z, j, n, r. Tables with various dishes, e, h, i, m.-b, p. Figs.-d, e, and q, s. Baskets of grapes.-1, 2, and 8 are raising the covers; 3 is taking wing from a goose; 4 holds a joint of meat, g; 5 and 7 are eating fish, k, o; 6 is about to drink water from an earthen vessel.-/ is the figl or raphanus.

See MEAL.

of chamberlain Pöllnitz. In 1787 he became pastor of Kitscher, near Borna, and in 1797 director of the teach

He

"eat" or "devour;" ȧpioráw, Luke xi, 37; John xxi, | university was charged with the education of the son 12, 15); DINNER (, aruchah', Prov. xv, 17; elsewhere "allowance," 2 Kings xxv, 30; "victuals,' Jer. xl, 5; "diet," Jer. lii, 34; aptorov, Matt. xxii, 4; ers' seminary at Friedrichstadt, near Dresden. Luke xi, 38; xiv, 12). These Heb. terms are not exwas afterwards successively pastor at Gōrnitz in 1807, pressive of any particular meal, although in the pas- school inspector in 1816, and finally professor of the sage first cited the noon meal is referred to. Theology at Königsberg in 1822. He died at the latter Greek terms (both kindred to not, ear-ly) relate proper-place May 29, 1831. He wrote largely on catechetics, ly to the morning meal, taken originally at sunrise religious education, and other practical subjects, all in (Homer, Il. xxiv, 124; Od. xvi, 2); in later times, the the interest of Rationalism. In his books for children, breakfast lunch, Lat. prandium, taken about the middle Dinter opens their eyes as to the imperfect notions of "He gives of the forenoon, or even so late as noon; the principal their fathers as to God, miracles, etc. meal being the divov, rendered "supper" (q. v.), teachers directions how to conduct themselves cleverly taken later in the afternoon or early in the evening. in such matters, and afterwards, in agreement with the principles he recommends, he lays down plans of catechising. For example, there are to be two ways of catechising about Jonah: one before an audience not sufficiently enlightened, and where all remains in its old state; another for places which have more light. In the prophecies concerning the Messiah, a double explanation is given for the same reason. One is the old orthodox way, and the other a more probable neological plan. A clever teacher is to choose for himself; a dull one may ask the parish clergyman how far he may go." His collected works have been published by Wilhelm, under the title Exegetische Werke (184148, 12 vols.); Katechetische Werke (1840-44, 16 vols.); Werke (1844-51, 5 vols.). He published an autobiog Pædagogische Werke (1840-45, 9 vols.); Ascetische raphy (Dinter's Leben von ihm selbst beschrieben, Neustadt, 1829).-Kahnis, German Protestantism, ch. ii, § 6; Pierer, Universal-Lexikon, s. v.; Herzog, Real-Encyklop. iii, 397; Hurst, History of Rationalism, ch. viii.

It appears that it was the custom in Egypt, in great families, to dine at noon, and for this purpose the meat was slaughtered on the premises only just before it was required for cooking (Gen. xliii, 16), which is still the custom in the East on account of the heat of the climate. It is probable, however, that the Egyptians, like other inhabitants of the East, as also the Greeks and Romans, took only a slight dinner about this time, the principal meal being at six or seven in the evening. Feasts at a later period among the Jews were always appointed at supper-time, for the burning heat of noon diminished the appetite for food, and suppressed the disposition to cheerfulness (Mark vi, 21; Luke xiv, 24; John xii, 2). A considerable quantity of meat was served up at these repasts, as is evident from the sculptures, which is still the custom of Eastern nations, whose azúma, or feast, is remarkable for the unsparing profusion of viands. A great variety of vegeta

bles was also required on all occasions; and when din-
ing in private, dishes of that kind seem to have been
in greater request than joints, even at the tables of the
rich. The tables, as at a Roman repast, were occa-
sionally brought in and removed with the dishes on
them; sometimes each joint was served up separately,
and the fruit, deposited in a plate, or trencher, suc-
ceeded the meat at the close of the dinner. The

Egyptians, like the Jews, were particularly fond of
figs and grapes.
Fresh dates, when in season, and in
a dried state at other periods of the year, were also
brought to table, as well as a preserve of the fruit still
common in Egypt and Arabia (Wilkinson, Anc. Egypt.
i, 179 sq., abridgm.). See BANQUET.

ture.

