing towards one place or another ; that the minister is to begin with prayer, to which all present are to give due attention, and to abstain from all private conferences or salutations ; that the read- ing of the Scriptures in the congregation, which is a part of the worship of God, be performed by the pas- tors and teachers ; that all the canonical books of the Old and New Testament, but none of those called apocrypha], be publicly read in the vulgar tongue, and in the best allowed translation ; that the portion to b<> read at once be left to the minister, but that commonly one chapter of each Testament be read at every meet- ing ; that all the canonical books be read over in order, that the people may be the better acquainted with the Scriptures ; that when the minister shall judge it nec- essary to expound any part of what is read, he is not to begin hu exposition till the whole chapter or psalm be ended, and that after reading the Scripture and singing the psalm, the minister who preaches is to be- gin with prayer. It then prescribes heads for the prayer ; enjoins that the subject of the sermon be a text of Scripture, which teaches some principle or head of religion, or is otherwise suitable to the occasion ; and recommends that the introduction* to the text be brief and perspicuous, and drawn from the words or context, or from some parallel passage of Scripture. In dividing the text, the minister is to regard the or- der of the matter rather than that of the words ; he is not to burden the memory of his hearers with too many divisions, nor perplex their understandings with log- ical phrases and terms of art ; he is chiefly to insist on those doctrines which are principally intended, and most likely to edify his hearers ; he is not to propose nor answer any unnecessary objections, but to confute error, and satisfy the judgments of his audience ; and he is to be very sparing in quotations from, ecclesias- tical or other human writers, ancient or modem, etc. The Directory recommends the use of the Lord's Pray- er as a perfect model of devotion. It forbids private or lay persons to administer baptism, and enjoins it to be performed in the face of the congregation. It or- ders that the communion-table at the Lord's Supper be so conveniently placed that the communicants may sit about it. It enjoins that the Sabbath be observ^ with the greatest strictness, both in public and private ; that marriage be solemnized by a lawftil minister of the word, who is to give counsel to, and pray for the parties ; that the minister teach the people not only in public, but in private ; that the sick be visited by the minister, under whose charge they are, and who shall administer spiritual good to their soub ; that the dead be buried wiUiout any prayers or religious ceremonies ; that days of fasting be ol>8erved when the judgments of God are abroad in the world, or when some impor- tant blessings are desired ; that days of thanksgiving for mercies received be also kept ; and, lastly, that as it is the duty of Christians to praise God publicly, the whole congregation join together in singing psalms. In an Appendix it is enjoined that all festivals, vulgar- ly called holy days, be abolished, and that no day be observed except tiie Lord's day ; and that, as no place is capable of any holiness under pretence of consecra- tion, or subject to pollution by any superstition for- merly employed, the places of worship now used be still continued."
This Directory, which is still partly, te ^ means strictly, adhered to by J^reAjiamm a British Islands, is given in fuU in Keid, ifiitoi}«'i Pwriiam, appendix viii ; see also CoDmk, Qmtk tory qfEnffiandf viii, 287 sq.
II. The Presbyterian Chnrch in tlie TJBiiid3bi has a Direetory/br Wortkipy in fiflera daptscvii was amended and ratified by the General iam.* in 1821, and may be found appended to Tie Cmm Han of the Pretbyterian Charck (Phfladf^lphis, ra» terian Board).
III. In the Roman Catbolic Chnrdi an ii rectory (Directorium) for the deigy b pnhlidMii^ gives rules of ceremonial according to the aiaStik the year, as settled by the bishop of the dioecse. Ktualists in England have imitated thb in &s » called Directorium AngHccamm.
Dirge, a funeral hymn, derived ttom 1bthLB\ rige^ the first word of the first antipbon in & s&^ called OfficiuM Defvnctortan, which is Diripe, /^ Deus meuSj in eonipeciu tuo, viam meam.—Vntts '^ Common Prayer^ part ii, ch. v, § 5 ; RitaA &b9B| Officium DefuncL ad MatuL A ntipkima.
Discaloeati, or Barefooted Monks d^ Ntms, is the generic name of several refigiiiif «^ whose members wear only sandals of leather, w«d ^ knitting- work. The Franciscans bare partkdc^ been designated by that name. The diffemt «^ are, 1. The barefooted monke qfSL Awftuiim,keBM at Talavera by command of Philip II, and wtick 4 terwards spread throughout France and the Eafio^ West Indies. 2. The barefooted mm$ o/SLAip^ established in 1589 by a Spanish maid of baaor.Pn denia Grille, in the convent of the Viaitatioa AM rid. 8. The barefooted Ladiet of Mercy for tht Sa tion of prisoners, established at Biso and Amoaj^ Spain, in 1604, by Peter John of Baptista. iU barefcNOted Cannditesy male and female (bsn^ monks of the Croes, at A vila), founded in 153 ht lk\ resa, and soon spread over the whole of Spaia,F«« gal, France, Italy, Germany, and India. A pd^ these, not belonging to Spain, are called CoBpc^ of the barefooted CarmeHies o/SLESae. 5. 71» »« footed TYiniiarians, esUblished at Val de Pefin 'a 1596, by John Baptiste de la Conception : their dM« white, with a red or blue cross, and a brown doikni hood ; in the choir they wear over this a tifi<ata'^ cloak. This order spread over Spain, Fia&ct ^ many, Poland, Hungary, Bohemia, and Italy. *■ ^ barefooted Minoritei (Minorites of the RiyidCXaen^ in Spain; Minorites cqpvctas, evangelical brfthRslv' tablished in 1494 by John of Guadalonpe, mtk pr- ince of Granada. After many difilcnltiei witk dsJ popes, etc they in 1517 took the name of the ^^^ ed Obeervanee, and established twelve prerincK 3 Spain, Portu^, India, and America. 7. Tke bts^ led* Mtnonies of France (les BecdUeU), estilfiiW in 1692 by the Count de Nevers, who toon cstifc&W twelve provinces in France, Flanders, and Caas^ * The Mmorites of St Peter qf Alcantara, e&taki&M^ him in 1540 at Placencia: they adhere to the «* rules of the Anachorets. The order is yet Tery s> merous in Italy. 9. Minorites of nienmymm c^l^ so, established by him in 1545, but suppressed in VJ^ 10. Minorites Cc^mckm* (see Capdchhss). U- ^ rites of John ofPuebla, founded by him m 14P9b* Sierra Morena : in the 16th centory they were f<sai> incorporated in the order of Uie Regolar Ob«r»^*^ 12. Soccolanti (Cord^Ueis); see Minorita of tk »> servance. 18. Minorites Cehttinet (poor bensits C<^ tins), established in 1294 by some Minorites retifft firom a mission in Armenia. After the detth o^pf Celestin V they fell into disgrace, and were drina* Greece ; returning finally to Apulia, thej wen p^ cuted as heretics and schismatics by the laqosQ* Many fled to France, where, with Tuacan sad J^