The Passaginians

One portion of the Waldenses were called Passaginians, probably because they lived high up in the passes of the Alps. Thus Mosheim speaks of them:ChSa 143.1

“In Lombardy, which was the principal residence of the Italian heretics, there sprung up a singular sect, known, for what reason I cannot tell, by the denomination of Passaginians, and also by that of the Circumcised. Like the other sects already mentioned, they had the utmost aversion to the dominion and discipline of the church of Rome; but they were at the same time distinguished by two religious tenets which were peculiar to themselves. The first was a notion that the observance of the law of Moses in everything except the offering of sacrifices, was obligatory upon Christians; in consequence of which they circumcised their followers, abstained from those meats the use of which was prohibited tinder the Mosaic economy, and celebrated the Jewish Sabbath.”-Ecclesiastical History, century 12, part 2, chap. 5, sec. 1.4.ChSa 143.2

But Mr, Benedict, in his History of the Baptist Denomination, speaks of them as follows:ChSa 143.3

“The account of their practicing circumcision is undoubtedly a slanderous story, forged by their enemies, and probably arose in this way: Because they observed the seventh day, they were called, by way of derision, Jews, as the Sabbatarians are frequently at this day. And if they were Jews, it followed, of course, that they either did, or ought to, circumcise their followers. This was probably the reasoning of their enemies; but that they actually practiced the bloody rite is altogether improbable.”-Vol. II, P. 414, edition 1813.ChSa 143.4

Such has ever been the conduct of the Roman Church to blacken the character of its enemies by false reports. It is nothing uncommon at the present day for even Protestant ministers to make such charges upon Sabbatarians that they are Jews, and keep all the law of Moses, because they observe the Sabbath. They might know, if they cared to, that Sabbatarians make a great distinction between the moral law of ten commandments, which requires the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath, and the ceremonial law of types, shadows, circumcision, etc. The former they believe to be binding on all. The latter was abolished at the cross of Christ.ChSa 143.5