A dictionary of all religions and religious denominations

Front matter

Class Book

DICTIONARY

OF ALL

Preface

The candid reception which the public have given to the three preceding editions of the View of Religions encourages me to publish a fourth edition, with an account of a number of denominations, which have been recently formed, A London edition of this work, by the late Rev. Dr. Andrew Fuller, has been found useful in this compilation. This excellent man observes in his Preface, that "The design of such a work is not to convey an idea of all religious principles being equally true, or safe to those who imbibe them ; but to exhibit the multiplied speculations of the human mind in as just and impartial a manner as possible. Such things exist or have existed in the world, whether we know them or not ; and the reading of them in a proper spirit may induce us to cleave more closely to the law and to the testimony ; forming our religious principles by their simple and obvious meaning ; and avoiding, as a mariner would avoid rocks and quicksands, every perversion of them in support of a preconceived system "

I respectfully acknowledge having derived much assistance from Mr. Thomas Williams' " Dictionary of all Religions, including the substance of Miss H. Adams* View of Religions reduced to one alphabet." I have adopted his title, and inserted a number of his alterations and additions in this edition. The articles 1 have selected and published verbatim from Mr. Williams' work are distinguished by an asterisk(*) placed at the beginning of each, accordingto his method. But having, in the first edition of my View of Religions prescribed rules to myself, from which 1 have not knowingly deviated in the subsequent editions, I have avoided inserting any thing from Dr. Fuller or Mr. Williams, which appeared to me an infringement of these rules.

1 have therefore omitted quoting the remarks which Mr. Williams makes upon the different denominations ; for whether correct or not, the inserting of them would be an infringement of the first rule in the Advertisement of my work.

With regard to many of the ancient sects, it is well known that little has been preserved, and therefore little can be expected. The accounts of these, as Mr. Williams justly observes, "have necessarily been taken from early ecclesiastical history, which was by no means written with the candour and impartiality of modern times." As for modern sects, it has been the practice in this candid age to let them speak for themselves. This liberal principle has been adopted in all the editions of my work, where I had an opportunity to peruse their own authors. But as the account of the Jesuits is chiefly taken from Protestant ecclesiastical historians, it may be proper to add, that many individuals of this order undoubtedly deserve the following char-

PREFACE.

acter given of them by a Roman Catholic author. " The severity of their manners, their temperance, their personal decency and disinterestedness did them honour as religious men and as citizens."* The great and good Bourdaloue, one of the most celebrated preachers in the reign of Lewis XIV, was a Jesuit.

The first part of the Appendix, " Containing a sketch of the present state of the world as to population, religious toleration, missions, &c. ?? is the work of Mr. T. Williams, excepting a few additions relative to recent events, which have taken place since the publication of his Dictionary. This intelligence is chiefly contained in the notes to his statements.

The last part of the Appendix, which mentions the central points in which the various denominations of Christians are united, was published in the second and third editions of this work ; and is inserted with a few additions. After perusing accounts of such a variety of opinions on religion, it is pleasant to find even a few articles in which the great body of Christians are agreed.

In giving this work to the public, I have only to request a continuance of the same candid indulgence I have so long experienced. I shall be highly gratified, if seeingsuch a diversity of sentiment amongst Christians might induce those, who peruse this work, to search the scriptures as the only foundation for their faith and practice. And in ail their researches after truth may they imitate the candour of the late pious and ingenious Dr. Watts. This excellent man observes, that " From my own experiment, I can easily guess what confounding intricacies of thought others pass through in their honest searches alar truth. These conflicts did exceedingly enlarge my soul, and

tched my charity to a vast extent. I see, I feel, and am assured, that several men. may be very sincere, and yet entertain notions of divinity, all widely different. I confess, now and then some opin- MHne unhappy occurrences are ready to narrow and confine affections again, if I am not watchful over myself; but I pray (;<><1 to pn Berve upon my heart a strong and lasting remembrance of studies, whereby he laid within me the foundation of 10 broad a charity ."t

# h Ion.

,- Watts' Orthodoxy and Charity united.

containing a brief account of the world at the time of Christ's appearance upon earth.

