CONSECRATION, the act of devoting any thing to the service and worship of God. The Mosaic law ordained, that all the first-born, both of man and beast, should be sanctified or consecrated to God. We find also that Joshua consecrated the Gibeonites, as Solomon and David did the Nethinims, to the services of the temple; and that the Hebrews sometimes consecrated their fields and cattle to the Lord, after which they were no longer in their power.
Among the ancient Christians, the consecration of churches was performed with a great deal of pious solemnity. In what manner it was done for the three first ages, is uncertain; the authentic accounts reaching no higher than the fourth, when, in the peaceable reign of Constantine, churches were everywhere built, and dedicated with great solemnity. Some think the consecration consisted in setting up the sign of the cross, or in placing a communion table in the church; and others, that no more was done than preaching a panegyrical sermon in commemoration of the founder, and that then they proceeded to prayers, one of which was composed on purpose for the church to be consecrated.
crated. The Romanists have a great deal of pious super-
stition in the ceremonies of consecration; which they be-
stow on almost every thing, bells, candles, books, water,
oil, ashes, palms, swords, banners, pictures, crosses, ag-
nus dei's, roses, children's clouts, &c.
In England, churches have been always consecrated
with particular ceremonies, the form of which was left
to the discretion of the bishop. That observed by Bi-
shop Laud, in consecrating St Catherine's church,
in London, gave great offence.