Sinteiiis, a name common to a number of German theologians, of whom we mention the following :
1. Christian Frieduich, was born at Zerbst in 1750, where he was appointed deacon in 1773. In 1791 he was made professor of theology and metaphysics, and died in 1820 as member of consistory and pastor of Trinity Church. He published, Theolof/ische Schrifta- gendejiir Prediger (Leipsic, 1808) : — KIpizon, oder meine Forldauer nac/i dem Tode (Dantzic, 1792,3 pts.), and a number of other books. See Von Schiitz's biography of Sintenis (Zerbst, 1820) ; Winer, //</j«/i«r/(, 1,290,410, 413, 470, 477, 840 ; ii, 90, 138, 141, 227, 280, 3.53, 356, 366, 398, 779 ; Theol. Universal-Lexikon, s. v. ; Rctjensburger
Conversations -Lexikon, s. v.; Fiirst, Bibl. Judaica, iii, 340.
2. Joitans Christian Sigismund, brother of Chris- tian, was born at Zerbst in 1752. In 1785 he was ap- pointed pastor at Dornburg in Anhalt; in 1794 he was called to Koslau; in 1798 lie was a]i]iointed inspector of church and school, and died in 1829. He published, Oejfenlliche katechetische Prufunr/en nebst Sc/ilvssreden (Halle, 1803-6, 3 vols.). See the Reyensburger Con- versatinns-Lexikon, s. v. ; Winer, IJandbuc/i, ii, 269, 780 ; Theol. Universal- I^exikon, s. v.
3. Karl Heinhich, brother of the above, was born in 1744 at Zerbst, and appointed in 1771 rector at Tor- gau. In 1783 he was called to Zittau, and died at Zerbst in 1816. He wrote, Theophron (Zerbst, 1800) -.—Lehr- buch der moralischen Vernunftreligion (Altenburg, 1802) : — Geron und Paldmon (Zerbst, 1803). See the Regens- burger Conversations - Lexikon, s, v. ; Theol. Universal- Lexikon, s. V.
4. WiLHELM Franz, son of Johann Christian Sigis- mund, was born April 26, 1794, at Dornburg in Anhalt, He studied at Zerbst and Wittenberg. In 1824 he was called to Magdeburg as second preacher of the Church of the Holy (ihost, and in 1831 he was made pastor primariiis. His rationalistic views brought him in con- flict with his ecclesiastical superior. The consequence was that the rationalistic preachers organized a union of so-called Friends of IJght in 1841. Sintenis died Jan. 29, 1859, having retired some years before from the ministrj'. He published a great manj' sermons and discourses, which are enumerated in ZvxchnXA, Bib- liotheca Theologica, ii, 1231 sq. See also Theol. Univer- sal-Lexikon, s. V. ; Kurtz, Lehrbuch der Kirchengeschichte, § 175, 1. (B. P.)
Sinto, Sintuism. See Shinto.
Siofn or Siofna, in Norse mythology, was the goddess of youth, gracefulness, and the first motions of love. She excites love in the breasts of young men and maidens and disposes them to mutual affection ; but she is not to be confounded with Freya, the jiroper goddess of love. — Vollmer, Wurterb. d. Mythol. s. v.
Si'on, Mount, the name of two hills in the Script- ures.
1. (Heb. har Sion', "(X-^b in ; Samar. ■j'^X-'a "IH ; Sept. TO opoQ Tov 'Srjdji'; Vulg. ??jo?(s Sion.) One of the various names of Mount Hermon which are for- tunately preserved, all not improbably more ancient than " Hermon" (q. v.) itself. It occurs in Dent. iv. 48 onl}', and is interpreted by the lexicographers to mean " lofty." Fiirst conjectures that these various appella- tions were the names of separate peaks or portions of the mountain. Some have supposed that Zion in Psa. cxxxiii, 3 is a variation of this Sion; but there is no warrant for this beyond the fact that so doing over- comes a difKculty of inter|iretation in that passage.
2. (to opog 2(wj'.) The Greek form of the Hebrew name Zion (Tsion), the famous Mount of the Temple (1 Mace, iv, 37, 60 ; v, 54 ; vi, 48, 62 ; vii, 33 ; x, 11 ; xiv, 27; Heb. xii, 22; Kev. xiv, 1). In the books of Maccabees the expression is always "Mount Sion." In the other Apocryphal books the name " Sion" is alone employed. The New Test, usually employs the simple form "Sion" (Matt, xxi, 5; John xii, 15; I>om. ix, 33; xi, 26 ; 1 Pet. ii, 6). Further, in the Maccabees the name unmistakably denotes the mount on which the Temple was built; on which the Mosque of the Aksa, with its attendant moscpies of Omar and the Mogreb- bins, now stands. The first of the passages just quoted is enough to decide this. If it can be established that Zion in the Old Test, means the same locality with Sion in the books of Maccabees, one of the greatest puzzles of Jerusalem topography will be solved. — Smith.
Sion, Nuns of. These innis belonged to the order of St. Bridget, and had their house at Sion, near Brent- ford, Middlesex. It was broken up by Henry VIII,
SIONITA
ISO
SIRA
reassembled by Mary, and finally dispersed under Eliza- beth. Many of the nuns settled in Lisbon. In 1810 the house there was broken up, and many of its mem- bers sought a refuge in England, some of whom were living in 1825 iu Staffordshire. — Eadie, Eccles. Cyclop,
8. V.
Sionita. See Gabriel Sionita.
Sionites, a sect which arose in Norway in the first half of the LSth century. They called themselves Sion- ites, as professing to set forth the reign of the king of Sion, of whom they claimed to be children, and with whom they were in such close communion that their acts were identified with his. They also took the name of Pilgrinu and Strwif/ers. It was their custom to wear long beards, a linen girdle, and to have the word " Sion," with some mystical character, embroidered in red on their sleeves. They delivered passports to their emis- saries, whom they charged to aid in establishing the kingdom of Sion. One of their number, George Klei- non, gave out that he was inspired with the spirit of prophecy, and under his guidance they repudiated the baptism of their converts, anil rebaptizetl them when they entered their community. .Jeren Bolle, who had studied theology at Copenhagen, was their minister, and celebrated their marriages. Their principal resi- dence in Norway was Bragernes, from which they were exiled in 1743, and obliged to settle at Altona. King Christian XI, in August of the same year, issued orders for dissolving the community on account of its disobe- dience to the laws, and its pretensions of setting up a kingdom which claimed to be independent. Some chose to emigrate, while others gave up their peculiar customs and adopted those of the country. See Gregoire, Hist, des Sectes Relirj.; Blunt, Diet, of Sects, s. v.; Gardner, Faiths of the World, s. v.