Severy (also Severey, Severie, Civery), a bay or compartment of a vaulted ceiling.
Seville, Councils of (Concilium Hispalense). I. The first Council of Seville was held Nov. 4, 590, com- posed of eight bishops, St. Leander, bishop of Seville, presiding. It was decided that the donations and alien- ations of Church property made bj- the bishop Gauden- tius were imcanonical and void ; nevertheless, it was de- creed that the serfs who had been freed by him should remain free, although still subject to the Church, and should be prohibited from leaving their property to any persons except their children, who should remain, in perpetuity, subjects of the Church ; also, authority was given to the lay judges to separate the clergy from their wives or mistresses. See Mansi, Concil.v, 1588.
II. The second council was held in November, 618, by St. Isidore, the archbishop, at the head of seven other bishops, against the Acephalists, who denied the two natures in one person. Various regulations, chiefly re- lating to the particular circumstances of their Church, were also drawn up. All the acts of the council are contained in thirteen chapters.
1. Theodulphns, bishop of Malaga, li.nving complained of the conduct of the bishoi)s of his neiglib'orhoocl, who, during the confusion consequent upon the war, had ap- pi'opriiited to themselves much of his territory, it was or- dered that all should be restored to liini.
4. Forbids the ordination of clerks who had married widows, and declares such to be void.
5. Orders the deposition of a priest and two deacons, ordained under the following circumstances: The bishop, who labored under an afl'ection of the eyes, had merely laid his hands upon them, while a priest pronounced tlie benediction.
7. Relates to the conduct of Agapius, bishop of Cordova, who, being little skilled in ecclesiastical discipline, had granted permissicni to certain priests to erect altars and consecrate churches in the absence of the bishop. The council forbids all such proceedings for the future.
10 and 11. Confirm the recent eslablii-hment of certain monasteries in the province of Betica, and forbid the bish- ops, under pain of excommunication, to take possession of their property ; also allows monks to take charge of property appertaining to nunneries, upon condition that they dwell in distinct houses, and abstain from all familiar intercourse with the nuns.
13 and 14. Assert the doctrine of two natures in onr Lord Jesus Christ united in one person.
See Mansi, v, 1GG3. — Landon, ifamtal of Councils, s. v.
Se'wafioll, in Norse mythologj-, was the dwelling- place of the beautiful and strong Sigrun. It is believed to be Mount Saeva, in West Gothland, Sweden.
Sewall, Joseph, D.D., a Congregational minister, was born at Boston, Aug. 15, 1688 (O. S.). He gradu- ated at Harvard College in 1707, and was ordained Sept. 16, 171 3, colleague pastor of the Old South Church, where he spent his life, having declined the presidency of Harvard College, which was urged upon him in 1724, In 1728 he accepted a fellowship and served until 1765, when he resigned, and died June 27, 1769. He was made D.D. by the University of Glasgow in 1731. Dr. Sewall's publications were, The Holy Spii-it Convincing the World of Sin, of Riyhteousness, and of Judgment : — Four Sermons (1741) : — and a large number of Occa- sional Sermons. See Sprague, A nnals of the A mer. Pul- pit, i, 278.
Sewall, Jotham, a Congregational minister, was born at York, Me., Jan. 1, 1760. Shortly after he at- tained his majority he migrated to the Kennebec and worked at his trade (mason). In 1783 his mind first took a permanent religious direction, and he found peace. He was licensed to preach May 8, 1798, and or- dained as an evangelist June 18, 1800. For a short time he had charge of the Church in Chcsterville, where he resided; but the greater part of his subsequent life was spent in missionary labor, chiefly in IMaine. He labored till near the close of his life, preaching only three weeks before his death, which took place Oct. S, 1850. He was a man of fervid, massive strength. See Sitragno, A nnals of the A mer. Pulpit, ii, 430.
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Se'wall, Samuel, chief -justice of the supreme cciiirt of jMassacliiisetts, was born at Bishopstoke, Eng- land, IVIarch 28, 1G52. His father established himself in the United States in IGUl, when Samuel was nine years old. In his childhood the latter was under the instruction of Mr. Parker, of Newbury. He was grad- uated at Harvard College in 1071, and afterwards preached for a short time. In 1G88 he went to Eng- land. He returned to the United States in 1G8',). In 1G1I2 he was appointed in the new charter one of the council, in which station he continued till 1725. He was made one of the judges in 1G92, and chief-justice of the superior court in 1718. Sharing in the then gen- eral belief in witchcraft, he concurred in its condemna- tion in 1G92; but at a public fast, Jan. 14, 1G97, he ac- knowledged his wrong. In 1G99 he was chosen one of the commissioners of the society in England for the propagation of the Gospel in New England, lie died Jan. 1, 1730. By his wife he received a large fortune, thirty thousand pounds, which he employed for the glory of God and the advantage of men. Eminent for piet}"-, wisdom, and learning, in all the relations of life he exhibited the Christian virtues and secured univer- sal respect. For a long course of years he was a mem- ber of the Old South Church and one of its greatest or- naments. Judge Sewall's writings are, Answer to Qiie- fies respecting America (1G90): — Prospects touching the A ccoinplishment of Prophecies (Boston, 1713, 4to) : — Me- morial relatinff to the Kennebec Indians (1721, 4to): — Phmiomena qucedam Apocalijj)ticn ad Aspectum Novi Orhis Confir/urata (2d cd. 1727, 4to).