TH

A.D. C. 190.

HE following is a part of a letter (preserved by Eusebius in his "Ecclesiastical History," bk. v. chap. 24) from Irenæus, bishop of Lyons, to Victor, bishop of Rome:

"An epistle . . . of the Churches of Gaul over whom Irenæus presided" (E. H., bk. v. c. 23) in which Irenæus, "in the name of those brethren over whom he ruled throughout

Gaul, maintains the duty of celebrating the mystery of the resurrection of our Lord only on the day of the Lord," and holds that the Churches of Gaul "observed" in this "the tradition of an ancient custom." (E. H., bk. v. c. 24.)

C. A.D. 190.

"The controversy is not merely as regards the day, but also as regards the form itself of the fast. For some consider themselves bound to fast one day, others two days, others still more, while others do so during forty; the diurnal and nocturnal hours they measure out together as their (fasting) day. And this variety among the observers (of the fasts) had not its origin in our time, but long before in that of our predecessors, some of whom probably, being not very accurate in their observance of it, handed down to posterity the custom as it had, through simplicity or private fancy, been introduced among them. And yet nevertheless all these lived in peace one with another, and we also keep peace together. Thus, in fact, the difference in observing the fast establishes the harmony of our common faith. And the presbyters preceding Sotor in the government of the Church, which thou dost now rule-I mean Anicetus and Pius, Hyginus, with Telesphorus and Xystus-did neither themselves observe it (after that fashion) nor permit those with them to do so. Notwithstanding this, those who did not keep (the feast in this way) were peacefully disposed towards those who came to them from other dioceses in which it was so observed, although such observance was felt to be in decided contrariety as presented to those who did not fall in with it. And when the blessed Polycarp was sojourning in Rome in the time of Anicetus, although a slight controversy had arisen among them as to certain other points, they were at once well inclined toward each other with regard to the matter in hand, not willing that any quarrel should arise between them on this head. For neither could Anicetus persuade Polycarp to forego the observance in his own way inasmuch as these things had

been always so observed by John the disciple of our Lord, and by other apostles with whom he had been conversant; nor on the other hand could Polycarp succeed in persuading Anicetus to keep the observance in his way, for he maintained that he was bound to adhere to the usage of the presbyters who preceded him. And in this state of affairs they held fellowship with each other, and Anicetus conceded to Polycarp in the Church the celebration of the Eucharist by way of showing him respect, so that they parted in peace one from the other, maintaining peace with the whole Church, both those who did observe this custom and those who did not."

(Note that in the marked passage Irenæus, who was working with Pothinus before the great persecution in A.D. 177, speaks of his predecessors who had handed down a custom long before.)

APPENDIX E

A.D. 199

TERTULLIAN, "ADVERSUS JUDÆOS." (PATROLOGIA LATINA, VOL. ii. P. 610.)

"IN

N quem enim alium universæ gentes crediderunt nisi in Christum qui jam venit? Cui enim et aliæ gentes crediderunt 'Parthi, Medi, Elamitæ et qui habitant Mesopotamiam, Armeniam, Phrygiam, Cappadociam, et incotentes Pontum, et Asiam et Pamphyliam, immorantes Ægyptum et regionem Africæ quæ est trans Cyrenem habitantes, Romanæ et incolæ tunc et in Hierusalem Judæi (Act. ii. 9, 10) et ceteræ gentes: ut jam Getulorum varietates et Maurorum multi fines, Hispaniarum omnes termini, et Galliarum diversæ nationes, et Britanorum inaccessa loca Romanis, Christo vero subdita et Sarmatarum et Dacorum et Germanorum et Scytharum et additarum multarum gentium et provinciarum et insularum multarum nobis ignotarum et quæ enumerare minus prosumus? In quibus omnibus locis Christi nomen qui jam venit, regnat."

TERTULLIAN, A.D. 199'

"For in whom else have all peoples believed except in Christ who has already come?"

"In whom have the diverse nations believed—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, Armenia,

"Life of Tertullian," Patrologia Latina, vol. i.

· Phrygia, Cappadocia, the inhabitants of Pontus, Asia, and Pamphylia, the dwellers in Egypt and the regions of Africa that is beyond Cyrene, both Romans and inhabitants and the Jews which are in Jerusalem, and now other nations also, such as the various peoples of the Getulæ, many territories of the Moors, all the corners of the Spaniards, the diverse nations of the Gauls, and the places of the Britons which are inaccessible to the Romans, but all subdued to (the worship of) the true Christ? So, too, the peoples of the Sarmatians, and Dacians, and Germans, and Scythians, and many additional nations and provinces and islands unknown to us, and which we are scarcely able to enumerate? In all of which places the name of Christ (who now has come) reigns." (Personal Trans.)

FROM TERTULLIAN, C A.D. 200.

"To the rulers of the Roman Empire":

"We are but of yesterday and we have filled every place among you-cities, islands, fortresses, towns, market-places, the very camp, tribes, companions, palace, senate, forumwe have left nothing to you but the temples of your gods. For what wars should we not be fit, not eager, even with unequal forces, we who so willingly yield ourselves to the sword, if in our religion it were not counted better to be slain than to slay? Without arms even, and raising no insurrectionary banner, but simply in enmity to you, we could carry on the contest with you by an ill-willed severance alone. For if such multitudes of men were to break away from you and betake themselves to some remote corner of the world, why, the very loss of so many citizens, whatever sort they were, would cover the Empire with shame; nay, in the very forsaking, Vengeance would be inflicted.

"Why, you would be horror-struck at the solitude in which you would find yourself, at such an all-prevailing silence, and that stupor as of a dead world. You would have to