Semnium (Σεμνεῖον,, a temple), a name given by Philo to places of worship of the Therapeutae (q. i.). He says, "In every one of their dwellings there is a sacred house or chapel, which they call their semnium, or monastery, where they perform the religious mysteries proper to their holy lives" (Bingham, Christ. Antiq. vol. 7, ch. 2, § 11). Monasteries came afterwards to be called semnia, as Suicerus shows out of Balzamon, Methodius, and Suidas. See Bingham, Christ. Antiq. vol. 7, ch. 2, § 14.
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