66

Din'habah (Heb. Dinhabah', 7, perhaps robbers' den, otherwise ambush; Sept. Sevvaßá; Vulg. Denaba), an Edomitish city, the capital (and probably birthplace) of king Bela (Gen. xxxvi, 32; 1 Chron. i, 43). Eusebius and Jerome (Onomast. s. v. Aavaßá, Damnaba) mention a village Dannea (Aavveá, Jerome Damnaba) eight miles from Areopolis, or Ar of Moab (Jerome, on the road to Arnon"), and another on Mount Peor, seven miles from Esbus (Heshbon); but neither of these has claim to be the Dinhabah of ScripR. Joseph, in his Targum (on 1 Chron. i, 43, ed. Wilkins), finds a significance in the name. After identifying Balaam, the son of Beor, with Laban the Syrian, he adds, And the name of his capital city was Dinhabah, for it was given (7) him as a present." The name is not uncommon among the Shemitic races. Ptolemy (v, 15, 24) mentions a Danaba (Aaváẞa) in Palmyrene Syria, afterwards a bishop's see, and according to Zosimus (iii, 27) there was a Danabe (Aaváẞn) in Babylonia. The place in question was doubtless one of the petty localities of Mount Seir, possibly at Dibdiba, a little N.E. of Petra (Smith's list in Robinson's Researches, iii, App. p. 114, and i, Map). Dinim. See TALMUD.

Dinner. See DINE.

Dinter, GUSTAV FRIEDRICH, a German theologian, was born at Borna, in Saxony, Feb. 29, 1760. He studied theology at Leipsic, and on leaving the

Diocæsarea. See SEPPHORIS.

Diocesan Episcopacy, that system of Episcopacy in which the bishop has jurisdiction only over a certain number of parishes, or over a certain district of country, called a diocese. See BISHOP; EPISCOPA CY; DIOCESE.

Diocese (coinoıç, administration), the territorial circuit of a bishop's administration where the Episcopacy is diocesan (q. v.).

1. Roman Civil Dioceses.-The origin of the diocesan division is to be traced to the ancient division of the later Roman empire. The term diocese is used by Cic

ero (Fam. iii, 8, 4) to designate the district of a gov-
into 13 larger divisions, called dioceses, which were
ernor's jurisdiction. Constantine divided the empire
again divided into 120 provinces. The dioceses were
governed by vicars or prefects. The civil diocesa
division in the days of Arcadius and Honorius (begin-
ning of the fifth century) was as follows: I. Prefectur
Pratorio per Orientem: five dioceses were subject to
his jurisdiction, namely, 1, the Oriental diocese, prop-
erly so called; 2, the diocese of Egypt; 3, the diocese
of Asia; 4, the diocese of Pontus; 5, the diocese of
Thrace. II. Profectus Prætorio per Illyricum: only
two dioceses were committed to his superintendence,
namely, 1, the diocese of Macedonia; 2, the diocese of
Dacia. III. Præfectus Prætorio Italia: three dio-
ceses were subject to the jurisdiction of this governor,
namely, 1, the diocese of Italy; 2, the diocese of Illy-
ria; 3, the diocese of Africa. IV. Profectus Prætorio
Galliarum: he had the command of three dioceses,
namely, 1, the diocese of Spain; 2, the diocese of
Gaul; 3, the diocese of Britain. The diocese of Brit-
ain included five provinces, namely, 1, Maxima Casa-
reensis; 2, Valentia; 3, Britannia Prima; 4, Britan-
nia Secunda; 5, Flavia Cæsareensis. Or thus:
DIOCESE OF BRITAIN.
Provinces.

EXARCH OF YORK, if any.
Metropoles.

1. Maxima Cæsareensis, i. e. at first,)
all from the Thames to the north-
ern borders

2. Flavia Cæsareensis, taken out of
the former, and containing all
from the Thames to the Humber)

Eboracum (York).

Eboracun

3. Britannia Prima, i. e. all south of

the Thames..

4. Britannia Secunda, i. e. all beyond the Severn...

5. Valentia, beyond the Picts' wall..

Londinum (London).

Carleolum (Carleon).
Eboracum.