Section I

W hen Jesus Christ made his appearance on earth, a great part of the world was subject to the Roman empire. This empire was much the largest temporal monarchy that had ever existed : so that it was called, " all the world." (Luke ii. 1.) The time when the Romans first subjugated the land of Judea, was between sixty and seventy years before Christ was born j and soon after this, the Roman empire rose to its greatest extent and splendour. To this government the world continued subject till Christ came, and many hundred years afterwards. The remoter nations, who had submitted to the yoke of this mighty empire, were ruled either by Roman governours, invested with temporary commissions, or by their own princes and laws, in subordination to the republic whose sovereignty was acknowledged, and to which the conquered kings, who were continued in their own dominions, owed their borrowed majesty. At the same time the Roman people and their venerable senate, though they had not lost all shadow of liberty, were yet in reality reduced to a state of servile submission to Augustus Csesar ; who by artifice, perfidy, and bloodshed, attained an enormous degree of power, and united in his own person the pompous titles of Emperour, Pontiff, Censor, Tribune of the people : in a word, all the great offices of the state.*

* Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History, vol. i. p. 16.

At this period the Romans, according to Daniel's prophetic description, had trodden down the kingdoms, and by their exceeding strength, deroured the whole earth. However, by enslaving the world, they civilized it; and whilst they oppressed mankind, they united them together. The same laws were ^very where established, and the same languages understood. Men approached nearer to one another in sentiments and manners ; and the intercourse between the most distant regions of the earth was rendered secure and agreeable.' Hence the benign influence of letters and philosophy w ? as spread abroad in countries which had been before enveloped in the darkest ignorance.*

Just before Christ was born, the Roman empire not only rose to its greatest height, but was also settled in peace. Augustus Csesar had been for many years establishing the state of the Roman empire, and subduing his enemies, till the very year that Christ was born : then all his enemies being reduced to subjection, his dominion over the world appeared to be settled in its greatest glory. This remarkable peace, after so many ages of tumult and war, was a fit prelude to the ushering of the glorious Prince of Peace into the world. The tranquillity, which then reigned, was necessary to enable the ministers of Christ to execute with success their sublime commission to the human race. In the situation into which the providence of God had brought the world, the gospel in a few years reached those remote corners of the earth, into which it could not otherwise have penetrated for niany ages.

All the heathen nations, at the time of Christ's appearance on earth, worshipped a multiplicity of gods and demons, w hose favour they courted by obscene and ridiculous

monies, and whose anger they endeavoured to appease by the most ahominablc crucltics.f

:non on the Situation of the world at the time of ipearance« f 8< .hi ind Robertson.

Every nation had its respective gods, over which one more excellent than the rest presided ; yet in such a manner that the supreme Deity was himself controlled by the rigid decrees of fate, or by what the philosophers called eternal necessity. The gods of the east were different from those of the Gauls, the Germans, and other northern nations. The Grecian divinities differed from those of the Egyptians, who deified plants, and a great variety of the productions both of nature and art. Each people had also their peculiar manner of worshipping and appeasing their respective deities. In process of time, however, the Greeks and Romans grew as ambitious in their religious pretensions as in their political claims. They maintained that their gods, though under different appellations, were the objects of religious worship in all nations ; and therefore they gave the names of their deities to those of other countries.^

The deities of almost all nations were either ancient heroes, renowned for noble exploits and worthy deeds, or kings and generals who had founded empires, or women who had become illustrious by remarkable actions or useful inventions. The merit of those eminent persons, contemplated by their posterity with enthusiastic gratitude, was the cause of their exaltation to celestial honours. The natural world furnished another kind of deities ; and as the sun, moon, and stars shine with a lustre superiour to that of all other material beings, they received religious homage from almost all the nations of the world.f

* Mosheim, vol. L p. 18,

f The learned Mr. Bryant, in his analysis of ancient mythology, supposes that the worship of the powers of nature, principally the sun, was the original idolatry, which prevailed in all nations ; that the characters of the pagan deities of different countries melt into each other ; and that the whole crowd of gods and goddesses mean only the powers of nature, (especially the swij branched out and diversified by a number of different names and attributes. Sir William Jones, in his history of the antiquities of Asia, appears to have embraced the same opinion. See Bryant, vol. i. p. 2,308. See also Sir William Jones' Dissertation of the gods of Greece, Italy, and India.

8 I>iTKuDl*tTIO>.

From those beings of a nobler kind, idolatry descended into an enormous multiplication of inferiour powers ; so that in many countries, mountains, trees, and rivers, the earth, and sea, and wind, nay, even virtues and vices, and diseases, had their shrines attended by devout and zealous worshippers.*

These deities were honoured with rites and sacrifices of various kinds, according to their respective nature and offices. Most nations offered animals ; and human sacrifices were universal in ancient times. They were in use among the Egyptians till the reign of Amasis : they were never so common among the Greeks and Romans : yet they were practised by them on extraordinary occasions. Porphyry says that the Greeks were wont to sacrifice men when they went to war. He relates also that human sacrifices were offered at Rome till the reign of Adrian, who ordered them to be abolished in most places.!

