PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK

McClintock & Strong Cyclopaedia — Volume 6

John McClintock & James Strong · 1,371,720 words · 1335 reading sections

Section 121

B)' very quick progression, the pride and confidence of the Mendicants arrived at such a i)itch that they had the jtresumption to declare themslves jiubliily possessed of a divine impulse and commission to illustrate and maintain the religion of Jesus. They treated with the utmost insolence and contempt the priesthood…

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Section 122

Me'ne, a word Anglicized in the Auth. Vers, of the Chaldee sentence Mexe, Mene,Tekei.,Upharsin (S372 "pp-iSI b^T\ N3T3, mene', mene', tekel', u-pharsin', numbered, numbered, veighed, and diriding, as each term is immediately interpreted, the last being given in its sing, and pass, form ^"^1^, jxres', dicided; Sept. [i.…

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Section 123

MENELAUS 90 MEXESES Eretria, and take refuge in the sanctuary of Amphiaraus at Oropus. Some golden vessels, the property of the temple, being lost while he was there, the 15a?otians compelled him to leave, when he fled to the court of Antigonus, where he soon died of grief, probably in the year U.C. 277, at the age …

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Section 124

I Osi?: p. 8 ; Perizon, Orirj. yEf/ypt. c. 5 ; Shuckford's Con- nection, bk. iv; Bunsen, A-lfiypU-ns Sielle in der Wellge- schichte, ii, 38-45. — Smith, Diet, of Class. Biog. s. v. See Egypt ; Me.mi'His. Meneses, Aleixio uk, a Portuguese prelate and statesman, was born Jan. 2.5, 1559. His father had directed the educa…

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Section 125

Meni (Heb. Meni', 13^, from Tili'O, to distribute; Sept. ryxj;,Yulg. ea, i. e.fortuna, just mentioned [see Gai>] ; Auth. Yers. " that number," marg. "]Meni"), ap- parenth' an idol which the captive Israelites worshipped by libations (lectisternia), after the custom of the Bab- ylonians (Isa. Ixvi, 11), and probably sym…

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Section 126

MENIFEE 92 MENKEN Ixv, 11, says of Meni, 'It is a star, and some interpret it of the stars which are numbered, and tliey are the seven stars of motion,' i. e. the planets. Huxtorf (Lea-. J/ebr.) applies it to the 'number' of the stars which were wor- shipped as gods ; Schindler (Lex. I\-ntiiyl.) to the ' num- ber an…

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Section 127

Menius (or Menig), Justus, an eminent German theologian of the Reformation period, noted for his part in the spread of the Protestant doctrines, was born at Fulda Dec. 13, 1499. He studied for the Church, and intended to become a monastic in order to serve the cause of Home the more faithfully, but, while living as dea…

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Section 128

Menno, Simox, one of the "shining lights" of the 16th century, a Reformer whose apostolic spirit and labors have thus far failed to receive the recognition they deserve, probably because of the relation he sus- tained to that peculiar sect of Christians called after him, Mennonites (q. v.). Life. — The early history o…

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Section 129

W'lih Jlenno's appointment to the ministrj' of a class of '■ Anabaptists" at Groningen opens the most event- ful period of his life's work. His withdrawal from the Cluirch of Rome relieved liim of tlie vow of celibacy, and he made haste to select a companion for life, by whom he had several children. All these things w…

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Section 130

In the article Anabai'TISts we have already alluded to the general mistake of Supposing that all Anabaptists were engaged in the Minister excesses, and that usually persons fail to make a distinction between the sober Christians and the worst fanatics of the party. In our sketch of the life and labors of David Joris {<…

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Section 131

cannot exist intact in purity and piety. A Church without the proper apostolical ban or excommunication is like a city without walls or gates, like a field or gar- den without a fence, or like a house without walls or doors. For without it the Church would stand open to all seducers and evil-doers, to idolators and wil…

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Section 132

Other particular sentiments that divided the Mcn- nonites are the following: The Flemingians maintain, with various degrees of rigor, the opinions of their founder iSIenno as to the human nature of Christ, al- leging that it was produced in the womb of the Virgin by the creating power of the Holy Ghost, and hence objec…

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Section 133

MENNONITES 97 MENNONITES must be acquainted with Latin and Greek. Thev at- tend at a literary institution for instruction in Hebrew, ecclesiastical history, physics, natural and moral philos- ophy, etc. They have private lodgings in different parts of the city. The college was established nearly t century ago, and w…

