Consistory
(Con*sis"to*ry) (? or ?; 277) n.; pl. Consistories [L. consistorium a place of assembly, the
place where the emperor's council met, fr. consistere: cf. F. consistoire, It. consistorio. See Consist.]
1. Primarily, a place of standing or staying together; hence, any solemn assembly or council.
To council summons all his mighty peers,
Within thick clouds and dark tenfold involved,
A gloomy consistory.
Milton.
2. (Eng. Ch.) The spiritual court of a diocesan bishop held before his chancellor or commissioner in
his cathedral church or elsewhere. Hook.
3. (R. C. Ch.) An assembly of prelates; a session of the college of cardinals at Rome.
Pius was then hearing of causes in consistory.
Bacon.
4. A church tribunal or governing body.
In some churches, as the Dutch Reformed in America, a consistory is composed of the minister and
elders of an individual church, corresponding to a Presbyterian church session, and in others, as the
Reformed church in France, it is composed of ministers and elders, corresponding to a presbytery. In
some Lutheran countries it is a body of clerical and lay officers appointed by the sovereign to superintend
ecclesiastical affairs.
5. A civil court of justice. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Consistory
(Con*sis"to*ry), a. Of the nature of, or pertaining to, a consistory. "To hold consistory session."
Strype.
Consociate
(Con*so"ci*ate) n. [L. consociatus, p. p. of consociare to associate, unite; con- + sociare
to join, unite. See Social.] An associate; an accomplice. [Archaic] "Wicked consociates." Bp. Hall.
Consociate
(Con*so"ci*ate), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Consociated ; p. pr. & vb. n. Consociating.]
1. To bring into alliance, confederacy, or relationship; to bring together; to join; to unite. [R.]
Join pole to pole, consociate severed worlds.
Mallet.
2. To unite in an ecclesiastical consociation. [U.S.]
Consociate
(Con*so"ci*ate), v. i.
1. To be allied, confederated, or associated; to coalescence. [R.] Bentley.
2. To form an ecclesiastical consociation. [U.S.]
Consociation
(Con*so`ci*a"tion) n. [L. consociatio.]
1. Intimate union; fellowship; alliance; companionship; confederation; association; intimacy.
A friendly consociation with your kindred elements.
Warburton.
2. A voluntary and permanent council or union of neighboring Congregational churches, for mutual advice
and coöperation in ecclesiastical matters; a meeting of pastors and delegates from churches thus united.
In Connecticut some of the Congregational churhes are associated in consociations and the others in
conferences.
Consociational
(Con*so`ci*a"tion*al) a. Of or pertaining to a consociation. [U.S.]
