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C H U RC H H I S T O R Y
N E RO
C O N S T A NT I N E
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BY
CL A R K E , M A
.
E very m an
ook ofSai
M O W B R A Y CO
D
2 8 M a ga t S t
t O f
O X F O R D 9H i g h S t
M X L WA U K E E U S A
Th M
h
R
re
re e
n t:
LT D
x o rd
Ci r
us ,
re e t
@
on oo ad S t A n dro w
f
r o
Jut o r of
A
LO N O N
F RO M
o re
o u se
P u b l i s hi n
gC
VI
RO
P RA ECL ARO
B ILNI G NO , DI LEC T I SS I M O
CARO L O GO RE S T P
D L
M S U M M O P A STO R "
G
H
O U SC U LU M D
P H I L I U S C LA R E A M
D I S C I P U LU S E T Q U O N A M
M
.
E IU
FI
REG I S
o c
E D I C AV I T
PP
C U RA R U
PA RT I C EI S
AM I C I T I A E
ET
P AS T O RAL I U M
I ND I GNU S
V E NERAT I O NI S
Q U ANT U L U M C U NQ U E T E STI M ON I U M
P RE F A C E
HE
'
vi
P reface
them
the nearest we ca n get to rs t hand
W l t h a l l its horrors
O n e doesn t write about
.
vi i
P reface
viii
at l east a trans l ation O f them may appea l with
a certain fres hness an d rea l ity
T he labours of many scho l ars have l eft me in
their debt I must rst O f a l l acknow l edge th e
very great kindness of D r Darwe l l Stone Prin
who
has
ci al of the Pusey H ouse a t Oxford
p
read the proo f-sheets and made many valuab l e
corrections and suggestion s
As to p ub li shed
works I have used the ante -Nicene translation
o f the Fathers though I ha v e been at some pain s
to compare the trans l ation s with t he origi na l s as
pub l ished i n the M igne edition and in most cases
have given my o w n Bishop Lightfoot s great
work o n Tb e Ap o sto li c F at/to rs is a storehouse
o f l earning
and has been i nvaluable I have
however u sed Professor K Lake s text in the
Loeb edition but am myself responsible fo r the
translations Th e late D r Bigg s works o n
Ne op lato n i sm the C/z ri sti atz S cho o l of Alexan dri a
and th e Co u rt /9 5 Task un ae r tb e Ro m an E mp i re
have all been co nsulte d and never in vai n That
bri ll iant and sugge stive writer send s no on e away
e mpty The volume o f Essays on the E arly
Hi sto ry of tlz e Chu rch an d the M i n i stry origin
ally edited by th e late Dr Swete has been o f
great help principally because i t i ntrod uced me
to that body o f i nteresti ng literature kn own as
the C hurch Orders F o r further enlightenmen t
on them I am deeply i n debt to th e R e v W H
Frere C R and D o m R H Conolly
and to the translations of th e rst Church Or der
by th e Re v G H orner i n his S tatutes of the
,
ix
P reface
All Sai n ts D ay ,
99
1
I N T R O DU CT I ON
H E C hristian
xi
xii
I n tro du cti o n
e e
8
9
1
rc
ro
er
o n,
e ro
re ce
ur
n
e ss ,
e r 2 0,
e ce
th O
fe r e n t y b e g Yo u r E m n e n c e to p ro te ct
e rtho do x
Ru ss an h u rch
T h e Re o u t o n ary
o e rn m e n t i s s u j e c t n g
i t to cru e t e s b y
e s de o f w h c h e p e rse cu t o n s o f e
hr st an s i n t he firs t t h re e c e n t u r e s p a e
M an y arch sho p s,
h u n dre ds o f p r e s t s ,
ave b ee n
T he
m arty re d an d sho t
c h u rch e s are
ro
f
a
n e d an d
ed
a
p
g
p
C i i
th
li
v l i
G v
th
bi
.
i ll
th
xiii
I n tro du cti o n
xiv
I n tro du cti o n
xv
I n tro du cti o n
xvi
I n tro ducti o n
xvii
I n tro ducti o n
c u to r
the apostate Ju l ian when h e exclaimed
Gal i l e e an thou hast conquered
Besides the o ffi cial power O f the State th e
I t was
C hurch had other fo e s to c on t e nd with
long unpopu l ar as being unsocia l since Chris
tians were c ut o ff from popular amusements
wh i c h centred i n the theatre and from most
social festivities as be i ng i nvolved i n pagan
observances I t was also attacked by the philo
sophers who were the self-appointed preachers
of their time a function i n som e measure dis
charged by j ournalists to -d ay
U nfortunate l y very little has survived except
the great attack o f Celsus preserved for u s by
Origen The e ffect o f these attacks must have
been conned to the few wheth e r heathen o r
C hristian ; they could have had no more e ffect
on the mu l titude than a leading article i n Tb e
The more
Ti m e s o r the Sp e ctato r would to day
ambitious attempt of P h i l o s tratu s to supplan t
C hrist by Apo l lonius of Tyana must ha v e be e n
eve n more ine ffective
F ar more formidab l e than t h e attacks o f
,
xviii
I n tro du cti o n
I n tro du cti o n
x x
I n tro ducti o n
xx
xxi
I n tro du cti o n
xxii
I n tro du cti o n
us
u se
u s,
xxiii
In tro du cti o n
f
i fteenth
ame l y
I The zeal O f the Jews
2
Th e doctrine of the immorta l ity o f the sou l
and the promised rewards and punishments of
heaven and he ll
r
Miraculous
powers
real
o
pretended
3
The
virtues
of
the
rst
hristians
C
4
o f the
Their
activity
in
the
government
5
C hurch
But i t is not very easy to see what the z e a l of
th e Jews had to do w i th it I t i s true that the
rst C hristians were J ews but there was soon a
preponderating maj ori ty of Gentile Chri stians in
t he C hurch and it is more natural to attr i bute
th e i r zeal to their religion than to Jewish i n fe c
t i on or her e d i ty As to the doctrine o f i m m o r
tality o f the sou l it i s true that philosophers
sco ffed at the resurrection of the body and
th e i r views on the immortality o f the sou l were
timid an d l ukewarm compared with the condent
a f rmation s o f the Church B u t Mithrai sm a l so
taught the resurrection of the body and the
immorta l ity o f the soul and Mithraism was
a far more serious enemy to the Church than
phi l osophy ever was As to the third cause
miraculous powers no doubt play no sma l l part
i n accrediting the rst preachers of the Gospel
but we hear very little o f them i n th e second and
third centuries when the C hurch was advancing
by l eaps an d bou nds The question o f organiza
tion was i mportant ; but organization by itself c an
n
xxiv
I n tro du cti o n
accomplish little
Four therefore o u t o f th e
v e causes amount to little and we mu st seek
further for the real grou nd and root of s o rapid
and overwhelming a success
I t will be wel l to begi n by reminding o u r
selve s that m e n and women change th ei r dress
their ways o f speech their weapon s o f war thei r
mean s o f tran sport from age to age but n o t their
e ssential humanity That i s why th e best litera
tur e never grows o l d
Take the picture o f
Ahab coveting th e vi neyard of Naboth and
com i ng ho me heavy and di spleased and refus
i ng to eat while Jezebel a far stronger character
regarded him w i th mi ngled pity an d contempt
?
How
I f he wants it why doe sn t h e take it
ever
and w i th contemptuous goo d nature
she underta k es to arrange th e m atter fo r hi m and
does s o w i th an e ffi ciency and ruthless ness wh ich
would do credit to a twentieth -ce ntur heroi ne
I t i s a wonder that a celebrated mo d
ern play
wright has n o t built a play roun d this exponent
favourite theme What co uld there be
o f his
m ore modern
Or take th e poignant farewell o f Andromache
and Hector in th e sixth book o f th e I li ad
There is rst th e appeal to Hector not to go
o ut
to m ee t Achilles but
to stay thy folk
beside the g-tree wh e r e best th e city may be
scaled
H e i s n o t so to speak urge d not to
j oi n up but to j oi n something comparatively
safe
H ector s reply would be impossible fo r
a tongue -tied self-conscious E nglishman but not
.
xxv
I n tro ducti o n
r ns
o n
xxvi
I n tro du cti o n
xxvii
I n trodu cti o n
?
What bri ngs men to C hurch
cu s s i o n was
No t a man present had been a professing C hurch
man from his youth up A ll had come i n from
outside some from other religious bodies but
most from nothing at a ll Every man present
gave his own personal experience Some said they
had been drawn by the kind O f religion taught
others by the kind o f worship practised No o n e
said he had come because C hur c h peop l e led better
lives than other fo l k and no one hinted that h e
had j oined because the C hur c h believed i n a life
after the grave Most gave as the i r motive some
act o f kindness that they o r their fami l ies had
received I t might be a visit during sickness
o r a f
riendly welcome in church or at a social
gathering o r attention to a sick child and i n one
xxviii
I n tro du cti o n
d
o
t
T
e
c
r
i
e
especially the doctrine o f a
2
h
n
G o d o f love that G o d so loved the world that
Thi s
H e became Man and died on the C ross
was anathema to the philosopher but appea l ed
to the weak the fal len th e poor i n spirit the
broke n i n heart and i n fact to al l t he wayfarers
who had to trudge on life s dusty h i gh road
though perhaps n o t to the few w ho by reason
o f birth or fortunes o r superior abilities were able
to make the j ourn ey i n greater comfort
Why d i d He do it
was th e exasperated
cry o f C elsus B ut the bereaved the s u fferers
the hu ngry and the wretched crave fo r that
divine sympathy O f w hi ch they can only be
assured by belief i n a su ffering God
d
o
Th
e di s ci li n e
Men
an
d
wom
en
who
3
p
n o t seriously feel the n e ed o f religion on l y as k
that whate v er religion c o n ve nt i on brings i n th eir
way should m ake little demand on them T he
serious seeker after God desires n o t o n l to
rece ive but also to give I t i s do u b tfu l i I sis
mad e a s u fficient moral demand o n the general
body o f her votaries to attract t h e mor e earnest
.
I n tro du cti o n
'
xxx
I n tro du cti o n
C O NT E N T S
P AG E
REF A C E
I N T R O U C TI ON
T HE WO R L D F O R CH R I S T
T
P RE A R A TI ON
ND T HE BE I NN I N S O F T H E CHU R C H
R l i gi
P ER S E C U TIO N F R O M N
M A R C U S AURE L I U S
P
HE
o r
II
o n
T raj an ,
A D.
.
H adrai n ,
An to n
III
A. D
-1
8
9
1 1
Pi
Au l i
1
8
7
3
u s, A D
n us
o To
6
1
1
8
3
M arc u s
re u s, 1 6 1
1 80
G NO STI C S , M o NT A NI sT s
T he
n o st c s
T h e M o n t an st s
IV
O M E CH R I STI AN W R IT ER S FR O M C L E M EN T
T ER T U LL I AN
T e rt ll i a
T H CHUR C H ND T H E WO R L D
Fam i l y Li fe
B i
S
u s n e ss
Am
u se m e n t s
Ci t i z h i p
M i l i ta y S vi
S l av ry
C l i
T h W ay f Li g ht
T h Way f D a k
T H CHU R C H U N DER F O RE I N
ti
Sl a k i g f P
D 1 8 0 -1
C mm d
93
D
v
1
S
5
93
C a a all a D 1 1 2 1 7
T H C A T E C HE TI CAL S H
C l m t f Al a d i a
O ig
en s
ce
er
o n c us o n
e
r n e ss
r c
V II
u s, A
e ru s , A
e rse c u
c en n
20
en
o n
E M P E RO R s
ex n
o o L
en
X X X ]
o r
L E A N DR I A
X
To
V
xi
xxxii
V
III
Co n te n ts
P A AN A TT E M T S A T RE CON T RU C TI ON
Ap o ll
i f Ty a a
G
o n
IX
XI
XI I
us o
Ne o p l ato n i sm
R I VAL REL I G I o Ns
T he W o rsh p
M thra sm
T H E P S C TI ON
T H E RO M A N
Ii
5
I 60
I 6
9
I
s s
DE C I U S
o r
CHU R C H
L I FE I N T H E CHU R C H
B ap t i m
C m at i
T h E ha i t
AND
GE
i i
ER E U
V A L E R I AN
73
74
77
o n
o n
uc
r s
T h e Ag ap e
F a ti g
s
T he S
i k
c
M arri age
O rga i z at i o f C hari ty
Di i p l i
T H O FF I C E R S O F T H E CHUR C H
Th Bi h p
Th P
by t r
n
ne
sc
XI I I
re s
A ND
T H E I R DU T I F S
T h e De aco n
T h e M n o r O i c i al s
i
bd
T he Su
e aco n
Aco l y t e s
T h e W do w
T h e D e aco n e ss
V i rgi
M I N IST ER I AL AU T H O R IT
ND ITS
T H T RU C E
0
D
6 0
3 3
D i y i o f Al xa d i a
P a l f Sam at a
G g ry T ha m at g
G r g y t h I ll m i at r
ns
X IV
XV
Y A
re
R AN S M IS S I ON
o s
u r us
o r
M an e s
XVI
s us
o n
an d
M an i che e i sm
FI N AL ST RU G G L E A D 3 0 3 3 1 3
L IST o r CH I EF M O D E R N AU T H O R ITI E S CON S U LT E D
CH R ON O LO G I CAL T A B L E
T HE
3 3
1
3 5
317
335
3 37
1
C H U RC H
F ROM
H I ST O R Y
C O NS T A NT I NE
NE R O T O
I
TH E
P R EPA R ATI O N O F T H E WO RL D
C H R IST A ND THE BEG I NNI NGS
O F T H E CH U R C H
FOR
Church Hi sto ry
Ne ro
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
in Ki m
D u ring Gale n s stay i n R ome ( A D
1 6 2
o r ophthalmia by
1 6 6 ) h e was consulted f
letters from Asia Ga u l Spain and Thrace
Every year h e received parcels o f med i c i nes
from fri ends i n Spain Syria Pa l estine Egypt
C appadocia
Pontus Macedon ia Gaul and
1
Mauretan ia
ran e an
and the Atlantic and to B ritai n ; n o t
o nly O ffi cials and troops go but coun tless private
i 3 3
F i dl a d
R m a L ife a d M a
.
r e
e r,
n n e rs ,
of
No r was
Wo rld fo r
the
Chri st
conned
the
o
t
p
Empire
Merchants ha v e l earned the S hortest
way and commerce has brought I nd i a near to
They got as far east as C hina and as
us
far south as Z anzibar 3
eo
l
e
p
tra i c
RE LI G I O N
C hristianity
foun d
its opportun ity in th e break-u p of paganism ; that
men had ceased t o be l ieve i n the O l d gods and
were r e ady to embrace a n ew re l igion This does
not seem to ha v e been the case The R oman
Empire was a very big con cern an d inc l uded a
vast number O fw ide ly varying ra c es an even more
misce l laneous co l l ection than t he British Empire
does to d ay G eneral isations are there fore t o be
made w i th caution What m i ht be true of North
Africa might not be true 0 Britain Sti l l the
evidence o n the whol e seems to show that the mass
of peop l e everywhere c l ung to their O l d gods
Unbe l ief there was O f course e special l y am ong
the e ducated as inscriptions and l iterature S how
The e l der P l iny w as a convinced materialist
r e
e r,
.
n n ers ,
2.
o m Ne ro
r
f
Co n stan ti n e
to
r e
e r,
n n e rs ,
Wo rld fo r
o f the
Chri st
r ns
Church H i sto ry
Ne ro to Co n stan ti n e
ro m
u e u s,
en
ss ,
Wo rld fo r
the
Chri st
r e
e r,
.
n n ers,
Chu rch H i s to ry
ro m
Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
the
Wo rld fo r
Chri s t
10
Ne ro
ro m
Co nstan ti n e
to
I n Iconi um
the unbe l ievi n g Jews
co as t s
stirred up the Gentiles and m ade their m i n d s
At L ystra
evil a ffected agai nst the brethren
when th e peop l e could hard l y be restrai ned from
c s x
x v
x v
of
the
Wo rld fo r
Chri st
1 1
r er
u nt
r
om
f
1 2
Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
up
'
Wo rld fo r
the
I3
Chri st
c s
Church Hi s to ry
ro m
Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
II
P E R SE C UTI O NF R O M NE R O TO
MA R CU S AU R ELI US
NT I L
the State ha d no o i ci al
know l edge o f the C hur c h Juda i sm was a
re li i o l i ci ta that i s a re l igion wh ich was to l erated
g
by the State and C hr i s ti an s were regarded as
a mere sect of J ews Of the existence of the
C hristian C hur c h as a non Jewi sh so c i e t y the
State had no know l e dge I n the A cts there are
two cas e s o f th e C h urch coming into co l lision
with pagans but i n each a pr iv ate person n o t
t h e Stat e is aggrieved the motiv e i n both cases
being threatened l oss of m oney
There w as
64
Ne ro
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
n o ne
ere
en
er
e,
us
c e
r nc s
v er
o re
P e rse cu ti o n
F ro m
Ne ro
to
M arcu s Au reli u s
Church Hi sto ry
ro m
Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
T ac , An n x v 44
2
e w t h at t he se co n d s tage w as n o t re ache d u n t l
F o r t he
e re gn o f V e sp as an , se e Ram say , The hurch i n the Ro m an
Empi re , p 2 4 3
.
th
vi
F ro m Ne ro
P e rse cu ti o n
C hristians
M arcus Au reli us
to
having written
I can S how you the trophies o f
the Apostles F o r i f you wi ll go to the Vatican
or to the O s ti an Way you wi l l nd the tro h i e s
th i s
o f those who ha v e l a i d the foundation 0
church
The tradition i s that t hey perished
on the same day tho u g h t he re is a dii cu l ty I n
placing the date o f S Peter s First Epistle early
enough to a l low for this 8 Peter s martyrdo m
may have taken p l a c e A D 6 8 S Paul s being
D ionysius o f Corinth says that
xed A D 6 7
'
u se
u s,
20
r
om
N
e ro
f
Co n stan ti n e
to
th e T e mple
in order that th e religi on o f the
J ews and the C hristian s might be more co m
l
f
e te l
exterminated
though
o r th e religion s
p
y
oppose d to each other had the same origi n T he
C hristians had ari se n from am ong th e Jew s ; and
when the root was torn up the stem wou l d e as il y
be destroyed
The im portance o f Sulpicius as
a writer i s d u e to h i s ha vi ng used Tacitu s freely
and here h e may be quoting fro m that wr i ter s
l ost Hi stories
I n any c ase there i s good ground fo r th i n k i ng
that the persecutio n begun by Nero did n o t cease
either before o r w i th his death though it w as
ce rtai nly relaxed Tacitus i n d e ed te ll s u s that
the p e rse c ut i on aro used gen eral compassion S o
we may assume t hat the persecution wen t o n
s pasmodically and t fu l ly but never ceasi ng
altogether u ntil the second great persec ution
under D omitian when i t broke out w i th renewed
fury There i s no reason to set aside th e unani
.
