PREGNANCY 339 PBESBYTERIAN CHURCH times of the kings the officer appointed by the king to act as his deputy when he was compelled to leave the city was called the Prsefectus urbi, or prefect of the city. Later, during the earlier ages of the republic, when both consuls were required for military service, a Prxfec' tus urbi was named by the Senate to act during their absence. In times of dearth or famine a commissioner was appointed to procure supplies, his official title being Pnefectus annorue, or prefect of com. In war the whole body of the cavalry was under the command of an officer, also styled a prefect. The cap- tain of a ship of war was called Prss- fectus navis, and the admiral of a fleet pnefectus classis. Under Constantine the prefectus became governors of prov- inces. In France a prefect is the civil governor of a department, having control of the police and extensive powers in re- gard to municipal administration. PREGNANCY, the quality or state of being pregnant or with child ; the state of a female who has conceived or is with child. PRELATE, an ecclesiastical dignitary of the highest order, having authority over the lower clergy, as an archbishop, or patriarch; a dignitary of the church. PRELUDE, something introductory or preparatory to that which follows; an introductory or preparatory perform- ance; an introduction. In music, a movement played before, or an introduc- tion to a musical work or performance; a short introductory strain preceding the principal movement, performed on the same key as, and intended to prepare the ear for, the piece that is to follow. PREMONSTRATENSIAN, in Church history, Norbertines: an order of regular canons, founded by St. Norbert, in 1119. The rule was that of St. Austin, and their founder imposed upon his subjects perpetual fasting and entire abstinence from meat. The order flourished greatly, and at one time, according to Helot, there were more than 1,000 abbeys. PRENDERGAST, EDMOND FRAN- CIS, archbishop of the Roman Catholic church, diocese of Philadelphia. Born in 1843 in Ireland and died in Philadelphia in 1918. When sixteen years of age he came to the United States and entered St. Charles Seminary, Overbrook, being admitted to the priesthood in 1865. After having several important pai'ishes he became vicar-general of the archdio- cese in 1895 and auxiliary bishop two years later. He became archbishop in 1911. PREPOSITION, a part of speech, so named because originally prefixed to the verb, in order to modify its meaning. Prepositions are either simple or com- pound. Simple prepositions are at, by, for, from, in, on, out, to, up, with; com- pound prepositions are across, after (a comparative from of) , against, above, about, along, amid, amidst, among, athwart, but, into, over, through, to- ward, until, unto, within, without. The prepositions concerning, during, except, notwithstanding, outtake, etc., arise out of a participial construction. PRE-RAPHAELISM, an English school of painting. It was their object to oppose that system of art which had grown up since the time of Raphael; one of the main characteristics of which was the pursuit of beauty at the expense of truth. PRE-RAPHAELITE BROTHER- HOOD, an association founded in 1848 by Willian Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. PRESBYTER, an elder, or a person advanced in years who had authority in the early Christian Church (I Peter v: 1). Also, in the Presbyterian Church, a member of a presbytery; specifically, a minister. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, a name applied to those Christian denominations, who hold that there is no order in the Church as established by Christ and his apostles superior to that of presbyters (see Presbyter), and who vest church government in presbyteries, constituted of ministers and elders, possessed of equal powers thus without superiority among themselves. Presbyterianism does not recognize the term bishop as the superior of the presbjrtery, because these two names or titles in the New Testa- ment, are used interchangeably of the same persons. Presbyterians hold that the authority of their ministers, is de- rived from the Holy Spirit, which is sym- bolized by the imposition of the hands of presbytery collectively. They affirm that all Christian ministers being am- bassadors of Christ, are equal by their commission. The congregation elects its own minister and elders, and also its deacons and trustees — the former^ of the last two takes charge of the charities of the church, and the latter of its temporal or financial affairs. The session, con- sisting of the minister and elders, has the spiritual oversight of the church members. The Presbytery is constituted by ministers and elders in equal numbers. A congregation for the time without a pastor, can be represented in the presby- tery by an elder. An appeal may be
