P R E F A C E ,

oo BORN in Syria, spending his early manh d

in nd in Galilee, his maturer life a near Jeru

o b or salem , and his declining years in c untries

o o dering the Black Sea, the Ap stle Peter sh uld be known in history only by the title of AP OST L E

AS IA o TO . Tradition has cast such a glam ur o our ver his ministry, that his name in day is associated mainly with Rome a nd the Romans . By reason of this strange transplanting of facts

o t o t fr m the East the West, great diversi ies

o o have arisen am ng christian c mmunities, and

o of the future will be a repetiti n the past, unless coming generations are willing t o turn the search - lights of truth squarely upon the impor tant events that transpired between the years

A . D 88 . 1 . 50 . and A D . Once disclose the 3 PREFACE . fact that actually n o foundation exists for a

t o e ou o o claim pre minence, and y rem ve fr m among Christians one of t hem ost potent causes of a m o dis greement, and thus in large easure pen

f r the way o true fellowship .

o o May the light, which c mes fr m the dawn of of the christian era, dispel the twilight Tradition and prove effectual in leading many t o recognize a common Brotherhood in the one

Lord and Master . E C O N T N T S .

Frontispiece

Preface

o o I . Ap stles and Pr phets Early Reco rds

o II . Primitive W rship B ooks and Libraries True Meaning of Words

o f III . Changes Titles Clement t o the Co rinthians Letter o f Diognet us Epistle of Barnabas Ignatian Epistles Polycarp t o the Philippians Bo oks o f Papias The Didache Justin Martyr Shepherd o f Hermas

o u t o f o IV . Cast the Synag gue

o o V . F rbidden by the Emper r 5 CONTENTS .

The Great Departure Hidden Mysteries The Twelve Thr ones The East and the West Saint Peter at Ro me Peter the R ock " Apo st olic Successio n Encro achment Unity in Diversity — Traditi on Revelation

R E F E R E N C E S IMPORTAN T DATES

’ SAINT PETER S AG E

’ SA I NT PAUL S AG E

. . D B C AN A . D . INDEX AP STLE r ASIA ST. PETER O o . ,

A P O S T L E S A N D P R O P H E T S .

o ou r o t o ou t IT is far fr m purp se, single any one of th e organizatio ns existing am ong chris

o o tians, and h ld it up as the luminary, ar und

o o o or o which all thers sh uld rev lve, int which

o o we all thers sh ould be merged . Rather w uld

o dem nstrate the fact, that from the very begin

of o ur n o o o ning era, such fell wship was c ntem f v plated . That the outlines o Divine W orship pro vided for a broad and generous indepen

t o of m o dence, suited every phase hu an devel p

a ment and taught with unmist kable plainness ,

o o o o wa s that such superi r c ntr l am ng disciples,

o t o of f reign the spirit christianity . ST . PETER , APOSTLE OF ASIA .

Let us j o urney backward over the pa ges of history a nd search out the gro up of influences that laid a fo undation for the earliest claim t o e pre minence . Abo ut seventeen centuries a go the life- work o f the Ap ostle Peter was for the fi rst time pu t

o f f rward as the basis o this claim . Since these

o t o cycles bel ng the superstructure, we shall l ook for the foundation facts among the Writ

f fi n ings o the rst and second ce turies . The

o of 1 700 o testim ny the years, p ssesses all the weakness which characterizes a mass of hearsay

o o evidence, after it has w rked its way thr ugh I t unknown and doubtful channels . is there

o o o o f re with ut weight, in c mparis n with the evidence furnished by the New Testa ment and by the Writings of the first and second

u o o cent ries, and sh uld be rejected as w rth less . O ur first duty will be t o ascertain what recog n ition sho uld be given to the Prophets . The 8 APOSTLES AND PROPHETS .

t o o o next step, disc ver what were the f rms of primitive wo rship and when came the radical

n departure . We shall the inquire particularly t ’ f o . o as St Peter s field o lab r .

few o Very realize the great truth that, fr m t h e t o ou r beginning the end of his ministry, Lord was engaged in gathering and training a la rge body of APOSTLES AND PROPHETS w h o sho uld go forth and make disciples of all

Nations . Altho ugh this fact is distinctly stated in the

n o o New Testament, a arr w and contracted noti n ,

E leven A ostles w ere the onl dis viz . , that the p y ci les o a n im orta nce o o of p f y p , t ok p ssession the popular mind at an early date and crowded ou t i the V iew set forth n the gospel . This perver si on of the truth was b oth unjust toward the maj ority and baleful in its influence . It was

o f stered, however, by interested parties and persistently maintained , in spite of the fact that very little was known ab out the individual his 9 ST . . PETER , APOSTLE OF ASIA

tory of the Apostles and only three of. their number ever contributed anything t o christian

t m o literature . Notwithstanding his s all sh w

n m n ing, the a es of the Eleve have been given t o t on all sorts of places, societies and insti uti s, beside which they have been idealized on ca n

m con vas, in arble and in stained glass . This sta nt laudation in everyday life has made their

ou r names so familiar, that some believers in

o w o in or day accept any f rm of orship, d ctr e, — creed labelled with on e or all of their names

— o of o as having c nclusive evidence auth rity,

o n t o wh o did the la b ellin with ut seeki g discover g , or making inquiry as t o whether the original

Eleven had anything to do w ith its inception . Hence it is very important to learn a s much

o o of o as p ssible, ab ut that large body men wh se presence was indicated by such passages as the following “THEY that were about him with the

TWELVE . 10 APOSTLES AND PROPHETS .

THE M that were with them .

The Eleven and all the REST . THESE M EN which have coni pa niecl with u s a ll the time that the Lo rd Jesus wen t

ou t o b e innin o in and am ng us , g g fr m the

of u nto tha t sa me da h baptism John , y t at ” 1 u he was taken up from s .

With the above and kindred passages in

no for sight, surely there is excuse thrust ing these trained disciples into the back ground ; for did n ot our L ord give them per

2 o o o n s nal instructi n , assure them y ur ames are ” t written in heaven , and send hem forth as " laborers into his harvest Beside the group

o o ow v c ntained men of Apost lic p er and fer or, w h o were facto rs of equ a l imp orta nce in the

of o t spread the g spel , consequently entitled o

o equal pr minence with the Eleven . We therefore pass beyond the narrow and

o w o c ntracted vie , which clam rs for things

o o o Ap st lic nly , and rest upon the broader 11 ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA . platform of the New Testament which em 3 braces both APOSTL ES AND PRO PHETS .

EARLY RECORDS .

Intense interest will always cluster around

f b e the early records o christianity . These

o o l ng to a transiti n period, when the Temple service and the Sinai law were replaced b v Simple forms of Christian worship and by the “ ” o oo . g spel of Peace, g d will to men If the change had been characterized, by the same “ completeness of detail as t h e pattern showed ” o in the Mount, the f rms of church service and church government would n ow be a s rigid as a

o or . plaster mould, with ut flexibility elasticity Happily for the cause of unity and fellowship

ou r on in day , no stress was laid such details, but the largest freedom was given by the a n “ n ou ncemen t : , God is a Spirit and they that worship h im must worship him in spirit and in truth . 1 2 E ARLY RECORDS .

Our Lord gathered M ANY disciples during

no t the first year of his ministry, but did send

h ow on e of them t o preach the Go spel . He

o in o of n ever empl yed them , the w rk baptizi g

5 converts .

u o o of D ring the sec nd year, he ch se out that

o o t o c mpany TWELVE, and sent them f rth

6 t o o preach the Gospel . They were serve als 7 as WITNESSES t o the twelve Tribes of Israel . Meantime ou r Lord gave private instruction t o “ ” THEY tha t were a b ou t him with the twelve

t o h ow o as parables sh uld be translated , because “ unto THE M was given t o know the mystery f f d ”8 o the kingdom o Go .

o a During the third year, he ch se and p ” pointed other SEVENTY ALSO t o supply t h e 9 for o increased demand lab rers in his harvest, l and sent them forth t o preach t h e Gospe .

When their trial trip was ended , they returned and gave a full report of all which had h a p

10 o pened . Note specially that the TWELVE als 13 T . S . PETER , APOSTLE OF ASIA

“ returned after their trial trip and told him all

” 11 o n that they had done . Sh wing that o e and the same system governed both cases .

n of o On the eveni g the resurrecti n day, The

r o Eleven gathe ed t gether, and THE M that were ” w 12 f ith them . The numerical strength o that Company is discl osed in the account of the 13 o ascension . The t tal discipleship exceeded

14 500 o o s uls, but the specially trained w rkers

2 of numbered 1 0 . These tarried in the city ” of o Jerusalem until the day Pentec st, when the Holy Spirit descended and endued them 16 A L L n with power from o high . They were

n ot o t o o thus nly qualified preach the g spel , but were further equipped with the gift of languages . They exercised these gifts with an ease and learning that caused the greatest as t onishment o o am ng their hearers . Th usands and tens o f thousands of Jewish converts were

d t o u speedily ad ed their n mber .

It is no wonder that the 120 quickly . made 14 EARLY RECORDS .

17 o o t oo their mark thr ugh u Syria , and s n after

throughou t the entire world . The New Testa

o o - ment mits their r ll call , but we recognize their dignity and ab ility as we read of Ananias 18 “ of : o Damascus A certain disciple, a dev ut

of oo o —one w h o o man , g d rep rt was c mmis

sioned by ou r Lord himself and who exercised a power in no wa y inferior t o that of the Apostle

of w a s o 1 50 Peter . His field influence l cated

o o miles away fr m the Eleven , yet he w rked

W o n on for on ith ut calli g them assistance, and whomsoever he laid hands the Holy Spiri t

i o f descended . We m ght t uch on the services o

19 20 2 1 of of a Stephen , a Barnabas, of a Silas , and 22

on . T a Luke, but must pass The New esta ment declares that their labors were signally blessed and the hand of the Lord was with 23 them Evidently there was n o disp osition on the part of the Holy Spirit t o confine his work

t o O cia l a cts of on ings the fi the Eleven ; but,

o a of o the c ntr ry, many things great imp rtance 15 ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA . were done w itho ut their kn ow ledge or consent

24 t of and u terly regardless their absence . From

w e w a s n ot which learn , that it the Divine pur

o t o for p se, make the Eleven a SOLE channel f the distribution o spiritual gifts . The stream o f gospel truth had M ANY channels in that n oble

of 120 A P o ST L E S O company AND PR PHETS . This large working force was scattered o n or

87 r o . . e secu ab ut the year A D , when terrible p tions bro ke ou t in Jerusalem and raged as far m as Da ascus .

of o Outside Damascus, the Savi ur met his bitter opponent and converted him into an hum

25 o of t ble follower . A seas n res and Divine

o for o instructi n , were necessary transf rming — Saul of Tarsus into PAUL the grandest char acter in christian histo ry . The time was spent 26 4 A D . 0 . o in Arabia, and in Paul began w rk 27 o of . as, Ap stle the Gentiles He was j ustly proud of the distinction and describes himself

n ot of ma n as Apostle, men , neither by , but 16

ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

o of M o o o pr phecies ses, Daniel and our L rd f und

oo there co mplete fulfilment . The sacred B ks ” of the Law and the furnishings o f t h e Temple

e were carried away in triumph , whil the build 32 n t i gs w ere despoiled and laid waste . With hese h f t e Mosaic dispensation passed away o rever . 68 37 . . Between the years A . D . and A D eight of the APOSTLES AND PROPHETS, inspired by

o o oo of N ew the H ly Spirit, wr te the b ks the

o mira cu Testament . At length th se gifts and lous po w ers which were conferred on all the Disciples as witnesses t o the truth of their mis

o n one one si n , gradually were withdraw as by d t the recipients entere into res . Thus in fo rty years a single generation passed

away and the new wo rship was fully established . P R I M I T I V E W O R S H I P .

IF we seek the characteristic features of prim iti v e o o t o o of o w rship, we must lo k the cl se th se f 70 o o . . f rty years , because the churches A D represent whatever the Apostles were divinely

o t o . rdered establish Here then , is the great dividin line g between Revelation and Tradition . Above the line must be in scribed

“ THUS SAITH THE LORD .

Below the line must be written with equal plain

B OS S

THUS SAITH TRADITION .

