Archontici a sect of the second century who rejected baptism, and held that the world was not created by the Almighty God, but by certain powers, seven or eight in number, whom they called Archontes (ἄρχοντες, rulers), to the chief of whom they gave the name of Sabaoth, the god of the Jews and the giver of the law, whom they blasphemously distinguished from the true God. Now, as they pretended that baptism was administered in the name of Sabaoth, and not in that of the supreme God, they rejected it, and the holy Eucharist. They held that woman was a creation of the devil. They were a branch of the Valentinians. Bingham, Orig. Eccles. bk. 11, ch. 10, cap. 2; Tillemont, 2:295; Landon, Eccl. Dict. 1:493.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More