Pectorale (hi-east-covering), the same as pallium (q. v.).
Peculiar (Fr. pecuUer, i. e. private) is in English ecclesiastical law a particular parish or church having jurisdiction within itself, and which is not subject to the ordinary of the diocese in which it is locally situ- ated, but has an ordinary of its own. There are various kin<ls of peculiars: 1. I'toyal peculiars, subject only to the king. The king's chapel is a royal pecidiar, re- served to the immediate government of the king him- self. 2. Archbishops' peculiars, exclusive of the juris- diction of bishops and archdeacons. The archbishop has many such peculiars, it being an ancient privilege of the see of Canterbury that whenever any manors or advowsons belong to it, they forthwith become exempt from the ordinarj', and are peculiars of that see. 3. Bishops' peculiars, exclusive of the jurisdiction of the bishop of the diocese in which they are situated. 4. Peculiars of bishops in their own diocese, exclusive of archidiaconal jurisdiction. 5. Peculiars of deans, deans and chapters, prebendaries, and the like, which are places wherein, by ancient compositions, the bishops have parted with their jurisdiction. Under the statute
1 George I and II, c. 10, all donatives (which are in their nature peculiars) receiving augmentation from queen Anne's bounty are thenceforth to become subject to the jurisdiction of the bishop of the diocese. See Dona- tive.
Peculiar People is the name of a recently found- ed religious sect which originated in England, and is to be met with chiefly in the county of Kent, but they themselves claim to be strong in numbers also in Essex, Sussex, and Surrey. Their principles are very similar to those of the American Tunlers (q. v.). They are a sort o( Perfectionists. They claim to be the real exemplars of true alid undefiled religion. If a man cannot say he lives without sin, they set him down as no Christian. Religion has no difficulties for them, no mysteries; nothing bej'ond the reach of man ; neither heights to which he cannot ascend, nor depths which he cannot fathom. To come together and declare their unspeaka- ble joy is all that they have to do. For this the begin- ner is as competent as the gray-haired believer, the sis- ter as well as the brother, the ignorant as well as the learned; and thus, in tuni, they all preach and pray. In Church membership they have no preliminaries. All who come are of the Church ; those whom the Lord calls will surely join them. They consider that every service is the sacrament, and they have no special form. In the same way they have no baptism ; infant or adult creeds, confessions of faith, forms of praj'er, ministers — all these things they have done away with. They profess to have no leaders; yet they have elders, but they claim that they are simply elders by lapse of time alone. They have great faith in prayer. If one lack any- thing, it is to be looked for by asking of God. Hence it is a prime article of faith of this denomination never, under any circumstances, to call in a tfector. They be- lieve only in anointing with oil and prayer as a means of restoring the sick. The English government has therefore interfered with them in recent times, and sev- eral trials of members of this sect have occurred. Thus, at Plumstead, a little girl of an elder of the Peculiar People had the smallpox. The elders prayed over her ; they laid hands on her; they anointed her; and, gen- erally speaking, " put their trust in God." In eleven days, without the administration of any medicine, with only a little arrow-root and wine to nourish the body, the poor thing died. Of course the Peculiar People are consistent enough to believe neither in vaccination nor contagion. In this case a jury returned a verdict of " manslaughter" against the father. There are no sta- tfstics or extensive data from which to judge of their number and the power of the sect. We have given all that is accessible to outside parties by personal observa- tion. (J.H.W.)
Peculium Clericale is that property of a priest which is derived from benefices conferred on him, and from the performance of clerical duties. Ancient eccle- siastical usage did not permit the disposal of its surplus either by gift or will, but this was returned to the Church ; and so also the Council of Trent ordered (sess. XXV, cap. i, De Reform.). But in modern times the priest has the same privileges in disposing of the " pe- culium clericale" as over his own private property and private earnings.
Pedagogics. See P.edagogics.
Ped'ahel (Heb. PedaheV, bxrt'iS, presen-ed of God; Sept. <bacari\), the son of Ammihud, and the prince or chief man of the tribe of Naphtali, appointed by Moses, in connection with one from each of the other tribes, to divide Western Palestine (Numb, xxxiv, 28). B.C. 1618.
Pedah'zur [many Ped'ahzur'] (Heb. Pedahtsur', imms, /irfsercerf of the Roclc ; Sept. ^aiaaovp, *a- ^aaaovp), the head of a family in the tribe of Manas- seh; father of the Gamaliel who was appointed with
PEDAIAH
864
PEDRO
others to aid Moses in numbering the people (Numb, i, 10; ii, 20; vii, 54, 50; x, 23). B.C. cir. 1G57.
Peda'iah [some Peda'i'ah'] (licb.Pechii/ah'jtl'^'ltS, preserved of Jehovah; written also Pedoydhu, "fl^TS, with the same meaning, 1 Chron. xxvii, 20; Sept. ^ncdla or ^ahuac), the name of at least six He- brews.