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Section 134

In our own day the attitude of the Russian govern- ment towards the IMennonites has decidedly changed, and a harsh and unfriendly spirit been manifested in regard to them. The sharp-sighted among them fore- saw an invasion of their liberties from the tone of the Russian newspapers and the attitude of Russian offi- cial…

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Section 135

gested methods for advancing her spiritual prosperity. Their religious views are similar to those held by their brethren in Europe. They have, however, distinguish- ing peculiarities. Their office-bearers — bishops, minis- ters, and deacons — are all of them chosen by lot. Their pastors give their services gratuitously…

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Section 136

Menot, JMiciir.T.. a French preacher, was born about 1440. He belunu,(d to tlir Order of the Gray Friars, amongwhom lie taui^ht theology for several years. His sermons were of a peculiar make-up — half in barbarous Latin, half in burlesque French, and tilled with coarse jests and trivialities ; he nevertheless gained g…

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Section 137

Mensa Dei (the Lord's tahle\ a term which has im- mediate reference to the Lord's Supper. The opposition between the expressions, " table of the Lord" and "table of diemoiis" (see 1 Cor. xi), at once marks it out as a ta- ble set apart for sacred purposes. See Altar ; Table. Menses Papales is the technical term for on…

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Section 138

Some dioceses, however, managed to elude the papal months entirely, by means of special papal edicts ren- dered for the purpose of securing other advantages (see I'robst, Turnarii ecclesiarum (Jermaniw, pi Ullheinier, A d concordata nationis Germ, intcf/ra documeniorum, fasc. iv [Frankf. and Leips. 1777], p. 3G0, 376; …

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Section 139

Mentzer, Balthasar cJ), son of the preceding, was born May 14, 1614, at Giessen, and was educated at the University of Marburg, which he entered in 1628, but completed his education at Strasburg and Jena. In 1640 he became professor at Marburg, in 1648 at Rin- teln. He returned four years after and got a position at th…

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Section 140

onenim (variously rendered in the Auth. Vers. "sooth- sayers," " regarders of times," etc.) means sorcerers, and is derived either from DJT", "time" (Exod. xxi, 10), from ■jl'?, " the eye," or else, which is more probable, from '5^*, "a cloud;" it means, therefore, those dealers in forbidden arts who observe times, or …

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Section 141

AVas this tree also the "oak of the sorcerers?" There might at first seem to be a positive reason against the identification, because (1.) The name "sorcerers," or "en- chanters," would not be particularly suitable to the tree, which Kalisch also thinks might with more propriety have been called the " oak of idols," or…

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Section 142

MEPHIBOSHETH 104 IMEPHIBOSHETH The seven corpses, protected by the tender care of the mother of Mephibosheth from the attacks of bird and beast, were exposed on their crosses to the fierce sua of at least live of the midsummer months, on the sacred eminence of Gibeah. This period results from the state- ment that th…

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Section 143

3. An interval of about fourteen years now passes, and the crisis of David's life arrives. See David. Of Mephibosheth's behavior on this occasion we possess two accounts — his own (2 Sam. xix, 24-30), and that of Ziba (xvi, 1-4). They are naturally at variance with each other. (1.) Ziba meets the king on his flight at …

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Section 144

On the transaction between David and Mephibo- sheth, see J. G. Eisner, Ueh. die gerechte Unschuld u. Red- Uchkeit Mcjyhihoseths (Frankf. u. Leipz. 1760) ; Niemeyer, Charukt. iv, 434 sq. ; Kitto's Daily Bible Illust. ad loc. ; Blunt. Undesigned Coincidences, ad locw ; Hall, Contempla- tions, ad loc. ; H. Lindsay, Lectur…

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Section 145

MERARI 106 MERAPvITE " travelling companies," or caravans, are frequently al- luded to (Isa. xxi, 13 ; Ezek. xxvii, 15). — Smith. Mera'ri (Heb. Merari', ^"^"^"C, sad; Sept. MfpapO, the youngest son of Levi, probably born in Canaan (Gen. xlvi, 11; Exod. vi, IG; Numb, iii, 17; 1 Chron. vi, 1). B.C. 1874. Of Merari's …

