a point of very high importance
with them; and they consider the thought of her having given birth to
children after the birth of Christ, as in the highest degree derogatory to
her character, and impious.

They regard baptism and regeneration as the same thing and have no
conception of any spiritual change; and they know little of any other
terms of salvation than penance, the Lord's supper, fasting, and good
works in general.

The Armenians are strictly Trinitarians in their views, holding firmly to
the supreme divinity of Christ, and the doctrine of atonement for sin;
though their views on the latter subject, as well as in regard to faith
and repentance, are somewhat obscure. They say that Christ died to atone
for original sin, and that actual sin is to be washed away by
penances,--which, in their view, is repentance. Penances are prescribed by
the priests, and sometimes consist in an offering of money to the church,
a pilgrimage, or more commonly in repeating certain prayers, or reading
the whole book of Psalms a specified number of times. Faith in Christ
seems to mean but little more than believing in the mystery of
transubstantiation.--See _Coleman's Christian Antiquities_.

PRIMITIVE METHODISTS.

This sect forms a party in England, which seceded from the Wesleyans in
1817. They differ from the Wesleyans chiefly in church government, by
admitting lay representation. They are said to increase rapidly. Their
present number is about seventy thousand.

NOVATIANS.

An heretical sect in the early church, which derives its name from
Novatian, an heresiarch of the third century, who was ordained a priest of
the church of Rome, and afterwards got himself clandestinely consecrated
bishop of Rome, by three weak men, upon whom he had imposed, and one of
whom afterwards did penance for his concern in the business. He was never
acknowledged bishop of Rome, but was condemned and excommunicated. He
still, however taught his doctrine, and became the head of the party that
bore his name. He denied, in opposition to the opinion of the church, that
those who had been guilty of idolatry could be again received by the
church.

NESTORIANS.

The branch of the Christian church known by this name is so called from
Nestorius, a patriarch of Constantinople, who was born in Germanica, a
city of Syria, in the latter part of the fourth century. He was educated
and baptized at Antioch, and, soon after his b