The material ab ove the lin e ca n no more ih crease than a beautiful rock crystal can be made

t o . on grow The material below the line, the 1 9 ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

o of in c ntrary , like a ball snow, has steadily

a it t h e a creased s rolled down ges .

t o It must be evident unbiased readers, that worship during the forty years w a s character 33 ized : f by Directness o appeal in prayer . 34 Marked freedom from formality . Constant f ’ 35 expectatio n o the Lord s return . Also that

o t o o e P rO h the ministry was c mmitted Ap stl s, p

36

o . ets, Evangelists, Past rs, and Teachers In

d evout ea rnestnes s reedom rom those days, and f f forma lity were conspicuous virtues Our knowledge of the times comes from the following sources

N ew m 83—8 . 6 The Testa ent A D . Early Writings 69—1 50 — Cotemporaneous His tory 38 1 50

The New Testament supplies the fun da men

o tal facts, early writings c nfirm the inspired

o o t o o w rd, and history thr ws ligh up n b th nar r ti a v es .

20 PRIMITIV E WORSHIP . LIST OF EARLY WRITINGS

A 69 of . . Epistle Clement to the Corinthians, D Letter of Diognet us 80 Epistle o f Barnabas 90 Three Ignatia n Epistles 10 7

Epistle of Po lycarp t o the Philippians 120 Extracts from five books of Papias 1 2 5 The Didache 130 Apology of Justin Martyr 140 Shepherd of Hermas 150

o o The list is small , because persecuti n wr ught sad havoc with the writings of the early chris

o . tians . We learn this from several s urces Luke tells us that pri or to the publication of his Gospel “Many had taken in hand to set ” forth in order like information . Paul alludes to a third epistle that he wrote t o the Corin 37 t hia ns and Jude intimates that one of his former letters treated of the common salva 38 o tion . All of these writings have been l st 21 ST . PETER , APOSTLE OF ASIA .

’ o of o with the excepti n Luke s G spel , which 39 found its way into a ll the churches at a very early date .

BOO" S AND LIBRARIES .

We are prone t o think of the first century as

n t hin a v g but a literary period . This idea is a

a e grave mistake . It was in reality an g abound

o . o o a ing in b oks Strab , the greatest ge gr pher of o of ancient times, wr te in the early part the

of a century . The learned writings Seneca p

ea r d f p e about the middle o the century . The books of the New Testament were all composed

A D 37 and published between the years . . and

t o w o 68 . Pliny the Elder gave the rld his great ” n 77 o o o . . work Natural Hist ry ab ut A D , in which he treats instructively of dis tinct subjects and names m ore than 300 writers whose books were consulted in the preparation

f n o o his ow five volumes . J sephus wrote his 7 Jewish Wars and his Antiquities A . D . 5 and

93 . Tacitus wrote his celebrated Annals a t 22 BOO" S AND LIBRARIES .

o of the cl se the century, concerning these Pliny begged that his name might appear somewhere

o of for o in the b dy the text, he was c nvinced that the writings of Tacitus were destined t o

’ l a o be immorta . Plut rch s c mplete Biographies add one more star to the lite rary galaxy of the first century and point to it as being emph a ti

o onder ul u blic tions cally an a ge f w f p a .

o o fo r The w rk of preparing bo ks the market,

u w h o was greatly facilitated by P blic Notaries, were able to take down in shorthand, the words of o an orat r, with the same ease as the dicta

of tions of an autho r . The study stenography was a part of the regular school course in those u ‘ days . It is highly probable that L ke was an

in o t for verb a tim expert sh r hand, he gives us the

u . speeches of Peter, Stephen , Paul , and Tertull s

Copyists worked for extremely small wages .

n This is prove by the fact, that the market price for a book of Epigrams was only five — denarii about seventy cents in our money . 23 ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

oo o o B ksellers were numer us in R me, in

in o o . Ly ns, and ther large cities They dis played ou their doors a list of books kept on

Yo t . o sale Pliny the unger, when writing

Geminius, remarked

I did not imagine there were a u v Book o o sellers in Ly ns, and theref re was the more pleasingly surprised with your a o

o oo mu ch sold c unt that my b ks are there . It is a satisfaction that they maintain the same vogue in foreign parts as they have ” at Rome .

o on o o The fact that Ephesian bo ks s rcery al ne,

40 o t o of am unted in value pieces silver, f gives us some idea o demand and supply .

’ Josephus experience i n putting books on

o o the market, reads alm st like a chapter fr m f the life o a m odern author . He says “ o a nd Afterward I got leisure at R me, when all my materials were prepared fo r the wo rk I composed the His tory of these transactions . I presented 2 4

ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

“ ” 41

o oo . Tr y the b ks , especially the parchments The numerous quotations of Clemen t and of

o S o o h a d P lycarp, h w that th se writers ready

t o o access the bo ks of the New Testament , and f give additional proof o their rapid circulati o n .

o o oo of Beyond all questi n theref re, the b ks the New Testament enjoyed u n usua l fa ciliti es for p romp t p ublica tion a nd sp eedy d is trib u tion

o o oo am ng the churches, where they at nce t k rank side by side with the Hebrew Scriptures .

F TRUE MEANING O WORDS .

Before it is possible t o grasp the true mean

of o t o ing the early writings, we ught learn the

o of o derivati n certain w rds, as well as their

in S ignificance both ancient and m odern times .

not do t o o n It will , take the m der sense and read it into the literature of the first and second

o do t o centuries . Such an abuse w uld violence

of o the facts hist ry, for it would change the meani ng of passages in which the words ap 26 TRUE MEANING OF WORDS .

of oo of pear . The same is equally true the b ks

for x the New Testament . Take, e ample, the

o Epistles written by Paul , and am ng these we h “13 include t e book of Hebrews . What co uld be more natural than fo r him t o substitute occa sionall one of y a Greek word, for Hebrew origin Paul was well versed in Greek literature and p oetry and had special success in contend

44 n ing with the Greeks . Hence, when speaki g of on of of the laying the hands the ELDERS, we “ him on of of find saying, Laying the hands

” 45 B the presbytery , PRES YTER being the Greek

f r o o . of w rd Elder Again , when speaking

’16 o o H shea, he used the w rd Jesus, which is the

u of o Greek eq ivalent H shea or Jo shua .

o o B Let us tarry a moment ver the w rd ISHOP,

o for the Greek w rd Overseer, because rightly

n o o v t o o of u derst d , it gi es us the key the l ck T h o . “ o n early church g vernment , the , were the O v erseers or Bishops in the early churches 27 R ST . PETE , APOSTLE OF ASIA .

ou r w on o o f We rest ans er, the w rds the

o one ca n o o . highest auth rities p ssibly qu te, viz , the Apostles Peter and Paul . Paul called together the E L DERS of t h e church of Ephesus and solemnly enj oined them in the following language “ o o o Take heed theref re unt y urselves, and

t o fl o o o o all the ck, ver which the H ly Gh st

o u O t o hath made y VERSEERS, feed the f ’ 47 church o God .

in Peter, writing to the churches of Pontus,

o S o Galatia, Cappad cia, Asia, and Bithynia, p ke in the same strain “ The ELDERS which are among you I

o o of God a exh rt, Feed the fl ck , t king the ’ "18 O VERSIG HT thereof willingly .

o o By Divine c mmand , theref re, the elders were the o verseers or Bishops of the early

S o o f churches . imp rtant was this duty o feed

of God t o ing the church , hat Paul c unted it

of e the first requisite an Eld r, and states 28 TRUE MEANING OF W ORDS . with great minuteness those qualifications that "9 n f r i h fit o e or being an Overseer o B S Op . Throu ghout his entire m inistry Paul n ever under any circumstances appointed an Overseer “ or o o Bishop ; he h wever, app inted ELDERS in ” 50 of o every church Lystra and Ic nium , like wise Ti tus appointed E lders in every city of

” 51 . so Crete Just far as, these men fed the “ of —in o church God other words, lab red in ” “ word and doctrine - they were counted ” of deriv e a worthy double honor . Whence we

o group of f ur words, viz . ,

O ELDER PRESBYTER VERSEER BISHOP,

one of t o either which can be taken express all , because the words were used intercha ngea bly by

of the writers the New Testament . Note in this connection that all affixes to the books of the

of o New Testament are modern rigin , such as Timotheus o rdained first Bishop of the ” of o church the Ephesians, Titus rdained

first Bishop of the church of the Cretians . 29 ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

These statements form n o part of th e origina l text and very properly do not appear in t h e

o o Revised Version . Als n te that the word

o n t in o Bish pric is o the original . The quotati n “ o : is fr m the Psalms, and reads thus let

“2 o ffi an ther take his O ce . We learn there

o o o f re , that in the m dern sense, Bish ps and Bishoprics had n o existence in New Testament times ; als o that t w o classes of offi cers existed in the early churches, ELDERS PRESBYTERS

BISHOPS OV ERSEERS

53 2 DEACONS and DEACONESSES .

of of Dean Stanley , the Church England put the case very clearly when he wrote It is sure that n othing like m od ernE piS copa cy existed befo re the clo se of the first ” century . We come next t o a class of words that have slipped their old moo rings and are now found 30 TRUE MEANING OF WORDS .

' n d o ancho red o n ew groun s . Am ng these are

the follo wing

E E T E T E N G ER E G . N W T S AM N M A IN . MOD N M ANIN

THE WORLD .

The Ro man Empire . Bo th Hemispheres .

A PROPHET . The bearer o f a Divine One wh o fo retells future

Message . events .

A SAINT .

o o o f o o A living f ll wer the A deceased f ll wer, o r L d Jesus Christ . n o ted during lifetime for

asceticism . H THE C URCH .

o f o o All o o wh o An assembly f ll wers, f ll wers are o o r o l cated in a single city g verned by Bish o ps . n to w .

ELDERS . BISHOPS .

or of Church rulers ministers Rulers the Clergy . having equal authority o ver 54 o the Fl ck .

CHILDREN .

N ew o o o o o c nverts , b th the Min rs, the Y ung nly . 55 o Y ung and the Old . ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

PA SSOV ER . LENT .

o o m o o A mem rial Feast , d ne A em rial Fast intr 2n 0 . d u d t h e d . away with A . D . 7 ce in Century

E ER GE . IN NEW TESTAM NT . IN MOD N USA

A Barbarian A Fo reigner .

S uperstitions Religio us .

Testament Co venant .

Meat Food . l A Candle An o i lamp .

for o il . Candlestick Tall stand , lamp

T o let T o hinder .

T o be tempted T o be tested .

T o appo int T o o rdain .

T o confirm T o settle .

32

ST . P I PETER , A OSTLE OF AS A . u t h e oo of p with b ks the New Testament . Eusebius speaks of it in the following language “This Epistle has been publicly read in very many churches both in old times ’ ”7 o o u r and als in own day .

The o riginal must have been written between

. . 6 7 . 7 f r . 0 o the years A D and A D , Clement

t 61 of speaks, in chap er , the daily sacrifices in

m 5 of Jerusale ; in chapter , Paul having been

t o 1 put death , and in chapter he says the “ church at Rome had experien ced sudden and ” o successive calamit us events, probably the

’ persecution in Nero s reign . The oldest copy of the Epistle is found in the Alexandrian manuscript of the British

u o M seum , and was written during the f urth century . “ o of N minally, it was the response the

of God o o o t o Church which s j urns at R me, an inquiry made by the Church of God which

o o s j urns at Co rinth . 34 CHANGES OF TITLES .

o O n iv In reality , it was a f rmal pinio del ered ” on by Pope Clement I . the subject of ministe

of rial changes , which by the way, is full inter “ ih u r n o ow . o o est time The intr ducti n , the ” of i o o Church God wh ch soj urns at R me, is

58 Apostolic in wording The Epistle t hrough ou t fo r o is remarkable its dearth of fficial titles, as well as the seeming equality existing between

f r o o . o R me and C rinth We miss such words, as

a o or of o e inst nce, His H liness the Bishop R m , t o o of n a n d the Bish p Cori th , remark that where dignities or titles exist the ma"ori ty of men

t f t not for are sure o make use o them . It mus

o o a m ment be inferred , that the m dern style

’ of Bishop existed in Clement s time on the

o ea ch c ntrary, individual church had SEVERAL

o or o Bish ps Elders, and am ng these, there was

- unity without pre eminence, for he tells us that the Apostles “ o Preaching thr ugh countries and cities, they appointed the first fr u its (having first

35 ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

proved them by the Spirit) t o be Bishops and Deacons of those w h o should a fterwa rd ” believe . Evidently he considered this no mere ex peri

for ment, he adds “ N or was this any new thing, since indeed many a ges before it was written concerning

F r t h Bishops and Deacons . o thus saith e ‘ Scripture in a certa in place : I will a p point their Bishops in righteousness and ’ ”59 their Deacons in faith . In another place he says “ W h o then am ong you is nobleminded will say I will d o whatever the maj ority

o d o of c mman s, only let the fl ck Christ be at peace with the Elders that are set ” over it . “ Ye o w h o th e o on theref re, laid f undati

of on o t o this sediti , submit y urselves the Presbyters and receive correction so as t o f ” n n o o . repent, be di g the knees y ur heart “ o t t o o t h o It is imp rtan n te, at P pe Clem ” o of o t o en t I . sent the malc ntents C rinth the 36 CHANGES OF TITLES .