P e rse cu ti o n
F ro m Ne ro
M arcus Au re li us
to
2 1
H i st Ro m
Ram say ,
.
xv
ii
in
26 1
Church H i sto ry
22
many
Ne ro to Co n stan ti n e
ro m
R oman
T R AJA N A D 98 - 1 1 7
Ne rva s short reign cam e t o a n e nd A D 98
T raj an w ho succeeded reigned until A D I 1 7
T he famou s letter of P l iny about the C hr i st i an s
belongs to th i s r e i gn Toge ther wi th Traj an s
reply it throws a ood o f light o n the relations
b e twe e n th e C hurch and the civil power
Pli ny was the R oman procon sul i n Bithynia
I 1 2 and there came acro ss C hristian s fo r the
A D
rst tim e at any rate in an o ffi cial capacity H e
was puzzled as to h ow they ought to b e treated
'
P e rs e cu ti o n
F ro m Ne ro to M arcus
Au re li us
23
24
ro m
Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
P e rs ecu ti o n
F ro m Nero
M arcus Au rel i us
to
25
e rs
26
o m Ne ro
r
f
Chu rch H i s to ry
Co n stan ti n e
to
C ertain
Name
Lax administration h a d left the m alone
Pli ny revived th e persecution an d Traj an
appro ved genera l ly but somewhat modied h i s
procedure
I f they are brought i nto your
pr e sence and co nvicted t hey m ust be punished ;
b ut w i th th i s reservation t ha t if any o n e O f the m
has de nied himself to be a C hristian a n d makes
h i s assertion man i fe st by an i nvo cation o f o u r
gods although h e may ha v e bee n suspected
before h i s repentance m ust entitl e h i m to a
ardon
But
anonym
ous
i
nformation
s
ought
p
n o t to have the least we i ght again st any cri me
whatever Th ey would n o t on l y be of dan
e ro u s conseq uence
but
are
absolutely
agai
n
st
g
the principle s o f my govern ment
C hri s tians ar e not t o be h unted out
Anony
mo us accusation s are no more to be received
against th e m than agai n st other people I f th ey
.
Lette rs
n ,
P
l
i
f
y
8
9
P e rse cu ti o n F ro m Ne ro to M arcus Au re li u s
27
ed
Again
I am writing to a l l the C h u r c h e s
and I give inj unctions to all men that I am dying
wi ll ingly for G od s sak e i f you do not hinder i t
b i H 8 iii 3
E
I bid 36
.
u se
u s,
28
Nero
ro m
to
Co n stan ti n e
H A D R I A N A D 1 1 7 -1 3 8
S o far as the Church was concerned the r eign
o f Hadrian was comparatively une v entfu l
He
see m s to have discouraged per s ecuti o n That
,
F ro m Ne ro
Te rse cu ti o n
M arcus Au rel i u s
to
A NT O N I N U S
P l u s,
A D
.
1 38 1 61
E u se
bi
u s,
H 8
.
iv
26
0
3
r
om
f
Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
b ran ce
He
u se
u s,
20
e rse cu ti o n
F ro m Ne ro
M arcus Au re l i us 3 I
to
2
3
Ne ro to Co n s tan ti n e
ro m
T o th i s
undisturbed
i n th e words o f the
the
Catholic C hurch throughout the world
ho u r arrived fo r h i s de parture They s e t hi m
and led him i nto the c i ty i t b ei ng
o n an as s
a g reat Sabbath day
And there m et h im
H erod the head o f the police an d h i s fathe r
T hey placed h i m i n their carriage
Ni ce te s
a n d sitti ng by h im began to persuade h i m
P e rse cu ti o
Fr m
n
o
Ne ro
to
M arcus Au re li us 3 3
to
say
Swear by the genius of Caesar
o
m
e
d
t
Thin k better of it
Say Away with the
athe ists
But Po l ycarp w i t h a stern co u n te n
an c e look e d on all the crowd of lawless heathen
and waving his hand at them groaned and
looking up to hea v en said Away with the
athei sts " T he proconsu l pressed h i m an d sa i d
Swear and I re l eas e you
C urse C hrist
Polycarp sa i d Eighty and s i x years have I
served H i m and H e never did me wrong H o w
c an I blaspheme my King Who saved me P
Cal l them
The proconsul
I f you despise
account continues
he was l led w i th courage
and j oy and h i s face was fu ll of gra c e s o that
n o t only did i t not fall in troub l e at th e things
said to him but that the proconsu l o n the o th er
.
o m Ne ro to
r
f
34
Co n stan ti n e
'
P e rs e cu ti o n
ro m
Ne ro
to
M arcus Aureli us 3 5
6
3
Ne ro
ro m
Co n s tan ti n e
to
M A RCU S A U R E L I U S
61
1 80
says
was th e well earned harvest o f many a
learned co nference o f many a pat ie nt lec ture
and many a midnight l ucubration
I t might
i nde ed seem to ha v e been more congen ial to
the lecture
room than to the senate o r the cam p
an d he did in fact lecture publicly o n philosoph y
i n Greece in Asia and i n R ome Neverthe l e ss
he was a conscientiou s and pai nstaking emperor ;
a nd as a general fought se v era l by no means
i nglor i ous campaign s o n the Danube aga i n st
the Q uadi an d M arco m m an n i
H e wrote a book o f m editation s called a
D i s co u rse w i th hi m se lf which has becom e fam ou s
l tt f th e C h h f G d ab i di g i S m y a i
S
th
C h h f G d dw ll i g i P h i l m l i m -Bi h p
th
t
l iii p a t i i
L i g htf t Ap t l Fath
,
i.
ee
u rc
o o
u rc
er o
o
os o i c
e r s , vo
rn
F ro m Ne ro to M arcus Au re li us 3 7
P e rse cu ti o n
and i s s t i l l wide l y so l d
I t is perhap s n ot
beyond the mark to say that hard l y any book
has enj oyed so great a reputat i on among th o se
who ha v e not read it
Th e austere sta n dard of mor als which the
writer sets before him i n th i s book h e strenuous l y
endeavoured to c arry out and not u nsuccess
fu ll y H e has bee n canonized i f the use of t he
term may be perm itted by the general acc l aim
of historians and h e may sa fe l y be regarded as
the ne o w er o f pagan V irtue
H i s character is however v ery unlike that
of th e C hristian sa i nt The di fference consi sts
main l y i n the fa c t that the p ag an t e n ds more and
more to be centred i n himse l f ; the C hr i s ti an
m ak e s it his gr e at ai m to e scape from hi mself
Both e x er c i se a rigid se l f-di scip l ine but Marcus
that h e may be mast e r in hi s own house ; 8 Pau l
i f 8 Pau l may b e taken as a type of Ch r i st i an
sa i n tl i n e ssthat he may render h i s body an
obedient i nstrument to the Spirit ; I n other words
that not himse l f but C hrist may rule there
The author o f the m e ditation s records with
comp l acency a catalogue of h i s own vi rtues
S Pau l t hough on o n e occasion controversy led
hi m i nto the foo l i shness as he ca ll ed it o f doing
the same i s careful to exp l ain that he had n o
prid e i n these th i n gs but preferred to glory i n
h i s i n rm i t i e s because the strength of G od had
its opportunity in his own weakness O ne i s to
be saved by hi s own unassi sted e fforts The
other c r i e s out fo r de l i v e ran ce and nds I t i n
.
8
3
Ne ro to Co n stan ti n e
ro m
en
xx
ns
su s,
P e rse cu ti o n
F ro m Ne ro
to
M arcus Au re li us 3 9
u se
u s,
P leafo r the
n
h
r
t
i
s
s
a
i
,
C
Ap
0
4
Ne ro
ro m
to
Co n stan ti n e
C hristianity
sophy P
Justi n
Ye s
R usti cus
What i s th ei r teaching
P e rsecu ti o n F ro m Ne ro
M arcu s Au re li us 4 1
to
f
Son o G od announced be forehand by the pro
t
s
Who
is
come
to
j
udge
the
human
race
h
e
p
The prefect then asked where they met
Justi n
We me e t wherever we can The
G od of the C hr i st i an s is not conned by p l ace
b u t being i n v i s i b l e H e ll s earth and heaven
and H e i s adored and H i s glory praised by th e
faithful everywhere
Justi n
Up to now I have stayed near th e
house of o n e Martin by the T o m o ti an i an baths
To a ll who have come to me to l earn about
Christianity I have taught th e true doctrine
R usti cu s
Are you a Christian
Justi n
I ndeed I am
The s ame question was asked o f h i s ve com
panions C hariton C hari tan a E v e l p i s to a Cappa
do ci an H i e rax a P hryg i an from Iconium and
Pa e on and the same answer given
T he n the prefect turned to Justi n and said
Justi n
I hope i f ] su ffer the punishment y o u
speak of that I shal l ha ve what they ha ve who
keep the commands o f C hrist
R usti cus
D o you th i nk that in the future
,
,
,
2
4
Church H i sto ry
Ne ro
om
r
f
to
Co n stan ti n e
ro
P e rse cu ti o n
F ro m Ne ro
to
M arcus Au re li us
43
u se
u s,
44
to
Co n stan ti n e
n at i on an d statu s
I am a Christian and when
every other torture had been tried red -hot p l ates
were xed to the mo st sensitive part s o f his body
but h e remained un shaken
P oth i n u s the aged Bishop o f Lyon s though
o ver n inety was brought before the tribunal an d
died tw o days later i n prison from th e e ffect o f
the vio l ence w i th which h e had been treated
Whe n th e game s began th e C h r i st i an s were
exhibited i n place o f gladiators Blandina bound
and suspe nded to a stake and exposed as food to
the w i ld beasts had the appearance o f bein g
crucied and by her example and prayers e n co u r
F o r as they
aged greatly the other martyrs
s aw her their s i s t er they contemplated H im that
was cru ci e d fo r th e m to persuade those that
believe i n Him tha t every o n e who su ffers fo r
C hrist will for ever enj oy com m u nion w i th the
living G o d
But as none o f the beast s would
to uc h her S he was taken back to prison
The governor who had condemned Attalu s to
th e beasts had respited h i m o n learn ing that h e
was a R oman citize n u nti l he cou l d ge t i n s tru c
tion s from R om e but i n re spon se t o the clamours
o f the m o b sent hi m t o th e arena the n e x t day
together w i th a Ph rygian physician named Alex
ande r who had declared h i m s e l f by standing at
th e tri bunal and encouraging the accused Attal us
was roasted o n a n iron c hair O n th e last day
B l andina was bro u gh t forth with P o n ti cu s a
youth o f ft een w ho encouraged by her bore
F ro m Ne ro
P e rs e cu ti o n
M arcus A u re l i u s
to
45
u se
u s,
III
G NOS T I C S
THE
M O NTA NI STS
G N O S T I CS
6
4
47
8
4
Ne ro
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
u se
re n
us ,
e u s,
ns
e r s es,
H adrian
49
re n
e u s,
ns
e res
s,
Ne ro
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
,
.
T e rt
Ag ai n st M arci o n , i v 3
.
I
5
3
4
r
n
v
n
t
a
o
i
c
a
i
s
i
M
A
,
,
43
g
b u s, M arty rs of P alesti n e , x
ns
n
n
a
t
a
l
e
t
i
i
s
t
h
V
A
n
a
i
e
,
g
1
re n ae u s, A ai n s t H e re s i es ,
g
T e rt
E u se
T e rt
Church H i sto ry
Ne ro
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
sa ve d by working
We o f th e C hurch are s u ch
persons
Th irdly spiritual men who can not
be lost Li ke gold which h owever m u ch s u b
merged i i i lth retai ns i ts nature uncorrupted
so n o conduct can i nj ure their sp i r i tua l substance
T hey must however be per fected by know
en
e u s,
r t cs
,
53
peop l e
T hey taught sa l vation by know l edge
rather than by th e Cross o r even by works
Some of them o f whom Marcion was one
perhaps made an honest attempt to restate the
G ospe l i n the l igh t of the inte ll ectual n e e d s and
perplexities o f the i r day
But most G nostics
approach e d the C hristian F aith from outside
and were philosophers seeking an e x p l anat i on of
the prob l ems o f life and using as mu c h o f the
G ospe l as would serve their purpose
heresy
which i s e v er mending the Gospe l as Tertullian
put i t
T he C h u rch defeated them not so much by
argument as by relying o n the p l ai n facts o f
our Lord s life as related i n th e G ospe l s and
.
Church H i sto rv
54
Ne ro
om
Co n stan ti n e
to
M O NT A N I ST S
THE
en
u se
e u s,
u s,
r s es,
ns
found
55
in a
M ax i m i ll a and Prisci ll a who prophesied
k i nd of e c s t at i c frenzy out o f a l l reason i n
I t w as in the
a manner strange and nov e l
beg i nn i ng a movement l ike ma n y Protestan t
r e vival s i n the C hurch I t has much in com
mon both with t he ear l y h i story o f the Society
of F riends and with the begi nnings o f M ethod
The fo l lowing account might a l most have
ism
been written of M o n tan i s m z
e
midd l ag e d widow at Nottingham E l izabeth
H orton who became th e rst woman preacher o f
the Society H i s ad herents were soon number e d
by thousands
ranters shakers seekers and
v i s i onar i es of a l l sorts who brought with them
an exuberant emotiona l piety
and a mar
vel l o n s unres t ra i n t o f speech T he community
e xh i b i ted th e signs menta l and physica l o f strong
religious enthusiasm
R eaders o f D r Bigg s Un i ty i n D i ve rs i ty wi l l
remember h i s contrast between Mys t ica l Chris
t i an i t as exemp l ie d by S P au l and D iscip l inary
y
Christianity as taught and practised by S P eter
Both e l ements must e x i s t side by side i n the
Church i f it is to be hea l thy
Man has to be
sober and vigi l ant as we ll as making melody i n
bi H E v 6
E
,
u se
Art
u s,
o n
G e o rge F o x ,
N B
.
6
5
o m Ne r o
r
f
Co n stan ti n e
to
u se
u s,
57
2
2
T e rt
T e rt
Fasti ng i
ou
E x ho rtati on to
Cha ti ty
s
8
5
ro m
Ne ro to Co n stan ti n e
n e w prophets saying
The C h u rch has the power
T t O M d ty
Ib id i
.
er
es
22
xx
59
T e rt , O n M odesty , x i
E arly
hu rch H i sto ry ,
.
ii
94
60
Ne ro
ro m
to
Co n stan ti n e
IV
SO M E C H R I STIA N W R ITE R S F R O M
CLE ME NT TO TE RTULLIA N
F the Chri stian writi ngs outside the Canon
o f the Ne w Testament wh i ch belong to the
rst c entury we have th e F i rst Ep i stle of Clem en t
a letter addres s ed to the C hur c h at Corinth prob
ab l y between A D 95 and A D 1 0 0 There had
been troub l e i n the Corin thian C hurch certain
presbyters had been d epos e d and the Church o f
T he Two Ways
a manual o f the pr i n
I
taught
o
ci l e s of C hristian behaviour to be
t
p
catechumens
,
62
om
Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
'
Te rtu lli an 6 3
to
Co dex S i n ai ti cus
Testament
Papias Bishop o fH i erapo l i s a contemporary o f
Ignatius was reported by I renaeus to ha v e been
t he author o f a work i n ve books o f which on l y
a few fragments remain Eusebiu s says h e was
9
e
pr sbyter J ohn discip l es o f the Lord
What would we not give now for the col l e e
tio ns of this unva l ued Boswe ll I Eusebius notes
here tha t there are two John s mentioned by
'
u se
u s,
64
ro m
Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
8 P et e r and
whatsoever he recorded h e wrote
w i th great accuracy but not i n the order i n wh i ch
i t was spoken o r done by our Lord for he n ei ther
heard nor followed the Lord ; but as before sa i d
he was in company with P eter who gave hi m s u ch
i nstruction as was necessary but n ot t o give o u r
Lord s d i s c ourses arranged systematical l y
Of
S Matthew s Gospel he wrote
M atthew wrote
his di s c o u rs e s in the H ebrew dialect and every
o n e translated it as he was ab l e
H e quoted th e
First Epist l e of S Joh n and that of Pete r
Ignati us the Bishop o f A n ti och who was
martyr e d during the reign o f Traj an w as the
author o f several letters the n u mb e r and gen
u in en e ss
has been m uch disputed
o f wh i ch
Eusebius says that he wrote seve n while travel
ling from A ntioch to R ome ; four from Smyrn a
to th e E phesians M ag n e s i an s Tra l lians and
R omans and three from T roas to the Phila
d e l p hi an s S m y rn ae an s and Polycarp
B ut in
the Western C hurch from the rst half o f
the n i nth century wh e n a L at i n ve rs i on rst
appeared the accepted edition contained s i x
additio nal l etters Archbi shop Ussher di scovered
the Greek manuscripts o f an edition con ta i n i ng
E
b i H 8 iii 3 1
,
u se
u s,
to
Te rtu lli an 6 5
A o o stoli c
u es
o n
Fathe rs
vo
en
scu sse
t
p
o o
Church Hi sto ry
66
Ne ro to Co n stan ti n e
om
C h u rch
c e rn i ng the Lord
iii 3
T alli a
2
n s,
S o m e Cit ri sti an w ri te r:
Cle m e n t
om
to
Te rtulli an 6 7
He
es
ns
68
Ne ro
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
He
to
Te rtu l li an 6 9
an i ty
1
.
