Bace'nor (Baicljvwp ; Vulg. Bttcenor), apparenth' a captain of horse in the army of Judas Maccabseus, to whose detachment Dositheus belonged ("2 Mace, xii, 35) ; or possibly it may have been only the title of one of the Jewish companies or squadrons.
Bachelor. See Baccalaurecs.
Bach'rite (Heb. with the article hab-Bakri, *1"|r??1; Sept. omits, but some copies have 6 BtYtpi ; Vulg. familia Becheritarum ; Auth. Vers, "the Bach- rites"), the family name of the descendants of Bechek (q. v.), the son of Ephraim (Num. xxvi, 35). See Beriaii.
Bachuth. See Allon-bachuth.
Backbite (in Psa. xv. 3, ijp, vagal', to run about tattling; in Prov. xxv, 23, "tro, se'ther, secj-ecy in tale-bearing ; in Rom. i, 30, /camXaXoc, an evil speak- er,- in 2 Cor. xii, 20, KaraXaXici, evil-speaking), mali- ciously to defame an absent person. See Slander.
Backslide (in Prov. xiv, 14, MO, sug, to go back; in Hos. iv. 1G, "HO, sarar' ', to be refractory; else- where in the O. T. ~rr, slmb, to return; in Heb. x, 39, viroorkWii), to "draw back"). See Apostasy.
1. This term popularly denotes a falling off or do- faction in matters of religion; an apostasy, Acts xxi, 21 ; 2 Thess. ii, 3; 1 Tim. iv, 1. This mav be either partial or complete; partial, when it is in the heart, as Prov. xiv, 1 1 ; complete, as that described in Heb. vi, *, etc. : s, 6, etc. On the latter passage Chrvsostom observes: "When a house has a strong foundation, Buppose an arch fall, some of the beams break, or a wall decline, while the foundation is good, these breaches may be repaired ; so in religion, while a per- son maintains the true doctrines, and remains on the firm rock, though he fall, true repentance mav restore him to the favor and image of God: but as in a house, when the foundation is bad, nothing can save the building from ruin ; so, when heretical doctrines are
admitted for a foundation, nothing can save the pro- fessor from destruction." It is important, in inter- preting these passages, to keep it steadfastly in mind that the apostasy they speak of is not only moral, but doctrinal. See Falling away.
2. It is also used less accurately of a loss of fervor in religious feeling and of zeal in religious duty. In this sense it should be called partial backsliding, which must be distinguished from hypocrisy, as the former may exist where there are good intentions on the whole ; but the latter is a studied profession of appear- ing to be what we are not. The causes of backsliding are — the cares of the world; improper connections; inattention to secret or cioset duties ; self-conceit and dependence ; indulgence ; listening to and parleying with temptations. A backslidden state is manifested by indifference to prayer and self-examination ; trifling or unprofitable conversation; neglect of public ordi- nances ; shunning the people of God ; associating with the world ; thinking lightly of sin ; neglect of the Bi- ble ; and often by gross immorality. The consequences of this awful state are — loss of character ; loss of com- fort ; loss of usefulness ; and loss of a well-grounded hope of future happiness. To avoid this state, or re- cover from it, we should beware of the first appearance of sin ; be much in prayer ; attend the ordinances ; and unite with the people of God. We should consider the awful instances of apostasy, as Saul, Judas, Demas, etc. ; the many warnings we have of it, Matt, xxiv, 13; Heb. x, 38; Luke ix, 02; how it grieves the Holy Spirit; and how wretched it makes us; above all things, our dependence should be on God, that we ma}' always be directed lry his Spirit, and kept by his power. — Watson, Theol. Dictionary, s. v. ; Buck, Theol. Dictionary, s. v. ; Clarke, Theology (by Dunn), p. 360. On the possibility of " falling from grace," see Perse- verance.
Backus, Azel, D.D., president of Hamilton Col- lege, was born at Norwich, Conn., Oct. 13th, 1765. While yet a boy he imbibed infidel principles, but was reclaimed by the instructions of his uncle, the Rev. Charles Backus. He graduated A.B. at Yale in 1787. He was licensed in 1789, and succeeded Dr. Bellamy as pastor at Bethlem in 1791. Here he labored faith- fully, both as pastor and as principal of a classical school, till 1812, when he was elected president of Hamilton College. After five years of successful ad- ministration, he died of typhus fever, Dec. 9, 1817. He was a man of tjood endowments and great indus- try.— Sprague, Annals, ii, 287.
Backus, Charles, D.D., an eminent Congrega- tional minister, was born in Norwich, Conn., Nov. 5, 1749. He lost his parents in his childhood, but, as he early discovered a love of learning, his friends assist- ed him to obtain a liberal education. He graduated A.B. at Yale in 1769, and, after studying theology under Dr. Hart, of Preston, he was licensed in 1773. In 1774 he was ordained pastor of the Congregational Church in Somers, where he remained until his death, December 30, 1803. During the course of his minis- try nearly fifty young men studied theology under his roof, and among them were Dr. Woods, of Andovcr, President Moore, of Amherst, and others. His repu- tation brought him invitations to the chair of theology at Dartmouth, and also at Yale, but he declined both calls. He published a number of occasional sermons. — Sprague, Annals, ii, 61.