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Section 146

The above table gives the principal descents, as far as it is possible to ascertain them. But the true posi- tion of Jaaziah, Mahli, and Jeduthun is doubtfid. Here too, as elsewhere, it is difhcult to decide when a given name indicates an individual, and when the family called after him, or the head of that family. It …

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Section 147

Merbes, Box de, a French theologian, was born in MERCATI 108 MERCHANT 1G16 at ^yiontdidier. He entered the congregation of tlie Oratory, and rose to much distinction. The doc- torate of theology was conferred upon him. He died Aug. 2, \i}Hi. I lis Latin works are excellent. Espe- cial notice is due to his Suin/na C…

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Section 148

MERCHANT 109 MERCIER 2 ; xxvii, 17. The kingdom of Israel was probably more Vavored in this latter particular than that of Jiidah, as the principal thoroughfares of trade passed through its bounds. Commercial relations subsisted between Tyre and Judaea after the exile (Neh. xiii, IG), and even in New-Testament tirhe…

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Section 149

:mercier 110 MERCY Saint-Genevieve sont ou tie sont pas Chanoities Reguliers (new ed. Paris, 1772, 4to) : — Opinion sur cle pre/endues pi-opheties qu'on applique aux erenements presents (Paris, 1791): — Dissertations stir rauteur tie Vlmitation tie Je- sus-Christ, par Tabbe Ghcsquiere (1775, r2mo). Sec Notice sur la…

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Section 150

Ilcriiies (MtTimy). Mercurius. See Hekmks Tkismegistis. Mercy (iiroperly ipn, che'sed, k-indness ; t\ioc, pity), a virtue which inspires us with compassion for others, and inclines us to assist them in their necessi- ties. That works of mercy may be acceptable to God, as Christ has promised (Matt, v, 7), it is not enou…

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Section 151

notion of its reference to the 'covering' (i. e. atonement) of sin. See Atonement. But in any case the notion of a ' seat,' as conveyed by the name in English, seems superfluous and likely to mislead. Jehovah is indeed spoken of as ' dwelling' and even as ' sitting' (Psa. Ixxx, 1 ; xcix, 1) between the cherubim, but im…

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Section 152

Mered's wife Bithiah "is enumerated by the rabbins among the nine who entered Paradise (Hottingcr, Smeg- ma Orientale, p. 515), and in the Targum of H. Joseph on Chronicles she is said to have been a proselyte. In the same Targum wc find it stated that Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, was called 3Iered because he withstood…

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Section 153

Me'res (Hcb. id., C;^"?, from the Sanscrit meresh, worthy, accoriling to Benfey, p. 200; Sept. Alf/off, but MERI 113 MERIBAH most copies omit ; Vulg. Mares), one of the seven sa- traps or viziers of Xerxes (Esth. i, 14). B.C. 483. Meri, Francois, a French Benedictine monk, was born at Vierzon in 1675. He died Oct.…

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Section 154

2. (Sept. HvnXoy/njinNumb.xXjlS; xxvii,14; Deut. xxxii, 51 ; XoiSopia in Numb, xx, 24 ; Vulg. contradic- tio ; but in Psa. xcv, 8, liitpaaixvi-, tentatio, Auth.Vers. "provocation;" and in Ezek.xlvii,19,M api/iw^; xlviii, 28, BapiiJM^ — in which last two passages, as well as in Psa. cvi. 32, the Auth.Vers. has "strife."…

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Section 155

BIeuits ok CiiKisT, a term used to denote the intlu- once or moral consideration resulting from the obedience of Christ — all that he wrought and all that he suffered for the salvation of mankind. See Atonioiext ; Im- riTATION ; BlOlITEOlSNESS OF ClIKIST. Mekits oi- Saints. See Slperekogation. Meritum de Condigno, o…

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Section 156

Jean Henri was educated in the Academy, or, as it is more commonly called, the University of Geneva. De- termined to enter the ministry, he inaugurated his the- ological course at his alma mater. While engaged in his studies, under the leadership of a faculty decidedly rationalistic in tendencj', he fell in with the Ha…

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Section 157

Merle d'Aubigne us an Author. — The duties incum- bent upon a professor of theology are so varied, espe- cially at Geneva, where the influences, as in most large European cities, are decidedly rationalistic, that tlie manner in which D'Aubigne discharged his duty to- wards his pupils was of itself sufficient to entitle…

