RUPERTI
157
RUSH
signed to promote the conversion of the Jews by proving that the Messiah had appeared. This composition does not appear, however, in editions of Rupert's worlds, and was not discovered until after 1069, by Gerberon, who inchided it in his edition of Anselm's works. The book De Ulorijicutione Trinitatis et Prucesskme Spiritns Sancti likewise aims to help the Jews to embrace Christianity. The Libei- Aureus de Incendio 'J'uitiensi commemorates a fire which on the night of Sept. 1, 1128, destroyed the surroundings of Deutz, but left the convent and churcli unharmed. Two books De Meditutione Mortis give evi- dence that the author believed his end approaching; and with a Commentary on Ecclesicistes, in which he de- velops, more than in any other work, the literal sense alone, he brought his exegetical labors to a close. A few additional writings, lives of saints, etc., do not re- quire special mention. Kupert died peaceably in his abbey of Deutz, INIarch 4, 1135.
The earliest edition of Rupert's works was issued un- der the direction of Cochl»us at Cologne (1526-28; enlarged ed. ibid. 1577, 3 vols. fol. ; again enlarged, 1602, 2 vols.; once more enlarged, Mayence, 1631 ; the latter edition reprinted, but carelessly', Paris, 1638). Separate editions of particular works are numerous. The latest complete edition is that of Venice (1751, 4 vols. fol.). See Gerberon, Apologia pro Ruperto Tuitiensi ( Par. 1669); 'M.SihxWon, Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti, torn, v, vi passim ; Histoire Litteraire de la France (ibid. 1841), xi, 422-587. — Herzog, Real-Enq/klop. s. v.
Ruperti, Georg Alp;xani)er, D.D., a Lutheran di- vine, was born at Bremervorde Dec. 19, 1758. Having been teacher for a number of years at Stade, he was ap- pointed, in 1814, general superintendent of the duchies of Bremen and Verden, and died March 14, 1839. He wrote, Symbolm ad Interpretationem Sacri Codieis (Giitt. 1782) -.^Theoloffumena (Hamb. 1824, 2 vols.) -.— Theolo- (jische Miscelleii (ibid. 1816-19,4 vols.) : — Des h. Abend- tna/ils urspriiiif/liche Feier (Hanover, 1821). See Fiirst, Hibl. Jud. iii, 181 ; Winer, Handbuch der theol. Literatur, i, 13, 16, 195, 454. 868 ; ii, 743. (B. P.)
Rupitae (or Rupitani), a name given to the small Douatist congregation at Rome, from their being driven to shelter among the rocks for the purpose of celebrating their religious services.
Rupstein, J. G. E. Friedrich, a German doctor of theology and abbot of Loccum, was born Aug. 30, 1794, at Wunsdorf. From 1813 to 1816 he studied at Gottin- gen, in 1820 he was made chaplain of the Neustiidter Church in Hanover, in 1822 he was appointed minister of the Schlosskirche, and in 1825 assessor of consistory. Ill 1830 he was made court preacher and member of consistory, in 1832 abbot of Loccum, and in 1866 first member of consistory, and died Oct. 7, 1876, in Hanover. He published, Avswahl von Predigten (Hanover, 1832, 2 vols.) : — Z*/-. H. Ph. Sextro (ibid. 1839), a biographv. See Zuchold, Bibl. Theol. p. 1 100 ; Winer, Handbuch der theol. Litei-atur, ii, 144, 743; Schneider, Theologisches Jahrbuch, 1878, p. 227. (B. P.)
Rural Dean, a designation of a class of very an- cient officers of the Church, who, being parish priests, executed the bishop's processes, inspected the lives and manners of the clergy and people witliin their district, and reported the same to the bishop. In order that they might have knowledge of the state of their re- spective deaneries, they had power to convene rural chapters. Much of their autiioritj' at the present day rests on custom and precedent. Their duties and pow- ers vary in different dioceses. See Dkan.
Rural Deanery, a certain number of parishes placed under the supervision of a rural dean.
Ruridecanal Chapter, a chapter consisting of the parish priests of a rural deanery, assembled for con' sultation under the presidency of a rural dean. These chapters are of considerable antiquity, and were com- monl}' assembled in medieval times once a year, at or about Whitsuntide. After the Reformation they were
seldom convened, and so for many generations they have practically ceased to exist. Since the Catholic revival in 1830, they have been restored in England according to ancient precedent, and in the great major- ity of English dioceses they are now in full working order. English Roman Catholics have likewise re- stored this ancient machinery, and now have their own ruridecanal chapters in several Anglo-Roraan dioceses. — See Gloss, of Liturgical Terms, s. v.
Rush is the rendering in the A. "V. of two Heb. words, both of which are occasionally translated "bul- rush" (q. v.).
1. Agmon ("i'laSX; Sept. KplKog, dvBpaK, fiiKpocri- \og; Vulg. drculus, fervens, refrenans) occurs in Job xl, 26 (A. V. xli, 2), " Canst thou put agmotH' (A. V. " hook") into the nose of the crocodile? again, in xl, 12 (A.V. xli, 20), " Out of his nostrils goeth smoke as out of a seeth- ing-pot or agmon" (A. V. " caldron"). In Isa. ix, 14, it is said Jehovah " will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and agmon" (A. V. " rush"). The agmon is men- tioned also as an Egj'ptian plant, in a sentence similar to the last, in Isa. xix, 15 (A. V. " rush") ; while from Iviii, 5 (A. V. " bulrush") we learn that the agmon had a pendulous panicle. The term is allied closely to the Heb. agdni (DJX), which, like the corresponding Arabic ajam, denotes a marshy pool or reed-bed (see Jer. Ii, 32, for this latter signification). Again is also considered to be derived from the same root as ii.iZl.,g6me, the pa- P3'rus (see No. 2 below). Some have even concluded that both names indicate the same thing, and have translated them by Juncus, or rush. The expression "Canst thou put agmon" into the crocodile's nose? has been variously explained. The most probable in- terpretation is that which supposes allusion is made to the mode of passing a reed or a rush through the gills of fish in order to carry them home ; but see the com- mentaries and notes of Rosenmiiller, Schultens, Lee, Cary, Mason Good, etc. The agmon of Job xli, 20 seems to be derived from an Arabic root signifying to "be burning;" hence l\\eferrens of the A^ulg. Rushes were used anciently for cords (xli, 2) and for other pur- poses; nevertheless, they are proverbially without value. Figuratively the term is used of the least important class of people (Isa. ix, 14; xix, 15; Iviii, 5; Jer. Ii, 32).