Sewall, Thomas, D.D., a distinguished minister of the jMethodist Episcopal Church, was born in Essex, Mass., April 28, 1818. He was educated at Wilbraham, and graduated from the Wesleyan University, Middle- town, Conn.. 1837. He united with the Baltimore Con- ference in 1838, but in 1841 was returned supernumer- ary, and spent a year in Europe and the East. He en- tered upon active work when he returned, but on ac- count of ill-health located in 1848. He was readmit- ted in 1849 and given a superannuated relation, which he retained until 1853, when he resumed pastoral work. In 18GG he was transferred to New York East Confer- ence and stationed in Brooklyn, and was retransferred in 18G9, taking a supernumerary relation. He died Aug. 11, 1870. In 18G0 Dr. Sewall was a delegate to the General Conference. He was a man of refined tastes and scholarly culture, a born orator, and a suc- cessful minister. See Minutes of Annual Conferences, 1871, p. 19.
Sewell, William (1), the historian of the Qua- kers, was the son of Jacob Williamson Sewell, and was born at Amsterdam in 1G50. His grandfather left his native country, England, that, as a Brownist, he might enjoy more freedom in Holland. William Sewell h)St both his parents in early life, but, having been in- structed by them in the principles of the (Quakers, he adhered to them during lite. He was a student of un- wearied application, attaining a knowledge of Greek, Latin, English, French, and High Dutch. He is chief- ly noted for his History of the People called Quakers, written first in Low Dutch, and afterwards by himself in English. One principal object with the author was a desire to correct what he conceived to be gross mis- representations in Gerard Croese's Histori/ of Quaker- ism. Tlie Work seems to have been first published in 1722, folio, and reprinted in 1725.
Sewell, "William (2), an English clergyman, was born in the Isle of Wight about 1805. The son of a solicitor, be was educated at Harrow and Oxford, be- came fellow of Exeter College, and incumbent of Caris- brooke Castle chapel, Isle of Wight. He was public ex- aminer in the university from 183G to 1841, and in 1852 was appointed principal of St. Peter's College at Rad- ley. He was a supporter of the tractarian movement. His published works are, Iloroi Philulot/ic(B .-—Conject-
ures on the Structure of the Greek Language (1830):— Sacred Thoughts in Verse (1831; 2d ed. 1842): — Chris- tian Vestiges of Creation (18G1) : — besides /Sermons, and tracts on Christian morals and politics, etc.
Sewell, William D., a INIethodist Episcopal min- ister, was born in Chesterville, Jle., July 15, 1813. He was converted in 1831, entered the itinerancy on Sid- ney Circuit September, 183G, under the presiding elder; admitted on trial in 1837, and served two years on Kil- marnock and Harmony circuits; was received into full connection in 1839, and appointed to Vassalborough Cir- cuit, where he pursued his labors with great zeal and success until near the time of his death, which occurred April 24, 1840. He possessed a good and well-cultured mind. His attachment to the doctrines and institu- tions of the Church was strong and unwavering. See Minutes of Coiferenccs, iii, 145.
Sexagesima, the Sunday which, in round num- bers, is sixty days before Easter.
Sexes, SErAKATioN OF, IN CnuRciiEs. Tlie rules of the primitive churches required the separation of the sexes in the churches, and this was generally ob- served. The men occupied the left of the altar on the south siile of the church, and the women the right on the north. They were separated from each other by a veil or lattice. In the Eastern churches the women and catechumens occupied the galleries above, while the men sat below. In some churches a separate apartment was also allotted to widows and virgins. See Coleman, Christ. A ntiq. s. v.
Sext, a name given to the noonday service (q. v.) of the early Christian Church because it was held at the sixth hour.
Sexton, a corruption of sacristan (q. v.). This officer was anciently the attendant and waiter on the clergy. His duties at the present day in the Church of England is to keep the church, dig graves, provide the necessaries for service — as for bai^tism and the Lord's supper — under the direction of the church-war- dens. The oflnce may be held by a woman, and the salary usually depends on the annual vote of the pa- rishioners. In Scotland the sexton, whose duties are much the same as in England, is usually called the bea- dle, from the Saxon hydde, to cry, or to make proclama- tion. The appointment to office in the Established Church is with the heritors.
Sextry. See Sachisty.
Sextus, a term, in the ancient canon law, to signify a collection of decretals made bj^ pope Boniface VIII; thus called from the title. Liber Sextus, and being an addition to the five volumes of decretals collected by Gregory IX. The persons reputed to have been com- missioned to draw it up were William de Mandegotte, archbishop of Ambrun ; Berenger, bishop of Beziers; and Kichard, bishop of Sienna. — Lee, Glossary of Litur- gical Terms, s. v.
Seymour, Tru.max, a minister of the ISIcthodist E|)iscopal Church, was born in Albany, N. Y., Jan. 25, 1799, and united with the Church there at the age of seventeen. In 1829 he joined the New York Confer- ence, and was a member of this, and, later, of the Troy Conference, until his death, Nov. 15, 1874. See Min- utes of Annual Conferences, 1875, p. G4.