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Section 158

Merle, Matthieu, a noted Huguenot soldier, was born at Uzis, Languedoc, in 1548. He was not, as De Thou represents, the son of a wool-carder, nor did he follow in his youth the trade of wool-carding. He be- longed to a noble but poor family of Lower Languedoc, did not receive any school education, and never learned eit…

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Section 159

Merlin, Pierre, a French Protestant theologian, the son of Jean-Raymond, was born about 1535. After having been a disciple of Theodore de Beza, according to De Thou, he became religious adviser to the prince de Conde. D'Aubigne, however, maintains that he M'as a minister of the Gospel under admiral de Chatil- lon. The …

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Section 160

Mer'odach-baradan(Heb.jVe?of7a^'-jBa/o(7«H', ""ixba T^lXl*:, Mars [oxJupiter'\ is his lord [see Me- itoDAciiJ ; Bohlen less well compares the Persian mar- duk balaudaun, Imnori'd man; .Sept. "SXapiucax \ia\a- cav v. r. !Mniwf(ix ' .Wacai>,\u\^. Merodach Jiahidan), a king of Babylonia, the son of B.iladan, and contempo-…

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Section 161

Meroe. See Seba. Me'rom (Heb. Merom', Cil^, height; Sept. Mf- pwjii), a lake (C'^'p, " waters") among the hills (hence the name, Burckhardt, Trav. ii, 553) of northern Pal- estine, whose shores were the scene of the great victory of the Hebrews over the northern Canaanites (Josh. xi, 5-7) ; doubtless the same with tha…

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Section 162

]VIERON 120 MEROZ monarch of the mountains, the mighty Hermon, dark and shaggy to its shoulders with the forests that clothe its sides, and with its double summit covered with per- petual snow. The lake itself in form is not far from a triangle, the base being at the north and the apex at the south ; and, though no …

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Section 163

Merorim. See Bitteis (IIeubs). Meroth (Mj;pw3') or Mero (.M»;|Ou.), a fortified town of Galilee (.Josephus, War, ii, '10, G; Life, p. 37), probably the Meiron ("I""";) of the Talmud (Keland, Palast. p. 817); now the village of Meirvn, about If hours west-north-west of Safed ; famous for Jewish pil- grimages to the tom…

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Section 164

Merrick, James Lyman, a Presbyterian minis- ter, was bdin at Mmison, Mass., Dec. 11, 1813. He grad- uated at Amherst College in 1830, and in 1833 at the theological seminary at Columbia, S. C. ; was ordained as a missionary to the Persians in 18.34; in August of the same year he sailed for Constantinople, and in Oc- to…

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Section 165

Merritt, Timothy, an early and eminent Methodist Episcopal minister, was bom at Barkhamstead, Conn., October, 1775. He was converted about 1792, and en- tered the New England Conference in 179G. From 1803 to 1817 he located ; was stationed in Boston in 1817-18 ; in 1822 was at Providence; in 1825-26 preached at Bos- to…

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Section 166

Merton, AValtkh, an English prelate noted for his philanthropy, flourished in the 13th century. He was surnanied from the place of his birth, a village in Surrey. His education he received at a neighboring convent, and was there influenced to enter the ecclesias- tic life. After filling various important offices in the…

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Section 167

History of Spanish Literature, ii, 462; Iloefer, Xouv, Biog. Generale, s. v. Me'sech (Psa. cxx, 5). See Meshech. Meseugui, Francois Piiuxippe, a French eccle- siastic, celebrated for liis connection with Jansenism, was born at Beauvais, in August, 1677. His parents being poor, friends defrayed the expenses of his edu…

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Section 168

Saadias interprets ; and, if so, it is doubtless none other than the chain running across the middle of Arabia from the region of Mecca and INIedina as far as the Persian Gulf, now called Nesjd, the highlands (sec Jomard, No- tice sitr le pays de IW rubie cent rale, Paris, 1 823). Sephar would then be the modern Sephr,…

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Section 169

3. (Heb. Meysha', K'i"^^, retreat ; Sept. Mwtra v. r. M((T«, Yulg. Mosa.) One of the sons of Shaharaim of the tribe of Benjamin, by the latter of his two wives, Baara or Hodesh (1 Chron. viii, 9). B.C. cir. 1012. See Shaharaim. 4. (Heb. Meyslia', --'TIJ^-, deliverance ; Sept. Mftra V. r. Mwaa, A'ulg. Mesa.) A king of …

