Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable/Abelites

by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer

A′belites (3 sl.), Abel′ians, or Abelo′nians. A sect of the fourth century, chiefly found in Hippo (N. Africa), They married, but lived in continence, as they affirm Abel did, The sect was maintained by adopting the children of others. No children of Abel being mentioned in Scripture, the Abelites assume that he had none.