Marriage lies at the basis of the family and society in church and state, and was most closely
and jealously guarded by the church against facility of divorce, against mixed marriages, and
marriages between near relatives.
Extreme unction with prayer (first mentioned among the sacraments by a synod of Pavia
in 850, and by Damiani) was the viaticum for the departure into the other world, and based on the
direction of St. James 5:14, 15 (Comp. Mark 6:13; 16:18). At first it was applied in every sickness,
by layman as well as priest, as a medical cure and as a substitute for amulets and forms of incantation;
but the Latin church afterwards confined it to of extreme danger.
The efficacy of the sacrament was defined by the scholastic term ex opere operato, that is,
the sacrament has its intended effect by virtue of its institution and inherent power, independently
of the moral character of the priest and of the recipient, provided only that it be performed in the
prescribed manner and with the proper intention and provided that the recipient throw no obstacle
in the way.^509
Three of the Sacraments, namely baptism, confirmation, and ordination, have in addition
the effect of conferring an indelible character.^510 Once baptized always baptized, though the benefit
may be forfeited for ever; once ordained always ordained, though a priest may be deposed and
excommunicated.
§ 98. The Organ and the Bell.
To the external auxiliaries of worship were added the organ and the bell.
The Organ,^511 in the sense of a particular instrument (which dates from the time of St.
Augustin), is a development of the Syrinx or Pandean pipe, and in its earliest form consisted of a
small box with a row of pipes in the top, which were inflated by the performer with the mouth
through means of a tube at one end. It has in the course of time undergone considerable
improvements. The use of organs in churches is ascribed to Pope Vitalian (657–672). Constantine
Copronymos sent an organ with other presents to King Pepin of France in 767. Charlemagne
received one as a present from the Caliph Haroun al Rashid, and had it put up in the cathedral of
Aix-la-Chapelle. The art of organ-building was cultivated chiefly in Germany. Pope John VIII.
(872–882) requested Bishop Anno of Freising to send him an organ and an organist.
The attitude of the churches towards the organ varies. It shared to some extent the fate of
images, except that it never was an object of worship. The poetic legend which Raphael has
immortalized by one of his master-pieces, ascribes its invention to St. Cecilia, the patron of sacred
music. The Greek church disapproves the use of organs. The Latin church introduced it pretty
generally, but not without the protest of eminent men, so that even in the Council of Trent a motion
was made, though not carried, to prohibit the organ at least in the mass. The Lutheran church
(^509) Here, too, the Protestant (at least the Reformed) confessions differ from the Roman Catholic by requiring faith in
active exercise as a condition of receiving the benefit of the sacrament. In the case of infant baptism the faith of the parents or
responsible guardians is taken into account. Without such faith the sacrament would be wasted and profaned.
(^510) Character indelebilis
511
Organum from the Greekο ργανον, which is used in the Septuagint for several musical terms in Hebrew, as cheli,
chinor (cithara), nephel (nablium), yugab. See the passages in Trommius, Concord. Gr. V. LXX, II. 144.