Riug-streaked is the rendering of the English Version (" ring-straked") of the Heb. "IpS", akod (Gen. xxx; xxxi), as applied to the parti-colored rams of Jacob's flock. The Hebrew word literally means band- ed, or striped, and seems to refer especially to a varie- gation of color in the feet (Symmachus XivKoiroStQ, Saadias similarly).
Rinkart, Martim, preacher and archdeacon at Ei- lenburg, in Saxony, was born there, April 23, 1586. His IX.-C
official life began at Leipsic, where he obtained the master's degree, and at Eisleben and Endeborn, where he first engaged in the duties of the ministry of the Word. His pastorate in his native town extended over thirtj'-two years, and covered the entire period of the Thirty Years' War. It is related that a forced contri- bution of 30,000 thalers having been demanded from the town, Kinkart held a prayer -meeting on Feb. 21, 1639, to invoke God's help in the emergency, with the result that the sum demanded was reduced to 8000 flor- ins, then to 4000, and finally to 2000. Pastor Hinkart was also a poet, and wrote hymns which are sung in the churches of Germany to-day, and are worthy of note because of their jubilant spirit, e. g. Nun danket Alle Gott, etc. Of his writings in other departments, though they were once numerous, but few have been ])reserved, and they contain nothing that possesses importance at this day. He died Dec. 8, 1649. See Plato, M. Martin Rinkart, etc. (Leips. 1830) ; Vcirkel, Ehrengeddchtniss evang. Glauhenshelden u. Sanger (ibid. 1830), ii, 21 sq., 127 sq. ; Koch, Gesch. d. deutsch. Kirchenlledes, 2d ed. i, 144 sq. ; iv, 567 sq.— Herzog, Real-Encyklop. s. v.
Rin'nah (Reb.Rinnah', n3"i, a shout; Sept. 'Pav- vm' V. r. 'Ava), a son of Shimon, of the tribe of Judah (1 Chron. iv, 20). B.C. prob. ante 1618.
Riper Years. In one of the offices for baptism, this phrase is used to designate those who are beyond the age of children and '• able to answer for themselves." This definition is not only that given by the Church, but is implied in the words themselves, which embrace both adults and those in age between the latter and children. In the ordinal this and kindred terms are used, as in the exhortation of priests, '• that by daily reading and weighing the Scriptures ye may wax i-iper and stronger in your ministry." — Staunton, Church Diet. s. V.
Riphaeus, in Greek mythology, was the largest of the centaurs, whose monstrous head towered far above the tallest trees of the forest. He was killed by The- seus while present at the marriage of Pirithous.
Ri'phath (Heb. Riphath', r?"^"!, perhaps spoken; Sept. 'Pi0d^ V. r. 'Piipai; Vulg. Riphath), the second son of Gomer and the brother of Ashkenaz and Togar- mah (Gen. X, 3). B.C. cir. 2450. The Hebrew text in 1 Chron. i, 6 gives the form Diphath (q. v.) ; but this arises out of a clerical error similar to that which gives the forms Kodanim and Hadad for Dodanim and Hadar (vers. 7, 50; Gen. xxxvi, 39). The name Kiphath oc- curs only in the genealogical table, and hence there is little to guide us to the locality which it indicates. The name itself has been variously identified with that of the Khipasan Mountains (Knobel) ; the river Rhebas, in Bithynia (Bochart); the Khibii, a people living east- ward of the Caspian Sea (Schulthess); and the I>iph«ans the ancient name of the Paphlagonians (Joseph. ^ «?. i, 6, 1). This last view is certainly favored by the con- tiguity of Ashkenaz and Togarmah. Tiie weight of opinion is, however, in favor of the Khipiean Mountains, which Knobel ( Vulkert. p. 44) identifies etymologically and geographically with the Carpathian range in the north-east of Dacia. Tlie attempt of that writer to identify Kiphath with the Celts or Gauls is evidently based on the assumption that so important a race ought to be mentioned in tlie table, and that there is no other name to apph' to them ; but we have no evidence that the Gauls were for any lengtliened period settled in the neighborhood of the Carpathian range. The Kliipa>an Mountains themselves existed more in the imagination of the Greeks than in reality ; and if the received ety- mology of that name (from pmai, "blasts") be correct, the coincidence in sound witli Kiphath is merel)' acci- dental, and no connection can be held to exist between the names. The later geograplicrs, Ptoleraj' (iii, 5, § 15, 19) and others, placed the Kliipa'an range where no range really exists, viz. about the elevated ground that
EIPIDIU3I
34
RIPLEY
separates the basins of the Euxiiie and Baltic seas.— Sraitli. See Ethnology.
Ripidium (Gr.ptTri't^iov, a belhfcs) was a fan made of parchment, peacocks' feathers, or linen, and was used in tlie ancient churches to drive away all such insects as might drop into tlie cups or infest the altar. The author of the Fasti ,Sicuii or Chronicum Alexandrinum (]). .sl)2), calls them n/i/n pnriSia, and reckons them among the holy utensils of the altar which were laid up among the rest in the sccnophylacium.or vestry of the church. Suicer thinks that in most of the writ- ings the word ripidia signifies one of their holy ves- sels, a basket or the like, in which they used to carry the sacred elements to and from the altar. In the liturgies of Ciirysostom and Basil it is taken in the common sense of Greek authors, and it is used in the Constitution for a fan to blow with : for in Chrysos- tom's liturgy the deacon is to ventilate, or blow over, the elements with a fan ; or, if there be no fan, then to do it with the covering of the cup.— Bingham, Christ. Antiq. yin.G,^; xv, 3, 6.