Valesians a sect or community of ascetics said to have been founded by Valens of Bacatha Metrocomia, an episcopal city spoken of by Epiphanius and Nicetas as being in "Arabia beyond Jordan." They were said by Epiphanius to hold some Gnostic opinions, and by St. John of Damascus to be profligate Antinomians. They practiced self-mutilation, and enforced the practice on all their adherents. See Epiphanius, De Haeresibus, 58; St. John of Damascus, De Haeresibus, 58.
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