RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Hypapante Hyssop
principal work in the practical fielu is tha first Hessian national church-order, which he drew up in 1566 in conjunction with the Marburg preacher, Nikolaus Rhodingus, and which is still the basis of the constitution of the church in Hesse. Charac- ' teristic of him is the union of Evangelical catholicity, which can prove from the Holy Scripture and the Fathers that " in substance and nature, fundamentally one and the same doctrine has always existed," with a strong Calvinistic tendency in such things as the necessity, supposed to follow from the New Testament, of the three " major orders " of bishops (superintendents), elders, and deacons.
Church and university life in Hesse was disturbed by controversy soon after Hyperius' death. The man of peace was forgotten, until the second half of the nineteenth century, when his memory was revived by the works of Steinmeyer and Mangold.
E. C. Achelis. Bibliography: The biographical source used in all sketches of the life is Oratio de vita et obitu Andreee Hyperii a Vuigando Orthio . . habita, appended to H. Vietor's ed. of Hyperius' Methodi theologici libri Hi., 1567. Various phases of his activity are discussed in F. W Hassencamp, Hessische Kirchen&eschichte seit dem Zeitalter der Reformation, ii. 453-454, Frankfort, 1864; F L. Steinmeyer, Die Topik im Dienste der Predigt, Berlin, 1874; H. Heppe, Kirchengeschichte beider Hessen, i. 285-286, Marburg, 1876; K. F. Muller, Andreas Hyperius, Kiel, 1895; M. Schian, in Zeitschrift fur praktische Theologie, xviii (1896), 289-324, xix (1897), 27-66, 120-149.
HYPOCRISY: The simulation of qualities, convictions, or sentiments which are really foreign to the person simulating them, particularly the assumption of moral and religious virtues which one does not possess. With the Greeks the word hypohrinesthai meant to act a part on the stage; and the hypokrites was originally only an actor. From this idea of assuming a character for purposes of the stage came the more general conception of hypocrisy. It includes all affectation or posing by which one seeks to appear as something which one is not; and it is not confined to the field of religion. The intellectual hypocrite, who affects certain views in order to appear clever or strong-minded, is a familiar type. The tendency to limit the application of the term to conscious deception rests upon a superficial psychology. Properly speaking, hypocrisy is present wherever there is discord between the actual life and character of a person and the impression of his life and character which he would convey to others, whether consciously or unconsciously.
The basis of this discrepancy between appearance and actuality in human life is the discord between what is and what ought to be in man's ethical life. In his moral and religious consciousness man has a conception of the norm of character willed by God, but, since he is prevented by egoistic motives from realizing this ideal, his tendency is to allow the will or imagination to construct a false norm, by which he then directs his life before his fellows as if this false appearance were the reality. Since moral progress requires that one shall keep before him an ideal, the danger of falling into hypocrisy is always present. It frequently happens that the moral consciousness does not keep pace with the moral judgment (Matt. vii. 3-5; Rom. ii. 21-23). In V.— 28
persons of limited moral perception hypocrisy is encouraged by the laws and conventionalities of society. To secure a certain standing before the world they may appear to conform to certain out ward requirements of society, and yet remain morally vile in their private life. Similarly, the more highly developed the religious organization, the greater the occasion for hypocrisy. In this case there is a tendency to put on the empty appearance of godliness without the inner reality (II Tim. iii. 5; Acts v. 3-4; Matt. vi. 2-5, 16, vii. 15-20, xv. 7-19; Titus i. 16).
The essence of hypocrisy is egoism; and, since only true Christianity excludes all selfish interests, this is the only form of religion incompatible with hypocrisy (Matt. xv. 7-9, xxiv. 51), the specific Satanic sin (II Cor. xi. 14). It was in this sense that Jesus designated hypocrisy as " the leaven of the Pharisees " (Luke xii. 1). Jesus branded the Pharisees hypocrites because they allowed egoistic motives to enter into their religion, and then deceived themselves and others into the belief that theirs was the true religion (Matt, xxiii. 27-33; John v. 42). Other characteristics of religious hypocrisy are self-righteousness (Matt, vi.; Luke xviii. 11-12), loss of true religious insight (Luke xii. 56), and inability to distinguish between essentials and trivial details (Matt, xxiii. 23-25; Luke xiii. 15-16). (L. Lemme.)
Bibliography: J. Seth, Study of Ethical Principles, p. 266, New York, 1898; the lexicons under vTroKplveaSat., v7roxpiTTJs, VTroKpurfS,
HYPOSTASIS. See Teinity.
HYPSISTARIANS: A Cappadocian sect of the fourth century. Recent investigations by Schurer and Cumont have shown how widely spread was the worship of " the most high God," and how manifold the influences that cooperated with it. " It was reinforced by all the religions of Asia Minor, Egypt, Syria, Persia; but the strongest monotheistic strand in its variegated texture was contributed by Judaism." Such a mixture of paganism and Judaism offered the Cappadocian sect of the Hypsistarii (Hypsistiani), mentioned by Gregory Nazianzen (MPG, xxxv. 990 sqq., NPNF, vii. 256) and Gregory of Nyssa (MPG, xlv. 482 sqq.). From the pagan element, rejecting idols and sacrifices, they borrowed the worship of fire and light; from the Jewish element, rejecting circumcision, they adopted the hallowing of the Sabbath and certain dietary rules. The " Most High God," moreover they did indeed call " the Almighty," but not " Father." Gregory Nazianzen's father belonged to this sect before embracing Christianity. There is some affinity between the Hypsistarians and the Euphemitce or Massaliani, described by Epiphanius (Hcer., lxxx.); and the Theosebeis of Cyril of Alexandria (MPG, lxviii. 282). Doubtless, too, the western Ccelicolw (q.v.) are a further variation of the same stock. G. Keuger.
Bibliography: E. Schurer, Die Juden im bosporanischen Reiche, in SBA, 1897, pp. 200-225; idem, Geschichte, iii. 124; F. Cumont, Hypsistos, Brussels, 1897; the literature under Messalians.
HYRCANUS. See Hasmoneans. HYSSOP: A herb mentioned in the Bible in connection with purification, and known to have
Hystaspes Iceland