(First-day or German Baptists), a sect founded by Alexander Mack in Schwarzenau about the year 1708. The origin of the name is unknown. Having been persecuted in Germany, they fled to Holland and thence to America, where they founded their first church in Germantown in 1723. They repudiate the practice of judicial oaths, mercantile interest, and warfare. Celibacy is not enjoined, but the sexes dwell apart, and have separate divine service. Their mode of life is simple, and they confine themselves to vegetable diet. They believe in the doctrines of human merit and works of supererogation; and get rid of eternal punishments by the hypothesis of periodical purgations. Their liturgy is simple. They celebrate the Lord's Supper at night with a love feast, the kiss of charity, washing the feet, and striking the hand as a pledge of mutual confidence. By their industry they are generally in comfortable circumstances, and have about 50 churches and 40 preachers. Dr Klose estimates their numbers at 30,000.