Q uadratus
persecution
F o r whilst I too was delighted
with the doctrines o f Plato and heard the C hris
tians calumniated but at the same time saw them
intrepid at the prospect o f death and other
terrors I reected that it was impossib l e they
shou l d l ive devoted to vice and vo l uptuousness
F o r what l over o f pleasure o r l ibertine who
reckons the indu l gence of th e esh as the
suprem e good wou l d embrace death in order
S
T t a d St di
Ed
A m i t ag R b i
l i
H 8 iv 3
,
ee
ex s
e s, vo
n so n
o
7
ro m
Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
e con
Te rtul l i an 7 1
to
u se
u s,
ns
2
7
Ne ro
om
to
Co n stan ti n e
A D
.
24
9
.
Te rtulli an 7 3
to
v s
22
Church H i sto ty
74
Ne ro
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
ai ado che, o r
Te rtulli an 7 5
to
H e takes
it on to others
the very great
the very ancient and universal ly known C hurch
of R ome for an example I t had been founded
by the Apost l es S Peter and S Pau l and com
m i tte d to the care of Lin us
after Linus Anan
c l et u s and so o n down to hi s own day
,
T E RT U L L I A N
The greatest o f the ante -Nicene wri ters was
perhaps Q uintus S e pti m i u s Florens T e r t u ll i an u s
commonly known as Tertu l lian w h o is thus
described by Jerome in hi s work D e Vi ri s
i ll ustri hus :
Tertu l lian a presbyter the rst
Latin writer after Victor and Apo ll oni us was
a native of the province o f Africa and city of
Carthage the son o f a proconsular centurion
H e was a man of sharp an d vehemen t temper
ourished under Severus and Antoninus Cara
calla (A D I 1 3
and wrote n umerous works
I saw at C oncordia in I tal y an o l d man
named Pau l us H e said that when young he
had met with an aged amanuensis o f the blessed
Cyprian
to l d him that Cyprian never
w ho
passed a day without reading some portion o f
T e rtu ll i an s works and used frequently to say
Give me my master
meaning Tertu ll ian
,
6
7
Chu rch H i s to ry
Ne ro
ro m
Co n s tan ti n e
to
ee
u se
ro
u s,
uc
.
er u
o n
n,
to
Te rtu ll i an 7 7
en ce ,
8
7
Ne ro
r
om
f
to
Co n stan ti n e
to
Te rtul li an 7 9
0.
80
Ne ro
ro m
to
Co n stan ti n e
r s,
to
Te rtu lli an 8 I
d e at h
H e w as
On
Fasti ng
xii
82
Nero
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
,
.
n s
r ss, x
to
Tertulli an 8 3
C H U R C H A ND
TH E
TH E W O R LD
o n
e re ,
on u
en s o
84
r s
an d the
Wo rld
85
F A M I LY L I F E
What was their attitude to wards marriage and
?
T o quote again from M r C ony
fami l y ties
beare
There was rst that rej ection of fami l y
ties and re l ationships which accompanied the
belief that th e world w as speedily and any day
coming to an end
Young men and maiden s
were taught not to marry husbands wives not to
cohabit and beget any more chi l dren Eunuch
ism because o f the kingdom of heaven w as even
tolerated by the very founder o f the re l igion
We nd l itt l e support for thi s view i n the
Ne w Testament
D ivorce i s forbidden marriage
is regarded as a God made union Ce l ibacy fo r
tho s e w ho can re ce i v e i t is regarded as the idea l if
.
86
Ne ro
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
It is
no n
assu m
t h at
Pa l
m o u s t e rm s, an d t he
y
y
c as
t h e se o f
to P o ly carp ,
il
iv
u se s
am e
re s
by t
an d
bi
ho p
e r- sho
t
e rs
ef
r
y
p
re s
er
bi
as
to
an d the
Wo rld
87
H
e rm as,
f
rs
xx x
xxx
88
ro m
Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
became a palace to me
M ixed marriages were di scouraged by S Paul
and afterwards T ertullian has s hown i ii wh at
a di i c u l t position such marriages p l aced th e
wife
I f a station is to be kept the h usband mak e s
,
Wo rld
an d the
89
,
.
Ne ro
ro m
to
Co n stan ti n e
n o w d o so i n evil things
1
B U S I N ESS
Again what was the attitude of C hristian s
?
towards the work o f the world
I s there any
fou ndation for the picture that i s sometimes
pain ted o f th e C hurch as a comm unistic society
and those who j oined i t handed over to the co n
trol o f i ts o f cers whatever private means they
?
2
possessed
I t seem s to have been so at J eru
sal e m but e ven t here only partia ll y Ananias
was plainly a free agent But the example o f
J e ru s ale m was n o t apparently en couraging S Paul
is urgent against th e si n of cove tousness The rich
are urged to distri bute alms an d the idle to work
wrote i n hi s Apology
All things are co mm on
among u s except o u r w i ves
but i n hi s letter to
hi s wife al l udes to th e ma k i ng of wills as commo n
a mong C hristians and i mplied that h e had m ade
o n e h imself
We who formerly valued above
all things o u r wealth and possession s n o w bring
what we have i nto a comm on stock and co m
T t lli a t hi l l if i i 4- 6
,
er u
e,
F C C o n y b e are , M o n u m en ts (y 8 arly
.
Chri sti an i ty
85
Wo rld
an d the
9
I
Simi l ar expres
to every one in ne e d
sions abound in Justin s works but they do not
prevent him from praising the honesty with
which C hristians transacted b usi ness
I ndeed
he c l aims that many pagans were won over to
more honestly
The wealthy among us help
the needy
The frequent exhortation s to alms
giving we meet with and the warnings against
covetousness are proof enough if proof were
needed that C hri stians he l d property and
engaged i n business l ike other peop l e I n The
Tasto r of H e r mas the rich and the poor are said
us
rs
x v
Ne ro
ro m
to
Co n stan ti n e
,
.
On I doh try
an d the
Wo rld
93
A M U SE M E N TS
The attitude o f the C h urch to th e stage the
games and the g l adiatorial shows was at once its
glory and a cause o f o ffence to the h eathen
T ertu ll ian wh o was a Puritan it is true obj ects
Th ou art t o o dainty
to all secular pleasures
C hristian if thou wouldst have pleasure in this
l ife as wel l as i n the next
Can we n o t
94
ro m
Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
stained
He w ho looks with h orror o n the
corpse o f o n e w ho has died under the common
law o f nature i n the theatre gazes down with
m ost patien t eyes o n bodies mangled and tor n
and sme ared with blood
Fina l ly he i nsi sts
ro m the Game s as a part o f th e
o n abstention f
en
o r s,
r s
n s,
er
ec
an d the
Wo rld
95
CI T I Z E N S H I P
C elsus
en
ns
e sus,
6
9
ro m
Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
are Caesar s
The powers that be are ordai ned
o f God
H onour the ki ng
Th e ruler i s
God s instrument These ideas are familiar to
us from the Ne w Testament and the Fathers
o i ce
B ut why dwe ll on the reverence and
respect o f C hristian s to the emperor w hom we
cannot but l ook upo n as called by our Lord to
his o i ce
So that I might have good grounds
for saying that Caesar is more ours than yo u rs
Ap ol
33
rn
s,
ee
so
er u
an d the
Wo rld
97
,
.
Ap ol
0
3
8
9
ro m
Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
an d the
Wo rld
99
M I L I T A R Y S E RV I C E
C oncerning mi l itary service there was some
i
There
d e re n ce of opinion , as there is to day
were , no doubt , some who were frank l y p aci ci s t,
'
1 00
ro m
Ne ro
to
Co n s tan ti n e
De
had
C
through religious scruples refused to wear a
chaplet of owers and was denounced as a
Scriptures
C hrist i n disarm i ng P e ter had
unbelted e very soldier
gh ting
None ght better fo r the king than
we do We do not gh t under h im th ough he
require i t ; but we ght o n his behalf forming
w ho
or
1
0
,
ns
e sus , v
Wo rld
an d the
1 01
I t wi ll be neith e r l
a l ways un l awfu l
l l for
a j ust man to engage in warfare n or to accuse
any o n e of a capita l charge because it makes no
di fference whether you put a man to death by
word o r by the sword since i t is t h e act o f
putting to death which is prohibited
It is
a l ways un l awfu l to put to death a man whom
G od wi ll ed to be a sacred animal
I n the Church Orde rs there i s reected th e
unc e rtainty and disagreement that existed in
th e C hurch The Ethiopian text of the E gyptian
A catechumen o r
Chu rch Orde r l ays down
be l iever if they wish to b e so l diers sha l l be
r ej ected because they are far from G o d
But
in the Arabi c text the so l dier is accepted H e
a
o
n
treatise D e Co ro n for the benet of n
existent
I ti t vi
L actan t i u s
ns
20
o m Ne ro
r
f
1 02
to
Co n stan ti n e
C hristian
u se
u s,
an d the
Wo rld
I0
S L AV E R Y
As to slavery the Church accepted i t as a
matter o f course I t introduc e d no new system
H E viii
,
1 04
ro m
Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
f econom ics
CO NC L U S I O N
b l w p I 07
T h T w W ay
,
s,
se e
e o
an d the
Wo rld
1 05
1 06
Ne ro
ro m
to
Co n stan ti n e
as their Master
With what face asks T er
,
.
xi
2
.
On I dolatry
an d the
W AY
Wo rld
10
7
LI GH T
The Way of Light i s as foll ows
Thou sha l t
l ove H i m that created thee : thou sha l t g l orify
H i m that redeemed thee from deat h
Thou
sha l t be simp l e i n heart and rich in spirit
Thou sha l t not j oin thyse l f to those who
wa l k i n the way of death Thou shalt hate
doing what is unp l easing to G od thou sha l t
hate a ll hypocrisy Thou shal t not forsake
the commandments of the Lord Thou sha l t
not exa l t thyse l f but sha l t be of a l o wl y
mind Thou sha l t not take g l ory to thyse l f
Thou sha l t not take evi l cou nse l against thy
neighbour Thou sha l t not a l low over -bol dness
to enter thy sou l Thou sha l t not commit for
n i cati o n ; thou sha l t not commi t adu l tery ; thou
sha l t not be a corrupter of youth Thou sha l t
not l et the Word of G od issue from thy l ips if
they are de l e d with any kind of impurity
Thou shalt not accept praises when thou re p ro v e s t
any one for transgressions Thou sha l t be meek ;
thou shalt be p eaceab l e Thou shalt not be
mindful o f evil against thy brother Thou shal t
not take the Name of the Lord i n vain Thou
sha l t l ove thy neighbour as thine own sou l
Thou sha l t n o t s l ay the chi l d by procuring
abortion ; nor again sha l t thou destroy it after
it i s born Th ou sha l t not withdraw thy hand
from thy s o n or thy daughter bu t from their
infancy thou sha l t t e ach them the fear of the
TH E
OF
F ro m
t he
Ep i stle
h
r
n
as
B
a
a
f
Chu rch H i s to ry
1 08
ro m
Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
give st
Give to every o n e that asketh thee
Thou shalt learn who i s the good recom pen ser o t
the reward Thou shalt preserve what thou hast
.
'
an d the
Wo rld
10
Way o f Life
,
TH E
W AY
OF
D A R K N E SS
1 10
ro m
Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
VI
U ND E R
E MPE R O R S
CH U R C H
TH E
S LACK E N I N G
F O R EIG N
P E RSE CU T I O N
OF
HE
ec ne
1 1 1
Church H i sto ry
1 1 2
ro m
Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
"
u n de r
I I3
F o re ig n E mp e ro rs
M
x
a i m i n u s wer e
and
both persecutors they
were not strong m e n and it was beginning
,
1 1
h
rc
o
i
u
h
H
s
t
r
C
4
y
Ne ro
ro m
to
Co n stan ti n e
CO M M O D U S,
A D
.
93
80
o ur
Lords the Emperors and when they
refu sed urged them to take a month i n which to
thin k things over I t was only after this o ffer
was refused that they were condemned to the
co mparatively lenie n t puni s hment of decapita
tion
The victims h owever showed n o desire t o
escape their doom They rather gloried in their
religion and openly exulted in the prospect o f
death I t i s possib l e that they were M on tanists
Their leader S p e rat u s i n reply to a n exhortation
to swear by the emperor replied wi th an o ffer to
exp l ai n t he mystery o f the C hri stian re ligion
Cy t hi u s protested i n an swer to a threat o f
pu nishment K now proconsu l that we fear n o
other except one God our Lord W ho is i n
.
u n de r
F o re ig n E mp e ro rs
1 1
heav e n
Another D onata
W e giv e hono u r
to Caesar but fear and worshi p we accord to
C hrist the true G od
V estia an aged woma n
apparent l y Thi s sha ll my heart a l ways meditate
and my l ife pronounce that I am a
We al s o read of martyrs i n M ada u ra A D 1 8 0
There was a l so a persecution i n Asia A D 1 8 2
under Arri us Antoninus when Tertu ll ian re l ates
that a ll the Christians of the provi nce pre sented
e
th m se l ves before his j udgement seat on wh ich
ordering a few to be ex e cuted he said to the rest
Unhappy men if you wish to die you have
precipices and ha l ters
Obscure provincia l s were not however t he
only C hri stians to su ffer
I n t he year 1 8 5
Apo ll onius described by E u sebius 3 as a man
renowned for h is cu l ture and phi l osophy was
s ummoned by Peren ni s Prefect o f the Praetorian
Guard to give an account of himse l f before the
S e nate a procedure which cou l d hard l y have been
fol l owed unless Apo ll onius were a senator or a
man of disti nction From the Armenian acts o f
thi s martyrdom which have been translated by
by Mr F C Co n y b e are 4 we learn that when
brought before the Senate he was questioned
by Pere nnis in the fo ll owing manner
Asked why he would n ot sacrice h e rep l ied
Because I am a C hristian therefore I fear G o d
Who made heaven and earth and sacrice not to
empty idols
Urged to swear by the good for
1 1
Ne ro
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
F o re ig n E mp e ro rs
u nd e r
S EV E R U S
A D
.
1 1
2
0
93
5
To Scap ul a, 4
1 1
ro m
Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
A D
.
2
2
Fo r
O ig
bi
E u se
en
u s,
se e
H 8
.
bl w
vi 1
e o
.
2
4
u n de r
F o re ig n E m p e ro rs
1 1
e s co u
n o
co n
r c
rr
Chu r ch H i sto ry
1 20
Ne ro
ro m
to
Co n stan ti n e
Amen
Then s he awoke
And I told my
broth e r and we understood that our passion was
,
u n de r
F o re ig n E mp e ro rs
1 2 1
1 22
Ne ro
ro m
o n s tan ti n e
to
un de r
F o re ig n E mp e ro rs
1 23
1 24
ro m
Ne ro
o n s tan ti n e
to
o f J udgement
They proceeded from prison to the amph i
theatre j oyfu l and rm in demeanour
Th e
me n were in front followed by Perpetua with
Felicitas last o f all When they passed H ilari
u n de r
F o re ig n E mp e ro rs
1 2
gone
in
ecstasy
and
i
n
the
spirit
and
s he
began to look ro u nd and s ay to the wonder
ing bystanders Whe n are we to be exposed
to the cow ? When she h eard what had
happened she did not be l ieve i t unti l she s aw
the marks o n h er body and her clothes Then
.
1 26
Co n stan ti n e
to
'
Salt/ u rn lo tu rn ,
u i l hoc mode lave rat
g
salvu rn
lo tu rrt
P lane
i gue
ut
salt/ as
e vat ,
un de r
F o re ig n E mp e ro rs
1 27
o r
o r
ex s
cr
ex
es, vo
ro
uc
o n
se e
n so n
1 2
Ne ro
ro m
o n st an ti n e
to
CA RA C A LL A
A D
.
2 1 1
2 1 7
u n de r
F o re ig n 8 mp e ro rs
1 2
u se
u s,
2 1
0
3
Church Hi sto ry
Ne ro
ro m
M ax i m i n u s ,
o n stan t n e
to
u n der
F o re ign Emp e ro rs
2
3
ro m
Ne ro
to
o n stan t n e
VI I
TH E
S C H OOL OF
ALEXA ND R IA
CL E M E N T
OF
A L EX A N D R I A
33
H
h
i
t
h
urc
s
o
r
C
34
y
Ne ro
ro m
to
Co n stan ti n e
te
r e
e r,
n n e rs ,
flexan dri a
35
rch H i s to r
6
h
u
C
y
3
ro m
Ne ro
o n stan ti n e
to
u se
u s,
1 1
What
Ale x an dri a
R i ch M an
? in
37
which Cl e ment
m aintained that th e right di sposition of the so u l
and not the renunciation o f wor l d l y goods was
the condition of sa l vation
Though Justin c l aim e d phi l osophy as the
handmai d of religion and continued to w e ar
his phi l osopher s cloak after his conv e rsion to
Cl em e n t be l ongs the credit of being t he rst
to emphasize t he importance of profane l earning
in God s p l an for the wor l d o r in other words to
c l aim a ll l earning as i n a sense sacred
I t is not fair to s ay that the leaders of the
C hurch condemned l e arning but some of th e m
were certainly shy of it I renaeus has nothing
to say against it but thought it b e tter to be
simple and unlettered than pu ffed up and he
quotes with approval the words of S Paul
K now l edge pu f
feth up but l ove e di e t h
But
they did not condemn l earning as s uch Tatian
did but Tatian became a heretic and died a
Gnostic S Pau l and the C hristians of the next
two centuries had to deal with Gnostics and
Greek phi l osophers who both tended to over
value knowl edge Man was to be saved by
knowledge They had to warn their disciples
that know l edge was good but might be danger
ous that know l e dge by itse l f cou l d not save
Some no doubt exaggerated this cautious atti
tude and it i s quite possib l e that Ce l sus had
met Christians who sco ffed at human learning
and adopted the attitud e D o not inquire ; only
believe
can
he
sav e d
8
h
rc
h
i
or
C
u
H
s
t
3
y
Ne ro
ro m
o n stan ti n e
to
ro
c/
39
ro
22
Chu rch H i s to ry
0
4
Ne ro
ro m
o n s tan ti n e
to
ro
Al ex an dri a
wi th special favour
The Gnostic receives a ll
that he asks on account of his worthiness for
achievement
But him who from this has
trained himse l f to the summit of know l edg e
the e l evated h eight o f the perfect man a ll thi n gs
re l ating to time and space he l p on
According to Clement it was only possib l e to
become a true Gnostic after years of arduous
preparation
There appear to be three stages
of preparation
I The sta e o ffaith imp l ying a com prehensive
know l edge 0 the essential s
Knowledge conveying the sou l to i n fall i
2
b i l i ty science an d comprehension
Love
which
gives
the
l
oving
to
th
e
loved
3
that which knows to that which i s k n own
ro ut
2
4
Ne ro
ro m
o n s tan ti n e
to
O RI GE N
One o f Cl e me nt s pu pi l s was a b o y named
Origen a native o f Egypt a Copt born A O 1 8 5
H i s rst teacher had been h is father w h o had
train ed him i n both C hristian and Greek litera
ture Fro m the begi nn ing he had shown great
zeal and ability i n his studie s and knew m ost
o f th e
Scriptures by heart Z eal w as i n deed
the key note of hi s life During the p e rs e cu
tion at Alexandria he wo uld have g iv e n hi m s e l f
up and was only deterred by the persuasi on o f
his mother who went to the length o f hiding
h i s c l othes
When h is father was seized h e
b i H 8 vi 1 4
E
,
.