(Bingham, Orig. Eccles. bk. ix, ch. i, where the subject is very fully treated.)

of Carus, was secretly put to death by Aper, his father-in-law, while travelling in a close litter on account of illness, on the return of the army from Persia. The death of Numerianus being discovered, after several days, by the soldiers near Calchedon, they arrested Aper and proclaimed Dioclesian emperor, who, ad2. Ecclesiastical Dioceses.-"Some suppose the divi- dressing the soldiers from his tribunal in the camp, sion of a church into dioceses to be the natural conse- protested his innocence of the death of Numerianus, quence of the institution of the office of bishop, and that and then, upbraiding Aper for the crime, plunged his the rise of the system of diocesan division of a church sword into his body. The new emperor observed to a is to be found in the New Testament. But this is ev- friend that "he had now killed the boar," alluding to idently a mistake. In the times of the apostles a dio- a prediction made to him by a Druidess in Gaul, that cese and a church appear to have been the same; there he should mount the throne as soon as he had killed was, therefore, no division of any church into dioceses. the wild boar (Lat. Aper). He became emperor Sept. If it be said that the Church, i. e. the Catholic Church, league in the empire (as Augustus); in 292 he added 17, 284, and in 286 chose Maximinianus as his colvided must have first existed as a whole. Now the Galerius as Cæsar, while Maximinianus chose ConCatholic Church never existed as a whole, i. e. as one stantius Chlorus. The empire was parcelled out among complete community on earth, from the time that them, and the theory of the system was that the youngChristianity passed the bounds of Jerusalem. Thence- er men, as Cæsars, should be trained to rule, and should forward there was not division, but additions of fresh succeed in time to the functions of Augustus. Interchurches" (Eden, Churchman's Dictionary, s. v.). Af-nal peace was secured for years by this arrangement.

was thus divided, this too is a mistake. What is di

ter the order of bishops had fully established itself, and the state had become Christian, the Church took her model of ecclesiastical territorial division from that of the state. About the latter end of the fourth century the Church appears to have been divided in a similar manner with the empire, having an exarch or patriarch in each of the thirteen great dioceses, and a metropolitan or primate in every province. The lesser diocese, used as the word is now, included the episcopal city itself, and all the region round about it, with its numerous congregations under the bishop's jurisdiction; hence it was called the bishop's Tapoikia, which, in its original application, meant the bishop's whole diocese, though the word parish, or a single congregation, has flowed from it in later days. At a later period the word diocese was transferred to the bishop's field of jurisdiction, and the word patriarchate covered

that of the ancient diocese.

ANVE

PFAVC

OIN!

Coin of Dioclesian. (British Museum. Actual size.)

The reign of Dioclesian was in many respects a noble and successful one, but its glory was stained by the terrible persecution of the Christians which he authorized. The earlier part of his reign was favorable to the Christians, and it was through the weakness and superstition of the prince, rather than his wickedness, that his name is now inscribed on the tablets of infaIn England, up to the twelfth century, bishops were said to exercise their functions within a certain geo-represented to him that the permanence of the Roman my as the most savage among persecutors. Galerius graphical territory called a parish; the word diocese institutions was incompatible with the prevalence of was seldom used, nor was it at all employed in Eng- Christianity, which should therefore be extirpated. land, with authority from the popes, until A.D. 1138 Dioclesian proposed the sul ject to a sort of council, (Brit. and For. Evang. Review, No. 211, p. 223). The Church of England now includes twenty-eight dio- composed of some eminent military and judicial officeses (including the two archbishoprics); that of Ire-cers. They assented to the opinion of Galerius; but the emperor still hesitated, until the measure was sancland twelve. In the United States a diocese is a ter- tioned and sanctified by the oracle of the Milesian ritory under the jurisdiction of a single bishop of the Apollo. The emperor gave a tardy consent to the Protestant Episcopal or Roman Church, whether comcommencement of a plan into which he appears to prehending one or more states of the Union, or only have entered with the most considerate calmness, part of a state. New dioceses can be formed in the though it is also true that during its progress some inProtestant Episcopal Church with the consent of the cidents occurred which enlisted his passions in the bishop, the Diocesan Convention, and the General Con- cause, and even so inflamed them that, in the height vention. There were in the United States, in 1867, of his madness, he certainly proposed nothing less than thirty-four dioceses of the Protestant Episcopal Church, the extermination of the Christian name. The influand forty-four dioceses of the Roman Catholic Church. ence of the Cæsar Galerius, who was animated, from In 1868, the pope, in accordance with the proposition whatsoever motive, by an unmitigated detestation of made by the "Second Plenary Council of Baltimore," the worshippers of Christ, and who thirsted for their established nine new dioceses, thereby increasing the destruction, was probably the most powerful of those total number of Roman Catholic dioceses to fifty-three. circumstances. But the second must not be forgotten. See Bingham, Org. Eccles. book ix, chap. i; Bilson, In the disputes, now become general, between the Perpetual Government of Christ's Church, chap. xiv; Christian ministers and the pagan priests, the teachHook, Church Dictionary, s. v.; Ferraris, Prompta Bib-ers of philosophy are almost invariably found on the liotheca, s. v.; Elliott, Del'neation of Romanism, book iii, chap. ix; Hooker, Ecclesiastical Polity, book vii, S 8; Siegel, Handbuch der Alterthümer, iv, 378.