PRESB YTERS of their ow n church ; not t o o n e

t o Presbyter, called a Bishop, but M ANY Pres b ters o t o o y , and t ld them ackn wledge their ffi guilt publicly before th ose o cers . Speaking of the past he says F or ye did all things without respect o f persons and walked acco rding t o the laws

of God t o o w ho , being subject th se had the rule o ver you and giving hon or such as

t o o P res was fitting, th se who were the ” b ters o u y am ng y o .

T o DIO G N E T US 80 . , A . D .

t in o n of o t o Nex p i t time, c mes the Epistle

Di n t u of o o of og e s . The writer this first ap l gy

o the christian faith is unkn wn , but he styles him ” n 1 1 f self i chapter a disciple o the Apostles . Ordinary chron ology wo uld make him abo ut f o . . 80 . o fifty years age in A D He als remarks, 1 2 9 h in chapters , , that c ristianity was a “ in n ew thing the wo rld in his day . This beautiful letter contains twelve chapters 37 ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

t o o Dio net us addressed M st Excellent g , and closes with a doxology s imilar t o the one used

m t N o t by Cle en . allusion is made either o m of r t atters church government o o o fficers .

E v ident l t h is n ot o t o f y , was a pr minent subjec

w a the times . The letter was in every y “ worthy of o ne w h o claimed t o be a Teach er ” of t o the Gentiles, and was calculated build

u s them up in the faith . Incidentally he tells that christians “Inhabiting Greek as well as Barbarian cities foll owed the customs of th e natives

t o cloth in ood of in respect g , f , and the rest ” cond u ct their o rdinary . This sho ws that the decrees of the Jerusalem 60 ow o Gen Co uncil A . D . 50 l ost p er am ng the tiles soon after the downfall of Jerusalem also that the early christians were n ot singular as regards either color or cut of their garments . The writer speaks of fellow- christians as ” of Saints, precisely in the language the New T estament . 38 CHANGES OF TITLES .

B . 90 . EPISTLE OF BARNA AS, A . D

o of Next in rder, comes the epistle Barnabas .

A o The p stle Barnabas was a Levite, this writer

1 6 of was a Gentile . In chapter he speaks the recent destruction of Jerusalem and fulfilment of o do n ot u t o ersecu pr phecy , but es all de the p

f u d tion o christians n er Domitian . It is rea t o o o o . . s nable, theref re, place the date ab ut A D

o t t o 90 . Barnabas dev tes seventeen chap ers the plan of salvation and the remaining four chapters t o an other sort of knowledge and ” o w o o d ctrine, hich he intr duces with these w rds , There are t w o ways of doctrine and authority f ” the one of light and the other o darkness . This portion of the Epistle has undoubtedly been

o o copied by the Didache . He says n thing ab ut church officers and closes with the doxology

of o Farewell , ye children l ve and peace . The Lord of glory and of all grace be with ” I your spirit . Amen

39 S . ST . PETER , APOSTLE OF A IA

1 7 . . . 0 IGNATIAN EPISTLES , A D

3 . F r Ignatius was born about A . D . 0 o many f yea rs he had charge o the church at Antioch . m 1 nfi r d . . 0 7 He s e e artyrdom at Rome A D .

n There are fifteen Epistles bearing his ame .

of o for eries a nd Eight these are und ubted g , the remaining seven are given in t w o forms in the

of on Greek . Ever since the time the Reformati , there have been great contentions over these ver

n 1 42 n e o . 8 o o si s Happily, in , a Syriac was f und in a convent of the Nitrian desert, which is

o in of m re keeping with the times Ignatius, was

in n a of o o written the la gu ge Anti ch , is free fr m

t o o all claims special revelati n , and decidedly

o o o . m re scriptural in its c nstructi n We find,

o fi o o t o theref re, that the fteen Epistles b il d wn

n t res ec three in umber, and hese were written , p t iv el o t o t o y, to P lycarp, the Ephesians, and the

o R mans . The epistle t o Polycarp is just such an one o a n in r , as we would expect fr m aged m iste 40

ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

W e note that the people had a duty as well

o ffi t w a s as the cers, and hat the stewardship distributed among the people as well as the o fficers .

T o w h o The epistle, the church is at ” Ephesus warmly commends the Ephesians and is entirely in accord with the idea that a PRESIDENT of the Elders was the Pasto r o r f Angel o the church at Ephesus . The parish

one for re must have been a small , it will be membered that each of the seven churches of

o o Asia had its Angel , alth ugh they were l cated only a few miles apart . The Epistle t o the Romans is prefaced with the following words “ w h o o T h eo h oru s Ignatius, als is called p , t o the Church which P R E S I DE T H in the region of the R omans and is w o rthy of prosperity a n d P R E S IDE T H in lo ve and is

rf of pe ected in the law Christ, unblamable, f ” wishes abundance o peace .

42 H C ANGES OF TITLES .

Since he twice mentions the wo rd PRESIDE in this one short sentence it is evident that Ignatius was no stranger t o the office of P resi dent . It must be admitted that Ignatius was

o in t o o discourte us, failing address His H liness

o of o or o of o the P pe R me, the Bish p R me, if f either o those dignitaries ruled in that city . Without making the faintest allusio n t o the

o o o o Bish p of R me, he t ld the Church he w uld

oo o o s n be at R me as a c ndemned criminal , and begged the christians not t o intervene on his

’ for t o behalf, he was ready meet a martyr s

fi n d of death . We , therefore, that the text the

o three authentic Epistles, acc rds with the early organization of the churches .

1 2 . 0 . POLYCARP , A D .

u o o n m o A p pil of the ap stle J h , na ed P lycarp , wrote a truly evangelical Epistle t o the Philip

1 2 re o . . 0 . pians, ab ut the year A D Having t n in ur ed from Antioch, he settled the church

43 . A E ST PETER, POSTL OF ASIA . of Smyrna and speaks of himself in his preface as a PRESBYTER A M ONG PRESBYTERS, using the follciw ing words Polycarp and the Presbyters that are

t o o f God w with him , the church hich is

t o o u o at Philippi, mercy y and peace fr m God Almighty and from the Lord Jesus ” ur Christ o Saviour be multiplied .

5 6 11 o t o Chapters , , and are dev ted the f 5 duties o Presbyters and Deacons . Chapter closes w ith an inj unction t o young men and virgins in the foll owing words “ Wherefore it is needful t o abstain from

t o all these things, being subject the PRESB YTERS and DEACO NS as unto God ” and Christ . He says in Chapter 6 Let the Presbyters ” be compassionate and merciful t o all . The entire epistle is saturated with Scripture, and f closely approaches the writings o the Apo stles . Polycarp closes with the Doxology

44 CHANGES OF TITLES .

Be ye safe in the Lord Jesus Christ .

Grace be with you all . Amen 65 o . . Since he was b rn about A D , the apostle

o J hn must have been ninety , when Polycarp

—fi v e of a e t was twenty years g , and undoub edly 1 5 5 quite feeble . As Polycarp died A . D .

’ there is good reason for doubting Irenaeus

o t o o claim, that P lycarp was able speak fr m “ ” o o m o mem ry ab ut any ther apostles, because he was scarcely more than an infan t when they 62 1 2 or died . In chapter Polycarp says Pray f t f all the saints . Since here is all the dif erence in t h e w orld b et w een or , praying f and praying to the saints, it follows that prayers to the saints

a on t o must have been gr fted the service, at some later date and therefore were unk nown in

’ P ol ca r y p s time .

12 5 . PAPIAS, A . D . This writer lived on the boundary line of the 70 apostolic age . He was born about the year 45 ST . PETER , APOSTLE OF ASIA .

1 n 1 25 and died A . D . 63. Somewhere ear A . D . he wrote five books entitled Explanation of the

’ o d u o u L r s Disco rses . F rtunately both Irenae s

o and Eusebius, made extracts from these w rks or n w t o o his writi gs ould be unknown hist ry , f r o the originals were destroyed by fire in A . D . 1 2 18 f m . His method o gathering aterial is best given in his own words “ I shall not regret to subjoin t o my

o interpretations, whats ever I have at any time accurately ascertained and treasured u m o p in y mem ry, as I have received it

t h w h o from e Elders . If then anyone had

attended on the Elders came, I made it a

point t o inquire what. were the words of the Elders What Andrew or what Peter

o r o o r said, or Philip Th mas , or James

o o r or o d J hn Matthew, any ther isciples of the Lord said for I w a s of the opinion that I cou ld n ot derive so much benefit

o oo o a nd t h e fr m b ks, as fr m the living ” abiding voice . Papias was a hearer of th e Apostle Joh n a nd 46 CHANGES OF TITLES .

f t o a friend o Polycarp . He alludes church officers in the following words “ AS w h o the Presbyters say then, those are deemed wo rthy of an abode in Heaven ” shall go there . “ He remarks that : The early christians

o w h o a o called th se, practised a guilelessness

d u e o to Go . s c rding , children This of the wo rd is in harmony with the practice of the

New Testament .

T HE 1 0 . . 8 . DIDACHE , A D This little work is one of the earliest forms of

Catechism known t o the christian church . It

1 O was found in Constantinople in 87 5 . The pen ” ing chapter reminds one of the T w o Ways

I n d spoken of in the epistle of Barnabas . a “ dressing new con v erts the writer says : My ” ’ of for child, quite regardless the party s age, later on he applies the same words t o those w h o had sons and daughters . The writer uses many

for : words in a New Testament sense, instance 47 P F . O ST PETER, A OSTLE ASIA .

And tho u shalt seek ou t daily the faces of o the Saints, that th u mayest be refreshed ” by their words .

not t o a o He does tell them look at im ges, ic ns o r t rue of o pictures , but at living faces, full h pe a nd enco uragement “ My child, him that speaks to thee the

o of God n da W rd remember ight and y , ” and thou shalt honor him as the Lo rd .

S n Again , he peaks of Su day “ ’ But on the Lord s da y do ye assemble and brea k bread and give thanks after ” n confessi g yo ur transgressions .

on men t o Not a c fession to fallible , but the

Lord . For this is that which was spoken by the Lord At every place and time bring ’

. o me a pure sacrifice Wh ever is holy , let ”

o . him c me whoever is not, let him repent

Further on he says “ N ow APPOINT for yourselves Bishops

on o of o and Deac s w rthy the L rd, men 48

R o r A E E . ST . I PET , APOSTL S A t o prevent their being ranked as inferiors and enj oins his new converts t o despise them not .

‘Vhat o w a s for ua f lly it , him to use such lang ge a s o m en of e this, if their bish ps were pre minent

o " s ee o auth rity We fr m this, that the lamps of primitive custom were still burning in the

13 t o u churches as late as A . D . 0 but g ard against any q u est l on being raised as t o the date of v o the Didache , we shall gi e p sitive evidence

n ur carryi g o date along at least another decade .

M 14 0 . JUSTIN ARTYR, A . D . Justin Martyr w a s born in Samaria about 1 14 f . o A . D . Part his early life was spent in

o t o . Ephesus, where he was c nverted christianity He finally settled at Rome and was pu t to deat h

- 1 14 A . D 65 . o . . 0 o . Ab ut the year A D this n ted

o o of writer, presented his first Ap l gy christian ity to the Emperor Antonius Pius . In that document he gave t h e m ost perfect account we f have o christian worship . Regarding church offi cers he says 50 CHANGES OF TITLES .

d wh o On the day calle Sunday, all live in cities or in the country gather together

t o one o of o place, and the mem irs the Ap s tles o r the writings of the Prophet s are

on read, as l g as time permits ; then , when

the Reader has ceased, the PRESIDENT verb ally instructs and exhorts t o the imitation f o these good things . The PRESIDENT ofi ers prayers and thanksgiving acco rdi ng

t o o his ability, and the pe ple assent, say ” ing, Amen .

