Apostle (One who is sent off or away)

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

2026 Editor's Note: This page uses language about other peoples, religions, or nationalities that was commonplace when the book was published and is offensive by today's standards. The text has been left exactly as it was printed, rather than cut or softened, so that the historical record — including how ordinary such language once was — is preserved. (Ed: ET 2026-07-22) one who is sent off or away from ; one sent on some important mis sion; a messenger ; a missionary. The name given, in the Christian Church, to the 12 men whom Jesus selected from His disciples as the best instructed in His doctrines, and the fittest instruments for the propagation of his religion. Their names were as follows: Simon Peter ( Greek of Caiphas, the rock), and Andrew , his brother; James the greater, and John, his brother, who were sons of Zebedee ; Philip of Bethsaida, Bartholomew , Thomas, Matthew; James, the son of Alpheus, commonly called James the less ; Lebbeus, his brother, who was surnamed Thaddeus, and was called Judas, or Jude; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot. Of this number, Simon Peter, John, James the greater, and Andrew were fishermen; and Matthew, a publican or taxgatherer. When the apostles were reduced to 11 by the suicide of Judas, who had betrayed Christ, they chose Matthias by lot, on the proposition of St. Peter. Soon after, their number became 13, by the miraculous vocation of Saul, who, under the name of Paul, became one of the most zealous propagators of the Christian faith. The Bible gives the name of apostle to Barnabas also, who accompanied Paul on his missions (Acts, xiv: 13), and Paul bestows it also on Andronicus and Junia, his relations and companions in prison. In a still wider sense, preachers who first taught Christianity times termed apostles; e. g., St. Denis, anity in heathen countries, are somethe apostle of the Gauls; St. Boniface, the apostle of Germany; the monk Au- Jesuit Francis Xavier, the apostle of the gustine, the apostle of England; the Indies; Adalbert of Prague , the apostle apostle who had received a scientific eduof Prussia proper. Paul was the only cation; the others were mechanics. Peter, Andrew, and John are called in the literis idiotæ. Peter employed his dis- Scriptures (Acts iv: 13), homines sine ciple St. Mark in writing the Gospel which bears his name. THE TWELVE APOSTLES, a group of 27 APOSTLES' ISLANDS, or islands in Lake Superior. They belong to Wisconsin. The principal islands of Bear, Madeline, and Outer. They have the group are Ile au Chene, Stockton, an area of 200 square miles. Brown sandstone is exported, and the islands are covered with a rich growth of timmerly the county-seat of Ashland county, ber. La Pointe , on Madeline island, for- Wis., was settled by the French in 1680. taining or relating to the apostles.