RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Predestination Premonstratensians
ever, a small body of nobler type broke off from the main sect, rejected all vagaries, and evolved views on justification and baptism along the lines marked out by Luther. The cardinal tenet of Pregizerianism centers in justification, which occurs once and for all in each individual, and which is essentially connected with baptism. The Christian must ever be joyful because of the grace which he has experienced, and the Pregizerians were, accordingly, often called " Hurrah Christians " (Juchhe-Christen), or, because of their belief in ictic conversion, " Galloping Christians " (Galopp-Christen) . They also taught that there is no sin and that confession and penance are unnecessary; they disregarded the Sabbath and manifested other antinomian tendencies; and they practically rejected the Lutheran Church. They were chiliasts and restorationists, but refused to take any part in either foreign or domestic missions. The only official source for a knowledge of the doctrines of the sect is the Sammlung geistlicher Lieder zum Gebrauch fur gldubige Kinder Gottes, to which is appended Pregizer's confession of faith.
There are still about eighty Pregizerian communities in Wurttemberg and Baden, though their number is steadily diminishing. Extravagances have been abandoned, but they retain their joyous characteristics. They are marked by Lutheran piety and use Luther's writings along with the Bible. They are for the most part faithful to the Lutheran Church, and are united by a conference held thrice annually at various places in Wurttemberg. (C. Kolb.)
Bibliography: Gruneisen, in ZHT, 1841; C. Palmer, Die Gemeinschaften und Sekten Wurttembergs, Tubingen, 1877; C. Dietrich and F. Brookes, Die Privat-Erbauungsgemeinschaften innerhalb der evangelischen Kirche Deutschlands, Stuttgart, 1903.
PRELATE: The title of certain ecclesiastical iignitaries. Canon law classifies church offices as ' major and minor benefices." To the former beong those which carry power of administration, and ;he occupants are termed prelates. Strictly, this :ategory covers only the pope, patriarchs, primates, irchbishops, and bishops. Among prelates of the second order are reckoned cardinals, legates, and luncios; prelates of the Curia, exempt or privileged ibbots, provosts, and deans of chapters.
Of particular importance are the prelates of the Juria, ecclesiastics who exercise functions of the )ontifical government proper. These also enjoy a )eculiarly honorable precedence, have the title ' Monsignore," and may wear violet apparel, exer- :ising these privileges as honorary prelates, but aking no part in actual jurisdiction (cf. J. H. Bangen, Die romische Kurie, Munich, 1854). Adnission to the prelacy, which is viewed as a first tep to the cardinalate, is attended with certain ionditions, such as a stated age of twenty-five rears, five years of legal study at a university, posession of the degree of doctor utriusque juris, two rears of legal practise at a spiritual tribunal, and ormal examination before the Signatura justitiae. n behalf of special training for the prelacy, Benelict XIV founded the Academia ecclesiastica. See
5RELATURE. E. SEHLING.
PRELATURE: A name originally and strictly applied to an ecclesiastical office carrying with it jurisdiction exercised in the name of the incumbent. These dignities are divided into three classes: (1) those possessed by all diocesan bishops, but not by coadjutor or titular bishops; (2) those to which the dignity was later attached by a special act, including cardinals, papal legates and nuncios, the medieval archdeacons and archpriests, and the heads of collegiate foundations, abbeys, and knightly orders in the cases when they were exempt from episcopal jurisdiction and endowed with a quasi-episcopal jurisdiction of their own; (3) the provosts and deans of chapters in so far as during the Middle Ages, as archdeacons, they had acquired a certain jurisdiction of their own, after the loss of which they still claimed the rank and title. Nowadays both rank and title are given by the pope to a large number of actual or nominal officials of the Curia who possess no jurisdiction. Prelates are distinguished by special titles and dress, and by the right of being received with incense on their formal entrance into a church. See Prelate.
(0. MEJERf.)
PREMILLENARIANISM. See Millennium, Mil-