u se
u s,
of
Al exan dri a
43
u se
u s,
r
t
o
i
h
u
c
h
H
s
r
C
44
y
o m Ne ro
r
f
to
o n s tan ti n e
t o speak o f truth
Like Ploti nus he attended the lectures o f
Porphyry the Neoplaton i st
Am m o n i u s S accas
philosopher attended t he same lectures and
u se
u s,
A lexan dri a
45
u se
u s,
6
r
h
H
t
o
r
i
h
u
c
s
C
4
y
Ne ro
ro m
o n stan ti n e
to
De P ri n cip i i s,
Pr
ef
ace
Al exan dri a
47
r
H
r
8
c
h
i
s
t
o
h
u
C
4
y
ro m
Ne ro
o n stan t n e
to
i n such a lace
I n the Hex ap la indeed of the
Psalm s aff
er those four noted edition s he adds
n o t o nly a fth but a sixth and seventh tran s l a
tion and in on e it i s remarked that it was di s
covered at Jericho i n a tub i n the time o f
Antoni n us the son o f Severus
His friend Ambrose a ma n o f wealth p ro
v i de d h i m wi th seve n amanue nses wh o re l ieved
one another and seven copyists besides girls
wh o did other writing for him
About A O 2 3 0 he was on a j ourney to Greece
and went very m uch o u t o f h is way to visit his
frien ds t he Bishops of Jer u salem and Caesarea
who or d ain ed him priest
I t has n o t been
sugge sted that the Ordination was arranged
beforehand but i t can hardly have been other
wise A seriou s -minded man like Orige n would
not be ordai ned casual l y as a n incide nt of a
short vi sit On his return to A l exandria he
had to face a storm D emetrius according to
u se
u s,
Ale x an ari a
49
u se
u s,
0
5
Ne ro
ro m
o n stan ti n e
to
r s
on s s 0
ex
He
VI I I
PAGA N ATTE MPTS AT
ST R U CT I O N
RECON
at a l l religion s i mpartially
Somewhere toward s the en d o f the second
cen tury a Platoni st ca ll ed C elsus thought i t
worth while to write a book agai n st the C hris
tians ca l led The True Wo rd About the year
A O 2 3 0 whe n C elsus
had long since departed
Origen wrote a reply and th e original attack sur
vives only s o far as i t i s quoted by Origen The
book is worthy of some examination as i t show s
th e obj ection s to Christianity entertained by a
pagan philosopher o f t hat day an d gives som e
i ndication o f the sort of reconstruction o f the
pagan religion wh ich was to be attempted
C elsus was well acquainted with th e Scri ptures
o f th e Old Testament
with the Four Gospels
and with some o f the Epistles of S Paul H e
probably knew the rest though it did not an swer
.
52
P ag an
R e co n stru cti o n
attemp ts at
come to earth at al l
G od is good and beau
tifu l and b l essed
But if H e come down
am ong men H e must undergo a change from
good to evi l from virtue to vice from happi n e ss
to mi sery and from b e st to worst
G od
ns
e s us,
c
H
t
o
r
h
r
h
i
s
C
u
54
y
Ne ro
ro m
to
o n s tan t n e
2
claimed H im self a god
Celsus even went
far as to say that the father w as a soldier
so
cal l ed Panthera On which story Or i ge n makes
the j us t com ment that i t at least admits that
J esus was not the s o n of J oseph and Mary
The su ffering the lowly station the a ffronts
t o wh ich H e sub mitted cu l m inating i n the C ros s
were i nexplicable to Ce l su s if Jes us were divine
H e co mp l ai ns that Jesus received no assistance
from H i s F ather and was unable to h elp H i m
self 3 H e considered that the rank o f the
ns
e sus,
P ag an
atte mp ts at
I55
R e co n stru cti o n
m an n e r
Why
H e asks contemptuous l y :
did you not become a king i nstead of wandering
about in s o mean a condition hiding yourse l f
through fear and l eading a m iserab l e l ife up
and down
H e accuses J e sus we do not know o n what
ground o f having attempted to hide after H i s
ns
e s u s,
6
h
u rch H i s to ry
C
5
Ne ro
ro m
to
o n s tan t n e
according t o Ce l sus
to go with the women
and their playfellows to the wome n s apartmen t
or to the leather shop o r to th e ful l er s shop to
be taught 3
Do
H e accuse s the C hristians of repeati ng
ns
e s us ,
P ag an
atte mp ts at
Re co n stru cti o n
57
be l ief i n prayer
God i s not to be reached
I b i d iii 1 8
I b i d 44
i 9
Ag ai t C l
I b i d vi
I b id 6
I b id i 7
,
ns
.
e su s ,
,
.
u rch H i sto ry
C
h
8
5
Ne ro
ro m
to
o n s tan ti n e
by word
But hi s principa l charge against t he
followers o f C hrist as against C hris t H imse l f
i s that of lowness
They are an ignorant
credulou s l ow born and criminal rabble
He
ca n hardly express the scorn he feels Toward s
a con structive theory of life and re l igion Celsu s
does n o t give m uch help H e quotes Plato as
saying
I t i s a hard matter to nd o u t the
Maker and F ather o f the u niverse and after
having found H im it is i m possib l e to make H i m
known to all
On l y the wi se i n fact says
Celsus are able t o make o u t H i m W ho i s the
rst the unapproachable Being
And they
endeavour to convey a notion o f this Body by
synthesi s o r by ana l ysis o r by analogy to those
capab l e o f understandi ng
B ut C hristian s he
thinks would be i ncapable being s o comp l etely
wedded t o t he e sh as to be i ncapable o f seeing
augh t but what i s i mpure
I t i s right to serve demons and spirits because
they belong to the Most H igh I t i s right to
sacrice to t hem because Go d is the God o f all
alike ; He is good ; H e s tan ds i n need o fn o thi n g
and He is without j e alousy What then i s there
to hinder those w ho are most devoted to H i s
service from taking part i n public feasts ? 3
ns
e s us ,
2 1
P ag an
I59
R e co n stru cti o n
atte m
t
s at
p
ns
e s us ,
6 0 Church H i sto ry
Ne ro
ro m
to
o n s tan ti n e
A PO L LO N I U S
OF
T YA N A
ns
su s,
P ag an
Re co n stru cti o n
atte mp ts at
61
ro m
Ne ro
to
o n stan t n e
2
2
r ns
ec n e
os r
o n
us
o n our 0
ro
uc
o n
o n us
ro
e ss o r
ee
o re
P ag an
atte mp ts at
63
6 4 Church Hi sto ry
ro m
Ne ro
to
o n s tan t n e
os r
u s on
o n us,
xv
P ag an
atte mp ts
I65
R e co n stru cti o n
at
6 6 Church H i sto ry
ro m
Ne ro
to
o n stan ti n e
did die
says P hi lo s tratu s
variou s are the
accoun ts
O ne says that h e died at Ephesus
waited on by two handmaid s ; another that h e
e ntered the Te mple o f M inerva at Li n du s and
then disappeared ; a third that he w as la s t see n
going i nto the temp l e o f D i cty m n a i n Crete the
P ag an
atte mp ts at
R e co n stru cti o n
67
r
om
f
Ne ro
o n s tan ti n e
to
in
f
i nfamy o the Cross a ll these things were
ge n ce s and had to co me o u t
0f
Apollonius worshipped the sun and believed
i n o n e supreme being who i s to be worshipped
above and through the lower gods and hims e l f
needs neither sacrice nor O ffering This supreme
being gives all but receives no thing The i nferior
deities might be pro pitiated with sacrices though
Apollonius hi mself wo uld o ffer none U nli ke
the God of the Jews and C hristians it cannot
P ag an
atte mp ts at
R e co n s tru cti o n
69
NE O P L A T O N I S M
A O
.
2 70
He
0
7
ro m
Ne ro
o n stan ti n e
to
e,
so
n us ,
P ag an
I7I
R e co n structi o n
atte mp ts at
is not unfair
They attered themse l ves that
th ey possessed the secret o f di s e n g a ing th e soul
from its corporea l prison claimed a f miliar i nter
course with demons and spirits and by a singu l ar
revolution converted the study o f p hi l o s o p hy i n t o
that o f magic The ancient sages had derided
the popular superstition ; after disguising its
extravagance by the thi n pretence o f al l egory
C B i g g N p lat i m p 3
,
eo
on s
00
2
7
Church Hi sto ry
ro m
Ne ro
to
o n s tan t n e
ec n e
IX
R I VAL R ELIGI O NS
HE
73
H
h
i
t
o
r
c
r
h
s
u
C
74
y
ro m
Ne ro
o n s tan ti n e
to
THE
WO RS H I P
o r
R i v al R elig i o n s
75
uo
P 45
2
Bk
xi
u rc
re ,
r
6
rc
H
i
s
h
h
t
o
u
C
7
y
om
Ne ro
to
o n stan t n e
Bk
xi
R i v al R e l ig i o n s
77
M I T H RA I S M
I n the third century after C hri st from C o m
modus to Constantine M ithraism was the most
dangerous rival of Christianity to which it had
many striking resemblances Like C hristianity
it came from the E ast and at about the same
time P l utarch tells us that the rites were rst
practised in R ome by m e n who had l earnt them
from Ci l ician pirates captur e d by Pompey But
it w as n ot until th e end of th e rst century after
C hrist that it was fairly estab l ished i n R ome
Its appearance in the West w as in fact co n
temporaneous with C hristianity I t grew rapidly
Co m
u nd e r the F lavians and the Antonines
m odus who was himse l f a devot e e av e it an
enormous im petus and by th e end 0 the cen
tury i t may have counted as many adherents as
2 A
,
8
r
H
t
h
u
c
h
i
o
r
s
C
7
y
Ne ro
ro m
to
o n s tan t n e
I 79
Ri v al R e lig i o ns
ro m
Ne ro
o n stan ti n e
to
,
.
Ri v al R e lig i o n s
81
to their degree
Some ap their wings like
o n
ex e s e
ons
u r s re
ux
re s
8 2 Chu rch Hi s to ry
ro m
Nero
Co n s tan ti n e
to
R i v al R e lig i o n s
83
Ne ro
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
X
P E R SE C UTI O NS O F
AND V ALE R IA N
TH E
D E C I US
A D
.
24 8
85
2 B
ro m
Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
se
D e ci us
an d
Vale ri an
87
u se
u s,
o m Ne ro
r
f
to
Co nstan ti n e
D e ci us
an d
Vale ri an
89
u se
u s,
on
us
ro m
Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
hastened to sacrice
They i ndeed did n o t
wait to be apprehended ere they ascended or to
be interrogated ere they denied Many were
conquered before the battle prostrated before
the attack
No r did they permit it to be
said o f them that they seemed to sacrice to
idols unwilling l y
Th ey ran to the market
p l ace o f their o w n accord ; they willingly has
tened to death as if th ey had long wished for
it as i f they would e mbrace an O ppor tunity
they had fervently desired
T he o ffi cials
could not keep pace with the crowd of wou l d
vi
T D at
,
on
us,
Th e P e rse cuti o n s
be
D e ci us
an d
Vale ri an
9
1
Ho w
s acr
on
us ,
Ne ro
ro m
to
Co n stan ti n e
8p 5
.
The P e rs e cu ti o n s
D e ci us
an d
Vale ri an
93
tures are ap p e n de d
Decius was s l ain i n battle w i th the G oths in
the D o b ru dj a A O 2 5 1 Ga ll us succe e ded and
though the persecution ceas e d for the moment
it was renewed i n the following year as a result
of a pesti l ence which beginning in Egypt spread
ov e r the R oman worl d for which the C hristians
were b l amed
Meantime a serious di f culty was brewing i n
the Carthage C hurches The martyrs and con
fe s s o rs wer e recognized as the saviours o f the
Church
The brethren vi sited them i n crowds
and Cyprian addressed them in term s of lyrica l
enthusiasm Every death is to be communicated
to him that he might commemorate them i n the
Eucharist and place their names in the calendar
for fut u re obs e rvance H e recognizes that th e
martyrs have a certain privi l ege ( p re rog ati v a )
with God I t is not surprising that some of
them had their heads turned I ndeed Cypr i an
had already written to this e ffect that they were
to be exhorted to be humb l e and modest and
peaceable
The trouble arose over the lapsed many of
whom wished to come back to C ommun ion I t
had been the custom for martyrs to intercede
with bishops for the restoration o f sin ners Ter
G wat ki
6
8 a ly Ch H i t ii
5
.
2 c
or
H
r
h
i
s
t
h
c
C
u
y
94
om
N
r
o
r
e
f
to
Co n stan ti n e
s u l t at i o n
martyrs
wh ichever i s rst crowned should
remit this great si n to o u r sisters Num erica
.
X X
II
D e ci us
The P e rse cu ti o n s
Vale ri an
an d
95
and Candida
Lucian rep l ied that whi l e th e
b l essed martyr Paulus was a l ive he ca ll ed hi m
and said Lucian in the presence of C hrist I
say to you if a ny o n e after my summons shal l
ask for peace from you grant it in my nam e
According l y Lucian went o n to gran t peace to
being made
But that was not the worst The confessors
appear to have felt that their letters were re ce i v
ing inadequate attention from the bishops At
any rate they met and sent Cyprian a j oint l etter
'
22
6
h
rch H i s to r
C
u
9
y
ro m
Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
The P e rsecu ti o n s
D e ci us
an d
Vale ri an
97
r
.
u se
u s,
10
rch H i s to r
8
h
C
u
y
9
Ne ro
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
and turned t o G o d
Agai n I t i s superuous
to recount o u r breth ren by name as t hey are
numerous and unknown t o y o u They are men
and wom e n young and o ld young virgin s an d
aged matrons soldiers an d private m en eve ry
c l ass and every age so me that obtained the vic
tory u nder stripes and i n the ames some by the
edge o f th e sword
I n the city M aximus
De metrius and Lucius presbyters concealed
themselves and D i o s cu ru s secretly vi sited th e
brethren
I t was Eu sebiu s a deacon wh om
God strengthened from th e rst and prepared
to m inister strenuously to the con fessors i n prison
and to bury the bodie s o f the blessed mar tyrs
made perfect at the risk o f hi s o w n li fe F o r
u p to the prese nt ti me the governor does n o t
cease killing i n a most cruel manner torturi ng
scourgi ng wasti ng wit h i mprison ment and bonds
a nd co m manding that n o o n e sha ll go n e ar t he m
and looking to s e e i f any one shou l d do s o
Yet
G o d by the alacrity and kindness o f the brethren
2
f
'
u se
u s,
The P e rse cu ti o n s
i
e
u
s
c
D
f
Vale ri an
an d
C arthage
99
o m Ne ro
r
f
2 00
to
Co n stan ti n e
Yo u are T has ci u s Cy p ri an u s
Cyp ri an
I am
Gale ri u s
Yo u have given yourself to be a
bis hop to people o f sacrilegious views
I have
Cyp ri an
Gale ri us
C onsider
The P e rse cu ti o n s
D e ci us
an d
Vale ri an
20 1
Thanks be to G od
Th e crowd al l greatly
moved shout e d Let us a l so die with him
Accompanied by an immen se crowd he was
taken to the p l ace of execution Arrived at the
s pot he took o ff his woo ll en cape and kne l t down
and prayed Then h e rose removed hi s da l matic
and i n his white l inen alb prepared for death H e
p l aced the bandage over h is eyes and his deacon
fastened it The executioner tremb l ed s o that
he could not perform his task But the centurion
took the sword and sev e red his neck at one
stroke
I n R o m e the Pope Sixtus w as found teaching
in the Catacombs and there executed with s i x o f
his seven deacons Four days later S Laurence
with others met their death S Laurence w as
Archdeacon o f R ome Th e story is that when
he saw Sixtus bei ng led to execution he exc l aimed
?
W hy do you leave me ho l y father
Shou l d
the priest go to the sacrice without his attendant
deacon ? Laurence as keeper of the treasures
of the C hurch was ordered by the authorities to
produce them H e asked for a day i n which
to co l lect them and spent the time i n visiting
the poorest quarters of the city The next day
he appeared at the tribunal attended by a crowd
2 D
202
Ne ro
ro m
to
Co n stan ti n e
XI
R O MA N CH U R C H
TH E
II
203
2 04
ro m
Ne ro
to
Co n s tan ti n e
1
6 3 ) as a
A
O
6
S Paul s pent tw o years (
prisoner at Rome and S Peter probably wrote
t here hi s F irst Epi stle which ends with a greeting
2
,
.
