The inner condition of the people was anything but satisfactor\', as immoraUty and other vices appear to have prevailed to a large extent among the laity as well as among the clergy. The convents which had arisen since the r2th century fully participated in the general degeneration. Externally all classes of the peo- ple showed a strong attachment to the Church of Rome, and three natives of the island obtained a place among the saints of the Church — Thorlakr, Jon, and Gud- mundr; the last named, however, was not formally can- onized.
The Reformation soon found a number of adherents ; among the earliest and most devoted was Oddr Gotts- chalksson, the author of the first translation of the New Testament into Icelandic (printed at Roeskilde, 1540). The Danish government, of which Iceland formed a de- pendency since the miion of Norway Avith Denmark (1397), endeavored to introduce the Reformation, which in 1536 had been declared to be the religion of tlie state by the Diet of Copenhagen, by force ; but the bishops, especially bishop Arason of Holar, made a determined, and at length an armed opposition, which, however, finally (1550) ended in his capture and execution. This put an end to the Church of Rome in Iceland, and in the next year (1551) the Reformation was fully carried through.
The real improvement in the condition of the Church was, however, only gradual. Many of the customs of the mediaeval Church, such as the use of the Latin lan- guage at divine service, maintained themselves for a long time ; and the same was the case with the igno- rance and the immorality of the clergy and the people. But gradually these defects were remedied by the es- tablisliment ^pf learned schools in connection with the two cathedrals (1552) ; by the establishment of a print- ing-press at Holar by the excellent bishop Gudbrandr Thorlakson (1574); and in particidar by the new trans- lation of the Bible by this bishop, a service that contrib- uted largely to a thorough reform of the Church, which now belongs to the best-educated portions of the Prot- estant world.
As regards the present constitution of the Church of Iceland, it resembles in its principal features that of Denmark, yet not without preserving some of its own peculiarities. The sovereign is the chief bishop (snnumis episropns}, who exercises his authority partly tlirough the bishops, partly through secular officers. The bish- ops, in the election of whom the people take part, occu- py the position of superintendents, and still have an extended jurisdiction. At the close of the 18th centurj' the sec of Skalahold was transferred to Reykjavik, and somewhat later (1825) a cathedral was established at Langanies, near Reykjavik. The episcopal see of Ho- lar had previously (in 1801) been abolished, and the whole island placed luider one bishop. Next to the bishops are the provosts, whose office was in the Mid- dle Ages chiefly of a financial nature, and therefore sometimes occupied by laymen. Since the Reformation (1573-1574) the dignity has been whoUy of an ecclesi- astical character, and includes the right and duty of su- perintending large districts. On the whole, there are 19 provosts, each of whom is placed over a number of par- ishes. The pastors were at first appointed by the bish-
ops, contrary to the provisions of the Danish Church constitution, but since 15G3 they have been elected, in accordance therewith, by the congregation, under the superintendence of the provost. To the royal bailift was reserved the right of investing the pastor elect with his office. Subsequently the mamier of appointment was somewhat modified, the appointing power being given to the bailiff, and a right of co-operation to the bishop. To the king of Denmark was reser\'ed the right of sanctioning the appointment to one of the forty- seven benefices, whose yearly income is from 40 to 100 dollars annually. Only five of the 299 churches yield an income higher than 100 dollars. Some clergymen liave an income of no more than five dollars annually. All have therefore to depend for their support chiefly on fees and on the proceeds of the lands connected with the churches. See Maurer, in Herzog, Beal-EncT/ilopadie, vii, 90 ; Finnus Johannwus, IHstor. Eccles. Ishmdice (torn, iv, HavnifB, 1772-78; extending to the year 1740, and continued till 1840 under the same title by Petur Petur- son, Copenhagen, 1841) ; Mlinter, Kii-chengesch. von Den- mark ti. Norwffim, vol. i-iii (Leipzig, 1823-33) ; Maurer, Die Bekehrimg des nortceg. Stammes zum Christenthume (i\Iunich, 1855-5G, 2 vols.) ; Harbon, Om reformationen i Island (Copenh. 1843). (A. J. S.)
Ich'abod (Heb. I-kabod' linS-'X, Where is the glory ? i. q. There is no glory, i. e. inglorious ; Sept. 'Iw- X"l3>iS V. r. 'ExafiuS, and even Ovaixaf3ojd, etc.), the son of Phinehas and grandson of Eli. The pains of la- bor came i pon his mother when she heard that the ark of God was taken, that her husband was slain in battle, and that these tidings had proved fatal to his father Eli. They were death-pains to her; and when those around sought to cheer her, saying, " Fear not, for thou hast borne a son," she only answered by giv- ing him the name of I-chabod, adding, " The glory is departed from Israel" (1 Sam. iv, 19-22). B.C. 1125. The name again occurs in 1 Sam. xiv, 3, where his son Ahitub is mentioned as the father of the priest Ahiah. — Kitto.