doctrine of the
independence of the two Principles; and some of these probably joined
themselves to Mani, a Persian by birth, who, in the latter half of the
third century, became distinguished as the propagator of a species of
mongrel Christianity. This man, who was born about A.D. 240, possessed
genius of a high order. Though he finished his career when he was only
thirty-seven years of age, he had already risen to eminence among his
countrymen, and attracted the notice of several successive sovereigns.
He is said to have been a skilful physician, an accomplished painter,
and an excellent astronomer, as well as an acute metaphysician. Like
Montanus, he laid claim to a divine commission, and alleged that he was
the Paraclete who was promised to guide into all truth. He maintained
that there are two First Principles of all things, light and darkness:
God, in the kingdom of light, and the devil, in the kingdom of darkness,
have existed from eternity. Mani thus accounted for the phenomena of the
world around us--"Over the kingdom of light," said this heresiarch,
"ruled God the Father, eternal in His sacred race, glorious in His
might, the truth by His very essence.... But the Father himself,
glorious in His majesty; incomprehensible in His greatness, has united
with Himself blessed and glorious Aeons, in number and greatness
surpassing estimation." [439:1] He taught that Christ appeared to
liberate the light from the darkness, and that he himself was now
deputed to reveal the mysteries of the universe, and to assist men in
recovering their freedom. He rejected a great portion of the canon of
Scripture, and substituted certain writings of his own, which his
followers were to receive as of divine authority. His disciples, called
Manichees or Manichaeans, assumed the name of a _Church_, and were
divided into two classes, the _Elect_ and the _Hearers_. The Elect,
who were comparatively few, were the sacred order. They alone were made
acquainted with the mysteries, or more recondite doctrines, of the sect;
they practised extreme abstinence; they subsisted chiefly upon olives;
[439:2] and they lived in celibacy. They were not to kill, or even
wound, an animal; neither were they to pull up a vegetable, or pluck a
flower. The Hearers were permitted to share in the business and
pleasures of the world, but they were taught only the elements of the
system. After death, according to Mani, souls do not pass immediately
into the world of