Sunday

was devoted to prayer, fasting, and ceremonies. The Elect were half-worshiped by the Hearers: in March (on the day on which Manes was crucified) his later followers established a commemorative rite of the Béma or teacher’s chair. This was placed on a platform with five steps, and after long fasting all were permitted to kneel before it, in adoration of the unseen Master. Baptism and the Eucharist were celebrated in spring. Manes repudiated Judaism, and (like the Gnostiks) regarded Yahveh as an evil god. There can be no doubt that he was acquainted with Buddhism, and he speaks of “ Buddas” by name. The Manichwans were more feared and hated by Catholic Christians than any other early sect. They were still in existence, in spite of constant persecution, as late as our 10th century; and their influence was felt from China to Spain and Gaul: it still lingers in Asia; and, among the “Christians of St Thomas” in Madras, it survived till the 15th century. St Augustine had listened for nine years to Manes; but the Roman empire felt the force of this system chiefly in 280 a.c. The Romans knew it in 330 A.c.; and Faustus became its mi ionary among them. Many clung to the Manichwan belief till 440 a.c, when Leo the Great found that he must stamp it out, if the Roman creed was not to be extinguished. It was the basis of Paulician heresy, and of that of the Albigenses, in the S. of France, which was only quenched by blood in the 13th century. Manes. See Man and Lar. “Minds,” “souls,” Manétho, or Men-Thoth, the celebrated Egyptian historian, was a priest at Helio polis about 270 B.c., in the reign of Ptolemy II, He compiled his account from earlier materials (such as the Turin historical papyrus), but his authorities are so far unknown to us beyond a few fragments. Extracts from Manetho are found in Joseph us, Julius African us, Eusebius, and George the Syncellus (or monk), from the Ist to the 9th centuries 4.c.; but our present text in each case is corrupt. 517