Pontiffs, priests, and ministers, distributed into several classes, presided over the pagan w T orship, and were appointed to prevent disorder in the performance of religious rites. The sacerdotal order, which was supposed to be distinguished by an immediate intercourse and friendship with> the gods, abused its authority in the basest manner, to deceive an ignorant and wretched people.:):

Hie religions worship of the pagans was -confined to certain times and places. The statues, and other repre-

were placed in the temples, and 1 to l)f ; I in an incomprehensible manner;

lor tin \ imitation of worshipping in-

animate beings : and ti pretended that the divinity

rep by the statue was really present in it, if the

dedication were truly and properly mudc.$

: cli-

orld

IXTR0DFCTX0X. 9

Besides the public worship of the gods, to which all, without exception, were admitted, there were certain religious rites celebrated in secret by the Greeks, and several eastern countries, to which a small number was allowed access. These were called mysteries ;* and persons who desired an initiation were obliged previously -to exhibit satisfactory proofs of their fidelity and patience, by passing through various trials and ceremonies of the most disagreeable kind. The secret of these mysteries was kept in the strictest manner, as the initiated could not reveal any thing that passed in them, without exposing their lives to the most imminent danger.

These secret doctrines were taught in the mysteries of Eleusis, and in those of Baccjnis, and other divinities ; but the reigning religion was totally external. It held out no body of doctrines, no public instruction to participate on stated days in the established worship. The only faith required was, to believe that the gods exist, and reward virtue either in this life or in that to come j-- the only practice, to perform at intervals some religious acts, such as appearing in the solemn festivals, and sacrificing at the public altars.f

The spirit and genius of the pagan religion was not calculated to promote moral virtue. Stately temples, expensive sacrifices, pompous ceremonies, and magnificent festivals, were the objects presented to its votaries. But just notions of God, obedience to his moral laws, purity

* The vulgar were carefully excluded from these secrets, which were reserved for the nobility and sacerdotal tribe. The priests, who had devised these allegories, understood their original import, and bequeathed them, as an inestimable legacy, to their children. In order to celebrate these mysteries with the greater secrecy, the temples were so constructed as to favour the artifice of the priests. The fanes, in which they used to execute their sacred functions, and perform the ceremonies of their religion, were subterraneous mansions, constructed with such wonderful dexterity, that every thing which appeared in them breathed an air of solemn secrecy. See Encyclopedia Brittannica, vol. z'u. p. 501.

■j- Travels of Anacharsis the Younger in Greece, by the Abbe Barthekmi, vol. ii. p. 311.

10 ivrnoDrcTioN.

of heart, and sanctity of life, were not once mentioned as ingredients in religious service. No repentance of past crimes, and no future amendment of conduct, were ever prescribed by the pagans, as proper means of appeasing their offended deities. Sacrifice a chosen victim, bow down before a hallowed image, be initiated in the sacred mysteries, and the wrath of the gods shall be averted— the thunder shall drop from their hands.*

The gods and goddesses, to whom public worship was paid, exhibited to their adorers examples of egregious crimes, rather than of useful and illustrious virtues. It was permitted to consider Jupiter, the father of the gods, as an usurper, who expelled his father from the throne of the universe, and who was in his turn to be one day driven from it by his son.f The priests were little solicitous to animate the people to virtuous conduct, either by precept or example : they plainly enough declared, that all which was essential to the true worship of the gods was contained in the rites and institutions which the people had received by tradition from their ancestors. Hence the wiser part of mankind, about the time of Christ's birth, looked upon the whole system of religion as a just object of ridicule and contempt.

