Vice (Viccius), FmEDHictr, a Lutheran theologian, was born Sept. 9, 1629, at Breslau, in Silesia. He stud- ied at Wittenberg, and was permitted to lecture there. In 1658 he was appointed co-rector at St. ^lary Magda- lene's in his native place; in 16(!5 he was made dea- con of .St. Elisabeth's; in 1667 professor of the Elisabe- thanum; and died Jan. 27, 1697,aspastorof St. Elisabeth's and inspector of the evangelical churches and schools. He wrote, Dissert, de Uiim et Thummim : — De Prceconio Joscphi ^Egijptiaco: — De A ntiqvitate HehraiccB Linguae: — Dissertt. aliquot ad Cap. xi Geneseos, See Pantke, Pastoi-es der Kirche zu J^t. Elisabeth in Bresslau ; id. Pitstores zu St. Maria Magdalene ingleichen Prcepositi iind Ecclesiastce; Jocher,.4 llgemeines Gelekrten-Lex.s.v.; Fiirst, fiibl. Jiid. iii,476 ; Steinschneider, Biblioy. Uand- buch, s. V. (B. P.)
Vice is a chronic and habitual transgression of the moral law, as distinguished from those transgressions which result from momentary temptation. It is a phase of sin (q. v.). and the remarks there made are applica- ble here. Vice, like every other habit, is the product of repeated acts, and, as the vicious habit strengthens, the mind of its victim becomes less and less conscious of the evil of which it is the slave, until sin is commit- ted almost without knowing it. The hatefidness of vice both to (iod and man is shown in the whole of (Jod's moral government in the world. Even in this world vice is foredoomed by the unmistakable judgment of (Jod, and the human agents of the sentence, although they be themselves under similar condemnation, allow the law to be just. Exalted virtue secures the admira- tion of even the worthless, and vice, when punished, is as universally acknowledged by both good and bad to have met with its deserts. Societies for the suppres- sion of vice have been organized in different countries, and meet with universal approval. Their object is to co-operate with the properly constituted legal authori- ties in preventing and suppressing the various vices which are prevalent and most flagrant.
The greater ho|ielessness of vice than mere sin very clearly bespeaks the wrath of God. The evil conse- quences of youthful folly may be lightly thought of for a time, but they remain as a root of bitterness to mar the peaccfulness of more mature years. Even an im- j)ru(ient choice of vicious companions will often meet with the same severe retribution as a course of down- right vicious action. It has been decreed that vice, and everything that directly or indirectly belongs to it, should not go unpunished ; and its escape from condem- nation, so far as its own nature is concerned, is utterly
hopeless. The Scriptures are very positive in rheir de- nunciations of vice (see Hub. ii, 1-3; iii, 7-19; iv, 1-13; vi, 4. 6; Kom.i, 29-32).
Vice-chancellor is the officer chief in authority in a university; usually one of the heads of colleges, who is selected from time to time to manage the gov- erinnent of tiie same in the absence of the chancellor.
Vice-dean is an officer appointed by the chapter of a cathedral, or in son)e cases by the dean alone, to act as the deputy of the latter. He is elected annually from the residentiaries, and sometimes by them. He acts as the locum-tenens of the dean, and is regarded as a paterfamilias. He usually sits in the north-west stall, although that is properly appropriated to the heb- domadary or canon in residence. In some Italian and Spanish foLUidations he is cnWad prefect of the choir.
Vice-domini (in place of the master) is a term ap- plied to certain ecclesiastical officers, often called beadles or bailiff's, appointed about the 8th century from the order of laymen, to protect the churches and defend them against wrongs. Their work was of such a char- acter that it could not properly be performed liy eccle- siastics. See Neander, Hist, of the Church, iii, 101. See
ViDAM,
Vice-legate is an officer of the court of Home who acts as spiritual and temporal governor iu certain cities where no legate or cardinal resides.
Viceliiius, St., the apostle of Holstein, was a na- tive of (2ucrnheim,on the Weser. His early education was directed by the clergy of that place ; after the death of his parents and the loss of his inheritance he became the charge of the lady of Everstein; and ultimately, having been taunted by the priest of the castle on ac- count of his illiteracy, he entered himself at the flour- ishing school of Paderborn, and rapidly became noted for the energy and success with which he pursued his studies. After a time he became principal of the school at Bremen, and administered its afi'airs with great credit and success; but his craving for knowledge was such that he soon resigned his place and w-ent, accompanied by his favorite pupil Thetmar, to Paris, where they sat at the feet of Rudolph and Anselm (q. v.), and acquired a correct understanding of the Holy Scriptures and of practical Christianity. After his return to his home he declined the office of canon at Bremen, and went to Magdeburg to prepare himself for the work of a mis- sionary to the heathen. He was consecrated priest by archbishop Nortbert of JMagdeburg, and commissioned by archbishop Adalbert II of Bremen to labor among the Slavs, and at once petitioned Henrv. the powerful king of the Obotrites, to allow the jjreaching of the Gospel among his subjects.