2
2
E dm u n dso n , The
H 8
ii
Ch
u rch
i n Ro m e i n the
Fi rst Ce n tury
3, I 4
3 F o r t he w h o e s u
e t e r s co n n e c t o n w
e ct o f S
j
s e e The Chu rch i n Ro m e i n the Fi rs t
e c t u re
en tury ,
.
i th R
ii
o m e,
from
205
Babylon
and Babyl on i s a l most cer
I t is reasonab l y
tai n l y a synonym for R ome
certain that both Apost l es were martyred there
probab l y between A O 6 4 and 6 7 It was there
fore tted by its Aposto l ic connection s as by
i ts centra l position and the associations and g l ory
of its name to become the centr e O f C hristendom
when Jerusalem was destroyed R ome was not
on l y the cap i t al o f the wor l d : it w as the on l y
Apostol ic s e e i n the West
A great source of inuence may be traced to
its hospita l ity On e of the most e l ementary
charitab l e duti es of the C hristian as we have
s e en was hospita l ity
The wor l d ocked to
R om e as th e Eng l ish -speaking wor l d ocks to
London to day and th e R oman C hurch became
by its position th e hostess of visiting C hristians
from a ll over the Empire and beyond
Owing perhaps to their e xceptiona l o p p o r
t u n i t i e s of knowing the needs o f other C hurches
R oman C hristian s seem to have been distinguished
for their generosity D iony sius who was Bishop
of Corinth writing t o the R omans addressing
hi s l ett e r to Soter the bishop of that city i s
quoted by Eusebius as saying
F o r this practice h as prevai l ed with y o u from
t he beginning to do good to a ll the brethren in
every way and to send con tributio ns to many
church e s i n every ci ty thus refresh i ng the needy
i n their want and furnishing necessaries to t he
brethren condemned to the mine s you preserve
by these contributions th e practice s of your
8
206
Ne ro
ro m
Co nstan ti n e
to
u se
u s,
The R o m an
h
rc
h
u
C
207
ti o
ne
ns
eres es,
208
Ne ro
fro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
r x
20
2 10
Ne ro
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
1
1
Z
2
he
lost
i
n
uence
ephyri
nus
was
99 7
succeeded by Calli s t u s who had once been a
slave Hippolytus had been o n bad term s with
Call i s t u s and was i n furiated by th e appoi n tmen t
of his enemy The subseque nt h i story is obscure
but H ippolytus we nt into schism and i s possibly
the rst anti -pope At least he never speaks o f
Cal l i s t u s as bish op but as having set up a
er
7 36
o r us
se e
ue
o r
oo
os o
e rs ,
us
vo
The R o m an Church
2 1 1
H ippolytus
distance
He
'
o no
ee
c e
es ,
21 2
Nero
ro m
Co n s tan ti n e
to
characteristic protests
Yo u i ntroduce
he
The
Chu rch
o m an
2 1
t o C ommunion
that th e y might be armed for
the fray
This decision was communicated to
E
b i H 8 vi 4 3
,
u se
u s,
2 1
Ne ro
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
C ornel ius ,
I5
to be despised
words which show p l ai n l y
enough that any idea of papa l j uri sdiction of the
o n e bishop over a ll was n ot i n his mind
I n another case of discipline Steph e n was i n
conict with Cyprian B as i li de s and Martia l two
Spanish bishops had given way i n the p e rs e cu
tion and were expe ll ed by their ock who e l ected
S ab i n u s and F e l ix i n the ir p l ace
Their deposers
W rote to Cypria n i nforming h i m of what had
happened and to be rel ieved by the comfort o r
by the help of our j udgement
Cyprian and
hi s fellow bishops war m l y approved th e ir conduct
B as il i de s had aggravat e d hi s o ffe nce by appea l ing
to Stephen who p l aced at a distance and ignorant
o f what had been done and of the truth
had
been induced to canvass that he might be replaced
u nj ust l y in the episcopate from which he
had
been righteous l y d e p o s e d
On the question of the re
baptism of heretics
there was an acute di fference I n the seco nd
century such baptism s had be e n administered by
G nostic sects which wer e denite l y outside the
C hurch and the refusal to recogniz e th em was
a l most a matter of course Later after the rise
o f the Montanists and the Novatianists w ho were
schi smatics the question cam e up for decision
Novatian himse l f had begun by re -baptizing his
Cy p i a Ep 6 7
,
2 1
6 Church H i s to ry
Ne ro
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
I7
Cy p i a
NO T E
Ep
75
NO at te m p t
i
b
h as e e n m ade t o d e a w t h the
t h e o ry o f P a a S u re m acy , t h o u g h ce rt a n fac t s t h at
e ar o n
p
p
i t ha e e e n g e n
T o go n to t h e q u e s t o n at an y e n g t h
wo u d b e
e o f th s w o rk
F
o r t h s re aso n
e o n d t h e sc o
y
p
t he p assag e s i n
r
a
n s T re at se O n the Un i t
t
e
a
t
h
oli c
c
h
f
yp
y
v b
l
b
l
iv
C i
b
i
8 0 sqq
C
B
XI I
LI FE I N
T H E C H U R CH
ee
ex s
e s,
2 1
o no
the
L i i n
Chu rch
2 1
B A PT I SM
Admission into the Church was by Baptism
About that there is no doubt We have n o
very ear ly description o f the service J ustin
Martyr gives some account i n his F i rst Ap o logy
but does not enter into details
Re v
F k
un
H o rn e r
Di dascali a
et
o m Ne ro
r
f
2 20
to
Co n stan ti n e
Di da he vii
,
8
4
L ife i n
the
Chu rch
22 1
Ho m
e r,
Statutes
f the Ap o stles
31
2.
o m Ne ro
r
f
Church Hi sto ry
222
Co n stan ti n e
to
wn
2
2
I bid
2.
o
5
L i: i n
Chu rch
the
223
th e blessing of t he water
At the hour when
the cock wi ll crow l et them rst pray over the
wat e r Let the water be owing along into the
tank or descending upon it
But if there
be a scarcity then use the water wh ich ye shall
nd 3
At the sam e time the oil has t o be b l essed and
,
2
2
I b id
3 6
1
I bid
I 52
Church H i sto ry
224
Ne ro
r
om
f
Co n stan ti n e
to
o f the presbyter
2
2
Ho m
I bid
e r,
3I7
6
p 3
C ab ro l an d L e cl e rcq , M o n u rn en ta E ccl e s i ae
.
Lit
ca,
i
g
p
ur
26
L ie i n
Chu rch
the
22 5
o f faith
H e i s asked :
Dost thou believe in
the Name of our Lord J e sus C hrist the only Son
o f G od th e F ather that H e became man in an
incomprehensible mirac l e by th e H oly Spirit and
by o u r Lady Mary the V irgin without seed o f
man and that H e was crucied i n the time of
Pi l ate the Pontian and H e died ; and H e died
by His own w i ll to save us and H e rose from
the dead o n the third day and re l eased the cap
ti v e s
and ascended into t he heavens and sat
down on the right hand of the F ather and H e
sha l l come to j udge the l iving and the dead at
H i s appearing an d H i s kingdom ?
,
,
226
Ne ro
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
CO N F I R M A T I O N
2
2
54
L i s i n
'
Church
the
227
E U C H A R I ST
When the newly-baptized received their rst
C ommunion a cup containing water and another
containing honey and milk were consecrated at
the same time as the wine The water was to
symbolize the washing o f the inner man and the
honey and mi l k the Promised Land into which
they were now entering They received rst
He
and mi l k and honey The n the W i ne 3
i
t
t
a
H
t
h
C
h
h
a
i
i
d
M
l
8 y
y of
y p p 3 49 5
I
h
E th i p i v
i H
t
t
l
Stat t
th
A
f
p
THE
8
7
Th
t m e
e tc
s or
u rc
e rs o n
o rn e r,
n s r
u es o
os
e s,
i s th e o rd e r i n t he V e ro n a fragm e n t
o f t h e so -c a e d C an on s c
H
h
i
o
t
s
t
e
l
u
,
f pp y
h
h
ce
w e re g e n a
e
c
e
r
t
a
iv
ll
li
L at
cu
e r,
s o
by
th e
f w at e r,
22
ro m
Ne ro
to
o n s tan t n e
sc
so n
o s o o ru rn ,
r ns
ro
L ife
in
Chu rch
the
22
before Communion
especia ll y on the days of
the sacred fast 3
The seating of the congregation was ordered
with due care I n the east o f the building the
seats of the presbyters were to be p l aced and
the bishop s throne i n the midd l e The deacons
when n o t engaged i n guarding the doors or seat
i ng the congregatio n o r keeping watch over th e
,
2
2
I bid
R H
.
,
.
80
o no
26 1
ll y
Tex ts an d Stu di es ,
vi i i
4 p
,
68
2 30
ro m
Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
ti on of visitors
I f there com e a person from
I b id
ii
I b id
D i da
2
,
.
sc
L ife i n
the
Church
23 1
sc
Church H i s to ry
23 2
Ne ro
om
to
Co n stan ti n e
no w
The D i dascali a speaks o f those who n o t
eve n in the com m union of the as sembly o n Sun
day when they come are attentive ; the wome n
and th e men they either sl ee p soundly o r talk
about something el se
.
THE
A GA P E
Didasc
xi i
the
L ife i n
Chu rch
233
modest supp e r
room of the C hristian s a l on e a
great to do i s mad e Our fe ast exp l ains itse l f by
Whatev e r
i t s name
T h e G re e ks ca ll it l ove
it costs our out l ay in the name of piety i s gain
sinc e with t he good things o f the feast we benet
t he n e e dy ; not as with you do parasites aspi re
to the g l ory of satisfying their l icentious propen
sities but as it i s with God H imse l f a pecul iar
respect is shown to the low l y As i t is an act
service it permits no vi l eness o r
o f r e l igious
immod e sty The participants before rec l i ni ng
rst pray to G od As much is eaten as satises
the cravings of hunger ; as much is drunk as
bets the chaste They e at as rememb e ring that
during the night they have to worship G od ;
they talk as knowing that the Lord is one o f
th e ir auditors After the washing of hands
and bringing i n of lights each o n e i s asked to
stand forth and sing as he can a hymn to G o d
either one from the ho l y Scriptures o r one o f
h
en i t
e st
or
b
l
bread
sometimes
cal
l
ed
a
i
n
p
the bread of exorcism Catech umens were not
al l owed to s i t down at the feast but were
.
Ap o l 3 9
.
2 H
234
r
o m Ne ro
f
Co n s tan ti n e
to
E u log i a
With H i s Spiri t
And the bi shop shall s ay
Let us give thanks to the Lord ; and the
people shall s ay R ight and j ust both greatness
and exaltation with g l ory are due to H i m
and
th ey shall n o t s ay Lift up your hearts b ecau se
that shall be said at the tim e o f the oblation
And he prays thus sayi ng
We give Thee thanks G o d through Thy
S o n J esus C hrist o u r Lord because T hou hast
,
the
L ife i n
Church
235
Ho m
e r,
S tatu tes
the
Ap o stle s, p
60
23
Ne ro
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
Thy g l ory
B ut a l ready th e agape was begin ning to de
ge nerate from the pari sh tea i n which al l meet
o n the basi s of brotherhood i nto the pari sh treat
organized on a basis o f charity I t had become
a private a ffair Th e partakers are there by
i nvitation o f a wel l -to-do m ember o f the congre
i
a
t
o n
Th
e
feasters
mus
t
eat
and
drin
k
with
g
W i t h t h i m ay b e o m p are d t h m e t i al t a sl ati
K bl
M
f H i p r gl ry p r d
H ai l gl add i g Li g ht
Wh i t he I m m t al F ath r H e av l y B l t
h
t
C
i
r
r L
d
H li t f H li
J
2
en
l i g ht
t he
co
un
So n
v i
f e en ng
at h e r, So n ,
i a t Th
W i th d l
o rt h e s t
r n
o u
by
o n
en
o u e
o u
su n s
o r
ho
ur
es
re s t,
d u s sh n e ,
an d H o l y S p r
ro u n
at al l t m e s t o
to n gu e ,
iv
be
i i t D ivi
su n
G o d, G e r o f l fe , Al o n e "
al l t he w o rl d T hy g l o r e s,
o rd ,
o ur
T h e re fo re i n
2
D i dasc i x
t he
to
m e
e su s
e s,
w e are
T he
hy m n
o r
es
No w
We
r c
ne
t he y
wn
L ife i n
the
Chu rch
23 7
d i ate l y
23
om
Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
departed
No w when y o u are invited to their
me m orials do you feast with good or d er and
the fear of G o d as disposed to intercede for
th ose w ho are departed
Pre sumably i t
took the sam e form a s the oth e r except that
their devotio ns were explicitly for the so u l o f
th e departed I n this case the m e m o ri al began
with a E uchari st and was followed by the
memorial agape
t ai n e d
F AST I N G
Fro m the beginning i t is probable that fasting
formed part of the discip l i ne and devotional life
o f the C hu rch
I renae us writi ng to Victor B i shop o f R ome
with reference to the date o f Easter a l ludes to
the di fference not only as to the day but also
os
on
u se
u s,
the
L ife i n
h
u
r
c
h
C
23
away
Other fasts were to be of choice n o t
H owever there had sprung
o f command
up the custom of fasting o n Wednesdays and
F ridays up to 3 p m
the hour of o u r Lord s
death on the Cross the days being chosen as
those o f H i s Betraya l and Crucixion They
were cal l ed station days and those who observed
the fast o n them were said to keep a station
The name seems to have be e n a mi l itary term
and i s thus explained by Ambrose : Our fasts
are our encampmen ts (stati o n es) which protect
us
from t he devi l s attack ; they are call ed
stations because standing in them we repel
o u r foes
I n t he ear l iest Church Orders we nd dir ce
tions to fast o n the F riday and Saturday before
Easter
No other fasts are mentioned except
for those pr e pari ng for Baptism
The fast is
an abso l ute fast NO food at a l l i s to be taken
from Thursday night until after the Easter
C ommunion
Sick perso n s need only fast on
I renaeus
2 40
Ne ro
ro m
to
Co n stan ti n e
o ne
260
the
L ife i n
Chu rch
24 1
S I CK
C are w as taken that the sick should be visited
They were anointed wit h o i l which had been
blessed by the bishop but m ight be administered
by any person c l erica l or l ay
in the Egyp ti an
A prayer i s giv e n
Chu rch Order by the deacon
for the b l essing of the oil by the bishop in wh ich
he prays that for those who shal l be anointed
therewith it may be for hea l ing and safety and
benet in a l l diseases and sicknesses and for
extermination o f the Satanic adversary
Women who were sick were i n some places
visited by a widow or deaconess
I n the
D i dascal i a we nd rebuke s addressed to the
47
2 1
2 42
Chu rch H i s to ry
ro m
Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
M A RR IAG E
Marriage remai ned thro ughout thi s period th e
business o f the State I t s legality depended on
civil and n o t religious sanction But pagan rites
and religious ceremonies accompani ed i t among
the heathen s o at an early stage C hristian s s u b s ti
t u t e d for such ceremonies t hose o f the C hurch
At marriage C hristian s received the b l essing o f
th e C h urc h o n th eir union T he Church seems to
have i n some form al way approved the marriage
through the presence o f its repre sentative at
the betrothal th e legal contract and by a s u b
er u
e,
L ife i n
Church
the
2 43
O RGA N I Z AT I O N
OF
CH A R I TY
to t ted
We do not disti nguish o u r people by
some smal l bodi l y mark as y o u suppose but
easi l y enough by the sign of innocency and
modesty We love one another to your regret
because we do not know how to hate We call
o ne
another brethren to your envy as being
I g at i T T ly a p v
Christ
,
.
u s,
c r
Church H i sto ry
2 44
ro m
Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
need
Such passages mi ht be multiplied Tertullian
apparently knew o g a month l y n o t a wee kly
co l lection
Even i f there is a C hurch fund it is n o t
m ade up o f fees as though o f a religion wh ich
us
r,
L ife i n
the
Chu rch
24
lovers o f money
B l essed martyrs
the M arty rs with the words :
designate A l ong with provision that o u r Lady
Mother the C hurch makes from her own breasts
and e ach brother out of his private means fo r
your bodi l y wants i n pri son accept also from me
T e rt
Ap o l 3 9
.
2 46
ro m
Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
danger
I f a man receive being i n need he
shall be free from guilt ; but he who receiveth
when n ot i n need shall pay a pe na l ty as to why
h e has received and for what p u rpose and when
he i s i n tribulation he shall be exam ined as to
what he has don e and shall n o t depart till he
has paid the uttermost farthing For o f a truth
it has bee n sai d o n these matters Let thy alms
giving abide i n thy hands until tho u knowest
unto whom tho u art
The prophet w ho remains as a guest fo r three
day s an d takes m oney a s well as food fo r hi s
H 8 v 8
I bid i
C l m H viii
Dida h i
I
c e,
o rn
L ife i n
the
Chu rch
24
keep a l oof
Cyprian a l so assumes that any one who has
been l iving by an art forbidden by the C hurch
must be provided with work o r if unab l e to work
outside his profession with the necessaries of life
There are dir e ctions i n the C hurch Orders
for the care of orphans and children I n the
D i dascali a the bishop is to persuade the rich and
child l ess members of his ock to adopt orphans
'
c e, x
248
f the
ro m
Ne ro
to
o n stan t n e
o f wh ich Bisho
D
ionysius
wrote
M
ost
o f
:
p
o u r brethren by their exceeding great love and
brotherly a ffection n ot spari ng themselves were
constantly superintendi n the sick min istering
t o their wants without g
ear and with out cessa
tion
Among the heathen i t w as th e
reverse They both repe l led those w ho began to
be sick and avoided their dearest friends They
would cast them out in to the road s half dead and
brethre n As a result
good was don e to all
men n o t only to such as are o f the household o f
faith 3
Th e third i n stance is recorded by Eusebius 4
as havi ng occurred i n the govern ment o f Maxi
m in D aza after his defeat by th e Armenian s
though he does not specify the exact place :
b i H 8 vi i
E
vii
D i da h
8
H 8 i
Cyp L ij i
o
'
c e, x
u se
.
u s,
22
L ife i n
the
Chu rch
24
D I SCI P L I N E
No
t he gospe l
I f he neglect to hear the C hurch
let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a
pub l ican
The commission given by o u r Lord
to bind and l oose had a recognized meaning to
frequenters o f the synagogue I t had a denite
refere nce to exc l u sion from the privi l eges of re l i
i
o u s membership and adm ission to them
g
2 K
0
5
Co n stan ti n e
to
If
the tradition which h e rec e ived from us
any man obey not o u r word by thi s e pistle note
that man and have no com pany with him that
he may be ashamed 3
I t was acted o n from the beginning by the
C hurch and is th us explaine d by Origen to
C elsus
o r
1 1
ns
e ss
e s us ,
the
L ife i n
Church
be i n penitence of soul
When a denite accusation was made and
guilt was denied something like a j udicial prose
c u t i o n took p l ace with the bishop as j udge the
presbyters and deacons as assessors and the
congregation as j ury I f gui l ty the accused was
excommu nicated
The obj ect of excommunicatio n was to pre
serve the Church from impurity and to a fford an
sc
an d
M i n i stry , 13 3 6 5
.
