li/iabdomanci/, or divining by rods, became a common superstition or idolatrous custom among the Jews, aris- ing, doubtlessly, from the ideas of supernatural agencj' attached to the rods of Moses and Aaron. It is alluded to in Hos. iv. 12- "My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them." It was performed, first, bj' inscribing certain characters on small rods, and then drawing them, like lots, out of a vessel; secondly, by measuring the rod in spans, and saying, alternateh', words expressing a negative and an affirmative, and then determining, according to the last span, whether negative or affirmative, to do the intended action or not; thirdly, by erecting two sticks, repeating a charm, and then determining by certain rules, accord- ing as the sticks fell backwanl or forward, to the right or to the left. See Divination.
Rodanim. See Douamim.
Rodburne. See Kldborne.
Rodgers, Ebenezer, a Baptist minister, was born jSIardi 10, 17ss, in tli(' IJlaina valley, Monmouthshire, England. He studied with the Rev. Samuel Kilpin of Leominster, Herefordshire, for two years, and was then admitted into the Baptist College at Stepney, London, wliere he spent four years. Soon after the completion of his studies, he came to America on secular business, intending to return in a few months. He was persuaded by some of his friends to visit the State (then Terri- tory) of Missouri, and for a time relinquished his pur- pose of returning to his native land. A Baptist church was soon formed at (Jliariton, about 175 miles west of St. Louis, and Jlr. Rodgers was ordained its pastor, though he did not confine his labors to this one locality-, lie
engaged in teaching in order to defray expenses of liv- ing. This itinerant life continued for about sixteen years, during which he assisted in the organization of about fifty churches. In 1832 he visited Wales, and in 1834 became pastor of the churches in Alton and Upper Alton, 111., but after a year gave his undivided service to the latter. He then resigned, but immediately be- came pastor of two or three other churches. He contin- ued preaching and acting as trustee of Shurtleff College until his death. May 25, 1854. See Sprague, Annuls of the A mer. Pulpit, vi, 681.
Rodgers, James, a Presbyterian minister, was born in Roxburghshire, in the South of Scotland, in 1785. His parents were in humble circumstances, and his education was limited to that which could be ac- quired in the common school. He owed much to his early religious training, and in childhood he had been so thoroughly drilled in the doctrines of the Shorter Catechism that in later years, planted on this founda- tion, he stood unmoved amid hosts of heresies. He dated his conversitm from his fourteenth year. In 1819 he emigrated to this country, and settled in the then new colony of Hammond, St, Lawrence Co., N. Y. He was licensed March 23, 1823, and ordained as an evan- gelist June 9, 1824. For a number of years he contin- ued to labor in Hammond and some of the adjoining churches. He also gave a partial supply to a church in the township of Oswegatchie, where he finally settled as stated supply in 1827, and was installed as the regular pastor May 13, 1839. In 1848 failing health rendered regular labor impossible, and he resigned this charge, although he continued to labor for short periods in other fields. He died Aug. 20, 1863. Mr. Rodgers was a re- markable man, and he proved himself an efficient and successful workman. His pulpit services were charac- terized by rich scriptural knowledge, great earnestness, and deep spiritualitv. See Wilson, Presb. Hist. A Imunac, 1865, p. 114. (J.L.S.)
Rodgers, John, D.D., a Presbyterian minister, was born in Boston, Aug. 5, 1727. After studying theology, he was licensed by the Presbj'tery of Newcastle in Oc- tober, 1747. After this he went to Virginia, but not be- ing permitted to preach there, he went to Maryland, and early in 1748 returned to Pennsylvania, where on March 16, 1749, he was installed pastor of the congrega- tion of St. George, where his ministrations proved very acceptable. In 1754 he spent some months in Virginia as substitute of Rev. Samuel Davies during the latter's absence in England. In 1762 he was himself appointed by the Sjniod of New York and Philadelphia to visit England to solicit subscriptions to a fund for the benefit of the Presbyterian ministry, but family reasons obliged him to decline. In 1765 he was elected one of the trus- tees of the College of New Jersey, which office he re- signed in 1807. In 1765 he dissolved his relation with the Church of St. (ieorge, and became pastor of a con- gregation in New York. In 1768 he was made doctor of divinity by the University of Edinburgh. During the Revokitionary war he showed himself devote<l to the cause of his country, and was several times consult- ed by Washington. In May, 1776, he removed with his family to (Jreenfield, Conn.,- but being appointed chai)lain to general Heath's brigade on York Island, be at once entered upon his duties. He was obliged to re- sign in November of the same year, however, business calling him to Georgia. On his return, in April, 1777, he was appointed chaplain of the New York Stare Cim- vention in session at Esopus, and afterwards served the Council of Safety in the same capacity, as well as the first Legislature of the State under the new constitution. In 1780 he removed to Danbury, Conn., and in 1782 accepted a call from the church of Lamington, N. J., when, in 1783, the close of the war permitted him to re- turn to New York, where he resumed his former connec- tion, with the aid of an assistant after April, 1785. Shortly after, he was appointed vice-chancellor of