3. C'ljnb, lechasMm' (Eccl. x, 11), Sept. T^/iQvpiafioc, is especially used of the charming of serpents, Jer. viii, 17 (comp. Psa. Iviii, 5 ; Ecclus. xii,13; Eccl. x, 11; Lu- can, ix,.S91 — a parallel to "cantando rumpituranguis," and " Vijicrcas rumpo verbis et carmine fauces," Ov. Mcfam. 1. c). IMaimonides {De Idol, xi, 2) expressly defines an enchanter as one "who uses strange and meaningless words, by wliich he imposes on the folly of the credulous. They say, for instance, that if one utter the words before a serpent on scorpion it will do
no harm" (Carpzov, Annot. in Godwynum, iv, 11). An account of the Marsi, who excelled in this art, is given by Augustine (iid Gen. ix, '28), and of the Psylli by Ar- nobius {ad Nat. ii, 32) ; and they are alluded to, by a host of other authorities (Plinv, vii, 2 ; xxviii, 6 ; iEli- an, H. A . i, 57 ; Virg. jEn. vii, 750 ; Sil. Ital. viii, 495. Thej' were called 'OrpioCidiKrai). The secret is still understood in the East (Lane, ii, lOG). See Chaum. 4. The word D"^cn3, nechashivi' , is used of the en- chantments sought by Balaam (Num. xxiv, 1). It properly alludes to ophiomancy, but in this place has a general meaning of endeavoring to gain omens (Sept. tic (JKvavTTjan' toIq oiaivolQ). See Soothsayer.
6. "in^i che'ber, is used for magic (Isa. xlvii, 9, 12). It means generally the process of acquiring power over some distant object or person ; but this word seems also to have been sometimes used expressly of serpent charmers, for II. Sol. Jarchi, on Deut. xvii, 11, defines the ^^n "i2in to be one "who congregates serpents and scorpions into one place." See IMagic.
Any resort to these methods of imposture was strict- ly forbidden in Scripture (Lev. xix, 26 ; Isa. xlvii, 9, etc.), but to eradicate the tendenc}' is almost impossi- ble (2 Kings xvii, 17 ; 2 Chron. xxxiii, 6), and we find it still flourishing at the Christian £era (Acts xiii, 6, 8; viii, 9, 11, yo)]Ttia; Gal. v, 20; Rev. ix, 21). See Witchcraft.
The chief " sacramenta dremoniaca" were a rod, a magic circle, dragon's eggs, certain herbs, or "insane roots," like the henbane, etc. The fancy of poets, both ancient and modern, has been exerted in giving lists of them (Ovid and Hor. I. c. ; Shakspeare's Macbeth, Act iv, 1 ; Kirke White's Gondoline ; Southey's Curse of Kehama, cant, iv, etc.).— Smith, s. v. See Sorcery. Encinas. See Enzinas. Encolpium. See Reliquary. Encratites (EyjcportTf, 'Eyicfior/rffi, Continentcs), a name given by several Church fathers (Iren»us, Eusebius, Epiphanius, Jerome, Augustine, Theodorct) to a particular Gnostic sect, but which, in the opinion of most of the modern Church historians (Neander, Ilase), either designates collectively several Gnostic sects, or, in general, the tcndencj' of Gnostic asceticism in the ancient Church. The Encratites condemned marriage, forbade the eating of flesh or drinking of wine, and used even at the celebration of the Lord's Supper water instead of wine, on which account they were called v^poTrcipauTaTat, aqiiarii. They were, in general, representatives of the Gnostic asceticism based upon the principle of Dualism, in opposition to the asceticism of the Ebionites, Montanists, and oth- ers which kept within the limits of the Church. The Church fathers who reirarded the Encratites at one sect of Gnostics, called Tatian (q. v.) its founder; but it is certain that there were Encratites before Tatian, and that subsequently there were Encratites who in some points differed from Tatian. Prominent men among the Encratites were, besides Tatian, Saturni- nus, Marcion, Julianus, Cassianus, and Severus, who is called the founder of a particular sect, the Scverians, and made himself known as a violent opponent of the apostle Paul and of the Pauline epistles. In the 12th centur}^ the name of the Encratites was used, toi.'ether with the names of several other ancient heresies, to designate and condemn the Bogomiles. See Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. iv, 29 ; Mosheim, Ch. IJist. (N. Y. 3 vols.) i, 149, 282 ; Mosheim, Comment, i, 482 ; Hase, Ch. Hist. p. 64, 83; Lea, Sacerdotal Celibacy, p. 42; Lardner, Works (10 vols. 8vo), ii, 148 sq. ; Schafl'. Ch. Hist, i, 245 ; Herzog, JReal-Encykl. iv, 67 ; AVetzer u. A\'elte, Kirch.-Lex. iii, 575. See Tatian.
Encyclica, Encyclical Letters (from the Gr. iyKi'K\ioi\ letters which have to go the rounds of a certain number of men — literce encyclicce, litera' circti- lares), in the ancient Church, letters sent by bishops to
ENCYCLOPEDIA
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ENCYCLOPEDIA
all the churches of a particular circuit. At present the name is exclusively used for letters addressed by the Pope to all the bishops of the Koman Catholic world. In the encyclicals the Pope lays down his views of the general wants of the Church, or of some prevailing demands and sentiments ; he warns against dano-erous movements within the Church, as well as against dangers threatening the Church from abroad. He urges the bishops to be watchful, and points to the proper antidotes for existing evils. Among modern encyclicals, none attracted greater attention than that issued by Pope Pius IX, in Dec, 1864, against modern civilization. — Wetzer und Welte, Kirchen-Lexikon, vi, 5i0. See Liter.e ExcYCLiCiE. (A. J. S.)
Encyclopedia of Theology, a branch of theo- logical science of comparatively recent origin. Its aims are to furnish (1) a sketch of the different branch- es of theologj' in their organic connection and relations with eacli other ; sliowing the fitness of the various branches to theological science as a whole, and the relative importance of these branches ; and (2) a plan of theological study, showing the order in which the topics should be taken up, and indicating the best methods of study and necessary boolvs and helps of all kinds. This second branch, including the practical application of encyclopedia, is generally called Meth- odology, and the whole science taken together is called by the double name Encyclopedia and Meihodolorjy . Of these, Encyclopedia is the objective side, the out- line of the science itself; Methodology is the subjective side, having reference to tlie work of the student of the science.