Conventuals, (1.) Monks or clerical knights who are members of a convent, and have the right of voting at the meetings (coroos^im). See Convent. (2.) Monks in general, in opposition to hermits. (3.) In several orders, especially the mendicant. Conventuals is a name for those congregations which follow a mitigated rule (see Franciscans, Carmelites), in opposition to the Observants (q. v.), who demand the observance of the rigorous primitive rule, and who sometimes even pass beyond it. The name is especially applied to the Franciscan conventuals (see Franciscans). (4») Sometimes, also, a community of candidates for the priesthood, who, in a monastic manner, lived in com- mon under a provost, were designated by this name.
Conversation Cni?"?, de'rek^ way, Psa. xxxviii, 14 ; 1, 28 ; Apocrypha and N. T. dvaoTpoifnj, but rp6- woc in 2 Mace, xx, 12 ; Heb. xiii, 5) is never used in the Scriptures in the sense of verbal oommunicaiionj but always in its now obsolete meaning of course of life or deportment, including all one's words and acts. In Phil, i, 27; iii, 20, a different term is found in the original {iroXtrtvoftat, voXiTcvfta), which literally sig- nifies residence, or relations to a community as a citi- aen. See Citizbnbhip.
Orientals are little in the habit of repairing to each
other's houses for the pnrpoee of toctal but rather prefer to resort to some spot out of deon, where friends can meet together, and for Uiia pvpoK the gate of the dty is generally chosen. See Gatz. Such was the custom of old, and, acoordin^y, we lad that to each city among tho Jews there was am ofm space near the gate, which was fitted np with seats la the accommodation of the people (Gen. zix, 1 ; 1^ Ixix, 12). Those who were at leisure oocnpled a po- sition on these seats, and either amused tbemadrb with witnessing those who came in and went out, s^ with any trifling occurrences that might preeent thesi- selves to their notice, or attended to the judicial tziab. which were commonly investigated at public placie of this kind (Gen. xxxiv, 20 ; Ruth iv, 11 ; Pea. xxvi, i 6; cxxvii, 6). Promenading, so agreeable in colds latitudes, is wearisome and unpleasant in the warn climates of the East, and this is probably one reason why the inhabitants of those climates prefemd bod- ing intercourse with one another while aittiBK near tit gate of the city, or beneath the shade of the ttg4nt and the vine (1 Sam. xxii, 6 ; Micah iv, 4).
This mode of passing the time is ttill costooiaiy m the East. *' It is no uncommon thing," says Mr. Jov^ ett, ** to see an individual or a group of pereons, erczi when very well dressed, sitting with their feet drsTs under them, upon the bare earth, passing whole boon in idle conversation. Europeans would require a chair, but the natives here (Syria) prefer the ground ; in the heat of summer and autumn, it is pleasant to them to while away their time in this manner under the shade of a tree. Richly-adorned females, as well as men, may often be seen thus amusing themselvea."
The Orientals, when engaged in conversation, an, in general, very mild in their demeanor, and do aet feel themselves at liberty directly to contradict the person with whom they are conveiBing, altboogfa tber may at the same time be aware that he is telling them felsehoods. The ancient Hebrews, in particular, vexr rarely used any terms of reproach more severe thu those of l^to, satcm', meaning "adversary,*' or "op- poser;" np'^^, reykah', pard, " contemptible ;" and sometimes 733, nabaV, " fool,** an expression wfakb means " a wicked man,'* or " an atheist,** not, as witb us, a person deficient in understanding (Job ii, 10: Psa. xiv, 1 ; Isa. xxxii, 6 ; Matt, v, 22 ; xvi, 23). See Foou When anything was said which was not ac- ceptable, the dissatisfied person replied, *' Let it suffice thee" (Deut. iii, 26), or *' It is enough** (Loke xxii, 88). In addressing a superior, the Hebrews did aot commonly use the pronouns of the first and aeeood person, but instead of " I,** they said **thy servant,*' and instead of " thou,** they employed the words "017 lord.'* Instances of this mode of expression repeated- ly occur in Scripture (as in Gen. xxxii, 4 ; xliv, 16, 19; xlvi, 84; Dan. x, 17; Luke i, 88).
The form of assent or affirmation was, " Thou hart said,'* or '*Thou hast rightly said ;** and modem trsT- ellers inform us that this is the prevailing mode of a person's expressing his assent or affirmation to tfab day in some parts of the East, especially when thejr do not wish to assert anything in express terms (oomp Matt, xxvi, 64). See Affirmative.
Conversion, a theological term, nsed to denote the ** turning** of a sinner to God. It occnrs in Acb XV, 8 (** declaring the conversion [iwiorpo^] of the Grentiles*'). The verb Ivicrrpi^ is used in the N.T. actively in the sense of turning or converting othen (Luke i, 16, et al.); intransitively, in the sense of *t turning back," ** returning;*' and tropically, to de- note '^turning to good," **to be converted** (Luke xxii, 82, ** when thou art converted, strengthen titt brethren"). In general, the word is used to designalr the ** turning of men firom darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto €rod*' (Acts xxvi, 18.) In a general sense, heathens or infidek are " oonvcrt*