more families of documents; others, with less acuteness or ingenuity, will rest satisfied with classes more strong- ly marked by the number of materials they embrace or the breadth of territory over which they were supposed to circulate. There is no possibility of arriving at pre- cision. The commingling of readings has obliterated many peculiarities in the progress of time, though enough has been left to form the basis of a rough classi- fication.
It is more difficult to classify the ancient versions,, such as the Peshito-Syriac, because their texts have suffered frequent interpolations and changes. In the quotations of the lathers we must make allowance for mi -mo rite r citation, without expecting great care or at- tachment to the letter. Griesbach, however, denies that Origen quoted from memory — and none has investigat- ed the citations of the Alexandrian father with equal labor — but the state of his commentaries is far from being what we could wish, and the original is often lost or corrupted.
The term recension is sometimes applied to the Old Test, as well as the New Test. There the materials hitherto collated all belong to one recension, viz. the Masoretic. Some, indeed, have divided them into Ma- soretic and Ante-Masoretic, but the latter cannot be traced. At present we are acquainted with only one great family, though it is probable that particular re- visions of parts of the Old Test, preceded the labors of the Masoretes. Whether the Karaite Hebrew MSS. — of which many have been recently brought to St. Peters- burg— present a different form of the text from the Ma- soretic will be seen after they have been collated; it is certain that their vowel-system is different from the present one. We expect, therefore, that important read- ings may be furnished by these very ancient codices.
See Bengel, Inlroductio in Crisin N. T., prefixed to his edition of the Greek Testament (Tubingen, 1734, 4to); Semler, Yorbereitungeii zirr Ilermemuiik (Halle. 17(10-69, 8vo); Michaelis, Introduction to the X. T., by Marsh, ii, 173 sq.; Griesbach, Opnscula (edited by Gab- ler. with the Preface of the latter [Jena, 1824-25, 2 vols. 8vo]); id. Commentarius Criticus in Textum Gracum, particular i and ii (ibid. 1798, 1811, 8vo) ; id. Prole- gomena to the second edition of his Greek Testament (1796, 8vo) ; Eichhom, Einleifung (Gott. 1827, 8vo), vol. iv; Bertholdt, Einleitung (Erlangen, 1812, 8vo), vol. i; Schulz, Prolegomena to the third edition of Griesbach (Berl. 1827, 8vo) ; Hug, EMeit. (4th ed. Stuttgart, 1847, 8vo), vol. i; De Wette, Einleit. in das neite Testament (6th ed. Berl. 1860, 8vo); Sehott, Isagogt Historico- critica (Jena, 1830, 8vo) ; Matthai, Ueber die sogenann- ten Recensionen, etc. (Leips. 1804, 8\-(>) ; Scholz, Biblisch- kritiscke Reise, etc. (ibid. 1823, 8vo); id. Prolegomena to tin X. T. (1830), vol. i; Laurence, remarks on Gries- bach's Sysii mafic Classification of MSS. (Oxford, 1814, 8vo); Rinck, Lucubratio Critica in Acta Apost., JI/>/i. Cathol. it Paulin. etc. (Basil. 1*30, 8vo) ; Tischendorf, Prolegomena to his edition of the Greek Testament (Leips. 1841. 8vo). with the Prohgomena to his seventh edition (ibid. 1859), and his article Bibeltext in Herzog's Encyklopddie; l\euss, Die Geschichte der h iligt n Schrif- ten neuen Testaments (4th ed. Brunswick, 1864); Nor- ton. Genuineness of tin Gosp< Is ( Boston, 1837, 8vo), vol. i ; Davidson, Treatise on Biblical Criticism (Edinburgh, 1852), vol. ii.— Kitto. Sec Criticism; Manuscripts; Various Readings.
Reception of the Holy Ghost. In the act of conferring the orders of the ministry simple, or of its higher functions, such as the eldership or bishopric, the solemn words are used, " Receive the Holy Ghost." Having been originally used by Jesus when he com- raissioned his apostles, the expression has been retained by the Church as the most proper and authoritative form in which the powrers of the Christian priesthood can be conveyed. " That the Church is vindicated." says Stoughton, "in employing them at the consecra- tion of bishops is manifest from the fact that the min-
RECEPTION
954
RECHABITE
isterial powers of office are identically tbe same with those held by the apostles, and if given at all must pro- ceed from the same source — i. e. the Boly Ghost." In the ordination of priests the same principle will apply.
"Those under the designation of presbyters <>r elders also received their authority from this divine source, notwithstanding t liat there might ho one or more inter- medial!' links in the chain of transmission." "Take id Paul to the elders of Ephesus, "unto your- selves and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers." If. therefore, it be thai the bishop has the power of ordaining, it follows that he stands as an agent between the heavenly source of authority and the candidate to whom that authority is to be given, and is qualified to pronounce, "Receive the Holy Gbosl for the "Dice and work of a priest [or bishop ] in the Church of I iod," etc.
We have quoted Stoughton because he fully exhibits
the High-Church noti f ordination (q. v.), but we do
not wish to be understood as iis endorsers. Even the Low-Church clergy of the Anglican communion and the Protestant Episcopal Church refuse to give ii approval. See Episcopacy. In the Methodist Episcopal Church bishops are not regarded as the successors of the apos- tles, and the apostolical succession of its ministry is not maintained. See art. Episcopai y. § iv. The form of ordination is very like in the different churches, and its variability of opinion depends upon the interpretation of the language employed.