| Word | American Tract Society - Definition |
| SAINT | A holy person, a friend of God, either on earth or in heaven, De 33:2. It is sometimes used of the pious Israelites, as Ps 16:3 34:9. Nothing is more frequent in Paul than the name of saints given to all Christians, Ro 1:7 8:27 12:13 15:25,31 16:2. In this acceptation it continued during the early ages of Christianity; nor was it applied to individuals declared to be saints by any other act of the church than admission to its membership, till various corruptions had depraved the primitive principles. The church of Rome assumes the power of making saints; that is, of announcing certain departed spirits as objects of worship, from whom the faithful may solicit favors-a notion worthy of the dark ages in which it originated. |