2. In a more extended sense, the word "oblations" signifies whatever Christians offer to God and the Church, whether in lands or goods. It is probable that the practice of St. Paul incited the primitive Christians to offer these gifts to the Church, for he appointed every one of the Corinthians and Galatians to yield something to God for the saints every Lord's-day; but this being thought to be too often, Tertullian tells us it was afterwards done every month, and then ad lihittim ; but it was always the custom for communicants to offer something at receiving the sacrament, as well for holy uses as for the relief of the poor, which custom was, or ought to have been, observed in his day. In the first ages of the Church those deposita piefatis Mh'ich are men- tioned by Tertullian were all volimtary oblations, and they were received in lieu of tithes; for the Christians at that time lived chiefly in cities, and gave out of their common stock both to maintain the Church and those who served at the altar. But when their numbers in- creased, and they were spread abroad in the countries, a more fixed maintenance was necessary for the clergy. Yet oblations were made by the people, of which, if offered in the mother church, the bishop had half, and the other was divided among the clergv ; but if they were offered in a parish church, the bishop had a third part, and no more. These oblations, whicb at first were voluntary, afterwards became due by custom. It is true there are canons which require every one who approaches the altar to make some ob- lation to it, as a thing convenient to be done. It is probable that, in obedience to the canons, it became customary tor every man wlio made a will before the Reformation to devise something to the high-altar of
OBLATIONARIUM
282
OBLIGATION"
the church where he lived, and something likewise to the mother church or cathedral; and those who were to he buried iu the church usually gave sometliing towards its repair-s. Hut at tlie great festivals all people were obliged to oiler something, not merely if convenient, but as a duty; but the proportion was left to the discretion of the giver; and we think with great reason, for the bounty of the Christians in those ages was so great that men built churches on their own lands, on purpose that they might have an equal share of those oblations with tlie clergy. This might be the reason why tlie emper- ors Constantine and Valentiniau made laws to prohibit excessive gifts, which in those days were kept in store- houses built for that very purpose. But in succeed- ing ages there was little occasion for such laws, for the zeal of the people was so considerably abated that, instead of those repositories, the clergy had little chests to contain these gifts, till at last they dwindled into so small a portion that now, as a quaint writer observes, they can scarce be felt in the parson's pocket.
In the Church of England whatever is offered at the altar is termed an oblation. They are principallj- alms, the bread and wine for the Lord's Supper, and prayers. The four days in the year — Christmas, Easter, Whitsun- tide, and All-saints' day — on which oblations are more especially made, are called offering-days ; and that por- tion of the Roman Catholic and English Church service at which time the offerings are presented is called the offertoi-i/ (q. v.). See Hook, Ch. Diet. s. v.; Procter, On Common Prayei; p. 313; Wheatly, On Common Prayer, p. 298; Walcott, ;Suc. Archceology, s. v. ; Siegel, Christl. AUerlh. (see Index in vol. iv) ; Wetzer u. Welte, Kir- chen-Lexikon, s. v. Oblationen.
Oblationarium, a side-table, on which the obla- tions of the people which had been collected by the deacons were placed, and from which the officiating minister selected what was necessary for the celebration of the Eucharist. See Oui-.vtion. The custom of pre- senting oblations ceased generally during the r2th and 13th centuries. See Martigny, Diet, des A ntiquites Chret. s. v.; Walcott, Sac. Archceology, s. v.; Riddle, Christ. A niiifuties. See Cheuence-table.
Obligation (Lat. oUigo, " to biml") is that by which we are bound to the performance of any action. In theological science it holds a place in the doctrinal sphere, for it enters into the justification scheme. It is held that in consequence of original sin (q. v.) man comes into the world a debtor to divine justice, and is therefore under an ohligntion to punishment, he being di'jicient in that form of original justice in which he rendered to God all that service of love which the great goodness of God demanded. Hence the terms due and duty to express right conduct (comp. Hampden, Bamj)- ton Lectiurs, vi, 296).
Obligation, as a moral factor, is generally distin- guished as internal or rational and external or aitthori- tutive, according as the reason for acting arises in the mind of the agent, or from the will of another Avho has a right or authority to prescribe rules to others. Bishop Warburlon {Div. Leg. bk. i, § 4), however, has con- tended tliat all obligation necessarily imjilies an obligcr different from the party obliged; i. e. moral obligation, being the obligation of a free agent, imidics a law: and a law imidies a lawgiver, and that therefore the will of (iod is the true ground of all obligation, strictly and properly so called. The perception of tlie <iift'erence between right and wrong can be said to oblige only as an indication of the will of God. This seems reasona- ble indeed when we consider that our sense of rectitude springs out of a regard for and knowledge of him who is perfect. True, moral ohligution is that by which we are bound to perform what is right, and to avoid what is wrong. Various, however, have been the opinions concerning the ground of moral obligation, or what it arises from. One says, it is a moral necessity of doing actions or forbearing them; that is, such a necessity as