The book of religions; comprising the views, creeds, sentiments, or opinions of all the principal religious sects in the world, particularly of all Christian denominations in Europe and America, to which are added church and missionary statistics, together with biographical sketches

Front matter

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Preface

A few years since, the Editor of the following pages published a volume of " Religious Creeds and Statistics ; " and, as the work, although quite limited, met with general approbation, he has been induced to publish another of the same nature, but on a much larger plan, trusting that it will prove more useful, and more worthy of public favor.

His design has been, to exhibit to his readers, with the utmost impartiality and perspicuity, and as briefly as their nature will permit, the views, creeds, sentiments, or opinions, of all the religious sects or denominations in the world, so far as utility seemed to require such an exhibition ; but more especially to give the rise, progress, and peculiarities, of all the principal schemes or systems of religion which exist in the United States at the present day.

The work is intended to serve as a manual for those who are desirous of acquiring, with as little trouble as possible, a correct knowledge of the tenets or systems of religious faith, presented for the consideration of mankind ; — to enable them, almost at a glance, to compare one creed or system with another, and each with the holy Scriptures ; — to settle the minds of those who have formed no definite opinions on religious, subjects ; — and to lead us all, by contrasting the sacred truths and sublime beauties of Christianity with the absurd notions of pagan idolaters, of skeptics, and of infidels, to set a just value on the doctrines of HIM who

SPAKE AS NEVER MAN SPAKE.

To accomplish this design, the Editor has obtained, from the most intelligent and candid among the living defenders of each denomination, full and explicit statements of their religious sentiments — such as they believe and teach. He is indebted to the friends of some new sects or parties in philosophy and religion, for an account of their respective views and opinions. With regard to

4 PREFACE.

anterior sects, he has noticed, from the best authorities, as large a number as is thought necessary for the comparison of ancient with modern creeds.

The Church and Missionary Statistics are believed to be as accurate as can be constructed from materials which annually undergo greater or less changes.

The Biographical Sketches are derived from the most authentic sources. While they convey useful knowledge in regard to the fathers and defenders of the various systems of religious faith, they may also stimulate our readers to the practice of those Christian virtues and graces which adorned the lives of many of them, and render their names immortal.

A few only of the works from which valuable aid has been received, can be mentioned : — Mosheim and McLaine's Ecclesiastical History ; Gregory and Ruter's Church History ; Encyclopaedia Americana ; Brown's Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge ; Adams's View of Religions, and History of the Jews ; Benedict's History of all Religions; Evans's Sketches; Buck's and Henderson's Theological Dictionaries; Eliot's, Allen's, and Blake's Biographical Dictionaries ; Davenport ; Watson ; Grant's Nestorians ; Coleman's Christian Antiquities ; Ratio Disciplines ; Haydn's Dictionary of Dates, &c.

To clergymen and laymen of all denominations, who have assisted the Editor in presenting their various views with clearness and fairness ; to the secretaries of the several missionary boards ; to editors of religious journals, and to other persons who have kindly furnished documents for the Statistics and Biographical Sketches, he tenders acknowledgments of unfeigned gratitude.

While the Editor assures the public that the whole has been prepared with much diligence and care, and with an entire freedom from sectarian zeal or party bias, he cannot but indulge the hope that his " Book of Religions " will prove acceptable and beneficial to the community, as imbodying a great variety of facts on a subject of deep concern, worthy of the exercise of our highest faculties, ' and requiring our most charitable conclusions.

Index

A. Page.

Abelians, or Abelonians, 243

Addison, Joseph, 417

Agricola, John, 370

Allenites, 280

American Missions, 336

Anabaptists, 190

Ancient American Covenant, .308 Andover Orthodox Creed, . . . .138

Antinomians, 128

Anti-Pedobaptists, 196

Apostles' Creed, 102

Aquarians, 168

Arians, 18

Arius, 368

Armenians, 303

Arminians, 115

Arminius, James, 373

Assembly's Catechism, 141

Athanasian Creed, 102

Athanasius, 368

Atheists, 217

Augsburg Confession, 302

JB.

Bacon, Francis, 407

Quaker, 193

Baptist Missions, English,. . . .339

Baxter, Richard, 376

Baxterians, 169

Bereans, 109

Beza, Theodore, 366

Bible Chronology, 175

Bishops, Episcopal, 314

Bourignonists, 201

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Boyle, Robert, 412

Brown, Robert, 373

Brownists, 200

Bucer, Martin, 360

Bullinger, Henry, 363

Burnet, Gilbert, 429

C.

Calvin, John, 365

Calvinists, 11, 313

Cambridge Platform, .48

Campbellites, 58

Charles V., 405

Chauncey , Charles, 385

Christianity, Progress of, 432

Chronology, Bible, 175

Church Government, 20

Church Statistics, 311

Clarke, John, 387

Clarke, Richard, 399

Congregationalists, 20, 313

Courtney, William, 384

Creed, Andover, 138

Apostles', 102

Athanasian, , 102

Augsburg, 302

New Haven, 142

Nicene, 105

Orthodox, 132

Cumberland Presbyterians, ... .25

D.

Daleites, 272

Dancers, 244

Deists, 215

INDEX.

Diggers, 246

Disciples of St. John, 284

Dissenters. See Puritans.

Doddridge, Philip, 420

Donatists, 281

Dorrelites, .164

Dutch Reformed Church, 88

E.

Elizabeth, Princess, 411

Emancipators, 272

English Baptist Missions, 339

Methodist Missions, . .343

Epicureans,. . . . 244

Essenes, 202

F.

Family of Love, 259

Fighting Quakers, 162

Fox, George, 377

Free Communion Baptists, ...300 Free- Will Baptists,. .190, 312, 341

French Missions, 346

G.

Genevieve, 162, 428

German Missions, 346

German Reformed Church,. . . .90

Glass, John, 383

Glassites, 126

Government, Church, 20

Greek Church, 288

H.

Hale, Matthew, 408

Harmless Christians, 57

Harmonists, 163

Hicksites, 74, 319

High Churchmen, .308

Higginson, Francis, 310, 374

Hooker, Richard, 385

Hopkins, Samuel, 397

Huntingdon, Lady Selina,. . . .395

Huss, John, 354

Hutchinson, Ann, 389

Hutchinsonians, 259