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Section 170

The exploits of "Mesha, son [i.e. votary] of Che- mosh, king of Moab," are recorded in the Phoenician inscrii)tion lately discovered by M. Ganneau on a block of black basalt at Dibon in Moab (see Quin-tcrbj State- ment, No. 5, of " The Palestine Exploration Fund," Lond. 1870) ; which, according to the decipherment give…

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Section 171

Me'shech (Heb. Me'shel; T\'^/g, a draicing out, as in Psa. cxxvi, G; or possession, as in Job xxviii, 18; Sept. MofTtJX, Yulg. Mosoch ; a pronunciation which the Samaritan codex also exhibits, TjVdi^ ; but in Ezek. xxxviii, 2, 3; xxxix, 1, Sept, v. r. 'SloaitK and :\Ikj<')X' ; in Ezck. xxvii, 13, ra TrapaTtivovTa ; in …

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Section 172

Meshelemi'ah (Heb. Meshelemyah' , n^Tsbdp, friendship of Jehovah, 1 Chron. ix, 21 ; Sept. MofroAXa/t V. r. MoiToXXajtti, Vulg. Mosollamia ; also, in the pro- longed form, Meshelemya'hu, W^p^a^, 1 Chron. xxvi, 1; MoaoWa^ v. r. MofffXAfyuin ; ver. 2, 'McwiWa^ua V. r. MoatWafiia; ver. 9, MfffoAAf/ti'a v. r. Moo-fAXf/a'a; …

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Section 173

16. One of the principal Israelites who supported Ezra on the left while expounding the law to the people (Neh. viii, 4). B.C. cir. 410. He may have been iden- tical with No. 9, 12, 13, 14, or 1.5. He is probably the same with one of those who subscribed the sacred cov- enant on the same occasion (Neh. x, 20). 17. One…

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Section 174

Mesmerism Modified.— Jiat even long before the sup- posed discovery of Mesmer had been subjected to the test of scientific investigation, mesmerism had entered on a new pha.se, and assumed a form dift'ering widely in many respects from tliat wliich it obtained from the hands of its author. We allude to what is scientif…

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Section 175

ence, and as another person. He has consciousness and sensation, but they differ greatly from those of his nor- mal condition. He hears oidy the voice of his magnet- izer, or of some person in contact with him. The mag- netizer can make his muscles rigid in almost any posi- tion, and has the power of governing his phys…

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Section 176

The lirst to give a rcalh^ scientific direction to the investigation of appearances of this class was Mr. Braid, a surgfon in ^Manchester, who detaclies them altogether from the semblance of power exerted by one individual over another, or by metallic disks or magnets, and traces the wliole to the brain of the subject,…

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Section 177

So signal and repeated were the failures of the magnetists to establish the truth of their doctrines in France, that the whole subject seems to have fallen into merited contempt and oblivion. In more recent times the exciting ])henomena of sjiirit-rapping liave superseded those of somnambulism, and spiritual media MES…

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Section 178

Mesobaiah. See Mesobaite. Meso'baite (Yleb. Metsobayali', il^'^^l'O^ garrison of Jehovah, being apparently the name of the place it- self, used for a gentile, the preceding noun being re- garded as in the construct ; Sept. Mfrrcj/Jirt v. r. Mfo'a- (Siia, Yulg. Masobia), a dcNi-nation of Jasiel, the last named of David…

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Section 179

MESORION 133 MESS JOHNS potamia, and it remained a Roman province until the end of tlie 4th century. On the death of Julian, Jovian found himself obliged to abandon the greater part of the country to the Persians, the Romans only retaining so much of Western Mesopotamia as was enclosed by the Chaboras and Euphrates,…

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Section 180

Mess (rxilJia, maseth', a lifting vp, as of the hands, Psa. cxli, 2; ox' oi flame, Judg. xx, 38, 40; so of a sign, Jer. vi, 1; hence an oracle or "burden," Lam. ii, 14), properly a gift (" oblation," " reward," etc., Esth. ii, 18 ; Jer. xl, 5 ; Amos v, 11) ; also tribute ("oblation," "collec- tion," 2 Chron. xxiv, 6, 9…

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Public-domain 19th-century biblical, theological, and ecclesiastical reference work; OCR text from Internet Archive. Historical scholarship and terminology reflect its era; OCR may contain errors. Verify quotations and current scholarly claims independently.

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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.