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 ISAAC

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ISAAC

It is their form of church government and liturgy 7-11). Many years elapsed before Isaac's longing

which are peculiar to them. During Irving'a lifetime entreaty to God for children was actually heard.

SLX apostles were "separated" for the work of the Of the twins to whom she then gave birth, Esau was

ministry. After his death six others were added, beloved by Isaac, while Jacob was Rebecca's fav-

These twelve apostles were to ordain twelve "proph- ourite (xxv, 21-28). Drought and famine made it

ets", twelve "evangelists", and twelve "pastors". Seven "deacons" were to be chosen for the manage- ment of the temporal affairs of the body. This numberof central officials has not in fact been adhered to. Each congregation has at its head an "angel", or bishop, who ranks as a "pastor", and who has under him twenty-four priests and seven deacons. The ritual is exceedingly elaborate, resembling in many ways the most splendid functions of the Catholic

necessary for Isaac to take the road down to Egypt, but, at Yahweh's bidding, he stopped on his way thither and sojourned in Gerara, where an incident similar to that of Abraham's disavowal of Sara is recorded of him (xxvi, 1-11). We are told next how, through envy of Isaac's prosperity as a husband- man and a herdsman, the Philistines among whom he dwelt began petty persecutions, which the Hebrew patriarch bore patiently, but on account of which

Church. At Matins and Vespers they have " Propo- he finally withdrew to Bersabee. There he was sition " (Exposition) of the Sacrament. On Svmdays favoured with a new vision from Yahweh, and entered and holidays they have solemn celebration of the a solemn covenant with Abimelech, King of Gerara

Eucharist with light cen.se, and vestments. They use oil and water in their ritual observances. Their two principal churches are at Albury (Surrey, Eng- land), and at Gordon Square, London (England). It should be stated that tin- so-called Irvingites owe much more to Henry Drum- mond (1786-1S60) than to Irving. At his seat, .\lliury Park, the earliest meetings of the sect were held, and his wealth was at its dis- posal. He was one of its office-bearers, and wrote nu- merous works in its defence. The last of the "apostles" died in 1901, and none has since been appointed. No official statistics are pub- lished, but there are known to be congregations not only in England, but also in America, Germany, France, and Switzerland. In 1900 there were SO churches al- together.

Baxter, Irvingism, in its R

The Sacrifice of .Xbrah.im — Ghiberti Bas-relief in bronze, National Museum, Florence

(xxvi, 12-33). During the last years of Isaac's career, there occurred the well- known incident of his con- ferring upon Jacob the Di- vine blessing, which he had always intended for Esau (xxvii), followed by Isaac's concern to protect Jacob from his brother's resent- ment and to secure for him a wife from his mother's kindred in Mesopotamia ixxviii, 1-5). .After Jacob's return, Isaac died at the age of one hundred and eighty, and was buried by his sons in the cave of .Machpelah (xxxv, 27-29; xUx, 31). As delineated in Genesis, the figure of Isaac is much less striking than that of Abraham, his father. Yet, by his manner of life, always quiet, gentle, guile- less, faithful to God's guid- ance, he ever was the worthy heir and transmitter of the glorious promises made to Abraham. He was pre-emi-

- . Progress, and Present ittate nently a man of peace, the fitting type of the Prince

(London, 1S36); Oliphant. Life of Edward Irving (London, of Peace whose ?rpat, s-irrificp nn Mniint f'Tlvnrv wto

1S62) ; Blu.nt. Dictionary of Sects (London, 1874) ; Davenport., ^ j ^^°^^S^'^^^ sacrince on luounl L al\ ar\ was

Edward Irving and the Catholic Apostolic Church: Hook, foreshadowed by Isaac s obedience unto death on

Church Dictionary (London. 1887); Benham. Dictionary of Re- Mount Moria. The New Testament contains few, but

' • ion (London, 1SS7) ; R. Story, Life of Story (London, 1862). significant references to Isaac (cf . Matt., viii, 1 1 ; Luke,

xiii, 2S; xx, 37; Rom., ix, 7; Gal., iv, 28; Heb., xi, 17

T. B. Sc.\NNELL.

Isaac (Heb. pnS'; in a few places pnt"; in Sept. and in N. T. 'Icrad/c), the son of Abraham and Sara. The incidents of his life are told in Gen., xv-xxxv, in a nar- rative the principal parts of which are traced back by many scholars to three several documents (J, E, P) utilized in the composition of the Book of Genesis (see Abr.\h.a.m). According to Gen., xvii, 17;xviii, 12;xxi, 6, his name means: " he laughs ". He was circumcised eight days after his birth, weaned in due time, and pro- claimed the sole legal ancestor of the chosen people (x.xi, 1-12). His early years were spent in Bersabee, whence he was taken by his father to Mount Moria to be offered up in sacrifice, and whither he returned after his Hfe had been miraculously spared (xxi, 33; xxii, 19) . His mother died when he was thirty-six years of age (cf. Gen., xvii, 17; xxiii, 1). A few years later, he married Rebecca, Bathuel's daughter, whom one of his father's servants had, according to Abraham's directions, brought from Mesopotamia (xxiv). The union took place in "the south country ", where Isaac then lived, and continued to live after he had joined with Ismael in committing the body of Abraham to burial in the cave of Machpelah (xxiv, 62, 67; xxv.

sqq.; James, ii, 21).

'The legends and various details concerning Isaac which are found in the Talmud and in rabbinical writings are of no historical value.

(Catholic authors are marked -nith an asterisk.) Commen- taries on Genesis: Delitzsch. (tr. New York, 18S9): Crelier* (Paris. 1889): Von Hdmmelauer* (Paris. 1895); Dillman, (tr. Edinburgh, 1897); Hoberg* (Freiburg im B., 1899); GuNKEL (Gottingen, 1901): Driver (London, 1904).

Biblical Histories: Danko* (Vienna. 1862); Hanebero* (4th ed., Ratisbon, 1876); Schopfer* (Brixen, 1895); Kittel (tr. London, 1898); Sayce (London, 1897); Pelt* (Paris, 1897); GiGOT* (New York. 1897); Ottlet (New Y'ork. 1901); Smith (New Y'ork. 1903); Wade (New Y'ork, 1904); Hetzen- AUER* (Freiburg, 1908).

Francis E. Gigot.

Isaac of Armenia (S,\hak), Catholicos or Patriarch of Armenia (388-439), other-svise known as Is.\ac the Great and sometimes as Parthev owing to his Par- thian origin. He was son of St. Narses and descended from the family of St. Gregory the Illuminator. Left an orphan at a very early age, he received in Constan- tinople an excellent literary education, particularly in the Eastern languages. After his election as pat riarch he devoted himself to the religious and scientific train-