Volterra, Francesco ni, an Italian architect of the 16ih century, was originally a carver in wood, but devoted himself to architecture, and, among other edi- fices, erected the Church of San Giacomo degli Incurabili at Rome, the Lancillotti Palace, and the nave of the Church della Scala. This last is stately in appearance, but has many defects in the details, which detract greatly from the beauty of the edifice and the fame of the architect. He died in 1588. See Spooner, Biog. Hist, of the Fine Arts, s. v.
Voltumna, in ancient Italian mythology, was a goddess of the Etrurians, whose temple, situated be- tween Ameria, Volsinii, and Falerii, near the 'liber, was the principal gathering-place for that peojile.
Volume (n^5?2, Psa. xl, 7, a roll, as elsewhere ren- dered ; Ke(pa\iQ, Heb. x, 7, a chapter). See Book.
Volumnus and Volumna, in Roman mythol- ogy, were male or female deities who caused good de- sires.
Voluntary, in Church music, is an instrumental piece such as is usually performed on the organ at the beginning or ending of divine service. The name probably arose from the fact that these effusions were generally extemporaneous or voluntary, especially with accomplished organists, or were their own selections. The term is applied to written compositions in any style having the same general design.
Voluntary Associations are those associations which are formed among religious persons in connection with, or independent of, the Church for religious and benevolent purposes. Thev' are not req^iired by the Scriptures, but are sanctioned by the general tenor of the Word, and have been abundantly blessed in the spread of the (iospel and the promotion of happiness and holiness. Such are missionarv societies, young men's Christian associations, and similar organizations. See SociKTV.
Voluntary Controversy is the name applied to an animated controversy which commenced in Scot- land in 1829, and was carried on for several years be- tween the supporters and the opponents of civil estab-
VOLUNTARY OFFERING 813
VOPHSI
lishments of religion. The discussion originated from the publication of a sermon by Mr. Andrew Marshall, minister of the United Secession Church in Kirkintil- loch, in which he attempted to prove that religious es- tablishments are unscriptural, unjust, impolitic, secular- izing in their tendency, inefficient, and unnecessary. This production awakened an unusual excitement in the public mind. It rapidly passed through several editions, and, more especially in the Church to which tlie author bel<inged, it was regarded as a most vigorous and effective assault upon civil establishments of relig- ion. A review of tliis sermon, however, appeared in the Ediiihiin/h Christian Iiistructur, which maintained with great ability the cause of national as against voluntary churches. The contest was carried on for some time with great energy between Dr. JIarshall and his re- viewer, until at length various men of ability on both sides entered the tield, and the point in ilispute under- went a most searching examination in all its bearings. The controversy tinally took an organized form, and a society was formed, on the part of the dissenters, un- der the name of the Voluntary Church Association, whose committee issued a periodical bearing the title of tlie Vtdniitaru Church Magazine. Another associa- tion was formed, on the part of the national Church, under the name of the Association for Promoting the Interests of the Church of Scotland, and a periodical was begun under the title of the Church of Scotland Magazine. A treatise was published in 1833 by Dr. John Inglis, one of the ministers of Edinburgh, entitled A Vindication of Ecclesiastical Establishments. After a short interval, a volume in re]3ly to the Vindication ap- peared from the pen of Dr. Marshall. See Gardner, Eaiths of the World, ii, 921. See CnuiiCH and Statk ;
ES lAUI.ISIIMENT ; VOLUNTAKYISM.
Voluntary Offering ("^^'13, Exod. xxxv, 29; Ezra i, 4; v, 7), a free gift (iii, 5; viii, 28; Ezek. xliv, 12) ; chiefly a voluntary sacrifice opposed to one in con- sequence of a vow (Lev. xxii, 23), metaphorically (Psa. cxix, 108). See Thank-offkking.
Voluntaryism is a name for the princi])les or system of polity distinctive of those who advocate the separation of Church and State, the cessation of State endowments and State grants for religious purposes, and, in general, of all interference, patronage, or exer- cise of authority on the part of the civil power in the religious and ecclesiastical affairs of the citizen. The terms Voluntaryism and Voluntary have been in use since the date of the exciting discussions known as the Voluntary Controversy (q. v.) ; and they serve to sug- gest the fundamental conception which underlies the creed of religious dissent — that all true worship, or ac- ceptable service in religion, must be the free expression of individual minds; and that religion ought to be left by civil society to mould itself spontaneously, without violence to individual freedom from any interposition of secular authority or compulsory influence. Volun- taryism seeks to define more accurately the limits of civil power by defining more adequately than preceding- theories have done the latitude due to the movements of religion. Assigning the magistrate his proper sphere, it is equally careful to assign the Church and the indi- vidual their appropriate spheres of responsibility and dutv in reference to religion, within which thej' may work unchecked, in full harmony with all the claims of civil order. Voluntaryism may be regarded as the for- mula of advanced Protestantism, the corrected doctrine of Church and State, which the failure of the experi- ment of national churches has forced on public thought. It is a protest in modern language against the encroach- ment of the temporal power, whether under the name of magistrate, nation, or political majority, on the rights of individual conscience. See Chukch and State;