is the first stone of a church, properly laid on the north-east side, as determined by the orientation of the sun on the day of the feast, or patron saint. At Beaulieu only one stone was found on the ground, and it was in this position; that of Avranches, the solitary relic of a cathedral, is still pointed out. In modern churches then most prominent or convenient corner is selected, and the corner-stone is a square block of suitable size, laid at the angle of the topmost course of the foundation. It is customary to hollow it out in a box-like manner, and to deposit within it memorial papers, etc.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More