Dioclesian, or Diocletian (DIOCLETIANUS, CAIUS AURELIUS VALERIUS), Roman emperor, was born about A.D. 245 (others say 255), near Salona, in Dalmatia. From the name of his mother, Dioclea, he was called Diocles, which he afterwards made Diocletianus. He entered the army, and rose from the ranks to high position. Dioclesian commanded the household or imperial Lody-guards when young Numerianus, the son

side of the latter; and as it is not denied-not even by Gibbon-that those learned persons directed the course and suggested the means of persecution, we need not hesitate to attribute a considerable share in the guilt of its origin to their pernicious eloquence. Dioclesian published his first edict in the February of 303. Three others of greater severity succeeded it; and, during a shameful period of ten years, they were very generally and rigorously enforced by himself, his colleagues, and successors. It is needless to particularize the degrees of barbarity by which those edicts were severally dis

DIOGNETUS, THE EPISTLE TO 807 DIOGNETUS, THE EPISTLE TO

but they do not cast away their offspring. They have the table in common, but not wives. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They live upon earth, but are citizens of heaven. They obey the existing laws, and excel the laws by their lives. They love all, and are persecuted by all. They are

the union of the two natures an external and moral rather than substantial union, naturally led, after Nestorianism arose, to the conclusion that Diodorus and the school of Antioch had been its precursors, to say the least. See the article of Semisch in Herzog, RealLncyklop. 1. c.; and compare Lardner, Works, iv, 376 fq.; Ceillier, Histoire Générale des auteurs ecclésiasti- | unknown, and yet they are condemned. They are ques, v, 586 sq. (ed. of Paris, 1863–65); Gieseler, Ch. killed and made alive. They are pure and make History, vol. i, § 82; Dorner, Person of Christ (Edinb. many rich. They lack all things, and in all things transl.), per. ii, epoch i, chap. i. abound. They are reproached, and glory in their reproaches. They are calumniated, and are justified. They are cursed, and they bless. They receive scorn, and they give honor. They do good, and are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice, as being made alive. By the Jews they are attacked as aliens, and by the Greeks persecuted; and the cause of the enmity their enemies cannot tell. In short, what the soul is in the body, the Christians are in the world. The soul is diffused through all the members of the body, and the Christians are spread through the cities of the world. The soul dwells in the body, but

Diognētus, the Epistle to, an anonymous Greek letter to an inquiring heathen of some distinction, by the name of Diognetus, in vindication of Christianity, and one of the most precious remains of Christian antiquity, equal, both in matter and style, to the best, and superior to most of the writings of the apostolic fathers and early apologists.

I. Contents. It consists of twelve (or rather ten) chapters. It opens with an address to Diognetus, who is described as exceedingly desirous to learn the Christi.n doctrine and mode of worship in distinction from the Greeks and the Jews. The writer, rejoicing in this opportunity to lead a Gentile friend to the path of truth, exposes first the vanity of idols (ch. ii), then the superstitions of the Jews (ch. iii and iv), after which he gives, by contrast, a striking and truthful picture of Christian life, which moves in this world like the invisible, immortal soul in the visible, perishing body (ch. v and vi), and sets forth the benefits of Christ's coming (ch. vii). He next describes the miserable condition of the world before Christ (ch. viii), and answers the question why he appeared so late (ch. ix). In this connection occurs a beautiful passage on the atonement, which is almost worthy of St. Paul, and is fuller and clearer on that subject than any that can be found before Irenæus. He concludes with an account of the blessings and moral effects which flow from the Christian faith (ch. x). This is a fit conclusion of the epistle. The last two chapters, which are probably an addition by a later hand, treat of knowledge, faith, and spiritual life with reference to the tree of knowledge and the tree of life in Paradise.