Later on he says

“ ‘ And t o those w ho are abse nt a portion ” is sent by the Deacons .

Regarding alms, he says “ And t is wha is collected , deposited with w h o a the PRESIDENT , in a word , t kes care f h ” o all w o are in need . ’ The word President is defined in Justin s ow n

o acc unt of the Sacrament, where he says “ O F There is then brought to , that ONE W HO G THE BRETHREN WAS PRESIDIN , f ” bread and a cup o wine . 51 ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

’ o Fr m this we learn , that in Justin s day, it w a s still the custom fo r the Elders t o select on e of t o their number act as President, and that he conducted the services .

1 D . 5 . . 0 SHEPHER OF HER M AS , A D

’ of This book , called the Pilgrim s Progress ” o the Early Church , was written at R me, by a

f 1 5 S e o o o . . 0 . br ther Pius, ab ut A D It is a p ciall for it y interesting landmark , fixes the time when a church w riter found it necessary t o pause and explain , a new meaning which had been placed on the venerable word Elder o r

o of Presbyter . In his Visi n , Hermas speaks ” 65 the ELDERS OF THE CHURCH . w In his Similitude, he rote the following F or what concerns the tenth mountain in which were the trees covering the cattle ; they are such as hav e believed and some of O them been BISH PS, that is, PRESIDENTS, f ’ 66 o the Churches .

n The author evide tly realized, that popular 52 CHANGES OF TITLES .

a of us ge was gradually restricting, the meaning

the wo rd Bish op ; that the custom of applying

it t o o Elders in general , was falling int disuse, while the practice of a pplying it t o One of the Brethren wh o was Presiding

i n was steadily growing n favo r . The lear ed

o A . 8 Jer me [ . D 3 5] tells us that the change from a go vernment by Elders t o a go vernment by Bishops was of slow growth and progressed ” b little a nd little y . Pope Da ma su s says the final transfer was

A made [ . D . when “ Hyginu s a rranged the clergy and dis i ’ 67 tr buted the gradations .

t h e Thus, step by step , we have travelled over first hundred years of church history and find

o of it characterized, as a peri d individual exist

on o of ence am g the c ngregations . All changes

or of t o con title fice, related merely a certain

re a tion o n o g g in a given city or t wn , and had reference whatever to the grouping of congre 53 ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

a t ions f for off g in di ferent places, either ensive

or n f defe sive work . This system o individual government was in perfect accord with ou r

’ Lord s statement

My kingdom is not of this YVorld if my

o of w o w o kingd m were this rld , then uld m fi h ”68 y servants g t .

w a s o It th ught, that success required organiza

o of f n ti n , an entirely dif ere t character and

o v o m re like that of a ast army, with C rps,

u o Brigades, and Regiments, each nder its pr per

- in - one o . Officer, and all under C mmander Chief

of om oo os This military view the kingd , t k p

f i h - 14 o o ew s o . . 0 sessi n the J Christians ab ut A D , when th ey began t o group ma ny churches

one o d o under C mman er, wh m they called a Bishop several Bishops under on e Arch

o on e C om Bish p , and all dignitaries under

- in— mander Chief .

Befo re we proceed with the investigation of i th s radical change, we should examine more in 54 CHANGES OF TITLES . detail the cotempo raneous history of the syna gogue and the character of the edicts issued by

o the Emper rs, because they helped pave the t way o the great departure .

55 IV .

O U T O F C A S T T H E S Y N A G O G U E .

o of o o AFTER the l ss their temp ral p wer, the Jews turned their attention t o the maintenance

f o A D o o o . . 35 spiritual c ntr l , and ab ut the

or o o Sanhedrin, religi us c urt, was removed

o t o Ya m n ia - o o fr m Jerusalem , a sea c ast t wn

O o between J ppa and Ashd d , where they started

oo o a theological sch l and re rganized the work . Other schools were established at Lydda and

o o of o Cesarea, but the m st n ted all was l cated at

. o oo Tiberias The latter, t gether with the sch l t o o o o . at Babyl n, r se great eminence ab ut A D .

2 oo o 00 . These sch ls trained th usands in the

69 written and the oral law . The written law

o oo of o c nsisted of the five b ks M ses, called the

ex Pentateuch . The oral law embodied p la na tions given t o Moses during the forty days 70 in o word o the M unt , and was taught by f

outh m . Moses taught it to the seventy Elders 5 6

ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA . It was the custom to install the Rabbi in

ffi i h - n - - O ce w t o of . , the ceremony of Laying hands On such occasions it was necessary for th ree t o offi cia t e on e of , and the number had to be a f direct successor o Joshua and Moses . Many of the Rabbi were men of profound f d . o learning Among those later ate, may be

o G a nd . c unted, Hilel , amliel , Judah For ages the Jews revered the Holy Scriptures and would not tolerate the thought of having any other

u t a nd book than the Written Law . B wars pestilences made them fearful, lest they lose a Receiver and so endanger the perpetuity of the

o Oral Law . They theref re decided it should

in be written out, and the time of Hilel began t o formulate the material . The final compilation was made by Rabbi

J o t udah, and consisted of six bo ks and six y three treatises . It was called the M ISHNA , and was regarded with veneration by the Jews,

e as being the a uthentic body of the Law . It x 58 CAST OUT OF THE SYNAGOGUE .

f presses the views o the Pharisees . The phrase

o o o o so o f l gy, h wever, pr ved c ncise and di ficult that commentaries were necessary to settle the

o l final meaning . These w rks were cal ed

n GE M ARA . The Mish a and Gemara were 2 2 A . D . 3 o united in and formed one v lume,

the TAL M UD . It will be remembered that the standard Hebrew text was the work of the Great

B 32 7 . C . Synagogue, ; also that a Greek text known as the SEPTUAGINT was prepared in f 284 . a r 14 . o . “ . . 0 B After the Maccabean , B C , the Septuagint was enlarged by fourteen books called the APOCRYPHA . Whatever good m a t erial o can be gathered fr m these books, came o riginally from the Old Testament ; and S ince they offer nothing of value apart from the quotations, the books simply degrade the sacred v olume by their presence . The truth of this assertion , may be tested by anyone who will take the time to read them from beginning to end . 59 ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

8 o o . . J sephus, Against Api n , B I , says that orthodox Jews never recognized the Apocrypha

o as a part of the Old Testament . The scho ls therefore rendered excellent service when they threw them out of the Canon and affi rmed the integrity of the original Hebrew text . About 1 A . D . 30 the Septuagint was revised by Rabbi

Aquila . Justin Martyr refers t o that edition in the following language “Your Teachers refuse to admit that the interpretation (made by the seventy Elders w h o o were with Pt lemy , King of the

o one Egyptians) was a c rrect , and they t h ’ ”1 attempt o frame an ot er .

S0 w a s O bitter their pposition to the Septuagint, that they considered it an Accursed day when the seventy Elders ” f r wrote the Law in Greek o the King . Although the Jews looked on the Mishna

o with veneration , their leaders did not c nfine l ora . themselves, to the law as given on Sinai

60 Witness a remark made by T ryph o to Justin Martyr

ou r Sir, it were good for us if we obeyed

w h o o w e teachers, laid d wn a law that sho uld have n o intercourse with any of ”72 u yo .

o n ew ish - Fr m which it is evide t, the J Christians did n ot separate themselves from th e sy na gogue

o b ut a l ca st out v luntarily , were liter l y and spe l cia legislation enacted t o prevent their return . V

O F O R B I D D E N B Y T H E E M P E R R .

IN acco rdance with t h e laws of the Roman

o o o o Empire, Judaism in c mm n with ther religi ns f o o . the day, was licensed by the auth rities It

o o on o f ll wed , that so l g as christians w rshipped

o in Jewish synag gues, they were regarded sim

f o ply as a sect o the Jews . The R man deputy

54 o Gallio, in A . D . , dr ve Jewish and Christian disputants indiscriminately from the j udgment seat because both were regarded as su bject t o

L a w of o on the M ses, which was included am g 73 of the Religio Licita Rome . As the Gospel

o in preached by Paul , gradually devel ped an

e n for d pendent existe ce the churches, the civil authorities too k alarm and v iewed the m ove m t o o o ent as a menace, the religi us s vereignty f t o . a the State Failing in mild me sures, hey

n t resorted t o persecutio . The first hree perse 62 FORBIDDEN BY THE EMPEROR .

f A . D uti ns o i o o . c o ccurred in the re gns Ner ,

95 - 96 of of o . . D mitian , A D , and Trajan , 106 A . D . These were succeeded by seven

o others . Finally Christianity was rec gnized by 2 0 . the Sta te in A . D . 6

T h e Emperor Hadrian issued a decree in the 13 . 0 year A . D , aimed directly at the Jewish

on o t o religi , and at the same time he res lved col onize Jerusalem with Roma ns . The Jews

so were enraged by this treatment, that they

t h e ea r u nder of revolted next y , the leadership

- h ch eb a s o n C o . the false messiah , Bar Whereup th e R oma ns with a large army conquered Judea

135 t o 985 o A . D . reduced ashes t wns and

50 o villages, razed f rtresses, and slew in battle

n of Jews . Justin Martyr speaki g the

o o of in o o t o utter des lati n Jerusalem , his Ap l gy

o An t onius en the Emper r Pius, writt about five t years af er the war, says “ l Jerusalem has been aid waste , as pre 76 t ou dic ed . That it is guarded by y lest

63 . P L ST E . PET R, A OST E OF ASIA

o any ne dwell in it , and that death is decreed against a Jew apprehended ente r ”77 ou o . ing it, y kn w very well

of The edict Hadrian forbade, under penalty of on death, sacrificing the Sabbath, reading

n th e initia tor rite of the Law, and practisi g y 78 . so their religion This latter clause, struck powerfu l a blow at the fo undation claim of

ew ish - J Christianity, that the entire system was shattered .

64

ST . E P E I . P TER , A OSTL OF AS A bacy and went far astray on the false doctrine of dualism .

n o Valenti us, a c temporary of Marcion , was a ma n of originality and gifted t o a remarkable

n degree . He indulged in wild speculatio s and

o o pr pagated his doctrine of the Ae ns, for which he claimed special revelation .

In vain , Montanus and others protested a a o gainst incre sing worldliness . Unquesti nably the times were greatly ou t of j oint and pecu lia rly favorable for the inroads of error This

w o w h o is sho n by the w rds of Celsus, , writing about t h e division s existing among christians in 1 . . 60 a A D , s ys

b ut At first, when there were few of them all agreed but n o w th ey have become nu m erou s they separate from one another

t o o every man wishes f und a new sect, and ” now their agreement is only in name .

This sta te of affairs paved the way fo r a

o w system of government by Bish ps , hich chris 66 THE E P GR AT DE ARTURE .

of t . tians hat day regarded, as the most prom ising expedient for “ Rooting up the seeds of schisms . The laws of the synagogue and the edict of Ha drian pu t the Jew ish - Christians into a ver

u t ita b le corner . Cast o by one and prohibited

o t o o by the ther, they were forced either c me

o w r into fell ship with thei brethren , the Gentile Christians (as outlined in the Parable of the

o S on or m Pr digal ), to find suitable aterials for on building a structure of their own , an

n ew entirely basis . They chose the latter

o c urse, and turned instinctively to the Schools

f r of the Rabbi o much of their material . They copied first the example of making a Prince over their instructors, whom they called a Bishop his assistants they called Priests . As regards

o . rganization , they followed military precedents A ll the while keeping in view the Imperi al w o r s hip with its army of Priests, its Pontifex Max 81 o f l e imus , and its C llege of Ponti fs who regu at d 67 ST . I PETER, APOSTLE OF AS A . religious matters and had in charge the Sibyl

line Books . They C opied the idea of having both a written and an o ral law The New

n Testament constituted the writte , and Tradi tions said to have come from the Apostles fur

n ished f the oral . The Chain o Receivers of the

o in ral law, had its counterpart the Apostolic f Succession . They retained the idea o the Pass 82 in o over, the festival of Easter but c upled with

of n it days fasting, gradually increasi g the

o number fr m one up to forty . As regards the

o O O u Ap crypha they were of the pinion , that p p

o of 300 lar usage c vering a period nearly years, was precedent enough to warrant a decision in

its fav or ; they therefore bound it in with the

ou r o sacred text . The fact that L rd himself

made thirty - seven quotations from the S ept ua

never once o t o gint, but quoted fr m , or alluded

a n u t o e the Apocrypha in y way, o ght hav

- d served them as a double anger signal . Their

t o t o a failure heed the same, added their herit ge 68 THE GREAT DEPARTURE .

o not in three d ctrines found Scripture, viz

for o Prayers the dead, doing evil that go d m o . may c e, and mental reservation Then , in

A 1 7 — o n the year . D . 0 m re tha one hundred — years subsequent t o his martyrdom the Ap os tle Peter was declared first Pope of the Roman

w th e of hierarchy . Follo ing example the men of the Great Synagog ue (the auth ors of the

o Jewish Liturgy) they c mpiled two Liturgies, l which they abelled with the names of St . James and St . Mark , and published them about the 2 . 0 . year A . D 0

o Many ther features followed, which we have not t time o enumerate .

