Mantra a secret, the communication of which forms the chief ceremony of initiation in all Hindu sects. It generally consists of the name of some deity, or a short address to him; it is conveyed by the teacher to the disciple in a whisper, and when once known, is carefully concealed from all the uninitiated. The word mantra is also employed generally to denote a spell or enchantment, and also a hymn or a prayer.
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