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s inhabited by the ancient Celts, and are of a period anterior to the introduction of Christianity into these countries.

ented in some material; the symbol of Christ's death; the ensign and chosen symbol of Christianity, of a Christian people, and of Christendom. The custom of making the sign of the cross with the hand or finger, as a means of conferring blessing or preserving from evil, is very old. Schaff-Herzog Encyc. Before the cross…

Any one of the military expeditions undertaken by Christian powers, in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries, for the recovery of the Holy Land from the Mohammedans.

evil. Too much fondness for meditative retirement is not the crying sin of our modern Christianity. I. Taylor.

An officer in Christian churches appointed to perform certain subordinate duties varying in different communions. In the Roman Catholic and Episcopal churches, a person admitted to the lowest order in the ministry, subordinate to the bishops and priests. In Presbyterian churches, he is subordinate to the minister and e…

or consisting in, deism; as, a deistic writer; a deistical book. The deistical or antichristian scheme. I. Watts.

rning shall deliver his soul. Ezek. xxxiii. 5. Promise was that I Should Israel from Philistian yoke deliver. Milton.

ss, or society of individuals, called by the same name; a sect; as, a denomination of Christians.

tion; depreciation; -- followed by of, from, or to. I hope it is no derogation to the Christian religion. Locke. He counted it no derogation of his manhood to be seen to weep. F. W. Robertson.

who, after the Exile, were scattered through the Old World, and afterwards to Jewish Christians living among heathen. Cf. James i.1.

Relating to Dionysius, a monk of the 6th century; as, the Dionysian, or Christian, era. Dionysian period, a period of 532 years, depending on the cycle of the sun, or 28 years, and the cycle of the moon, or 19 years; -- sometimes called the Greek paschal cycle, or Victorian period.

o incapacitate; to disqualify; to make incompetent or unfit for service; to impair. A Christian's life is a perpetual exercise, a wrestling and warfare, for which sensual pleasure disables him. Jer. Taylor. And had performed it, if my known offense Had not disabled me. Milton. I have disabled mine estate. Shak.…

elieves, or refuses belief; an unbeliever. Specifically, one who does not believe the Christian religion. I. Watts.

lected companions of Jesus; -- also called the apostles. -- Disciples of Christ. See Christian, n., 3, and Campbellite.

steem; ill repute; reproach; -- applied to persons or things. It is the duty of every Christian to be concerned for the reputation or discredit his life may bring on his profession. Rogers.

ar that it is not the sun. South. Imitation is a disparagement and a degradation in a Christian minister. I. Taylor.

nd rules ordained and administered; scheme; economy; as, the Patriarchal, Mosaic, and Christian dispensations. Neither are God's methods or intentions different in his dispensations to each private man. Rogers.

vil or controvert; characterized by dispute; as, a disputatious person or temper. The Christian doctrine of a future life was no recommendation of the new religion to the wits and philosophers of that disputations period. Buckminster. -- Dis`pu*ta"tious*ly, adv. -- Dis`pu*ta"tious*ness, n.

Not conformable; discrepant; repugnant; as, a practice so widely distant from Christianity.

in the New Testament, represented as a necessary preparative to the reception of the Christian faith. Beattie.