s or
u rc
Church H i sto ry
25 2
Ne ro
ro m
o n stan ti n e
to
as an example o f pe nance
I f h er father h ad
but spit i n her face would she n ot have been
ashamed and separated fo r seve n days without
?
th e cam p and then she would have come i n
T t O P a
I b i d vi i
B i da
i
,
rt
er
en
n ce ,
L i
h
u
c
h
r
C
the
in
25
penance
I f he be worthy to b e received
i nto the C h urch appoint h im days of fasti ng
according to hi s fau l t
As a penitent he
stood once m ore i n denite re l ation ship to the
H e was in fact i n the position of a
C h urch
H e had a special p l ace assigned
catechumen
to him at the back of the church and w as not
a ll owed to communicate
Thus a l so we do
not communicate with these unti l they show
the fr u its of repen tance ; for they can certain l y
come in if they wish to hear th e Word that
they may not perish utter l y but in prayer they
take no part but go outside
They are not to
sc.
es
25
h
r
h
H
i
s
t
o
c
r
C
u
4
y
om
Ne ro
o n s tan t n e
to
tu l lian
Thi s exomologe si s i s a discipl ine fo r
man s prosecution and h umiliation enj oining a
demeanour calculated to move mercy Wi th
regard to the very dress and food i t commands
the pen itent to lie i n sackcloth and ash es to
cover h is body i n mourning to lay his s pirit l o w
i n sorrows to exchange fo r severe treatme nt the
si ns which he has committed ; to know n o food
and dri n k but such as i s plain n o t fo r the
stomach s sake but fo r the soul s ; for the most
part however to feed prayer s with fastings to
groan to weep and roar unto the Lord your
G o d ; to roll before th e feet o f the presbyters
and kneel to God s dear on es to enj oi n o n all
the brethren to be ambassadors to bear h is
What if he co n
supplication to Go d
T e rt
O n P en i ten ce , i x
L ife i n
h
h
u
rc
C
the
55
seekers of o f ce
Why they who go about
canvassi ng for civil o i ce fee l it neither degrading
nor irksome to struggle for the attainment of
th e ir desires with annoyance to sou l and body
and contume l ies of al l kinds
Do we
hesitate when et e rn ity i s at stake to endure what
the competitor for consu l ship or praetorship puts
up with ? Shall we be tardy in o ffe ring to the
o ffe nded Lord a self chastisemen t in food and
raiment which G entiles lay upon themselves
?
when they have o ffe nded no o n e at all
So perhaps penance was not s o sever e as i t
sound s
The l e ngth of penance varied from a few
weeks to a lifetime t he penitent in that case
being given communion on l y whe n at t he point
I n Syria apparently the longest term
o f death
was seven weeks
At the end of the appointed tim e the penitent
had to appear in the church and make hi s e x o m o
l o g e s i s or confession wh e n he appeared before
the c l ergy and congregation confessed his sin s
and imp l ored forgivenes s
The congregation
then implored t he bishop to pronounce abso l u
tion which was done I t seems that the bishop
T t O P it
i
Dida vi
,
er
en
e n ce , x
sc
25
6 Church H i sto ry
Ne ro
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
fornication
I abso l ve such as have discharged
th e requireme nts of penitence from the sin s o f
adultery and fornicatio n
This drew fu rious
protests from Tertullian now a M o ntanist and
fro m H ippolytus Tertullian i n h is tract On
C y p i a 8p l v
i Reh tati f a/l H i i 7
O P it
en
e n cc,
2 1
on o
e re s e s ,
Life i n
the
Church
15
he dec l ares
believ e s not that man s peace i s
adequate to its guilt and as far as regards the
C hurch
i t prefe rs the b l ush of shame to the
privilege of com munion F o r before her doors
it stands and by the examp l e of its own stigma
admonishe s a ll others and ca ll s to i ts aid the
b re thre n s tears and return s with their compas
sion merchandise even richer than their com
munion And if it reaps not the harvest of peace
here yet it sows the s e ed of it with the Lord
nor does it lose but prepares its fruit
Origen seems to have he l d t he same view as to
n
n
the o ab so l vab i l i ty of certain deadly sins I t w as
based on 1 S John v 1 6
There i s a s i n unto
death for that I do not s ay that he sha ll pray
O M d ty i ii
P en i ten ce
o es
25
8 Church Hi sto ry
ro m
Ne ro
to
o n stan t n e
f
sins those absolvable by th e C hurch and
o
those n o n -absolvable
By the m iddle o f the third century in Africa
at least the rigori st view had bee n given up
At least we nd Cyprian i n a letter about
Novatian assuming that even to adulterers
repentance i s granted and th e hope o f lamen t
XI I I
TH E
T H E C HU RC H
OF F I CE R S O F
A ND T H E I R
D UTI E S
BISHOP
TH E
en
e r,
u es
un
sc
os
es,
on s
59
on es
re
os o o ru rn
e ro n
2 60
Ne ro
ro m
o n stan t n e
to
'
T/z e Oi ce rs
of
6
7
1
2
11
1
(3
the
fDu tz es
an d l i mi t
26 1
He
cr
'
H m r
I b id p
o
Early
Statute:
33
H i t to ry
EA 6 7 , 5
f te
Ap ot tlet , p
39
.
rr
M
e
u
C
f
an d
M i n i t try p 3 0 0
,
Church H i sto ry
262
fro m Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
S e rv i ce
The bis hop shall be o rdai ned as we
have already s poken o n e w ho has been ch ose n
by al l the people together with the presbyters
and deacons o n th e Lord s day
And al l the
bi s hops s hall go wi t h m u tual con s en t a nd lay
t hei r hand s upon h i m ; and the presby t e rs
standing by keep quiet and all o f t h em t ogether
i n silence and praying i n their hearts t hat th e
Holy Spiri t may help them and descend upon
h im And every o n e o f the bishops shall pray
an d a l l o f them severally s t andi ng up shal l
,
m e
Statute: o
t/l :
Jp ot tlz t , pp
8
3
39
.
The O
ee rs o
the
Chu rch
an d the i r
D uti es
2 63
peace
Every o n e of them sha ll sa l ute him
with the mouth kissing him who has become
a bishop
A deacon the n brought him the
ob l ations upon which the other bishops and the
presbyters l aid their hands and he then began t he
C ommunion Service wi th the S ursu m Co rda
The consecration prayer wh ich followed imme
di ate l y contai ns in t he Ethiopic version one
beautiful ph rase which i s worth recordi ng
Spreading out H i s hands for su ffering that H e
I
migh t release the su fferers who trust o n T hee
P RESBYT E RS
T h e presbyters were i n the second and third
centuries very much oversha dowed by the bishop
and the deacons I t i s not unti l in the fourth
H r r Stat t f the Ap tle p
TH E
ne
u es o
os
s,
2 6a
r
Nero
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
'
s o
C ab ro l
et
u rc
n s
64
The O
t
h
e
of
ce rs
Church
D u ti es
an d the i r
265
2 M
266
fro m Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
twenty four
And it i s p roper fo r the pres
b y t e rs tha t they should be like o l d me n
and they shall partake o f the M ystery wi th the
bishops and help with him in everything what
soever an d gather round him wit h love o f their
shepherd And the presbyters wh o are o n the
righ t shall be carefu l to give assistance at the
altar
And t h e presbyte rs w ho are o n t he
left shall a tt en d t o all the people that t hey may
Ho r r
Ibid p
ne
,
.
Statu tes
the
3
Ap o stle s, p 1 3 4
1 46
, p
I bid
The O
ce rs o
the
Chu rch
an d the i r
D u ti es
267
T H E D E A CO N
T hey shal l be
qualitie s is required o f him
tried concerning all the service having the testi
mony o f all the people that they l ive with o n e
wife and have reared their chi l dren i n puri ty
and such as are mercifu l and humble and such
as are not murmurers and such as are no t double
tongued n or wrathful because wrath depraves a
wise man And t hey sha ll not respec t t he person
H r r Stat t of th Ap tl p 46
I bid p 3 8
,
ne
.
u es
os
es ,
268
fro m Ne ro
Co n s tan ti n e
to
F o r i nstance we read
The deacon shall s ay
Pray ye for those who gave their names
In
fact he seem s to have combined all these e ccl e s i
as ti cal fu nc t ions with those o f an agent o f th e
C hari t y Orga n ization Socie t y
I n the deaco n s ordi nation prayer t he bishop
'
Ho m r
e
S tatutes
f the Jp o st/es
35
The O
ce rs o
the
Chu rch
an d the i r
D u ti es
26
T H E M I NO R
O F F I C IA L S
O u t side the Orders of Bishop Pries t and
D eacon the rst o f cia l to appear i s the reader
H i s duties except so far as they are indicated
,
H r r
o
ne
S tatu te s
the
Jp ostles
44
2 70
fro m Ne ro
to
Co n s tan ti n e
?
word ough t h e no t to do i t him self
At thi s ti me at any rate he wa s appoi nted
ra t her than ordained
T o th e reader w ho i s
ordai ned the bishop s hall deliver the Scrip t ure
T H E S U B D E A CO N
Ho r e r
I bi d p
n
,
.
Statu tes
1
74
the
Jpo stles, p
55
7 he Oi ce rs
the
an d the i r
Chu rch
D u ti es
27 1
A co
L YT E s
W I Do w
widows
Let not a widow be enro l led u n der
three score years o f age having been the wife
wel l reported o f for good works ;
o f o n e man
if s he have brought up children if s he have
l odged strangers i f s he have washed the saints
feet if she have relieved the a f icted if s he have
di l igently fol l owed every good work But th e
younger widows refuse 3 T hey are to continue
Early Hi t y of th Ch r h a d M i i try p 3
ix
I T i m v 91 1
T t O th V ili g f Vi rgi
TH E
s or
er
u c
n s,
n s
02
2 72
fro m Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
sc.
H r er
o
Statutes
h
t
e
f
Jp o stles, p
1 47
The O
ce rs o
Chu rch
the
an d the i r
D u ti es
2 73
fty
Ter t u l lian gives sixty as t he age l imi t
T hose w ho contribute t o their support are no t
.
Lord God
I b i d xv
,
2 N
Church H i sto ry
2 74
fro m Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
As
n o shame
for n o t eve n i n an as s emb l y o n
Sunday are t hey a tt entive ;
they either
sleep soundly o r talk about som ethi ng e l se
By them thei r order is considered a merchandize
T h e wise
unnatu rally fomented j ealousy
widow whe n some o l d widow thy companion
has received a garm en t o r a gift tho u O wi dow
o ugh t es t t o s ay Blessed be God Who co m
fo r t e th t he o l d woman my comrade
Th e
wom an wh o received the gift will l i k e a wi se
woma n conceal the name o f th e donor B ut
if t he recipien t i s without sen se s h e wi l l reveal
t he giver s name and if sh e to whom it i s
I bid
D i da xv
,
sc
The O
ce rs o
an d thei r
Chu rch
the
D u ti es
275
or gad about
she grumb l es and b l ames the
bishop who made the provision o r th e e l der
T H E D E A CO N E s s
I n som e cases
widows who are deaconesses
at any rate they anoi nt the bodies o f women i n
baptism and take communion to sick women
visit women i n houses when men would not be
admitted put women i n their places in ch u rch
and have ge n eral ly a recogni z ed m inistry to
women
A woman i s required for the service
o f women ; for there are houses where thou canst
not send a deacon on account of the heathen
She was
Send a deaconess for many thi ngs
a l so to visit th e sick and anoint those who were
h eal ed from sicknesses Th e D i dascali a says they
are to be appointed T h e compi l er of the Ap o s
T he
D i dasc
xv
Church Hi sto ry
276
fro m
m to
Co n stan ti n e
re s b t e re s s e s
in
fron
t
o r widows
h
o
s it
w
p
y
w ho are presumably much th e same as deacon
esses and have been evo l ved i n the sam e way
Th e deacone ss does n o t appear un t il towards
t he lat t er half of th e third cen tury and n o t often
then Th e C hurch Order ( i n a la t er edition )
speaks o f s u b de aco n e s s e s and women readers but
gives no particulars
to
li c Co n sti tu ti o n s ,
V I R G I NS
The virgin i s th e woman w ho volu n tarily
u n de rtakes to lead a celiba t e life fo r t he sake o f
grea t er devotion to o u r Lord
The idea i s n o t exclu s ively C hristian Co n s e
c ra t ed virgin s o f wh om the Vestal Virgi n s o f
Rom e are the be s t known example are fo und i n
hea t he n religions
I n t he C hurch t here are t hree i dea s u n derl ying
t h e li fe There i s rs t that which i s pro minent
.
20 1
The Oi ce rs
the
Chu rch
an d the i r
D u ti es
277
o m e
47
278
fro m
Co nstan ti n e
m to
X IV
A ND
M I NI S T ERIAL
A U T H O RIT Y
TRA NS M I SSI O N
ITS
OM E
27
80
Church H i sto ry
fro m
to
Co n stan ti n e
'
M i n i ste ri al Autho ri ty
an d
i ts Tran sm i ssi o n
8I
i nterpret
But covet earnestly the best gifts
H ere it is said we have rst of a l l the three
orders of Apostles prophets and teachers
and th en S Paul diverges to impersona l gifts
But S Pau l has been speaking of the spiritual
gifts o f the Spiri t i n the C hurch and has been
exalting edifying gifts such as p rophecy at the
expense of speaking with tongues I t is much
more natural to take Apost l es prophets teach ers
as denoting quali cation or function rather than
o f ce God hath sent Apost l es with th e Apos
tol ic qua l i cations of being witnesses o f th e
sa :
God
has
given
us
i
n
this
diocese
men
y
missioners di l igent parish priests
0 f l earning
others who have the gift o f conducting retreats
others who are ski l led i n hearing confessions
some even who devote themse l ves to spiritua l
hea l ing T herefore we have every right to be
encouraged
We have
H e wou l d hard l y s ay :
a bishop priests and deacons s o take courage
and go forward
,
,
,
,
2 o
2 82
fro m Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
f
f
'
M i n i ste ri al Autho ri ty
an d
i ts Tran sm i ssi o n
28
a
li
that i s in private houses i t is di f cu l t
to be l ieve that the ce l ebrant was not either an
Apostle or some o n e authorized by an Apost l e
T hough they are never me ntioned there must
have been many among the seventy mentioned
by S Luke as being appointed by C hrist who
wou l d seem to have been ready to hand for t he
purpose
T here i s no hin t that t he Apo s tles looked
forward to a distant future and provided a
schem e o f government and a regu l ar ministry to
meet i t s needs T h ey lived and acte d as though
the Second Coming was imminent and no long
S
A R bi
E ay i i Th E arly Hi t ry of th
Ch r h a d m i i try
S L k x I
,
Ir
co u
ee
u c
n s
n so n
ss
s o
2 84
fro m Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
ha n d-to -mouth
This vi ew is borne o u t by
t he appoin t men t o f t he S even w he t h er we are to
t ake t he tradi t ional V i ew t hat the Seve n we re t he
r s t deacons o r to hold t ha t they we re e x ce p
t i o n al o f cial s crea t ed t o mee t a need t ha t did
n o t recu r
Th e Apos t les found tha t t he wo rk o f
supe rin t e nding the distribu t ion o f alm s interfered
with t heir more spiritual function s s o the C h u rch
was t old to choo s e seven men and autho rity w as
give n t he m by the Apostle s th rough th e i mposi
tion o f hands
With the dispersion that followed t he dea t h o f
Stephen t he si t uation was alte re d Th e disciple s
were s ca tt ered abroad and whe rever t hey wen t
they p reached t h e Word We know t he re were
bodie s o f C h ris t ian s in Samaria and a t An t ioch
we do n o t k n ow whe t her any o f cial mini s t e rs
We re appoi n t ed t o s uperi n t end the s e sca tt e red
congrega t io n s and to p re s ide over t heir Euch aris t s
We r s t hea r of a body of C hu rch o f cial s
called p reshy tcrs o r e lde rs at Jerusalem whe n t he
bre t h ren at A n t ioch de t ermi ned to s end relief
Acts
xi
30
M i n i steri al Autho ri ty
an d
i ts T rans m i ssi o n
285
o r our
alderman
Later on we come ac ross ep i scop i o r bishops
The word is Greek and is found both i n the
Sep t uagin t and i n c l assi cal Greek Bishop Light
deacons
S Peter exhorted the elders w ho
to feed the ock o f G o d I n
are amo n g y o u
I
Timo t hy iii S Paul gives directions for the
appointment o f bishops and deacons I n h i s
letter to T i t us he tells him to appoint elders i n
every ci t y We are n o t t o l d explicitly as to
I S P t v I
2 86
Ne ro
om
r
f
to
Co n stan ti n e
teaching
S o i t i s plai n t ha t s ome do no t
t each
.
T im
R V.
.
M i n i ste ri al Autho ri ty
an d
i ts Tran sm i ssi o n
2 87
Church H i sto ry
88
fro m Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
those o f a bishop
Their work i s t o rule and
t o ordai n M oreover S Timothy is remi nded
to
stir up t he gift of G o d which i s in h im
M i n i ste ri al Au tho ri ty
an d i ts
Tran sm i ssi o n
89
method of appointmen t
afterwards by
o r
T he Apostles
other emi nent "
approved ]men
we are given to understand made arrangements
for the future provision of clergy When the
presen t c l ergy should die others should succeed
T hose then appoi nted either by Apostle s o r
other approved men must not be extruded
Take n by itse l f th e
other approved men
might be prophets and not ordered ministers
at a ll Bu t read with the context it can hardly
F i r t ep i tle of Cl me t i 44
.
n ,
2 P
Ne ro
o rn
to
Co n stan ti n e
M i n i ste ri al Au tho ri ty
an d
i ts Tran sm i ssi o n
fro m Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
22.
