The relation of private conscience to the question of sectarianism regarded as a separation from an existing Church evidently demands consideration under every ecclesiastical system. Frequently the motive which
leads to the separation of an individual from his Church is not a good one : he is devoted to some specialty which the general Church disregards in her teachings, e. g, Millenarianism, etc. , or he finds too much of worldli- ness, fashion, regard for wealth, etc., in the Church, and too many unworthy members. Clearly, separation from a Church of Christ in which the pure Word of God is preached and the sacraments are duly administered is allowable only in answer to the clear call of duty ; and, as a general rule, separation should take place only by compulsion, as in the case of the separation of Luther from the Romish and of Wesley from the Anglican Church. On the whole subject, see Herzog, Real-En- cyklop. s, v., and the literature there mentioned.
SECTS, Jewish {A ncient'). These were of two kinds, arising from the fact that the differences of opinion, sen- timent, and conduct were sometimes of a theosophical and sometimes of a practical character; but, among the ancient Jews, so close was the connection of Church and State that all theological or philosophical views neces- sarily affected the civil and social relations.
1. Relii/ious. — I. The Pharisees. — These were the or- thodox party, and our Lord testifies to the general cor- rectness of their creed (Matt, xxii, 3). It was chiefly in liturgical and ceremonial particulars that their ex- cessive regard I'or traditional observances was betrayed. In this regard the Rabbinical Jews of modern times are their acknowledged successors. See Rabbixism. In external deportment they were scrupulously exact ; but, their motive being a love of popularity and a pride of self- righteousness, they were sternly rebuked by our Lord as arch hypocrites and ecclesiastical tyrants. See
PllAinSEE.
'2. The Saddiicees. — These were next in importance, and of even more arist(^cratic influence, but they were the rationalists of their day (Acts xxiii, 8). They are represented by inimical writers as the originals of the modern Karaites (q. v.). See Sadducke.
3. The Esseiies. — These were rather a class of ascetics or Jewish hermits, who are not mentioned in the New Test., and are chiefly known from the description of Josephus, who at one time belonged to their fraternity. See Essex Es.
II. Political. — 1. The Zealots. — These are mentioned in the New Test, and by Josephus as the violent party who contended for natire rights and independence from all foreign influence. They had their type in the Cha- sidim of earlier and later times. See Assid-EAN. They largely contributed to the final collision of the Jews with the Romans. See Zelotes.
2. The Herodians. — These appear, from the slight notices of them (Matt, ii, 16, etc.), to have been the temporiziiifj party, who favored Grajco- Roman inno- vations. They had their originals in the apostates under Antiochus Epiphanes (Dan. xi, 35). See Heko- diax.
On the subject generally, see, in addition to the works cited under the articles on each of the above, Serarii, Drusii et Scaligeri Optisc. de Trib, Judieorum Sectis (Delph. 1703); separately, Drusius, Z)e Hassidnis (Fra- nek. 1(503); De Sectis J udaicis (Arnh. 1619) ; Serarius, De Tribus Sectis, etc. (Franek. 1603; Mainz, 1604) ; Scal- iger, De Tribus ,Jud. Ilmresibus (Franek. 1605; Arnh. 1619); lA\nA, De Sectis Judteoruni {\]psa\.\lQO):, Geiger, jSadducder vnd Pharuder (Bresl. 1863); Die Ebioniter des Alten Testaments, in the Monatsschr. fur Gesch. find Wiss. des Judeiithums, Jan. 1869 ; Meth. Qua?: Bee. Jan. 1868, p. 128.
SECTS, Jewish {Modern). In the 17th century ex- isted the sect of the Sabbathaites, so called after Sab- l)athai-Zol>i (q. v.), whose apostasy to Islamism, and deatli in 1676. diil not diminish the number of his fol- lowers, but rather increased it ; and as there is no cal- culating the obstinacy of human credulity, his follow- ers gave out that he had been transported to heaven, like Enoch and Elijah. Notwithstanding the constant
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and active opposition of the Jewish priesthood, the sect S|)read iii all quarters, and numbered among its members men like JMose (Jhayim Luzzatto (q. v.). " Sabbatha- ism," says Jlilman, "still exists as a sect of Judaism, though, probably, among most of its believers, rather supported by that corporate spirit which holds the fol- lowers of a political or religious faction together than by any distinct and definite articles of belief."
But, in the middle of the last century, an extraordi- nary adventurer named Jacob Frank (q. v.) organized a sect out of the wrecks of the Sabbathaic party, of which we will speak now, although in the order of time an earlier sect, that of the Chasidim, ought to be men- tioned. The sect which Frank organized assumed the name of Sokurites or C'ltbalisis, also of Fi'unkifts. As to the creed of this sect, it leaned towards Christianity rather than Islamism. It rejected the Talmud, but in- sisted on a hidden sense in the Scriptures. It admit- ted the Trinity and the incarnation of the Deity, but [ireserved an artful ambiguitj' as to the person in whom the Deity was incarnate, whether Jesus Christ or Sab- bathai-Zebi. With the death of Frank the whole movement seems to have abated. Of greater signifi- cance is the sect of the II assidim, or Chumlim (q. v.), or New Saints, or Pietists. The founder of this sect was L'abbi Israel ben-Eliezer Baal-Shem, also called Beslit, I3'w"S, from the niitials of 3113 CiJ 'PV'2. As the ten- ets of these Saints, who still exist in Poland, Galicia, etc., are given in the article Ch^vsidim, we can only re- fer to it. (B. P.)