The consequence of this state of theology was an universal corruption of manners, which discovered itself in the impunity of the most flagitious crimes.}: The colours arc not too strong which the apostle employs in drawing the dhairact r of the heathens. Rom. i. 21, 22. Eph. iv. 17, the time of Christ's appearance f od earth, the rcli-

n of the Romans, as well as their arms, had extended it-

self throughout a great partofthe world. Those nations,

who before their subjection had their own gods, and their

own particular religious institutions, were persuaded by de-

arsis* t Mobhcim, vol. i. p. 23.

grees to admit into their worship a great variety of the sacred rites and customs of the conquerors.^

When from the sacred rites of the ancient Romans we pass to review the other religions which prevailed in the world, it will appear obvious that the most remarkable may be properly divided into two classes ; one of which will comprehend the religious systems which owe their existence to political views, and the other of those which seem to have been formed for military purposes. The religions of most of the eastern nations may be ranked in the former class, especially that of the Persians, Egyptians and Indians, which appear to have been solely calculated for the preservation of the state, the support of the royal authority and grandeur, the maintenance of public peace, and the advancement of civil virtues. The religious system of the northern nations may be comprehended under the military class, since all the traditions among the Germans, the Britons, the Celts, and the Goths, concerning their divinities, have a manifest tendency to excite and nourish fortitude, ferocity, an insensibility of danger and contempt of life.f

At this time Christianity broke forth from the east like a rising sun, and dispelled the universal religious darkness which obscured every part of the globe. « The noblest people (says Dr. Robertson) that ever entered upon the stage of the world, appear to have been only instruments in the divine hand for the execution of wise purposes concealed from themselves. The Roman ambition and bravery paved the way, and prepared the world for the reception of the Christian doctrine. They fought and conquered, that it might triumph with the greater ease. (See Isai. x. 7.) By means of their victories, the overruling providence of God established an empire, which really possesses that perpetuity and eternal duration which they vainly arrogated to their own. He erected a throne which shall contin-

* Mosheim, vol i. p. 24. f Ibid, vol. i. p. 25.

ue forever ; and of the increase of that government there shall be no end"*

It has been mentioned, to the honour of Christianity, that it rose and flourished in a learned, inquiring, and discerning age : and made the most rapid and amazing progress through the immense empire of Rome to its remotest limits, when the world was in its most civilized state, and in an age that was universally distinguished for science and erudition.f

Section II

The state of the Jews was not much better than that of other nations, at the time of Christ's appearance on earth. They were governed by Herod, who was himself tributary to the Roman people. His government was of the most vexatious and oppressive kind. By a cruel, suspicious, and overbearing temper, he drew upon himself the aversion of all, not excepting those who lived upon his bounty.

Under his administration, and through his influence, the luxury of the Romans was introduced into Palestine, accompanied with the vices of that licentious people. In a word, Judea, governed by Herod, groaned under all the corruption which might be expected from the authority and example of a prince, who, though a Jew in outward pro- , in point of morals and practice, a contemner of all laws, human and divine.^:

After the death of this tyrant, the Romans divided the

1 unit nt of Judea between his sons. In this division

one half of the kingdom was giY6n to Archelaus, under the

title of Kxarch. Arrhelaus Mas so corrupt and wicked a

prince, that at last both Jews and Samaritans joined in a

lh, IX. 7.

t Addil nccs ami I \ Introduction, vol. i. p. !

petition against him to Augustus, who banished him from his dominions about ten years after the death of He^pd the Great. Judea was by this sentence reduced to a Roman province, and ordered to be taxed.*

The governours whom the Romans appointed over Judea were frequently changed, but seldom for the better. About the sixteenth year of Christ, Pontius Pilate was appointed a governour, the whole of whose administration, according to Josephus, was one continual scene of venality, rapine, and of every kind of savage cruelty. Such a governour was ill calculated to appease the ferments occasioned by the late tax. Indeed Pilate was so far from attempting to appease, that he greatly inflamed them, by taking every occasion of introducing his standards, with images, pictures, and consecrated shields, into their city ; and at last by attempting to drain the treasury of the temple, under pretence of bringing an aqueduct into Jerusalem. The most remarkable transaction of his government, however, was his condemnation of Jesus Christy seven years after which he was removed from Judea.f

However severe the authority which the Romans exercised over the Jews, yet it did not extend to the entire suppression of their civil and religious privileges* The Jews were in some measure governed by their own laws, and permitted the enjoyment of their religion. The administration of religious ceremonies was committed as before to the high priest, and to the sanhedrim ; to the former of whom, the order of priests and levites was in the usual subordination ; and the form of outward worship, except in a very few points, suffered no visible change. But, on the other hand, it is impossible to express the disquietude and disgust, the calamities and vexations, which this unhappy nation suffered from the presence of the Romans, whom their religion obliged them to regard as a polluted and idolatrous people ; particularly from the avarice and cruelty

* Mobheim vol. i. p. 31. f En eye. Brit. vol. ix. p 136.

