congregation

congregation
    n 1: a group of people who adhere to a common faith and
         habitually attend a given church [syn: {congregation},
         {fold}, {faithful}]
    2: an assemblage of people or animals or things collected
       together; "a congregation of children pleaded for his
       autograph"; "a great congregation of birds flew over"
    3: the act of congregating [syn: {congregation}, {congregating}]
    

Congregation \Con`gre*ga"tion\, n. [L. congregatio: cf. F.
   congr['e]gation.]
   1. The act of congregating, or bringing together, or of
      collecting into one aggregate or mass.
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            The means of reduction in the fire is but by the
            congregation of homogeneal parts.     --Bacon.
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   2. A collection or mass of separate things.
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            A foul and pestilent congregation of vapors. --Shak.
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   3. An assembly of persons; a gathering; esp. an assembly of
      persons met for the worship of God, and for religious
      instruction; a body of people who habitually so meet.
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            He [Bunyan] rode every year to London, and preached
            there to large and attentive congregations.
                                                  --Macaulay.
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   4. (Anc. Jewish Hist.) The whole body of the Jewish people;
      -- called also {Congregation of the Lord}.
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            It is a sin offering for the congregation. --Lev.
                                                  iv. 21.
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   5. (R. C. Ch.)
      (a) A body of cardinals or other ecclesiastics to whom as
          intrusted some department of the church business; as,
          the Congregation of the Propaganda, which has charge
          of the missions of the Roman Catholic Church.
      (b) A company of religious persons forming a subdivision
          of a monastic order.
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   6. The assemblage of Masters and Doctors at Oxford or
      Cambrige University, mainly for the granting of degrees.
      [Eng.]
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   7. (Scotch Church Hist.) the name assumed by the Protestant
      party under John Knox. The leaders called themselves
      (1557) Lords of the Congregation.
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Congregation
(Heb. kahal), the Hebrew people collectively as a holy community
(Num. 15:15). Every circumcised Hebrew from twenty years old and
upward was a member of the congregation. Strangers resident in
the land, if circumcised, were, with certain exceptions (Ex.
12:19; Num. 9:14; Deut. 23:1-3), admitted to the privileges of
citizenship, and spoken of as members of the congregation (Ex.
12:19; Num. 9:14; 15:15). The congregation were summonded
together by the sound of two silver trumpets, and they met at
the door of the tabernacle (Num. 10:3). These assemblies were
convened for the purpose of engaging in solemn religious
services (Ex. 12:27; Num. 25:6; Joel 2:15), or of receiving new
commandments (Ex. 19:7, 8). The elders, who were summonded by
the sound of one trumpet (Num. 10:4), represented on various
occasions the whole congregation (Ex. 3:16; 12:21; 17:5; 24:1).

  After the conquest of Canaan, the people were assembled only
on occasions of the highest national importance (Judg. 20; 2
Chr. 30:5; 34:29; 1 Sam. 10:17; 2 Sam. 5:1-5; 1 Kings 12:20; 2
Kings 11:19; 21:24; 23:30). In subsequent times the congregation
was represented by the Sanhedrim; and the name synagogue,
applied in the Septuagint version exclusively to the
congregation, came to be used to denote the places of worship
established by the Jews. (See {CHURCH}.)

  In Acts 13:43, where alone it occurs in the New Testament, it
is the same word as that rendered "synagogue" (q.v.) in ver. 42,
and is so rendered in ver. 43 in R.V.