it is not of the body; so the Christians dwell in the world, but are not of the world. The soul, invisible, keeps watch in the visible body; so also the Christians are seen to live in the world, but their piety is invisible. The flesh hates and wars against the soul, suffering no wrong from it, but because it resists fleshly pleasures; and the world hates the Christians with no reason but that they resist its pleasures. The soul loves the flesh and members by which it is hated; so the Christians love their haters. The soul is inclosed in the body, but holds the I ody together; so the Christians are detained in the world as in a prison, but they contain the world. Immortal, the soul dwells in the mortal body; so the Christians dwell in the corruptible, but lock for incorruption in heaven. The soul is the bettor for restriction in food and drink; and the Christians increase, though daily punished. This lot God has assigned to the Christians in the world, and it cannot be taken from them." Another passage on the atonement deserves to be cited. In meeting the question why Jesus Christ, if he was the author of the only true religion, appeared so late, the epistle says (chap. ix): "When our wickedness had reached its height, and it had been clearly shown that its reward, punishment and death, was impending over us; and when the time had come which God had before appointed for manifesting His own kindness and power, how the one love of God, through exceeding regard for men, did not regard us with hatred, nor thrust us away, nor remember our iniquity against us, but show

II. Form and Value.- Within this short compass the writer brings out a mine of rich thought in elegant style, and betrays throughout Hellenic culture and elegant taste. The epistle is acknowledged to be one of the most beautiful and valuable memorials of primitive Christianity. It belongs to the literature of apologetics, or evidences of Christianity, and forms the connecting link between the practical exhortations of the apostolic fathers and the more elaborate apologies of Justin Martyr and his successors. It reflects vivid-ed great long-suffering, and Lore with us, He himself ly the power of Christianity in those days, which tried took on him the burden of our iniquities, He gave His the hearts of believers when the profession of Christ own Son as a ransom for us, the holy One for transwas connected with the risk of life. It breathes the gressors, the blameless One for the wicked, the rightspirit of true martyrdom. "Do you not see the Chris-cous One for the unrighteous, the incorruptible One tians exposed to wild beasts, and yet not overcome? for the corruptible, the immortal One for them that Do you not see that the more of them are punished, are mortal. For what other thing was capable of covthe greater becomes their number? This does not ering our sins than His righteousness? By what othseem to be the work of man, but the power of God" er one was it possible that we, the wicked and ungod(ch. vii). The picture of true Christianity, as related ly, could be justified, than by the only Son of God? to the world, is a perfect gem, and as applicable to the O sweet exchange! O unsearchable operation! 0 present time as to the age of confessors and martyrs. benefits surpassing all expectation! that the wicked"The Christians," says the writer (ch. v and vi), "areness of many should be hid in a single righteous One, not distinguished from other men by country, by lan- and that the righteousness of One should justify many guage, nor by civil institutions; for they neither transgressors!" dwell in cities by themselves, nor use a peculiar III. Authorship and Time of Composition.-The writtongue, nor lead a singular mode of life. They dweller calls himself (chap. xi) a disciple of the apostles in the Grecian or barbarian cities, as the case may be; they follow the usage of the country in dress, food, and the other affairs of life. Yet they present a won derful and confessedly paradoxical conduct. They dwell in their own native lands, but as strangers. They take part in all things as citizens, and they suffered all things as foreigners. Every foreign country is a fatherland to them, and every native land is a foreign. They marry, like others; they have children;

(àπoσróλwv yevóμevoç pa‡nric), and thus seems to place himself in a line with the apostolic fathers. But the eleventh and twelfth chapters are not free from the suspicion of being a later interpolation. (See the arguments well put by Semisch, Justin der Märtyrer, i, 174, note; Otto, 2d ed. p. 56 sq.; and Hefele, Patr. Apost. Proleg. p. xcii.) Nevertheless, some of the most learned historians, such as Tillemont (Mémoires, ii, 493), Möbler (Patrologie, i, 165), Hefele