14 INTRODtJCTIOK.

of the pretors, and the frauds and extortions of the pul> Hcans^ so that, all things considered, their condition, who lived under the government of the other sons of Herod, was much more supportable than the state of those who w r erc immediately subject to the Roman jurisdiction.*

It was not, however, from the Romans only that the calamities of this miserable people proceeded. Their own rulers multiplied their vexations, and debarred them from enjoying any little comforts which were left them by the Roman magistrates. The leaders of the people, and the chief priests, were, according to the account of Joseph us, profligate wretches, who had purchased their places by bribes, or by other acts of iniquity, and who mautained their ill-acquired authority by the most abominable crimes. The ioferiour priests, and those who possessed any shadow of authority, were become dissolute and abandoned to the highest degree. The multitude, excited by these corrupt examples, ran headlong into every kind of iniquity ; and by their endless seditions, robberies, and extortions, armed against themselves both the justice of God and the vengeance of man. f

About the lime of Christ's appearance, the Jews of that age concluded the period prc-determincd by God to be then completed, and that the promised Messiah would suddenly appear. Devout persons waited day and night for the consolation of Israel ; and the whole nation, groaning under the Roman yoke, and stimulated by the desire of liberty or of vengeance, expected their deliverer with the most anxious impatience.

Nor were these expectations peculiar to the Jews. By their dispersion among so many nations, by their convi rsation with the learned men among the heathens, and by

translations of their inspired writings into a language almost universal, the principles of their religion were spread all over the east. It became the common belief that a

• Mobli.iiii. -| Mosheim, vul. i. p. 38.

Prince would arise at that time in Judea, who w r ould change the face of the world, and extend his empire from one end of the earth to the other.*

The whole hody of the people looked for a powerful and warlike deliverer, who they supposed would free them from the Roman authority. All considered the whole of religion as consisting in the rites appointed by Moses, and in the performance of some external acts of duty. All were unanimous in excluding the other nations of the world from the hopes of eternal life.

The learned among the Hebrew nation were divided into a great variety of sects ; and defended their tenets with the greatest zeal and pertinacity. The Samaritans were, in particular, violently opposed to the Jews. A particular account of their opinions, as well as those of the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, &c. will be explained under each denomination in the Dictionary.

Whilst the learned and sensible part of the Jewish nation was divided into a variety of sects, the multitude was sunk into the most deplorable ignorance of religion ; and had no conception of any other method of rendering themselves acceptable to God, than by sacrifices, washings, and other external rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic law. Hence proceeded that dissoluteness of manners, which prevailed among the Jews during Christ's ministry on earth. Hence also the divine Saviour compares the people to sheep without a shepherd, and their doctors to men who, though deprived of sight, yet pretended to show the way to others, j

In taking a view of the corruptions, both in doctrine and practice, which prevailed among the Jews at the time

* Robertson. — About this period the pagans expected some great king, or glorious person, to be born. Hence Virgil, the Roman poet, who lived at this time, in his fourth eclogue, describes the blessings of the government of some great person, who was, or should be born about this time, in language agreeable to the Jewish prophet's description of the Messiah and his kingdom.

of Christ's appearance, we find that the external worship of God was disfigured hy human inventions. Many learned men have observed that a great variety of rites were introduced into the service of the temple, of which no traces are to be found in the sacred writings. This was owing to those revolutions which rendered the Jews more conversant than they had formerly been with the neighbouring nations. They were pleased with several of the ceremonies which the Greeks and Romans used in the worship of the pagan deities, and did not hesitate to adopt them in the service of the true God, and add them as an ornament to the rites which they had received by divine appointment.

The Jews multiplied so prodigiously, that the narrow bounds of Palestine were no longer sufficient to contain them. They poured, therefore, their increasing numbers into the neighbouring countries with such rapidity, that at the time of Christ's birth there was scarcely a province in the empire, where they were not found carrying on commerce, and exercising other lucrative arts. They were defended in foreign countries against injurious treatment by the special edicts cf the magistrates. This was absolutely necessary, since in most places the remarkable difference of their religion and manners from those of other nations, exposed them to the hatred and indignation of ihe ignorant and bigoted multitude. M All this (says Dr. Mosheim) appears to have been most singularly and wisely directed by the adorable hand of an interposing providence, to the end that this people, which was the sole depository of the true religion, and of the knowledge of one supreme God, being spread abroad through the whole earth, might !)• where, hy their example, a reproach to su*

Station, contribute in some measure to check it ; and thus prepare the way for that yet fuller discovery of divine truth, which was to shine upon the world from the ministry and gospel of the Son of God. 5