See Staunton's Ecclesiastical Dictionary, s. v. ; Eadie, Ecclesiastical Dictionary, s. v. See Preachinc;.
Licentiate (from Lat. licet, it is lawful), one of the four ancient university degrees. It is no longer in use in England, except at Cambridge as a degree of medi- cine. In France and Germany, however, where it is more general, a licentiate is a person who, having un- dergone the prescribed examination, has received per- mission to deliver lectures in the universitj-. When the degree is given as an lionor, it is intermediate between Bachelor of Arts and Doctor.
LICENTIATE is a person authorized by the Church authorities to preach, and ^vho thus becomes eligible to a pastoral charge. See License.
Licinius. See Constantine the Great.
Lichtenberg, Johann Conrad, a German theo- logian, was born at Darmstadt Dec. 9, 1689. In 1707 he entered the University of Giessen, and tlien aircnded successively those of Jena, Leipsic, and Halle ; in the latter he finished his academical course in 1711. Soon after he accepted a call as vicar to Neun-Kirchen, in the grand-duchy of Hesse ; in 1716 he became pastor of the same place; in 1719, pastor of Upper Kamstadt; in 1733, metropolitan of the diocese of the bailiwick Lichtenberg; in 1745, town pastor at Darmstadt, and examiner of teachers ; and in 1749, superintendent. He died July 17, 1751. His knowledge was extensive, em- bracing not ovlIj theology, but also mathematics and physics. Astronomical studies, especially, had a lasting interest for him ; the latter he knew skilfully how to weave into his sermons in a simple and popular manner, thus captivating the attention of the audience. He contributed largely to Church music. The various books which he composed are all of an ascetical charac- ter; we only mention Texte zur Kirchenmusik (Darmst. 1719, 1720, 8vo) ; Ermuntertule Stimmen atis Zion (ibid. 1722, 8vo) ; Geistliche Betrachtunyen iiber gewisse in den Erangeliis enthaltene Mati-rieu (ibid. 1721, 8vo). — Dor- ing, Gelehrte Theol. Deutschlunds, ii, 296 sq.
Lidbir. See Lo-debar.
Lie (prop. 213, \pci'Coc), an intentional violation of truth. In Scripture we find the word used to designate all the ways in which mankind denies or alters truth in word or deed, as also evil in general. In general the good is in it designated as the truth, evil as its opposite, or lie, and consequently the devil (being the contrary to God) as the father of lies, and liars or impious per- sons as children of the devil. Hence the Scriptures most expressly condenm lies (John viii, 44 ; 1 Tim. i, 9, 10 ; Rev. xxi, 27 ; xxii, 15). When, in Kom. iii, 4, it is said tliat all men are liars, it is synonymous with say- ing tliat all are bad. The Bible nowhere admits of per- mitted, praiseworthy, or pious lies, yet it recommends not to proclaim the truth wlien its proclamation might prove injurious. Hence Christ commands (Matt, vii, 6)
LIE
424
LIFE
not to present the tnith of the Gospel to those who arc unworthy wlien lie recommends, " liive not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine." In John xvi, 12 we see that he could not tell his disciples all that he would have wished to tell them on accoinit of their weakness. He did not answer the in(iuiries of Pilate (John xix, 9), nor of Caiaphas (Matt, xxvi, (il!). But we nowhere lind that either in levity, or to do others good, or to glorify God, Christ ever spoke iui untruth. Peter, on the contrary, denied both Christ by wnrd in the moment of danger (]Matt. xxvi, G9 sq. ; Alark xiv, GG sq. ; Luke xxii, 5G sq. ; John xviii, 17 sq.) and the evangelical truth by his actions (Gal. ii, 1"2, 1-4). But Paul, in Acts xxiii, 5, made use of an implication to clear himself, or, at any rate, concealed part of the trutli in order to create dissension between the Phari- sees and the Sadducecs, and thus save himself. Strict tnithfulncss requires that we should never alter the truth, either in words or actions, so as to deceive others, whether it be for pleasure, or to benefit others or our- selves, or even for the best cause. Yet, although there can, absolutely considered, be no injurious truth, it is not cxiie(Uent to tell all truth to those wlio are not able to receive or comprehend it. Thus evil might result from telling everything to children, fools, mischief- makers, spies, etc. But this does not imply tliat we may tell them that wliich is not true, only that we are to remain silent when we perceive that the truth would be useless, or might result in inflicting injury on our- selves or others. This, of course, does not apply to per- jury, as this is positive lying, and indeed, by its calling on God, becomes diabolical lying, the Father of truth being invoked to confirm a lie, and the highest attribute of man, his consciousness of God, is made use of to de- ceive others, and to gain an advantage. See Oath. But there are varieties of untruthfulness which do not belong to the domain of ethics, but to aesthetics. Such are ]iarables, jests in word or deed, tales and fables, the usual formulas of politeness, mimicry (v-n-uxpicng}, etc., which are not calculated to deceive. But the esthetic untrutlifulness or sup|iression of the truth can also be abused. In morals, however, all depends on the im- provement of conscience, and a correct, firm conscious- ness of God's presence and knowledge. These cannot be obtained by mere commandments or moral formulas, but by strengthening the moral sense, fortifying the will — in fact, by awakening and strengthening the moral power. jMorality is an inner life ; those only can be called liars who ^vilfully oppose the truth by word or deed, or by conscious untruthfulness seek to lead others into error or sin ; in short, to injure them pliysi- cally or spiritually. As regards so-called "necessary" lies, they also are condemned by the God of all truth ; nor even in this world of imperfection, where there are so many ingenious illusions, is there any just occasion for their use. That truthfulness is a limited duty must necessarily be conceded, since the non-expression of the truth is in itself a limitation of it. The Bible men- tions instances of lies in good men, but without approv- ing them, as that of Abraham (Gen. xii, 12; xx, 2), Isaac ((Jen. xxvi), Jacob (Gen. xxvii), the Hebrew mid- wives (Exod. i, 15-19), ;Michal (1 Sam. xix, 14 sq.), Da- vid (1 Sam. xx), etc. — Krchl, Xeiitesi. Wurterhuch.