EBIONITES, a Jewish-Christian sect of the first century, who separated themselves from that branch of the Nazarenes that remained faithful to the apostolic doctrine. They differed from the Nazarenes in this, that they asserted the permanent obligation of the whole Mosaic law, and on this account they retained circumcision, and highly valued the Pentateuch. They regarded Christ as a mere man; and used a translation of the Gospel of Matthew in Greek characters, but in the Syro-Chaldaic dialect. At a later period they adopted other books attributed to St James, St Peter, and Clement. Epiphanius and Tertullian both derive the name from Ebion, a disciple of Cerinthus, who is said to have founded the sect. Others derive it from the Hebrew Ebionim, i.e. poor people, a name at first either given to the Christians by the Jews, or probably assumed by the former on account of their poverty. They originally planted themselves at Pella, on the other side of Jordan, and gradually spread from thence into the Decapolis, Peraea, and Syria. They were afterwards merged with the Elcesaites. The ancient authorities on the subject of the Ebionites are Origen, Epiphanius, and Eusebius. See also the dissertations of Mosheim, Credner, Detmer, and Walch.
EBONY (ἔβον), a species of wood, brought principally from the East. It is exceedingly hard and heavy, of great durability, and susceptible of a very fine polish; and hence it is wrought into a variety of toys, and used in mosaic and other kinds of inlaid work. As a dye also it yields a fine green tincture. There are several varieties of ebony, namely, black, red, green, and yellow; but the black is the most valuable. Ebony is obtained from several species of Dios-
Eboracum pyros ebenus, a tree of the natural order Ebenaceæ. The supply of this valuable wood comes principally from Madagascar, the Mauritius, and Ceylon. The heart of the tree yields the finest ebony. The best is jet black, free from veins and rind, of a very dense structure, astringent, and of an acrid pungent taste. When laid on burning coals it yields an agreeable perfume; and when green it readily takes fire from its abundance of oil. See BOTANY, Nat. Ord. 135.
The facilities for staining pear-tree and other hard woods of a fine black colour has greatly limited the use of genuine ebony in modern times. It is stated in McCulloch's Commercial Dictionary that the price of ebony varies in the London market from £5 to £20 a ton, and that the quantities imported are but inconsiderable.