Spirituality, in the ecclesiastical aflfairs and lan- puai^e iif the Church of Kngland, is a term for the whole iHPily of tiie clergy, derived from the spiritual nature of the (iltice wliicli they hold.
Spirituality ok (Jod is his immateriality, or be- ing without body. It expresses an idea made up of a negative part and of a positive part. The negative part consists in the exclusion of some of the known [•roperties of nature, especially of solidity, of the vis in- ertia-, and of gravitation. The positive jiart comprises pcr<'iption, thought, will, |)ower, action, by which last term is meant the origination of motion (Paley, Xat. Thiol, p. 4«I). See iNcoui'oiuiALiTY or God.
Spiritualize is to interpret and apply historical or other parts of the Hible in what is called a spiritual manner. The sense thus l)rought out is termed the fpiritnal sense ; and those preachers or expositors who are most ready and extravagant in eliciting it are the nio>t liighly esteemed by the uidearned and (lersons of an imcidlivated taste. It is impossible ade(piately to dcMcrilie the excesses and absurdities which have Iteen commitieil by such teachers. From the time of Origen, who spiritiiali/.ed the account of the creation of the world, the creation and fall of man, and numerous oth- er simple facts related in the Hible. down to the Jesuit wlio made the greater light to mean the po[)e, and the lesser light and the stars to mean the subjection of kings nnci princes to the pope, there have been multi- ludi-s in and out of the (Jutholic Church who have pur- sued ihc" same path. A noted preacher in the metrop- olis, when expoimding the history of .Joseph, made out I'harnoh to mean (iod the Father, anil Joseph the Son. .\s .Joseph interpreted I'liaraidi's dreams, so Christ in- terpreted the will of the Father. roli|)har's wife sig- ni(ied the siiifid humanity which, according to tlie jireacher. our I/>r<l assumed, 'I'he prisi>n signilicd the prison of hell, to which Christ went after his death. 1 lie chief butler, who was restored, typified a nmidjer ■ f ilainned spirits whom (Christ then liberated; and the chief baker was a type of the rest who were left— cm^ ojf fnim their head, (.'hrist. Such a mode of interjire- tntion may astound persons of weak minds, but it is mo»t irreverent aiul dangerous. It is one thing to ex- plain a passn^'e literally and then deduce from it spirit- ual and practical relied ions, and another to represent it as directly and positively teaching certain .spiritual
truths, or apply it to sniyects with which it has no maimer of connection whatever. Jacob Boehm, Mi- guel de Molinos, Madame (iuyon, and Madame de Bou- rignon are representatives of the somewhat nimierous class of religionists, particularly of tlie 17th century, to whose teaching and practice the api^ellation of spiritu- alism has been applied. — Buck, T/ieol, Diet. s. v. See
iNTtilM'UKTATlON.
Spiritual -mindedness is that disposition im- planted in the mind by the Holy Spirit, by which it is inclined to love, delight in. and attend to spiritual things. The spiritual-minded highly appreciate spiritual bless- ings, are engaged in spiritual exercises, pursue spiritu- al objects, are intlueuced by spiritual motives, and ex- perience spiritual joys. To be spiritually-minded, says Paid, is life and peace (Kom. viii, 6). See Owen's excellent Treatise on this subject. — Buck, Theol. Diet. s. V.
Spirituals, a sect which arose in Flanders in the IGth century, and is known also as Libertines (q. v.).
Spirituals. See Spihituales.
Spital, a hospital, usually a place of refuge for lep- ers.
Spital Sermons, a title of two sermons annually preached on Easter Monday and Tuesday before the lord inavor and sheriffs at Christ Church. Newgate Street, London. The sermon on the former of the two days is preached by a bishop; that on the latter by the chap- lain to the lord mayor, or some other clergyman whom he appoints. The Spital Sermons were originally preached at a pulpit-cross, erected in the churchyard of "The Spittle," or Hospital of St. Mary, in the parish of St. Botolph, Bishopsgate. See Stow's Loiulon (Strype's ed.), ii, 98.— Eden, Theol. Did. s. v.
Spitta, KAiiL Joiiann Philipp, a German theolo- gian and poet, was born Aug. 1, 1801, at Hanover. He was of Huguenot stock, which had emigrated during the persecutions under Louis XIV. His early years held out no promise of future enwuence for him, as he seemed dull, and was, moreover, afHicted with scrofu- lous disease, which interrupted the progress of his stud- ies. ()n his recovery, he was deemed so little qualitied to undertake the theological career which he preferred that he was apprenticed to a watchmaker. AMiile thus employed, he developed a love for the study of lan- guages and of science, and spent his leisure time in the private study of Greek and Latin, and also of geography and history. He was subsecpiently admitted to the ly- ceum of his native town, and in 1821 entered the I'ni- vcrsity of (iiittingen. This institution was at the time pervaded by the ration.ilistic miasma, and Spitta lost his love for theology, though he neglected the study of philosophy, in which the current rationalism sought its support, A period of (piestioning ensued, which was hap[)ily ended by his return to a sim[)le scri]itural faith through the iiiHiience of the writings of De Wette and Tholuck. After graduating, he became a private tutor, and remained in that position until 1828, though he was during the interval associated with pastor Deich- mann at Liineburg in an abortive attetnpt to publish a journal for Christian families of every rank in society. At the age of twenty-six he was as.sociated with the aged Cleves in the pastorate, but in November, 1830, l)ecame tetnporary preacher to the garrison at Haineln and also s|iirilual giii<le to about 2.")() convicts in the penitentiary. Tlieiice he was transferred, alter being married to Maria Hotzcn, to the parish of Wcchholt, where he remained during ten hapjiy years. The num- ber of his hearers increased, and witli it his inHueiice over the community. His reputation extended even beyond his native country, and secured for him calls to Bremen, Barmen, and Ellierfild. He eventually be- came superintendent and pastor at A\'ittengen, in Liine- burg, and then (lastor of the more responsible post at Peine (1853). In 1855 he received the doctor's degree