69 VII .

H I D D E N M Y S T E R I E S .

T HE of i on special claim the h erarchy , rests the idea that the Saviour gave certain C om 83 ma ndmen t s or of t o , rules church government,

o do n ot a in his Ap stles, which ppear their Epis

tles, but were transmitted privately as Hidden

” 84 Mysteries, to their Successors . Our Lord in reality did not encumber his

disciples with either Ritual or Rubric, but gradually revealed his will b y the Holy Spirit .

’ S o elementary were o ur Lord s commands that he actually parted from his disciples w ithout making any provision for the Gentiles “ His ow n mission was to the lost sheep of the

o of r m H use Is ael To them he applied hi self, and during ten years following his ascension the disciples gave exclusive attention t o the same 85 o n w rk . Although he made many ge eral allu 70 R HIDDEN MYSTE IES . sions to the future ingathering of the Gentiles “ for o as, instance, Many shall c me from the ’”56 o EAST and the WEST, als Other sheep I have, ” 8 7 - not ‘ which are of this fold, still the language

f r was t oo vague o ready comprehension . The Apostles do not seem to have anticipated such a

for change, when the time arrived to admit the

Gentiles, a special revelation was necessary .

iv To Peter had been g en , metaphorically ,

a the Keys of the Kingdom . Alre dy he had o m pened its doors to the Jews at Jerusale , and n o w it was his duty t o Open them to the Gen tiles at Cesarea . On his return , Peter was obliged t o defend his conduct and assure the o o oo ther Ap stles, that the event in which he t k

S econd P entecost of part was a , the work the 88 . t o Holy Spirit It is inconceivable therefore,

’ suppose for a single instant that our Lord s ”39 Commandments had any reference what

t o on ever a Ritual or Rubric, binding the Gen

f n o c . tiles his day, or of any other day si e 71 ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

In reality one cannot find in the early writ

o r of ings any sign of a Ritual , a Liturgy, a

church Calendar . These inventions were an

- after growth .

It is hard to realize now, that for many years

a even , the Lenten Se son met with uncertain

favo r . 1 Irenaeus wrote in A . D . 90 as follows The controversy is not merely as regards

o o the day, but als as regards the f rm itself of the fast ; fo r SO M E CONSIDER THE M o SELVES BOUND TO FAST ONE DAY, thers

T wo o o o DAYS , thers still m re, while thers ’ 135 do so during forty days .

32 5 It was not until A . D . that the Council

of N icea e N icea n formulated the Creed, and

b e on da decided that Easter must observed a y , that falls one week la ter than the Jewish Pass

a h o ver . This decision established initial date for the Calendar, and around it all other dates

e . 25t h h have been clust red December , or C rist 7 2

VIII .

L O T H E T W E V E T H R N E S .

NVE now ro resu me of pass , f m the general first

o t o o o on and sec nd century events, the f undati n

m t o e which the clai pre minence has been set up , a nd of on remark that the idea a Successi , never

o o r o of entered int f rmed part , the Apostle ’ 90 Peter s plan for an Election . With his mind

on o fixed a temporal kingd m , he joined the o a o o t thers in sking , L rd, wilt th u at this ime restore again the kingdom t o Israel They felt th at the time w a s near at hand when they “ wo uld be called t o sit on Thrones j udging f ” 92 t the twelve tribes o Israel . When left o

ow n o their resp nsibility , Peter at once drew

o t o o W it attenti n the fact, that nly ELEVEN

o t o do o of nesses had been sent f rth, the w rk

Twelv e at the same time he realized that o u r Lord left no instructions about a Successor to 74 H THE TWELVE T RONES .

or o o . o Judas, to any ther Ap stle N thing

o of daunted, he searched the Psalms in h pes

o of o finding s mething a pr phetic character,

V which might support his iew . The disciples had been instructed t o wait or tarry in Jerusa

"3 lem u ntil power was conferred by the Ho ly

of Spirit . With the path duty so clearly

o u t h marked , Peter mig t at least have selected w o o o t o o o h les me advice appr priate the ccasi n , “ for in o instance, Rest the L rd , and wait

” 94 f r o patiently o Him . Peter h wever felt they o t o for om o ught prepare c ing resp nsibilities, by

out o o filling their qu ta bef re the time arrived .

o of w few o In supp rt his vie , a w rds were

o 69th taken fr m the Psalm , and after the sin

o o for gular pr n un HIS, had been substituted the

u H ort pl ral T EIR, he skipped f y intermediate

oo o o o Psalms, and t k his sec nd quotati n fr m h l 0 9t . t w o the From these passages, he drew

o o the c nclusi n , that the disciples were in duty

t t n bound to elec a Successor o Judas . U

75 ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA . doubtedly these Psalms are Messianic in char

o o t o a dv er acter, and the qu tati ns relate the sa ries o ur o of L rd, the Jews and their High

o their Priest . The first pr phecies , Let habi t a tion be desolate ; and let n one d well in their

” 95 o u t t o t tents, were carried the le ter by the

o of u of destructi n Jer salem , and by the Edict

o o Hadrian . The sec nd pr phecies , Let his days

”96 let o O ffi ce be few ; and an ther take his , fo und signal fulfilmen t in the history of the

High Priest Caiaphas, who having tried and

o o ur o c ndemned Lord, was deterred fr m put

h im t o o o o f o ting death , nly thr ugh lack auth r 97 i u f t . o o y The g ilt Caiaphas, c mpared with

of o in that Pilate, was set f rth the memorable wo rds He that delivered me unto thee hath ” 98 o the greater sin . J sephus describes the j our

o of ney made by Vitellius, R man President

t o . . 36 re Syria, Jerusalem , A D , and says he liev ed the people of certain ta x es :

t o t o Ordered Pilate go to Rome, answer 76 THE TWELVE THRONES .

before the Emperor the accusations of the o Jew s . Besides which he als deprived

o w h o J seph , was also called Caiaphas ,

of oo o the High Priesth d, and app inted

o n Son of An a nu s o J natha , the , the f rmer ” High Priest, to succeed him .

’ n da s were We lear therefore, that Caiaphas y

ew o u t in f , that he was turned disgrace by the

n ice Roman power a d that a n other took his Ofi .

o o . Thus, th se ancient pr phecies were all fulfilled

t o o u r o o After his Resurrec i n , L rd had m re than a m onth available for t h e selection of an

o A m t o ther postle . That he allowed ti e pass

o o o o on with ut taking any acti n , sh ws a decisi n

n t t his part o o replace Judas . Apparently he considered a gro up of Eleven Witnesses su ffi cient in number for the purpose he had in V iew

99 o u t E o at all events he sent ELEV N nly , and

n f r made o provision o any Successors . We are

o t o o of o f rced c nclude, that the idea a successi n had no part in the Di v ine Plan n or did it enter

77 ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

o of o for int the plan the A p stle Peter, his mind was set on a tempora l kingd om b ounded by

ow n . o his lifetime After Pentec st, Peter dis o v a of HE c ered his mist ke, and we hear S SE

Q UENT ELECTIO NS .

78 IX .

T H E E A S T A N D T H E W E S T .

ALTHO UGH there were n o temporal thrones t o o o d of t o be app rti ne , there was plenty work t be done and many fields o be occupied .

u 50 The C ouncil at Jer salem in A . D . dealt

on of h ow t t o ew with the questi , bes unite the J ish and Gentile lines of thought in the infant

b u t n ot o church , it did grapple with the pr b t lem of h ow bes could the leaders be distributed . Paul and Barnabas wen t forth from the Co uncil bearing the Decrees and boldly preached the word t o both parties .

o o During the f ll wing year, the Holy Spirit indicated his wishes in regard t o the question of distributing the leaders . On three special o o o t o ccasi ns, revelati ns were made Paul, which

t o o led him alter his plans, and avoid the pr v inces of o o P ntus, Galatia , Cappad cia, Asia, and 79 P ST . E PET R, A OSTLE OF ASIA .

a nd Bithynia . He finally left Asia passed o ver 100 into Europe . Since t h e decrees recognized t w o modes of

o o fre life and w rship , their respective adv cates

o quently encountered each other . The facti nal

S o o pirit at C rinth , found expressi n in the words “ of o o of I am of Paul , I am Ap ll s, and I am ” n Peter . Befo re these discordan t otes reached

d o t h e o o the anger p int, H ly Spirit appeared nce

o o t o o t o m re, but this time Paul was t ld g

o Jerusalem on a special mission . This to k 4 A D . 5 place in the year . , just fourteen years

101 o of later than his first visit . The bject the

o t o ff missi n , interpreted by the result, was e ect a divisi on of the field into what might be called the DEPART M ENT OF THE EAST and the DEPART 102 F M ENT O THE WEST .

F o r o n o this j ur ey , Paul ch se as his com panions Barnabas and Titus . On their arrival

so they presented the case privately , with much

o of tact and f rce argument, that James, Peter, 80

T S . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

58 Paul himself tried it in A . D . and signally 104 failed . It was a case where preaching was

- easier than practising . The generous hearted

o oo oo oo Peter, h wever, t k the repr f in g d part, and the t w o seem thenceforth t o have been more

o o for o of in acc rd than bef re, Peter sp ke Paul “ in the most affectionate manner as Our be ’ 105 o l ved Brother Paul .

o ff a s Barnabas very pr perly di ered with Paul ,

o for to what course would pr ve best, the de

’ v elo m nt o p e of Mark s character . He res lved t o - stay by his nephew, until well established in the faith and see him started on a career of

. o o usefulness Having acc mplished this purp se, he rej oined his old friend Paul and j ourneyed

on with him, as we have seen , that special mis

t in sion o Jerusalem . Their life Corinth was 106 one of oo o n perfect g d fell wship , yet alo g i ndependent lines . These incidents prove that the men were

a t o le ders, who needed be separated before they 82 T HE THE EAST AND W EST . co uld put forth their best energies and secure the grandest results .

o Peter, Paul , and Barnabas had n ble and generous dispositions . Each possessed a strong

o n individuality, th ught inte sely, and acted

“7 c quickly . should always remember them — lab oring amid their broader conditions when — each had a clear path and n ot as they appeared cramped and limited by the temporizing decree of the Co uncil . In carrying out the terms of the AGREE M ENT James took charge of the churches at Jerusa

of o lem ; Peter the churches P ntus, Bithynia,

u the Babylon , and the EAST while Pa l churches

of . Greece, Italy , Spain , and the WEST At a later date J ohn ministered t o the seven churches f in the Province o Asia .

a The Dep rtments of the East and the West,

o o t h e re viewed fr m a racial standp int, were spectiv e homes of the Semitic and the Japhetic races .

83 X 0

O S A I N T P E T E R A T R M E .

T HE of t o fallacy this claim , will be apparent anyo ne wh o will t ake the trouble t o gather in

o o o o chr n l gical rder, the stirring events in the

f At n life o the Apostle Peter . first his influe ce at Jerusalem was paramount . Later it began t o o o wane, and the missi nary field abs rbed his

o attention . This w rk carried him over Syria

o o as far as Anti ch, and at a later date p ssibly — — t o C orinth within 700 miles of Rome but 107 n t certainly o farther o the westw ard . T h e division of territory then took place and

o of th e Peter ch se the Department EAST, as already explained .