M i n i ste ri al Au tho ri gt
an d
i ts Tran sm i ssi o n
93
Since however
it would be very tedious to
reckon up the succession s o f all the Churche s
I r a Agai t H r i i ii 4
,
en
e u s,
ns
e es es ,
94
fro m
e ro to
Co n stan ti n e
come down to u s
La t er o n dealing with the marks o f th e t rue
presby t er he says
Wherefore it is i ncumbent
to obey t he p re sby t ers wh o are i n the Church
,
M i n i ste ri al Au tho ri ty
an d i ts
Tran sm i ssi o n
95
Yo u constitute yourself a
conduct h e says
j udge o f God and of C hrist w h o says t o the
Apostles and therefore to a l l pre l ates w ho
succeed to the Apost l es by appoin t men t i n their
room H e that heareth you heare t h M e 3
I r a s Agai t H r i iv 6
1
O hj ti
ag ai t H r ti
Ep 6 8
,
en
eu
ec o n
ns
ns
e es es ,
e e
cs ,
6
9
fro m
m to
Co n stan ti n e
D io nysius 2 4 7 2 6 5
the presbyters always
n ominated as bishop o n e cho s en o u t o f their o w n
body a nd p l aced in a h igher grade j ust as if an
army were to appoint a general o r deacons were
t o choose from their o w n body one whom t hey
knew to be diligent and ca l l him archdeacon
This however is n o t to say that th e pre sby t e rs
were n o t endowed with the episcopal authority to
ordain F u rther B i shop Ligh t foot quote s Hilary
u c
n s
22
M i n i ste ri al Au tho ri ty
an d
i ts Tran sm i ssi o n
97
cials
i
n
5
comparison with the bishop and the deacons as
we have seen in the last chap t er I t i s unlikely
that i f the p resbyters were the real C hurch -ru l ers
,
Z Q
Church Hi sto ry
8
9
fro m
e ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
C H AP T E R X V
T H E T R U CE ,
A D
.
2 60
0
3 3
D I O NY S I U S
OF
A L EX A ND R I A
D ionysiu s W e
99
0
0
3
fro m Nero
to
Co n stan ti n e
u se
u s,
The Tru ce , A D
.
2 60 3 03
1
0
3
repeati n g
T here w as a certai n Serapio n an
aged be l iever who had passed his long l ife irre
ro ach ab l
s he had sacri ced duri n g the
but
a
p
y
persecution though he frequently begged "
to be
ad m itted to penance ] no o n e wou l d listen to him
H e was taken sick and continued three days in
succession speechless and senseless
O n the
fourth day he recovered a litt l e and ca ll ed his
grandson
I beseech y o u hasten and get me
abso l u t ion Call o n e o f t he pre s byters
The
boy ran t o t he presby t e r But it was night and
th e presby t er was sick I had already given an
order that those at th e poin t of death if they
desired it and especially if th ey had asked fo r i t
before shou l d receive absoluti on that they migh t
depart from l ife i n comfortable hope I therefore
gave the boy a sma ll portion o f the Eucharist
telling h im to dip it i n water and to drop it i nto
the mouth of th e old man The boy re t urned
with the morsel Serapion said at once T hou
hast come my s o n bu t th e presby t er could n o t
come D o what you are told quickly and le t me
go T he boy moistened it and dropped it into
the old ma n s mouth And he havi n g s wallowed
a little immedia t ely expired
Though peace was restored to the Church wi t h
the accession of Gal l ienus i n A D 2 6 0 t here was
l ittle enough of it in Alexandria There was rst
of a l l civi l war so that D ionysius says he cou l d
n o t pass from one side o f the city to th e other
T his was succeeded by pestilence and fami ne
E b i H E vi 44
.
u se
u s,
Chu rch Hi s to ry
2
0
3
fro m Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
H e rej oiced
a t the modera t ion and concili
i
spiri
t
displayed
by
all
I
t
s doubtful
at o r
y
h owever i f these quali tie s wo uld have been s o
promi ne nt if the ma t ter had been handled by a
Ter t ullian o r even a Stephen
H e was also which i s m o re s urpri sing an
acute critic o f th e Ne w Te s tament a higher
critic before h i s time The fragme nt o f hi s
critici sm that has survived concern s th e Apoca
He tells u s that some had s e t aside
ly p s e
,
The Tru ce , A D
.
0
3 3
2 60
0
3 3
F o r though I do not
key to the symbo l ism
understand yet I suspect that som e deeper
sense i s enve l oped in the words ;
but
a ll owi ng more to faith I have regarded them
as too l ofty to be comprehende d by me and
those things which I do not understand I do
n o t rej ect but I wonder the more that I canno t
understand
H e was o r opinion that the author was Joh n
but not the John who wrote the E pist l e and
Gospe l he gives his reasons a ll of them sound
though not necessari l y conc l usive
H e ends
g
j y
f
j g
m en t
And throughout it wi l l be obvious
t ha t there i s on e comp l exion and character in
the Gospel and E pist l e Very di fferent and
remote from al l this is the Apocalypse
H e remarks that John was a common name
and that many assumed th e name o u t o f devotion
to the Apost l e and that there were two monu
ments i n E phesus each bearing the name o f
John
H e died A D 2 6 5
E b i H E vii 5
,
use
u s,
0
3 4
Ne ro
PA U L
o r
to
Co n stan ti n e
S A M O SA T A
u se
u s,
0.
The Tru ce , A D
.
2 6 0-3 0 3
0
3 5
2 R
0
6
3
fro m Nero
to
Co n stan ti n e
G R E G O R Y T H A U M AT U R G U S
The episcopate o f Theodorus o r G regory after
wards named T haumaturgus or the Worker of
,
The Tru ce , A D
.
2 60
3 0 3
0
3 7
0
8
3
fro m Nero
Co n stan ti n e
to
The Tru ce ,
A D
.
3 0 3
2 60
0
3
10
fro m Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
fe s tati o n s
The Tru ce ,
A D
.
a6 o
-0
3 3
1 1
e,
1 2
fro m Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
,
.
,
.
The Tru ce , l m
e
2 6 0-3 0 3
3 3
1
G R E G O RY
T HE
I LL U M I N A T O R
Nowhe re
u se
u s,
3 4
1
ro m
Cappadocian Caesarea
Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
t he execution
his
parents and all h i s relatives who were people of
h igh rank i n Armenia H e was educated as a
C hristian m arried and had two children o n e O f
whom succeeded hi m as Catho l icos o f Armenia
but was separated by con sen t fro m h is wife and
the n came to the court o f T i ri date s w ho i s said
to have con ned him i n a dungeon for twelve
years We may take it t hat he w as at rst
unfrie ndly Later o n he became a C hristian
and hi s people followed him T his i s the rs t
i nstance o n record of a whole na t ion becoming
o f cially C hristian The Ch urch was e ndowed
as well as established and the tem ple property
was made over to the C hurch Gregory was
e s corted by a re t inue o f nobles to Caesarea in
Cappadocia where h e was consecrated Cat ho
licos o f Arm enia by L e o n ti u s T hi s was A D
2 85
H e built hi s cathedral at As chti s chat
29
O
not far west o f Lake Van A s chti s chat had been
r
the pri ncipal seat o f t he Persian
e wor s hip
wh ic h had bee n i mported into Armenia
Gregory i s said to h ave cons ecrated twelve
an d was succeeded by his s o n Aris
s u ffragan s
takes
Th e o ffi ce seem s afterwards to have
becom e hereditary an d remai ned s o for a consider
able period He was no t presen t at t he Council
of Nicaea A D 3 2 5 and Profe s sor H arn ack says
that h e was dead but h e is reported to have
retired to lead a solitary life i n the wilderness
H ar a k E p a i of Ch i ti a i ty i i
3
I bid 3
o n
02
ns on
r s
20
The Tru ce ,
A D
.
2 6 0 3 03
3 5
1
M A NE S
A ND
M A NI C H E E I S M
M anes
6
3
1
o rn
Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
on
0.
X VI
TH E
F I NAL
A D
.
STR U GGLE
0
3 3 3
u se
u s,
3 7
1
8
3
1
fro m Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
He
,
.
A LI)
1
0
3 3 3 3
He
by his mother
who had conceived an i l l will
again st Christian s because they would not take
part in her sacri ces and whi l e s he feasted with
u s,
e secu o s ,
Church H i sto ry
2
0
3
fro m Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
L actan ti u s
u s,
u se
u s,
s cu o s, x
The F i n al Strugg le ,
A D
.
1
0
3 3 3
2
1
3
domestic
H e was led i n t o the middle of
the aforesaid city before those emperors a l ready
mentioned H e was then commanded to sacri
ce but as he refused he was ordered to be raised
i n mid -air and scourged a ll over his naked body
unti l he wou l d O bey As he w as immovable amid
a l l these s u fferings hi s bones already appearing
bared O f the esh they mixed vinegar with salt
and poured it upon the ma n g l ed parts o f his
body But as he bore these tortures a gridiron
and re was produced and the rem nants o f his
body like pieces of meat for roasting and eating
were pl aced i n the re not at once s o tha t he
might expire but l itt l e by l itt l e H e however
persevered i n his purpose and gave up hi s life
victorious i n the midst of h is torture s
The demand fo r the Scriptures led to some
divi sion among C hristians
I t was generally
agreed that canonical wri t ings m ust n o t be
given up Those who refused to surrende r
them were executed but the magistrates were
not particular as a rule abou t what books
were given up as long as some were handed
over M e n s u ri u s of Carthage ll ed h i s church
library with heretical works which were burn t
in stead o f t he Scriptures Others adopted a
stricter line F elix a bishop near by refused
to give up any books at al l H ahe o se d n o n do
he repeated
I t is better for me to be burnt
than the Scriptures
An u l i n u s the proconsul
said Why don t y o u surrender some worthless
H E viii 6
.
2 T
2
2
3
Ne ro
ro m
Co n stan ti n e
to
books
No I will n o t give them up was
his reply
A second edic t followed orde ri ng t he imp rison
ment O f t he c l ergy Th e prisons were i n co n
sequence so lled with bishops presbyters and
deacon s readers a n d exorcists that we are told
there was no r oom left fo r cri minals
T he second edict was succeeded by a t hird
which al l owed prisoners to be liberated o n condi
tion of sacri cing but ordered t h em to be
tortured if they refused
As i n the D ecian persecution there we re at
rs t many apostates
Eusebius a co ntemporary
O f these eve n t s tells us t hat vast numbers
e ndured the most appal l ing trials but many
gave way Roman us a deacon o f the C hurch o f
C aesarea was at Antioch whe n the church es were
demoli s hed and s aw men women and ch ildren
approaching the idols i n mas s e s i n order to
H e w as moved to reb uke them w as
sacri ce
seized had h is to n gue cut o u t and died
I t i s al so clear that the Roman o i ci al s n o
longer had much s t omach fo r the work We read
O f me n being dragged t o th e altar by force and
allowed t o go as though they had s acri ced ;
t hose w ho p rotes t ed we re fo rced to silence
by soldiers s t a t io n ed there for the pu rpose by
whom they we re s t r uck and viole ntly driven
away
D iocletian was incapacitated by
sickness
t hroughout A D 3 0 4 M ax i m i an took advantage
o f his absence to issue
a new edic t ordering
0
3 3
3 1 3
2
3 3
cross itse l f
I n T hb ai s as many as a hundred men with
their wives and childre n were s l ain i n one day
We ourselves have observed when on the spot
many crowded together i n one day som e su ffer
ing decapi t ation some b u rning s o tha t the
weapon was complete l y blunted and having lost
its edge broke to pieces and the executioners
themselves wearied wi t h s l aughter were ob l iged
to re l ieve one another
Then also we were
witnesses to the ardour o f those that be l ieved
As soon as the sentence was pronounced agains t
the rst othe rs rushed forward to the j u dge at
the tribuna l and co n fessed t hat th ey were
C hristians
T hey received th e sentence of death
with g l adness and exultation s o far as even to
E b i s O th M arty r f Pal ti iii
H E vii i 8
,
u se
s o
es
n e,
2
3 4
to
Co n stan ti n e
perpe t rated
Soldiers surrounded a certain
C hristian town toge t her with the garri son and
h urling re in t o it burn t t hem t ogether wi t h
women and children calling upon C hris t th e
G o d o f all
And t his because all th e i nhab itan ts
of the tow n together with th e town clerk and
the gover n or with all t he magistrates o f ra n k
an d the i n habi t an t s o f the surrounding country
confessed t hemselves C h ri s t ian s an d would n o t
3
s acri ce
The town was E u m e n e a and t h e
story i s corrobora t ed by the discoverie s o f Sir
Wil l iam Ram s ay 4
I n Arabia C hris t ian s were slain with the axe ;
I b i d vii i I
I b i d ix 5
E b i H E viii 9
8
h
i
t
i
i
h
i
a
i
i
a
d
B
P
5 5 5
C
yg
p of
I
u se
u s,
es
Fi n al S trugg l e ,
The
m)
1
0
3 3 3 3
2
3
power
The abdica t ion was fo l lowed by a long period
of civil war Gal e ri u s and Constantius becam e
Augusti and Severus and D aza afterwards ca l led
M aximin were made Caesars
T o M aximin
D aza was given th e char e o f E gyp t an d Syria ;
Severus had I ta l y and A rica Constantius ruled
Britain Gau l and Spain ; w h ile G al e ri u s r e
E b i H E vii i 1
,
u se
u s,
Church H i sto ry
2
6
3
fro m Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
The Fi n al Strugg le ,
A D
.
0
1
3 3 3 3
2
3 7
2
3
fro m Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
fate a t Alexandria
When he s aw the j udge
at Al exandria co ndem ning the C hri stian s there
and going beyond all bounds sometimes i nsult
i ng grave and decen t men an d women i n various
ways some t i mes co n s rg m n g V i rtuous women
an d co n secrated virgi n s to h ouses o f ill fame
he tried to do what hi s brother had done and
with his words and acts covered the j udge with
shame
The results also fo r h imse l f were no t
dissimilar
A t Cae s a rea Theodosia app roached some co n
fe s s o r s arraigned before the j udgeme n t -s eat and
spoke t o t hem T he j u dg e seems to have regarded
t his as a provocation
He had her t ortured
with dreadfu l and horri c cruelties furrowing
her side s and breast s with i nstru ments to t he very
bones and while ye t breathing and showi n g a
seren e and cheerful cou ntenance had her t h rown
i n t o t he s e a
B ut the others were only co n
d e m n e d to the mines a t P ho e n o i n Palestine
B u t o n e D o m n i n u s w ho had m ad e him s elf
known by his boldnes s was condem ned to be
burned
Others h e made eunuchs and co n
d e m n e d to the mines ; others after dreadful
,
.
u se
u s,
ne ,
The F i n al S trugg le , A D
.
0
3 3
3 1 3
2
3
buria l
Beasts an d dogs and birds o f prey
scattered the human l imbs in a l l directions ;
and the whole city was spread with the entrails
and bones o f men so that those w h o had been
most opposed to us were ou t raged not from
an y love o f the mar t yrs
but because o f the
nuisance to themselves
We also read tha t
some E gyptians who had trave ll ed to Cilicia to
mi nister to their brethren i n the mines and
were o n their way home were detected tortured
E b i Th M arty r f Pal ti ; ix
.
u se
u s,
s o
es
ne
0
33
fro m Ne ro
an d
to
Co n stan ti n e
t o g o home
Joyous and cheerful they p ro
ce e d e d through every city
Num erous bod ies
pursued their j ourney through the public high
ways and markets ce l ebrati ng the praise s o f
Even their enemies
G o d i n songs and psa l m s
congratu l ated the m o n t hei r release
M axim i n was n o w emperor in the East and
did n o t issue the edict though h e gave orders
fo r persecu t ion to cease ; but before the en d o f
the year a fres h persecu t ion began o n new l ines
Beginning with Antioch h e stirred up the mu nici
i
h
a
l
i
t
es
to
send
delegates
to
hi
m
aski
ng
i
s
p
permission to expel all Ch ristia ns
This was
F urther he took step s to
graciously give n
revive paganism by appoi nting a priesthood
I n every city priests we re appoin ted fo r the
i mages with high priests over them by M aximin
himself from among th e m ore distinguished
inhabitan t s S O -cal led Acts o f Pilate were forged
xi
E
Th M arty r f Tal ti
bi
,
u se
u s,
s o
es
n e,
The F i n al S truggle ,
0
1
3 3 3 4
A D
.
33
u e
33
fro m Ne ro
Co n stan ti n e
to
The Fi n al S truggle ,
0
3 3
3 1 3
333
334
fro m Ne ro
to
Co n stan ti n e
B elo w i s
l i st
f m o de rn
the chi e
au tho ri ti e s
co n s u l te d
Ni c e n e
C hr i t i a
n te -
o n al dso n
D
J
i brary
it d
b rt
b y A Ro
an d
An o n T h e W o r ks o f Ap u l e u s , tr an sl at e , p u l h e 1 8 5 3 b y
H G B o hn
atho li c s m
l
P ri rn i ti u e
a
t
i
f
f
o
P
B
,
P hi lo s tratu s Ap o llo n u s of Ty an a
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1 0 5 -1 07
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54
L u c i n s p r i od
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arm y o f
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comp ni o n s
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P PE
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to
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213
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Pra tori an s
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d at o f
call d E g y p
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33
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35
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h
T hra
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Sv
Al a d a d
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Ma m a a
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36
B od i s of Po n ti an s a d
A ugus t
i
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.
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cr n u s
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T i ri date s re s to re to
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S
i
I t l y Af i
Sp
Mx i
D
i
E gypt d
Sy
er
c l gy
er n
e rm
3 05
igN
D i cl ti
clb t
t i
ph t R
F th d i c t by M i i
t
d i g ll p
c i fi c
p i f d th
i
D i c l ti
pp
M ch f t f t
th
ick
D i c l ti bd i c t i M y
d
ti
t S l
l bd i c t
M i i
A g
bc
C
t t
c ti
t
E d fp
i G
l d B it i
Sy d f E lvi
E d fp
c ti i I t l y
ho
3 04
o r
r so n m e n
ar
ssu e
o n
e re
o r
rs
o n
e ave
e rs e
e o r
u ti o n
n us
r a
a e o
Sv
e
310
3I 1
e ru s
E bi
M il ti d
us
u se
es
Ed i c t f T l
i by G l
i
E d fp
c ti i A i
i
i i f th
t
C
o
er us
312
o ns
s a
an t n e s v s o n o
e rs e
o n
Sx Rb
Ed i c M il
M xi i d f
p c i
Sy
E gyp D h M x i i
Ed i c
T l i by L i c i i
Nic i
.
