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The Ancient Church CHAPTER I. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER II<p> CHAPTER II CHAPTER III. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER VI. CHAPTER VI. CHAPTER VII. CHAPTER VII. CHAPTER VIII. CHAPTER VIII. CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER X. CHAPTER X. CHAPTER XI. CHAPTER XI. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER I. 1 CHAPTER II. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER VI. CHAPTER VI. CHAPTER VII. CHAPTER VII. CHAPTER VIII. CHAPTER VIII. CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER X. CHAPTER X. CHAPTER XI. CHAPTER XI. CHAPTER XII. CHAPTER XII. CHAPTER XIII. CHAPTER XIII. 2 CHAPTER I. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER VI. CHAPTER VI. CHAPTER VII. CHAPTER VII. CHAPTER VIII. CHAPTER VIII. CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER X. CHAPTER X. CHAPTER XI. CHAPTER XI. CHAPTER I<p> CHAPTER I CHAPTER II. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER III. 3 CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER VI. CHAPTER VI. CHAPTER VII. CHAPTER VII. CHAPTER VIII. CHAPTER VIII. CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER X. CHAPTER X. CHAPTER XI. CHAPTER XI. CHAPTER XII. CHAPTER XII. CHAPTER XIII. CHAPTER XIII. The Ancient Church Project Gutenberg's The Ancient Church, by W.D. [William Dool] Killen This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net Title: The Ancient Church Its History, Doctrine, Worship, and Constitution Author: W.D. [William Dool] Killen Release Date: September 15, 2005 [EBook #16700] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ANCIENT CHURCH *** Produced by PG Distributed Proofreaders The Ancient Church 4 THE ANCIENT CHURCH: Its History, Doctrine, Worship, and Constitution, Traced for the First Three Hundred Years. BY W.D. KILLEN, D.D. Professor of Ecclesiastical History and Pastoral Theology to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God." PSALM lxxxvii. 3. NEW YORK: MDCCC.LIX. PREFATORY NOTE. I cannot permit this Edition of "The Ancient Church" to appear before the citizens of the United States without acknowledging my obligations to Mr Charles Scribner of New York. Mr Scribner was the first gentleman connected with the noble profession to which he belongs, either in the Old or in the New World, from whom I received encouragement in this undertaking; and his prompt and generous offers aided me materially in making arrangements for the publication of the work in Great Britain. Every line of the present impression has been corrected by myself, and should my life be spared, any future Edition which Mr Scribner may publish is to appear under the same supervision. I trust that the Trade throughout the Union will recognize the debt of gratitude which I owe to my American friend. There is a higher law than the law of international copyright, and I feel confident that no Publisher of honour and integrity in the Great Republic will repudiate its claims. W.D. KILLEN. 17 University Square, Belfast, Ireland, July 1859. PREFACE. The appearance of another history of the early Church requires some explanation. As the progress of the Christian commonwealth for the first three hundred years has been recently described by British, German, and American writers of eminent ability, it may, perhaps, be thought that the subject is now exhausted. No competent judge will pronounce such an opinion. During the last quarter of a century, various questions relating to the ancient Church, which are almost, if not altogether, ignored in existing histories, have been earnestly discussed; whilst several documents, lately discovered, have thrown fresh light on its transactions. There are, besides, points of view, disclosing unexplored fields for thought, from which the ecclesiastical landscape has never yet been contemplated. The following work is an attempt to exhibit some of its features as seen from a new position. The importance of this portion of the history of the Church can scarcely be over-estimated. Our attention is here directed to the life of Christ, to the labours of the apostles and evangelists, to the doctrines which they taught, to the form of worship which they sanctioned, to the organization of the community which they founded, and to the indomitable constancy with which its members suffered persecution. The practical bearing of the topics thus brought under review must be sufficiently obvious. The Ancient Church 5 In the interval between the days of the apostles and the conversion of Constantine, the Christian commonwealth changed its aspect. The Bishop of Rome a personage unknown to the writers of the New Testament meanwhile rose into prominence, and at length took precedence of all other churchmen. Rites and ceremonies, of which neither Paul nor Peter ever heard, crept silently into use, and then claimed the rank of divine institutions. Officers, for whom the primitive disciples could have found no place, and titles, which to them would have been altogether unintelligible, began to challenge attention, and to be named apostolic. It is the duty of the historian to endeavour to point out the origin, and to trace the progress of these innovations. A satisfactory account of them must go far to settle more than one of our present controversies. An attempt is here made to lay bare the causes which produced these changes, and to mark the stages of the ecclesiastical revolution. When treating of the rise and growth of the hierarchy, several remarkable facts and