He j ourneyed via Antioch t o his field of 108 o o t o lab r, and dev ted himself preaching the

o in o u o g spel P nt s, Galatia , Cappad cia , Asia, 109 110 o o and Bithynia , als in Babyl nia, where 84 ST . PETER AT ROME . there was a noted College of Rabbis a n d where many Je w s h a d remained after the Capt ivity .

o t o o l King Agrippa wr te the Emper r Ca igula ,

. . 37 o o about A D , as f ll ws “ m o Jerusalem is indeed y c untry , but it

O n ot of o ne o is the M ETR POLIS regi n , but

of —of o many Egypt, Ph enicia, Syria, Pam

of phylia, Cilicia, and the chief parts Asia as far as Bithynia and the most remote ” shores of the Euxine .

The Jew s were numerous in all these coun tries and the region was always spoken of as

’ n the EAST . This, the , was Peter s field ; while “ o n t o Paul, the R man citizen , travelled eve f ” “1 the utterm ost b o unds o the WEST .

Peter was assisted by Silas and Mark, and

54 t o labored in the East from A . D . the year f t 4 o . . 5 o o his death . Prior A D Silas lab red

112

o . with Paul at C rinth After that date, we

’ hear o f him only in connection with Peter s 1 . . 5 o wo rk . In A D Mark acc mpanied Barna ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

t o bas Cyprus , after which there is a gap in

o w his hist ry until we hear of him , working ith

’ o o Peter at Babylon . Eight years ass ciati n with Peter wrought a wonderful change in

’

. o Mark s character Bef re that experience, Paul 1 13 t o n t o do b u t refused have anythi g with him ,

’ after Peter s death Mark went t o Rome a nd

a a so rendered him v luable ssistance, that Paul frankly ackn owledged that he had become a 1“ comfort unto him and was profitable t o him

115 f r o the ministry .

’ Peter s lab ors in the East yielded enormous

o o t o r results, c mparable nly with h se at Je u

n salem o and after Pentecost . We have in

o o on of o a corr b rati this , a letter written f rty ye rs

t o m o later by Pliny the E per r Trajan , at which

’ u time Peter s work reached its full fr ition .

w h o o o of o Pliny, was G vern r b th Bithynia and “ o o o P ntus, rep rted c ncerning the Great Multi ” of o o o tude christians in his pr vinces , as f ll ws

F or on of a ll d of a ll many pers s egrees, 86 ST . PETER AT ROME .

of b oth a nd ages, sexes, are already will be constantly brought into danger by these

N o r o con accusati ons . is this superstiti us t agion confined only t o the Cities it spreads itself thro ugh the Villa ges and the ” Co untry .

o o Pliny then received , special instructi ns fr m

o o Trajan ; carried them int effect, and rep rted as fo ll o w s

T o be sure, the Temples, which were

o o t o fre alm st f rsaken , begin already be u ent ed o o q and the h ly s lemnities, which o t o were l ng intermitted, begin be revived . The sacrifices begin t o sell well every of where, which very few purchasers had of late appeared ; whereby it is easy t o su ppose h ow great a multitude of men may for be amended, if place repentance be ” admitted .

o o o o This rec rd sh ws, that the f undati ns laid

a nd by Peter, Silas Mark were broad and

o of o deep . A w rk of such magnitude, c urse, required years for its accom plishment and much 87 ST . PETER , APOSTLE OF ASIA .

o o oo hard labo r . Writing fr m the neighb rh d 116 of o o Babyl n , Peter addressed his c nverts in 117 f t o the language o a father his children . He said not a wo rd about any intention of changing

l of o on o o of his fie d lab r, but the c ntrary, sp ke his decease as being near at hand and likely t o

o happen at any m oment . His chief c ncern was t o u t o o do his part p the last, t ward keeping the 118 tr uth fixed in their remembrance . Speak

of t o th e o o ing their duty g vernment, he t ld

’ “9 t o t o " u them Submit THE ING as s preme, while Paul told his converts t o obey Princi 120 a lit ies o o n p , P wers, and Magistrates, sh wi g that the parties addressed lived under t w o dif f r n f e e t o o o . f rms g vernments Finally, at a

o old a e d of o go d g , in the mi st his lab rs in

f d o the EAST, he su fered eath by martyrd m . Clement tells us that Peter By unjust envy underwent many suffer

ings, till at last being martyred he went f ’ 12 1 to the place o glory .

88

T S . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

o o There are two other c nsiderati ns, which show that Peter did not establish christiani ty

o f 5 . o A . D . 8 o in R me In the fall , Paul wr te his Epistle t o the Romans and told them he “ t o o n ot had always aimed preach the g spel ,

w a s m where Christ na ed, lest I should build ’ ” 125 o o -ur up n an ther man s foundation . Nat

o o o ally , Paul w uld have av ided R me, if

Peter had already laid the foundations . The second consideration is found in the Edict f o . . 53 Claudius, A D , which banished all

o o Jews fr m R me, and with them the chris

a for o of ti ns, they were c unted a sect the

n Jews . Amo g the latter were Aquila and Pris

w h o o t o fo r cilla, were bliged remain absent ff several years . That this edict was e ective is

ow n of w h o sh n by the writi gs Tacitus, speaks of o a decline in numbers after its promulgati n . i Suetonius also alludes t o its effect . Man festly

no for t o o t o o nor it was time Peter g R me, did Paul himself venture there after reaching 90 ST . PETER AT ROME .

u u t off Illyric m , but p the trip until making the

j ourney into Spain .

Notwithstanding all these historical diffi cu l

o Da masu s o ties, P pe blandly inf rms us, that

Peter occupied the Pontifical Chair for a perio d of 2 5 2 3 . YEARS , M ONTHS , AND DAYS

o 27 Jer me says it was an even years . Bede says 2 9 years . Fasciculus Temporum says : 25 7 8 YEARS , M ONTHS , AND DAYS .

Binius and Ba roni us say

24 5 12 YEARS , M ONTHS, AND DAYS .

o a o n on C uld nything be m re absurd , tha e

‘ and all of these claims 7 The fact of the matter

t oo t o o o is, Peter was busy a man bec me P pe,

a n f a nd w h o even if such O fice had existed,

’ ever locates Peter s life - work in Rome brands him as a co venant breaker . Peter rebuked “ those w h o acted as Lords o ver God s heri

7 3126 tage . 91 . AS . ST PETER , APOSTLE OF IA

’ - The Pontifical Chair of Peter s day was — without fo rm and void a purely imagina ry structure ; n or had it any occasion t o come

o b o o o int being, ecause the pr p sed ccupant never

oo of o o set f t in the City R me, never wr te an

t o om Epistle the R ans, and never expressed a 127 o wish t o go t o Rome . W itness als that : Letters written in Rome never allude t o

’ Peter s presence . Letters addressed t o Romans had n o message f or Peter . N o on e ever met him in Rome or saw him there .

N o o r o o Encyclical, Bull, All cuti n was issued

P on tifi ca t e during his long . Co uld on e im a gine a more perfect alibi " Of

o o late years , the Arctic expl rers have g ne a great deal nearer t o the North Pole than Peter ever w ent toward Rome .

’ P ont ifi ca t e n o o Peter s had b unds, simply

n because it had o beginning . It was a fiction 92 ST . PETER AT ROME . — pure a nd simple a most appropriate foundati on for that other delusion and invention of the next century known as the Apostolic Succession .

PETER THE ROC" "

1 7 o . . 0 After the declarati n , made in A D , that Peter was the first Pope of Rome it was but a

o t o sh rt step the subsequent claim , that Peter was the Rock on which the church of Christ

o o o o was f unded . True, our Savi ur f ll wed

’ Peter s confession with “ n er o o a er a Thou art p g, and up n this p I ” will build my church , in which the wo rd Petros means simply a

or of o h a fragment piece r ck, w ile Petra me ns a

’ great mass or ledge of rock . Peter s individual

o o o S on of c nfessi n , Th u art the Christ, the the ” Go d or of Living , was a fragment, sample the kind of rock on which the church wo uld rest . 128 Peter understood this and proclaimed that

o - on Christ was the chief c rner stone, and Christ 93 ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

n o ou t alo e the church rested . He als carried 129 the same th ought. in his epistle . That the

t o i early church held the same idea, is man fest f f o o a o o . fr m the writings Herm s , br ther Pius I

A 1 . D . 50 . In his ninth Similitude he describes allegorically The church a s a tower resting on a huge white rock higher than the surro unding ” o t m un ains .

f h en He speaks also o a gate . IV asked ” o o o what this r ck, gate , and t wer den te the Shepherd said

o t h e Harken , this R ck and this gate are ” n of d S o Go the To wer is the Church .

’ Thus spake the Pilgrim s Progress of early

o n o n . days, and the w rds have uncertai ring

o t of It is evident theref re, hat the idea Peter ” the Rock stands in direct Opposition t o the

of o of teachings Peter himself, as well as th se the early churches .

94 XI .

A P O S T O L I C S U C C E S S I O N .

o of o s f o WITH the inventi n new f rm o w rship , came the idea that certain men have the right t o v o rule, because they ha e been end wed with

o o on on of p wer fr m high , by laying the hands o w h o t o thers preceded them , back a like gift f o . U o u or c nferred by the Apostles nf rt nately,

o o o o the pr m ters of this the ry, all the ap stles died before it wa s born . When it did see the

o h ad o o 130 light, the w rld gr wn lder by years, a nd active measures had t o be taken t o work up

l of a plausib e series acceptable names . We do no t mean t o say that the original TWELVE were indifferent t o the question of

o o n n h lding p wer in their ow ha ds . Q uite the contrary . When they rebuked one wh o was

’ in casting out devils the Master s name, and yet who was too origina l t o tread precisely in Apos 95 ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

o oo t lic f tsteps, they in turn were rebuked by 130 the Master for their exclusiveness and taught that the world did not revolve ab out them as a centre ; also that the great wo rk of the King dom w o o on in v o uld g ari us ways, quite inde pendent of their permission or consent .

or of The first Chain , list names , was prepared 1 . 90 by Irenaeus ab out A D . and introduced with the foll owing language

tw o o o o o t The m st gl ri us ap stles, Pe er

o u and Paul , having f unded and built p the Church [at Rome] committed into the of of of o hands Linus the fice the Episc pate . o Of this Linus, Paul makes menti n in the t T o epistle o Tim othy . him succeeded

in th ird Anacletus, and after him , the place

o t h e o l w a s a lot t ed fr m Ap stles, C ement the ” 131 Bishopric .

His complete list gives the n ames of twelve

in t h e n Bishops . The high esteem which lear ed

o o ou Irenaeus was held by his c temp raries, ght t t o o o have been a safeguard o his Ap st lic Tree . 96

T P S . E r o . TER, APOSTLE ASIA t inu it of C a lli t u 22 s s . . 3 y, read the life , A D ; study the state of the clergy as described by 4 . 56 o . a Gildas, A D ; als th t which existed in 1 8 . 89 the Philippine Islands A D . , and we shall — be wholly convinced that t h e scheme regarded in the light of its being a conductor of right eousness— is a dismal failure .

o d It is evident, theref re, that this preten ed

- t o- O right rule, M IRAGE OF THE SEC ND CENTURY is a delusion o nly calculat ed t o deceive those w h t o fail o read first century literature .

o oo of Bish p Br ks, Massachusetts , said “ If o u r Church does Special wo rk in ou r

o n ot c untry , it must be by by any FICTIO N of an Apostolic Succession There is n o such peculiar privilege of

o o o t o or o C mmissi n , bel nging her any ther ’ b odyf

o t oo old t o o u on The w rld is be imp sed p ,

n by a claim which has o fo undation in fact .

for t o Children may a time, be made believe

98 N APOSTOLIC SUCCESSIO .

o or that Saint Nich las, Kris Kingle, Santa

o Claus is a veritable pers nage, but when they

o oo - b t o disc ver the truth , then g d y further

o h influence ver t eir minds by that fiction . “ Surely in vain the net is spread in the t f ” 132 sigh o any bird .

ENCROACH M ENT .