'
3 I4
Silv
e s te r
D e e ats M axe n ti u s
C ro s s
at a a u ra
an
t of
e e at
En d o f
a m n s
in
r i a an d
e rs e u t o n
a m n
e at o f
t
in J
t of
une
Ne w
n u s p ub
o e rat o n
l i s h e d at
o m ed a
.
313
e rat o n
IN DE X
i l i Gl b i
l
Ac u s
a r o , de ath o f, 2 1 -2
Aco y te s, 2 7 1
Ae de si u s, m arty rdo m o f, 3 2 8
Agap e , 2 3 2
8
A m sg n g , 2 4 3
9
An ce tu s,
sho
o f Ro m e , 3 0 ,
p
1 2
2 07
An to n
Ch
Bi
Pi
u rch o
u s,
f,
li
- 0
93
An u li n u s, 3 3 2
Ap o ll o n u s, m arty rdo m o f, I I 5
Ap o ll o n u s o f T y an a, 1 6 0
8
Ap o l o g e s, 6 8
72
Ap p h i an u s , m arty r, 3 2 7
8
Ap u l e u s, Go lde n A1 : o f, 5 - 6 ,
.
i
i
75
Ar st de s, Ap o l o gy o f, 6 8
9
Arm e n i a, co n ve rs i o n o f, 3 I 3 - 1 5
Arr u s An to n n u s, I I 5
Ath e n ago ras, p l e a fo r t he hr s
t an s b y , 3 9
Au re l an , E m p e ro r, 3 0 6
1
i i
B ap ti
C
C
222
6
2
9
bl
by
o o
Cl
"
345
C
C
C
C
1 03
i
lC
vi
se r
ce ,
il
03 ;
1
99
Sp re ad
1 7
8
:
3
9
F l avi u s, d e ath
f,
e m e n s,
f,
2 1
fA e x an dr a, 1 3 3
42
e n t o f Ro m e , 6 1
e
1 6
s
1
o
d
u
I
o
,
4
fas t n g, 2 2 9
un o n
o
fre q u e n cy o f,
rs t, 2 2 7
2 2 9; o f s c k , 3 0 1
1
o n fe sso rs, c a m s o f
,
93 7
e
Bl i
B il C i i
i l i ta y
y
1 4;
Cl m
Cl m
C mm
C mm
B i
Bi
3; m
22
sho
27 5,
2
1
6
2
2
,
,
,
,
3
3
3
7
p
59
27 - 8
99
an d n a, m arty rdo m o f, 4 3
5
hr s t an , 2 4 2
ur a,
l i
ii
li
lv
b li
s a er
d,
C i
i i
2 1
sm
C arp o crat e s, 49
e su s, 5 3 , 1
2
6
0
5
C e ri n t hu s, 47 - 8
har sm at c th e o ry o f m n stry ,
-8
279
3
h ar ty , o rgan z at o n o f, 2 4 3 -9
e efo f
h u rch :
1
1
1 2 , 5 4,
,
6 6
225
cre at o n o f, b
,
9
y
1
e su s, 1 0
1
ca
o
h u rche s,
J
1 2
I t s re at o n t o am u se
m e n ts, 9
b
s
i
n
s
u
s
o
e
3 5;
, 9
3;
c t z e n sh
a
f
m
,
5
p
9 9
y
fe , 8 5
0
m
a
r
r age , 2
2
9
4
2 1
t o w ard s
I 28
E m p e ro r,
Cl
n us
f Ro m e ,
r c
ivi
C a a all a
Bi h
C al l i stu s,
o n
en
to
rm
o n st an
o n stan
o rn e
li
i
l i
at o n , 2 2 6
i
ti
t
n e,
u s,
C o n y b e are ,
u s,
2
6
,
3
33
1
2
6
8
,
3
3 5
C , 8 4, 1 1 5
sh o
o fRo m e , 2 1 3
p
Bi
2 Y
6
34
I n dex
Cy p i a
r
D ea o
D a
D i
89
,
95
G r go ry
G g ry
re
'
I ll
t he
re g o r
Di o do o no , 7 4
Didao ne , 6 1 2 , 2 1 8 ,
Di n o crate s, 1 2 3
f Ny ss a, 3 0 7 , 3 1 0
T hau m at u rgu s , 3 0 6
85
e c u s,
7 9
26
c o n s,
202
99
275
n e ss,
n,
um
ato r,
3 3
1
'
80
H adri an , p o l i cy
1
2
3 7
5
D i l tia
Di y i
oc e
o n
n,
t an s, 2 8
ex
97
H e al i n g , g i ft o f, 2 4 1
H e ge s i p p u s, Hyp o m n em ata
l a dri a
3 0 3
fA
s us o
C hri
t o w ards
f,
D i i p l i 1 93 - 6
D t 2 2
D m i tia
0- 2
D m i ti ll a b a i hm
sc
n e,
o c o r,
- 8
49 5
n s
en
t o
f,
2 1
E as te r, date o f, 2 0 7 I o
n
Eg yp ti an
rde r,
ro e
C urrn
rde rs,
hu rch
E ag a a u s, 1 2 9
E l e u t he ru s ,
sho
o f Ro m e ,
p
.
bl
208
Em p
Bi
Ro m an
re ,
in ,
t o n
E u c har
st ,
22
co m m u n i ca
re
2 38
40
F l i i ta
e
s,
f,
f,
Ig
I
I
f, 3 2 4
2 1
at i
u s,
o rt u n at u s,
o s
i ti
G
G
32
e rm
n o st c s,
0
4
54
6
4 7
f,
8
7
o n
1 8 -2 0 ,
f, 7
8 ; op
h r s t an ty o f,
e rat e d b y E m
e rs
to
o n
34 ;
C i i i
t l
o
6 1 2
1 1
1 28
7,
us
o es
s o
re
0
4
9
1
8
l
i
a
M
a
J
f
i
m a ty rd m
t
J
7 0
f 69
w iti g
L ap d t atm t o f
se
an i c u s ,
a sm
.
re ,
1 5
i
p
m na
l
i
D
a
J
1
E m p e ro r,
f, 6 4
7
n um
G al e ri u s ,
95
0
1
9
1 1
20
5
Ap o sto l
8 , 2 93 - 5
s u cce ss o n , 2 0 7
1
o f
s , w o rs h
,
74 7
p
p
f,
2 1 0- 1 2 ,
li
74 5
at o
re n ae u s,
ews
J
m arty rdo m
e t te rs o
n te rn
H i pp o l y tu s,
H o sp i tal i ty ,
4
arty rdo m
u s,
f, 3 0 1 , 3 0 2
H i l ari an u s, 1 2 1
o
Ii
g,
F e l i c i ss i m
s
o n
F a ti
l ig i
7 9; v al i d i ty
d
a
l
22
,
9
9
y
E u m e n e s , de stru c t o n
E xo rc sm , 2 2 3 -4
1
H e racl as, 3 0 0
H e rm e s, Snap /l o rd o f, 7 2
H e ro d , 3 2
H i g h e r C ri t i c i s m , an t i c i p at i o n :
.
en
2 :
6
93
I n dex
1
f
La
m a ty d m
L t gg t d i g i f
L id I 1 8
Li i i 3 6 3 3
f
Li ght
m
b
i
i
g
y
en
e s,
eo n
in
L ia
L ia
uc
Ne rv a 2 2
Ni ce t e s 3 2
Ni co l ai t an e s, 4 8
Ni co m e d i a, 3 1 8 , 3 2 0
1
o
v
i
1
2
2
1 3
N at an , 96
No vat u s, 1 96 , 2 1 3
r n
o n
.
the
C f
Phil
t he
e sso r,
o n
6
34
f,
uc
ce re
s,
20
u s,
c n
o r
es e
su
u re n ce ,
3 47
94 5
Odr C
O ig 1 1 8
O rp ha ar
o so p h e r, 4 6 ,
2.
e s,
hu rch, 6 2 ,
en
1 2
n s, c
M an e s
6
1
M an i che e i sm , 3 1 5
an d
P aga i
s,
93
f,
M ax e n t i u s 3 2 5 , 3 2 6
M ax i m i an , 3 1 8 , 3 1 9, 3 2 5
M ax i m i l l a, 5 7
M ax i m i n u s , 1 3 0
M ax i m i n Daz a, 3 2 5 , 3 2 6 ,
.
1
0
33
2
8
,
3
M i n u ci u s
2
3
9
.
Fel i x
t he
f, 7 1
M i n u ci u s F u n dan u s,
H adr an to , 2 9
M thra sm , 1 7 7 -8 4
o
M o n tan u s
-6 0
i pt
re scr
an d
M o n tan i sts , 5 4
Ne o cae sare a,
~
O ctavi a
i i
ss o n
ary
e t u a,
1 3 ;
co n
Ne o p l ato n i sm
Ne ro , 1 7 1 9
v i
e rs o n o
7 2
69
f, 3 0 7
viv
e,
e,
20
9
s o
f,
f,
f,
1 86
ia
cau se s o
dr
C a th ag
5 17
93
2 0 1 ; E g y p t,
89
s
e
n
L
V
i
a
o
d
3 4
y
P
2 ; P hr gi a 3 2
4
4
5
y
32
n e,
o n
Ro m e , 1 7
2 2 , 2 0 1 ; Sy r a, 3 2 4 U n de r
3 6 ; Car
An to n n u s P u s, 2 9
o m m o d u s, I 1 4
aca a, 1 2 8 ;
1 6 ; e c u s, 1 8 5 93 ; Di o
25
o m t an ,
cl e t i an , 3 1 7
a
l
i
20 2
G e r u s, 3 1 9 3 2
rcu s
H adr an , 2 8
M
a
9
n,
M
i
i
a
Au re u s, 3 6
a
x
m
45
t u s,
1 1
5 ;
32
e ru s,
i
C
D i
i
li
3 20
1 2
ll
re
f,
fe ct o
ef
e x an
o u rn e
27
9
1 1
In A
D i sc i p l i n e
e rse cu t o n :
1 1 2
5 1
0
3 4
: m art rdo m o
y
e n an c e , see
er
1 9
M e l i to , 7 1
M i l an , Ed i c t o f, 3 3 2
M i n e s, C hri st i an s co n de m n e d
to
P
P
P
t
s to
p
o sata,
P au l , S
P ap i a 6 3-4
P a l f Sam
0
33
atte m
21
4
of
2 7 8
,
4
n sm ,
5 I
M arc i o n , 49
0
M arcu s Au re l i u s , 3 6
4
M arri age , 2 42
3
M arty rs, co m m e m o rat i o n
ii
M ax i m i n Daz a, 3 2 5
Ne ro , 1 7 - 1 9; S e v
1 1
2
8
7
l ia
Va e r
T raj an ,
02
2
7
9
22
34
I n dex
e te r,
f,
1
3
4
vi i t
rst
203
Ro
to
4 ;
m arty r
2 0
do m o f, 1 9
P h i lo m e l i u m , l e t te rfro m Ch u rch
0f Sm
rn a t o
h
u rc h at,
1
y
3
Ph i lo strat u s, 1 6 2 , 1 6 8
P l agu e , b e ha o u r du r n g, 2 48
.
vi
li
l
d
g
,
o un
y
as
im m
e r, 0n
a
s
e
r
,
g
e rs e c u t o r,
li
o rt a t
22
P l t i u 1 6 97 2
P l y a p m a ty d
6
vi i t to R m
o
s,
0
3
f, 3 1
0
3 ,
e,
20
Bi
ho p
f Ro m e ,
o r
s,
es
sc
o n
6
45
54
e t s,
8 0 -2
P u de
6
4 ,
59
1 23
n s,
in ,
Pro p h
'
-6
v
v
i i
C i i
i
i
Cl
.
i
i
S l av
Ch
S l di
ii
s t o n
o
p
u rch ,
e rs ,
Bi
t e r,
1 03
Ch i ti a
r s
ho p
f,
t he
in
22 1
319
f Ro m e ,
2 0 5 -6 ,
Bi
ho p
f Ro
e,
2 1
4,
S u de aco n , 2 7 0 1
S u cce ss o n , Apo sto c do c tr n e
-8
0
o f
2
,
9
S u ffe r n g, n d ffe re n ce o f hr s
li
i i
45
C i
T at an , 4 8
T e rt u ll an :
7 0
Re ade r, 2 6 9
Re -b ap t z n g he re t cs, q u e st o n
0
2
1
1
6
0
o f
,
,
3
5
Re l g o n , de m an ds o f, 1 7 3
4
hu rc h o f, 2 0 3
Ro m e ,
1 7
Ru st cu s,
hr st an , 1 2 7
Ru st cu s, P re fe ct o fRo m e , 40
2
S al o n a, 3 2 5
i
i
Se cu n du l u s, m arty rdo m o f, I 1 9
2 8
S e e ru s, A e x an de r, 1 2 9
S e e ru s, S e p t i m i u s,
1 1 7 1 8,
1 2 7
8
S c k , care o f, 2 4 1 -2
S m e o n , so n o f
s, m ar
eo
h
a
p
ty rdo m o f, 2 7
S m o n M agu s, 4 7 , 2 04
S x t u s, m arty rdo m o f, 2 0 1
t o n s to
Q u adrat u s, Apo l o gy o f, 6 8
Q u i n tu s, apo stasy o f 3 1
i i
2
3
S te p he n ,
207
So
8
4
e s,
P p hy ry 1 7 02
P th i u 44
Pr by t rs 2 6 3- 7
P ri i ll a 5 7
f
m
a
Pri s
u
rt
rt r
y
pp
o
n i u s, 1 2 2 .
o n t an u s ,
2 1 0
o m
o u t h,
P o m po
c r
y, 3 ;
4
n o st c,
S at u rn i n u s, m arty rdo m o f, 1 1 9
28
Se at n g o f co n gre g at o n , 2 2 9
S atu rn i n u s,
Apo l o gy o f, 7 2
n
t
a
n
i
s
m
6
2
8
n
M
o
0
0
,
,
,
5
9
w r t n gs o f, 7 5 3
83
2 39
T he o p h l u s, 7 0
o
n
0
e
e
T hu n d r n g
,
39 4
g
T i ri date s, 3 1 3 1 4
hr st an s,
T rad e s fo rb dde n t o
ii
L i
22 1
C i i
T raj an , p o l cy
t o w ards
Ch
ri s
I n dex
2 26, 2 2
U n ct o n , 2 2 4,
U r an u s, 3 2 7
7,
en
er
n u s,
e ro r,
c o r,
V i rg i
Wi d
w s,
de r
o r
f,
2 41
27 1
1
2
V al t i
5
01
Val i a E m p
1 9
2
7
08
Bi h p f Ro m
Vi t
1 0
3 49
e,
s t u s, see
-8
6
7
x tu s
Z e n o a, 3 0 5
6
Z e p hy r n u s,
s ho
p
bi
2 1 0
n s, 2
Xy
Bi
f Ro m
e,
P R I NTE D
BY
LO N DON
M O W B R A Y 8c C o
A ND
O FO RD
X
LT D
AD V E
R T I S E M E NT
S E COND E D I TI ON , R E VI S E D
E NG L I S H
C HU R C H
E d i te d b y t h e R e v J L
H I S T O RY
O l l ard . M A
R e cto r
o f B ai n to n
Ho n
Ne w Co l l eg e , Ox fo r d ,
of
an d
Cl o t h ,
Yo r k,
at L aw
T hre e M a p s
an d
I n n , B ar ri s te r
C ro s s e , M A
L i n co l n
A p p e n di x
an
Wo rces te r
Can o n
A s s i s te d b y G o rd o
W i th
n e t.
I n th e n e w e d i ti o n s o m e ar ti cle s h a ve b e e n re w ri tte n an d o th e
re v i s e d a n d s u c h e v e n ts a s th e c re a ti o n o
n e w d i o ce s e s s i n c e th
f
D i c ti o n ary
w as rs t p u b l i s h e d a re re c o rd e d i n an A D e n d i
A n e w m ap s h o w s th e e /fe c t o f th e s e ch an g e s o n th e
i o ce s a
b o u n d ar i e s
,
a
d
O P US Th w a m t
at l ati
t a
ad m i abl
p d ti
b k It i
f thi l a
a
m a k abl
f A gli a
la h p a d a b
i ll t ati
k f wh
h Ti m
th E g l i h C h
d Ch
h m ay w ll b p
Th w k h a b
It i
b i g htl y w i tt th
w ll d
w
f l
f
ti
i t w i ll b
ly f
b t f
d
t
ad i g a
h av
b n f t at i
i g a
w ll
Th
di t
Th Ti m
ll t l i t f t i b t
It
th
l t f th i l ab u
di t
a
t
b
at l at d
w hi h
l d a ab l
tai
a m
h i f m at i a
p ct t d i
k Th a ti l a f t h m t p a t h
h aw
th y a
v i m m d at l y l g ; a d i p t f th fa t th at th
tai
al w ay
th y a
a g
i a v y m all p a
at d al
f m att
-E
ad abl
w
l
i
i
h
H
i
t
i
a
l
R
g
A M AG NU M
n ce rn e d i n t h e
co
re
re
e x ce
us r
o r
ee
s u re
o rs
co n
re
co n
ns
co n
n suc
o r
rs
o o
ic
en
n uo
o r co n
o r un
o n
o n
c es
o o
s e cu r n
e r.
n o r
es .
o r re e r e n ce
ee
ue
re
s so
u re
uc
o rs
u o rs .
sc
o n
no
ro u
o ne
u se
o ns
een
e x
o n
o n
en
s
uc
u rc
ro
co n
es
re s u
o ne
co u
o r
re
e r
re
o s
so n
o r
co n
re
re
ne
er
re
e.
M a ga
r
re t
o n
er
s or c
A
28
er
ev e
er
r us,
ce
re
M O WB RAY
d
L
d Ci c
S tre e t , O xfo r
on
CO
o n,
LT D
9H i g h S tre e t, O x fo rd
A DV E R T I S E M E NT S
Th e Art
B y th e R e v P
.
P r ofe s s o r
W o rs h i p
f P u b li c
D e ar m
e rc y
E ccl es i as ti cal A r t , K i n g
'
Cl o t h ,
Co l l eg e , L o n do n
F o u n de r
an d
Je l e c te d
f Ri c h ard M e u x B e n s o n
F i r s t S up e r i o r of the S o ci e ty
an d A r r a n g e d b
a n d th e R e v
.
Wi th M e m o i r
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