SEMAPHORE 333 SEMI-PELAGIANISM secrated in 1877. In 1867 Bishop Selwyn attended the first Pan-Anglican Synod at Lambeth, and against his own inclina- tions was appointed Bishop of Lichfield — the see of the Black Country — where on his initiative the first Diocesan Con- ference in which the laity were duly rep- resented met in 1868, and where he died, April 11, 1878. SEMAPHORE, a kind of telegraph or apparatus for conveying information by visible signs, such as oscillating arms or flags by daylight, and by the disposi- tion of lanterns by night. The various combinations may serve to indicate the numbers corresponding to certain expres- sions in a tabulated code, or may be em- ployed to represent the letters of the alphabet. A simple form is used on rail- roads. SEMBRICH, MARCELLA, an Aus- trian opera singer; born in Lemberg, Po- land, Feb. 18, 1858; received her first instruction on the piano and soon after- ward took up the study of the violin. In 1876 she gave up her instrumental work to study singing, and went to Milan, where for nearly three years, she was a pupil of Lamberti. Her first appearance was in "I Puritani," at Athens, where her singing attracted considerable atten- tion. Subsequently she appeared in all the large cities of Europe with great success, and in 1883 came to the United States. She reappeared in concerts in the United States in 1897-1898, in 1898- 1899 was a member of the Grau Opera Company and the principal coloratura soprano of the New York Metropolitan Opera Company, 1903-1909. She retired from the operatic stage in 1909 but con- tinued to give concerts and recitals. She worked for the relief of the suffering in Poland during the World War. SEMELE, in classical mythology, a daughter of Cadmus by Hermione. She was beloved by Jupiter; but Juno, deter- mining to punish her rival, visited the house of Semele in the guise of her nurse, and persuaded her to entreat her lover to come to her with the same majesty as he approached Juno. Jupiter had sworn by the Styx to grant Semele what- ever she required; he therefore came at- tended by the clouds, the lightning, and thunder-bolts. Semele, unable to endure so much majesty, was instantly consumed by fire. Her child was, however, saved from the flames by Mercury. This child f/as called Bacchus, or Dionysius. SEMICOLON, in grammar and punctu- ation, the point ( ; ) , marking a greater distinction of sense than a comma, but less than a colon. It is used to distin- guish the conjunct members of a sentence. V- SEMINOLES, a tribe of American Indians, originally a vagrant branch of the Creeks, whose name, Seminole, signi- fies "wild" or "reckless." In 1805, they aided in driving the Appalaches from Florida; and in 1817, they joined with the Creeks and some negroes who had taken refuge with them, ravaged the white settlements in Georgia, plundering plantations, and carrying off slaves, whom they refused to surrender. General Jack- son, sent to punish them, took at the same time several Spanish forts, and hastened the negotiations which ended in the ces- sion of Florida to the United States. By this cession, in 1823, the Seminoles engaged to retire into the interior and not molest the settlers; but as the ne- groes continued to take refuge with them, a treaty was made with some of the chiefs, in 1832, for the removal of the whole tribe W. of the Mississippi. This treaty was repudiated by the tribe, at the instigation of Osceola (q. v.), one of their chiefs. A war commenced, in which battles and skirmishes were of con- stant occurrence, and with various re- sults. This war, which lasted seven years, and cost the government about $10,000,000 and the loss of 1,466 lives, ended in 1842, when the Seminoles, ex- cept some 200 who took refuge in remote places, were removed to the Indian Terri- tory, where nearly all the members of the tribe are now settled. They number (1920) about 3,000, receive an annuity, have churches, and are under the train- ing of missionaries of the Presbyterian denomination. The remnants in Florida number about 700. SEMIPALATINSK, a territory of Central Asia. It belongs to Russia and is an administrative division of the Steppes. Its area is 184,626 square miles, the principal river being the Irtysh. There are many lakes and the minerals include gold, silver, lead, copper, and coal. Agriculture is being developed, but is hindered by storms and lack of irriga- tion. The population is made up largely of the nomadic Kirghizes, who engage chiefly in stock raising. Pop. (1915) 874,900. The capital is Semipalatinsk, which has mosques, library and cathe- dral, and nearby the Tongus ruins. Pop. about 35,000. SEMI-PELAGIANISM, in Church his- tory, a modification of the doctrines of the Pelagians, consisting chiefly in main- taining the sufficiency of man's natural power, only so far as regards the first act of conversion to God, and the initial act of man's repentance for sin. Semi- Pelagianism took its rise in 428, from John Cassian, a pupil of Chrysostom at Marseilles. The Council of Orange, July Cyc Vol 8