Our researches among the writings of th e

o m of o first and sec nd century , re ind us a j ur ney once made t o points of interest in ancien t

Jerusalem . After we had wandered o ver the

o of o br ad acres the Temple platf rm , and care fully examined the Mo sque E l- Aksa and

o o f old M sque Omar, we visited the pier in the

T oeon o o e p Valley, that nce supp rted the " Royal bridge t o ion . The pathway leads t o o hence al ng the Ophel wall , past the s utheast

of angle the Temple area, where a shaft was

o o dug by the Palestine Expl rati n Fund . That excavation was sunk thro ugh eighty feet of

e — o of o 3000 d bris the accumulati n alm st years . 9 9 ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

A sho rt gallery there leads to ward the o riginal

of o o o o wall S l m n , and suddenly the giant f un

o o o v u dati n st nes confr nt the tra eller . Altho gh

for these have laid hidden ages, their surfaces Show tool - marks as plainly as if they were f the wo rk o yesterday . The vermilion quarry

o marks are als visible .

W e contrast the wonderful blo cks of mam

o o o o i o a nd m th pr p rti n , w th the flimsy stucc

of o o materials the M sque verhead, and per ceiv e that the old foundations have been

o of o o l aded with superstructures an inferi r rder, consecrated t o entirely different purposes .

In much the same way human systems, have been constructed o ver the Divine foundation and put forth claims for accept ance a n d ob e dien ce for v , which they ne er had in the past,

n or d o n ow o o . they have, any auth rity whats ever

on o o They trespass h ly gr und, as surely as the Mohammedan trespasses on the site of the ancient Temple . 100

ST . PETER , APOSTLE OF ASIA .

i a o The early chr sti n idea, was in harm ny

of ou r ow n o for with the spirit instituti ns, it l contemp ated a UNITY IN DIVERSITY . There is

o o in o t o just as little c mm n sense, lab ring bring

a ll o one ov or o nati ns under g ernment, all nati ns

t o o ne t o speak language, as there is in striving

ll one bring a churches under control . The boo k “ of Revelation constantly speaks of what the ” t o Spirit sai h unt the CHURCHES, but utters not a wo rd about what the Spirit saith unto

THE CHURCH .

o t o o It is evident, theref re , that the right f rm

o o o o f o o numer us rganizati ns is Divine rigin , als

that true independence is a recognized privilege . N o better conditions than these can be im a ined for o o o of o i g the pr m ti n true fell wsh p, viz

f r for o o . Supremacy n ne, sincere respect all

102 XII . — T R A D I T I O N R E V E L A T I O N .

o o DIVINE auth rity has rec rded the fact, that

o t o o pri r the christian era, Traditi n inter

o o mingled with truth m re and m re, until finally

o com a limit was reached, at which Traditi n plet ely neutralized the influence of the Scrip 134 tures . That such a state of affairs could exist in Old

T o T on estament times, pr ves that raditi is a very

o . o danger us element Its influence, theref re, sho uld be closely watched and checked befo re

N ew it undermines the Testament also . We

o o have seen what fairy st ries, it w rked in with

o of on the hist ry the sec d century, and we em

o phatically declare, that Traditi n can never be

of o on h n made a basis fell wship am g c ristia s . N o not while the wo rld endures 103 ST . PETER, APOSTLE OF ASIA .

We have seen that the leading events of the “ o u on b great departure were intr d ced, the y ” - - one of little and little principle, and as its noted co ntributors frankly acknowledges their “ ” “ great variety was due t o the SI M PLICITY ” 135 or PRIVATE FANCY of his predecessors

Let us skim from our crucible the dross of

o t o n n the ages and c me the only ce tre of u ity, the Y HOL BIBLE .

o one oo The book for all Nati ns, the b k that

ld o never grows o . Ar und the Sacred Volume

of christians every name can gather, and walk ing in its light will find fellowship, peace and eternal life .

Exalt then , the Holy Scriptures to the very utmost ; no eminence can be t oo great " Give

ow n them a place distinct and wholly their . 10 4

R E F E R E N C E S

1 — 33 — 0 . 9 21 Mark iv . Luke xxiv and Acts i . and 2 2 .

1 20— 1 t o . 0 Luke x . Mark iv — . 20 x x I n . 34 32 Ephesians ii Matthew Acts xv . — 1 Acts xiii . . 2 4 Jo hn iv . . 1 22— 2 — 1. 2 o 1 1 . t o 1 1 o 1 Acts and J hn J hn iv .

and 2 . — — — . 13 . 7 12 Luke vi Matthew x Mark vi . Luke

2 . ix .

- — — 6 o . 2 . 7 . 8 3 Matthew x J hn xv Acts i Acts x . 9 . 10 1 1 Mark iv . and . — . 36 t o 38 1 . 2 Matthew ix Luke x and . The Twelve and the Seventy received substantially

m o o the sa e instructi ns, and in b th undertakings

prayer preceded work . 1 1 Luke x . and 7 . 6 10 Luke ix . and . 33 Luke xxiv . .

6 o 15 Acts i . t . 107 REFERENCES .

1 6 . Corinthians xv . — 33 49 1 1 . 1 . Luke xxiv . and Acts

Acts ii . 4 .

— 1 - 21 1 4 . 3 . 2 Acts viii . and Acts ix Acts xi and 4 “ ” — 2 0 . Greek , Myriads Acts xxi . — 12 . 1 . Acts ix . 0 Acts xxii

8 . Acts vi . 4 2 . Acts xi .

22 26 32 . Acts xv . , and

1 1 — o 1 2 . 8 9 o . 4 C orinthians viii and C l ssians iv . 21 Acts xi . . — — 15 17 1 1 2 3 t 17 . 9 Acts xiii . , , Ac s ix . Acts xi , ,

2 1— 5 t o 8 and Acts vii i . 1 — 1 1 x x u 14 5 . 8 . Acts ix . and Acts and 2 1 17 . Galatians i . t o — 1 x 15 . 3. Acts 1 . R o mans xi

1 . Galatians i . 2— 2 — 1 1 . 3 . 35 Galatians i . Co rinthians xi Acts xx — 1 . 15 1 Thessal o nians iv t o 7 . 1 8 . Galatians i .

. 5 o . . . 7 . J sephus, Jewish War, B VII , chap v and The fact that Jo sephus was made custo dian o f the

“ ’ ” Holy Boo ks by Titus concessi o n gives great “ ” weight t o his substitution o f 4 years for 40

i 2 7— o f years n Samuel xv . Life Flavius

o 75 . J sephus, paragraph 108

REFERENCES . — . 5 on Titus i , Revised Versi Clement and

Didache .

o o f . See the Didache, als writings Papias

3. Philippians iv .

Eusebius styles it great and admirable .

1 o 2 C rinthians i . .

1 . o . 7 Septuagint versi n , Isaiah lx

Acts, chapter xv .

Epistle of Polycarp t o the Philippians . 1 . 8 . Like Paul , in Ephesians vi

23. Acts xiv .

5 . Titus i . 4 o . . Hermas, Visi n II article

Hermas , chapter xxvii .

Liber P on tifi ca lis.

36 . Jo hn xviii . — 1 2 o o . 26 . Exo dus xxiv . Deu t er n my xxxi

18 . Exodus xxiv .

Justin Martyr , chapter lxxi

x x x v m . Justin Martyr , chapter 1 2 16 Acts xviii . t o .

o f XIV . Annals Tacitus, Liber ’ 97 Pliny s Epistle N o . .

7 . Isaiah i .

x lv u . Justin Martyr , chapter 1 Acts xv . . 110 REFERENCES . — 8 o . 1 . Ro mans i . R mans xvi 9

See Jero me on church government . Pliny records that a certain to wn in his province

t o o wished build a F rum , and that the plans f required a small strip o consecrated gro und . Before the authorities co uld m ove in the matter they were obliged t o write t o Ro me and secure f f P ifi the consent o the Co llege o o nt s . “ Seneca says that a solemn Po ntifical Hymn

t h e o o f o was sung at dedicati n the Capit l . ” The wo rd Easter do es no t appear i n the

4 . Revised Versi on . See Acts xii .

1 0 o o 1 In A . D . 9 the Lenten Seas n had nly Fasting

P o 1 t o day . [ recedents ranged fr m

430 o o 15 In A . D . the Lenten Seas n had nly Fasting

t o 3 days equal weeks, less Saturdays and Sun

days .

590 o o 36 D. In A . the Lenten Seas n had nly Fasting

t o 6 o days equal weeks, less Sundays nly .

800 o 40 In A . D . the Lenten Seas n had Fasting

6 u 4 t o . days equal weeks pl s days, less Sunday s — 2 2 . 2 . Acts i . Peter iii

See Irenaeus on Ap ostolic Traditi on .

19 . Acts xi . 1 1 . Matthew viii .

1 6 . John x . 111 REFERENCES . — . 15 17 8 s . 7 9 . Acts xi and Act xv , and 2 Acts i . . 1 22 Acts i . 6 t o .

6 . Acts i .

28— x x 3 . 0 . Matthew xix Luke u . 4 — 4 Luke xxiv . 9 Acts i . .

7 . Psalms xxxvii . 25 Psalms lxix . .

8 . Psalms cix .

o 31 J hn xviii . .

o 11 . J hn xix . 33 47 48— . . 16 19 Luke xxiv , and Matthew xxviii ,

and 20 . 6 7 9 . Acts xvi . , and — . 1 22 Galatians ii t o 9 Acts xviii . 4— l l — o . . o . 1 J shua i Matthew viii R mans xv 9 .

1 1 o 14 . Galatians ii . t

18 t o 28 . Acts xxi .

15 . 2 Peter iii .

1 . 6 Co rinthians ix . — o . 2 1 2 o . 23 20 1 C rinthians i and R mans xv and .

11 . Galatians ii . 1 1 Peter i . . 1 — 1 13 . . . Peter v . Josephus xviii ix

t o o . . Clement C rinthians, chap v

112

REFERENCES .

“ o n w rk finished , and there remained o mo re

place in these parts . Hence his great desire

t o j o urney Westward .

1 . 3 4 Peter v and . — o o . 10 t 15 3 C l ssians iv o Ro mans xvi . t o 23 21 Acts xxviii . .

REV IEW .

4 A 5 o A . . 0 t o . 0 o Fr m D . D Peter must have dev ted

t o for his time exclusively the Jews, he had

N o NE F CT t o W A S , regarding the Gentiles, pre 5 sent t o the Co uncil o f A . D . 0 but w a s o bliged

t o o o o draw c nclusi ns, fr m what he says hap “ ” G L E G . pened A OOD WHI A O [Acts xv .

on o Paul and Barnabas the c ntrary , came fresh

o o o fr m the w rk in Cilicia, and sp ke interest “ i n l o f RECEN T o g y miracles and w nders , ”

o h . wr ug t among the Gentiles [Acts xv .

o o Any experiences at R me, w uld have been m ost welcome and of great weight in shaping

the final decision . But Cilicia was the extreme

50 o f o o a . limit (in A . D . ) Ap st lic pre ching

5 4 n o of . . o e At the C uncil A D , every present rec

o nized o o g the fact , that w rk am ng the Jews, had been specially co mmitted t o Peter [Gala 8 . 7 tians ii , , and and it was decided, he 114 sh ould co ntinue PERMANENTL Y in the same

- field . The life wo rk o f Peter therefo re was de 8 —1 . 9 voted t o his o w n Nati on . [Acts ii Peter

i .

SUMMARY. 4 N o o A . D . 0 Gentiles were received bef re , hence 4 no t o o t o . . 0 o St . Peter was at R me pri r A D , als N — between 40 50 . —4 50 5 . — 54 6 2 .

o o t o o o o t o The bligati n av id R me , c ntinued the

’

of . o day St Peter s death , and the great Ap stle

o f Asla faithfully kept his wo rd .

2 11 1 . Acts iv . and 4 o 8 . 1 Peter ii . t — 4 39 . 2 . Mark ix . Luke xxii

Irenaeus, Liber III . chap . iii .

1 . Pro verbs i . 7 ’ 48 St . Vincent s Manual , p . . 13 Mark vii . . “ Irenaeus says : This variety ou r predecessors (so me o f them probably being not very accurate)

o t o o ou handed d wn p sterity , as it had thr gh SIMPL ICITY o r PRIV ATE FAN CY been intro

e — 82 . d uced am ong t h See Ref.

S A I N T P E T E R ’ S A G E

T HE " N NOW .

Ho me in the City o f Bethsaida

o 3000 o Pentec st, c nverted Admitted the Gentiles Rescued by a n Angel Co uncil at Jerusalem — Agreement The East ch o sen

t o Referred , by St . Paul

T HE " UN NOWN . ’ f o o f . o The earliest rec rd St Peter s life , speaks him as

m a n i n o f o h being a married , a partner the business J n

o of " h o use and James , s ns ebedee and living in the same as his brother Andrew . The narrative displays a maturity f o o o f . character, which g es well with the age thirty

o o d Assuming this figure as c rrect, als that he ied in

. . 62 o o A D , it f ll ws that he spent eight years in preach

o o o as a e ing the g spel thr ugh ut the E t, and attained the g o f 65 years .

’

TE : e o t o . NO It is nec ssary als , give St Paul s age as we

o n of for are largely dependent the events his life , de t ermining the chron ology o f St . Peter. 118 ’ S A I N T P A U L S A G E .

THE " NOWN .

Went t o Arabia . 1 Spent 5 days with St . Peter Special missio n t o Jerusalem Left Ephesus Imprisoned by Felix Sent t o R ome by Festus Liberated by Nero

T HE UN" NOWN .

o o Assuming that the j urney int Spain , was finished the

’ o f o o 5 o f o last year Ner s reign , Paul enj yed years freed m .

o f o o o o His age at time c nversi n is unkn wn , but as J sephus at 25 years o f age co uld represent the High Pries t at

’ o o for 25 Ner s Tribunal ; it was quite pr per, Paul at

f t o o . o years age , represent him at Damascus If b th

o t rue . f o 55 . c njectures are , St Paul attained the age years It is an easy matter) t o put together the kno wn intervals

25 o o of and find , that years is their t tal ; but the pr cess

o o o f anch ring th se years in the midst the century , re 2 o o f o o quires a cl se study J sephus and Tacitus . Fr m these au th o rs we have the foll o wing fixed dates 119 ’ ST . PAUL S AGE .

ROMAN EMPERORS .

ROC R T R OF E P U A O S JUD A . 45—47 A . D . 47—49 49—52 — f 1st term office 5 2 5 4

l 2d Insu rrect Ion 5 4—56 i Fel x 4 0 I 3d S edI t Ion 56—58 I “ ” L4th Sy ria ns a nd Greek s 58 — Festus ( Sica rri r o uted ) 62 Albinus 62—64 — Florus 64 66 Jewish War began 66

— t o f o w a s o Q uery What year hen in the reign Ner , m st pro pitio us fo r the liberatio n o f the Apo stle Paul " We

o . D . 62 . reply m st emphatically , the year A

o o In the preceding year, Festus died and a new Pr curat r f o o . o t o went int fice Felix himself was br ught trial , but “ ’ Nero yielded t o the imp ortunate solicitati ons of Felix s ” o M o br ther Pallas, ( the Prime inister ) and pard ned Felix o f a ll o ff th e o o f d ences, charged by pe ple Cesarea . Besi es 120

B A D C . . A N D

GRAPHIC SOL UTION .

s C es b e t o e n S B . 44 Augu tus ar gan r ig pring C . A

Herod mad e "i ng A

Battle Actium

Birth of C h ri st D 1 A. . .

‘ Death of Herod

y rs 13 y rs

’ E nd of Augustus reign 12 2 A D . B . C . N A D .

1 t o . m t . i Many cling the belief, tha A D has been

o o o f oo pr perly l cated and that the birth Christ, t k place

4 . o o o in the year B . C . This idea is alt gether err ne us and

n is based o the writings of the early Fathers . The testi

o of o w h o o m ny a single auth r, lived in th se times and wro te with all the care and accuracy displayed by Flavius

o o o of 1000 J sephus, is m re valuable than the testim ny

auth o rs o f later date . With the figures supplied by

1 o se h us o ne - o for o J p and with well kn wn date an anch r , le t us test the case and disco ver the truth

t o o " First , with regard the seas ns

o We w uld remark , that every Bethlehemite, resident in

z 130 o Na areth , travelled miles nce a year attending the

m f r o . t o o o o Pass ver Were he ake a sec nd j urney , merely

o o f o o o the purp se being enr lled in his native t wn , he w uld co ver a distance o f 270 miles . It certainly wo uld be m o re

for t o o ne o o natural him , make j urney answer b th pur

o t o p ses, thus saving expense and great fatigue himself

a nd . ow o o o family N c uple with this c nsiderati n , the fact that shepherds were “ abiding in the field and keeping ” watch by night o ver their fl ock and the co nclusi o n seems

of oo o irresistible that the Birth Christ, t k place ab ut the

of time the Passover .

123 B . C . AND A . D .

S o r t o " ec nd , with rega d the year Augustus Cesar reigned Befo re the Battle o f Actium 44 yrs . Hero d reigned i e fo re the Battle o f Actium

o Au ust us o o Theref re , g utlived Her d

A . But Hero d lived in . D

It foll o ws Augustus lived i n A . D .

’ N ow o it is kn wn , that Augustus Cesar s reign ended in f 14 o . . t the Fall A D , which date is y ears af er the

o f . . 1 . o . . 1 Spring A D Fr m which we learn , that A D w a s o o a pr perly l cated , and truly represents the ye r when

o Christ was b rn . “ a h is o ur o t o As reg rds public ministry, L rd began be

’ 2 o 30 o f a e 15 o f i ab ut years g in the th year Tiberius re gn , h e a o o f 30 must have attained the priestly m j rity years, in A 14 dd o 16 t o . D . the l 6t h year o f Tiberius . theref re A

o and we find the year , in which he c mmenced his public

z . 30 . ministry v i : A . D

1 — — — —i 3 8 h 2 2 5 2 i 19 3 . 8 l . 3 . Jose . . . . p us xviii , xv , , xvii , 2 — m h L k e . 1 a nd 23 N b e s . . u iii u r , iv c ap

INDEX.

65 86 103 o of o 84 Christians, , , Divisi n territ ry, o 50 o 39 63 Christian w rship , D mitian , , 93 94 96 98 Church , , , , o 34 Church at C rinth , 42 RL Y 20 26 Church at Ephesus, EA writings, , o 34 a nd 7 1 79 Church at R me , East the West, , o 12 68 7 2 Church g vernment , Easter , , 26 33 88 96 97 of 90 Clement , , , , , Edict Claudius, 31 o 101 Clergy, , Educati n ,

o oo . o 38 27 28 29 30 31 35 Cl thing, f d c nduct, Elders , , , , , , , o o f P on t ifl s 67 C llege , o o f 85 o 9 7 7 C llege Rabbis , Eleven Ap stles, , o 7 0 7 1 o 85 C mmandments , , Emper r Caligula, o 32 oo 24 C nfirm , Ephesian b ks, o 13 14 47 65 29 50 C nverts, , , , Ephesians, , o 2 3 o 30 96 C pyists, Episc pate, , o 25 80 84 85 of 39 C rinth , , , , Epistle Barnabas , o 17 38 34 46 C uncil at Jerusalem , , Eusebius, , o of N icea e 7 2 96 C uncil , Exclusiveness, 85 Euxine ,

C 16 DAMAS US , of o 14 78 T ER a 10 1 Day Pentec st , , FA H and M ster, of 68 o 103 105 Days fasting , Fell wship , , o 30 36 41 44 o 92 98 9 9 Deac ns, , , , , Ficti n , , , o 30 o o 32 38 Deac nesses, F d , , 30 o 32 Dean Stanley , F reigner, o f 65 o 20 Decline faith , F rmality, 63 79 80 105 Decrees , , , , o 26 Definiti ns , o 93 98 L T Delusi n , , GA A IA , of 80 Ga llic 62 Department the East, , o f 80 59 Department the West, Gemara, 39 47 17 38 71 Didache , , Gentiles , , , Di net u s 37 38 - 67 69 og , , Gentile Christian , , o 28 103 98 Divine c mmand , , Gildas, 77 100 o o 89 Divine plan , , G vern rs , 105 55 65 104 Divine right, Great Departure, , , 126 INDEX.

o 59 69 EL L G 10 69 73 Great Synag gue , , LAB IN , , , o 27 o f o 17 62 Greek w rds, Law M ses , , -on - o f- 15 58 Laying hands , , o 32 72 Lenten Seas n , , R 63 64 67 AD IAN , , , 96 H Linus, 8 earsay evidence, 7 2 H Liturgy, o o 65 eathen phil s phy , 6 o f . 9 H Liturgy St James, 2 6 5 9 ebrew criptures, : 69 o f . H S Liturgy St Mark , i a 65 eret cal te chers, 15 2 1 ‘ H Luke , , H 68 9 1 eritage , , H 70 idden Mysteries, 69 ierarchy , CC E N 59 H MA AB A War , 76 igh Priest, o o 36 H Maj rity c mmands, o 58 105 ly Bible , , o 65 H Marci n , 53 yginus, 85 86 87 89 H Mark , , , , o 88 89 Martyrd m , , o o f o 51 G T 4 1 42 43 Mem irs Ap stles, 0 4 , , I NA IUS, , o 68 Mental reservati n , o 1 17 p rtant dates, Im o o 18 Miracul us p wers, o 53 ndividual g vernment, I a 98 Mir ge , o 64 Initiat ry rite , 5 8 45 46 96 97 Mishna , Irenaeus, , , , 6 Montanus, 6 o 18 56 M ses , , o of E 80 83 89 M ther and M stress ll , JAM S, , , i A 1 1 o 53 91 0 Jer me , , 15 17 34 38 Jerusalem , , , , 56 63 7 1 75 7 6 80 83 , , , , , , ER 84 85 99 N O , , , 18 20 2 6 Jewish New Testament, , , , 81 100 105 64 67 69 , , , , T l tleS 33 69 New , Jewish Liturgy, Ni ea n 7 2 J s 17 58 62 90 c Creed o 5 73 nzh u é Qé 2 41 60 75; N ltars , N mages, é ’ ’ , , A I 50 60 61 Justin Martyr, , , , 63 73 F F CE 30 76 O I , , 5 9 60 103 Old Testament, , , " NG GR 85 56 I A IPPA, Oral law , 127 X INDE .

z o 102 o 23 Organi ati ns, Public N taries, 27 28 2 9 30 31 oo 101 Overseer, , , , , Public Sch ls, 25 Publishers,

45 PAPIAS , o 32 58 60 67 Pass ver, , RABBI, , , o 20 42 o f 57 Past rs , , Receivers Oral Law, 16 17 25 28 33 34 107 Paul , , , , , , , References, 62 69 7 9 80 81 82 83 o t a 62 63 , , , , , , , Religi Lici , , 85 86 88 89 90 96 o 10 1 , , , , , Religi us liberty , t 5 6 o o 62 Pen ateuch , Religi us s vereignty , o 1 6 63 o 19 103 Persecuti ns , , Revelati n , , 28 69 74 75 78 83 rs o 30 Peter , , , , , , , Revised Ve i n , 84 85 86 87 88 89 9 0 70 7 2 73 , , , , , , , Ritual , , , 91 92 93 94 96 97 104 o 6 3 85 89 , , , , , , R mans, , , 7 6 o 24 50 Pilate , R me, , ,

I . 94 Pius , 22 Pliny the Elder, o 2 4 7 3 Pliny the Y unger, , , 86 87 T 31 38 45 48 , SAIN S , , , , 23 5 6 Plutarch , Sanhedrin , o 26 43 44 45 47 o f 65 66 P lycarp , , , , , Seeds Schisms, , o a 9 1 92 93 2 2 P ntific l Chair, , , Seneca, u 28 7 9 83 84 86 a 56 60 88 Pont s , , , , , Septu gint, , , 3 32 o I . 5 P pe Clement , Settle , o Da m a sus 53 91 s 83 P pe , , Seven Churche . 20 o f 5 2 94 Prayer , Shepherd Hermas, , fo r d a 68 oo 68 Prayers the e d , Sibylline B ks, P reé minence 38 7 4 105 15 85 87 , , , Silas , , , 2 7 36 37 41 o o o 24 Presbyters, , , , , S rcery b ks . 44 47 a 25 44 , Smyrn , ,

n 42 43 51 52 . 83 9 1 Preside t, , , , Spain , 67 o 80 Priests, Special Missi n , o 50 o 23 Primitive cust m , Sten graphy , 25 o 99 Private Libraries , St . Nich las, ’ 119 o 76 77 . Pr phecies , , St Paul s age , ’ 1 18 o 8 31 49 . t a e Pr phets , , , St Pe er s g , 25 o 90 Public Libraries, Suet nius, 128