testimonies which have escaped the notice of preceding historians are particularly noticed. Some may, perhaps, consider that, in a work such as this, undue prominence has been given to the discussion of the question of the Ignatian epistles. Those who have carefully examined the subject will scarcely think so. If we accredit these documents, the history of the early Church is thrown into a state of hopeless confusion; and men, taught and honoured by the apostles themselves, must have inculcated the most dangerous errors. But if their claims vanish, when touched by the wand of truthful criticism, many clouds which have hitherto darkened the ecclesiastical atmosphere disappear; and the progress of corruption can be traced on scientific principles. The special attention of all interested in the Ignatian controversy is invited to the two chapters of this work in which the subject is investigated. Evidence is there produced to prove that these Ignatian letters, even as edited by the very learned and laborious Doctor Cureton, are utterly spurious, and that they should be swept away from among the genuine remains of early Church literature with the besom of scorn. Throughout the work very decided views are expressed on a variety of topics; but it must surely be unnecessary to tender an apology for the free utterance of these sentiments; for, when recording the progress of a revolution affecting the highest interests of man, the narrator cannot be expected to divest himself of his cherished convictions; and very few will venture to maintain that a writer, who feels no personal interest in the great principles brought to light by the gospel, is, on that account, more competent to describe the faith, the struggles, and the triumphs of the primitive Christians. I am not aware that mere prejudice has ever been permitted to influence my narrative, or that any statement has been made which does not rest upon solid evidence. Some of the views here presented may not have been suggested by any previous investigator, and they may be exceedingly damaging to certain popular theories; but they should not, therefore, be summarily condemned. Surely every honest effort to explain and reconcile the memorials of antiquity is entitled to a candid criticism. Nor, from those whose opinion is really worthy of respect, do I despair of a kindly reception for this volume. One of the most hopeful signs of the times is the increasing charity of evangelical Christians. There is a growing disposition to discountenance the spirit of religious partisanship, and to bow to the supremacy of TRUTH. I trust that those who are in quest of the old paths trodden by the apostles and the martyrs will find some light to guide them in the following pages. CONTENTS. * * * * * PERIOD I FROM THE BIRTH OF CHRIST TO THE DEATH OF THE APOSTLE JOHN, A.D. 100. * * * * * SECTION I. HISTORY OF THE PLANTING AND GROWTH OF THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH. The Ancient Church 6 CHAPTER I. THE ROMAN EMPIRE AT THE TIME OF THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. PAGE The boundaries of the Empire, 3 Its population, strength, and grandeur, ib. Its orators, poets, and philosophers, 5 The influence of Rome upon the provinces, ib. The languages most extensively spoken, 6 The moral condition of the Empire, ib. The influence of the philosophical sects the Epicureans, the Stoics, the Academics, and Plato, 7 The influence of the current Polytheism, 9 The state of the Jews the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes, ib. Preparations for a great Deliverer, and expectation of His appearance, 11 CHAPTER II THE LIFE OF CHRIST. The date of the Birth of Christ, 14 The place of His Birth, ib. The visit of the angel to the shepherds, 15 The visit of the Magi the flight into Egypt and the murder of the infants at Bethlehem, ib. The presentation in the Temple, 16 The infancy and boyhood of Jesus, 17 His baptism and entrance upon His public ministry, 18 His mysterious movements, 19 The remarkable blanks in the accounts given of Him in the Gospels, 20 His moral purity, 21 His doctrine and His mode of teaching, 22 His miracles, 23 The independence of His proceedings as a reformer, 25 The length of His ministry, 26 The Sanhedrim and Pontius Pilate, 27 The Death of Christ, and its significance, 28 His Resurrection, and His appearance afterwards only to His own followers, 29 His Ascension, 30 His extraordinary character, 31 SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE on the year of the Birth of Christ, 32 CHAPTER III. THE TWELVE AND THE SEVENTY. Our Lord during His short ministry trained eighty-two preachers the Twelve and the Seventy, 36 Various names of some of the Twelve, 37 Relationship of some of the parties, 39 Original condition of the Twelve, ib. Various characteristics of the Twelve, 40 Twelve, why called Apostles, 42 Typical meaning of the appointment of the Twelve and the Seventy, 43 In what sense the Apostles founded the Church, 45 Why so little notice of the Seventy in the New Testament, 46 No account of ordinations of pastors or elders by the Twelve or the Seventy, 47 No succession from the Twelve or Seventy can be traced, 48 In what sense the Twelve and Seventy have no successors, and in what sense they have, 50 CHAPTER IV. THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL FROM THE DEATH OF CHRIST TO THE DEATH OF THE APOSTLE JAMES, THE BROTHER OF JOHN A.D. 31 TO A.D. 44. The successful preaching of the Apostles in Jerusalem, 52 The disciples have all things common, ib. The appointment of the deacons, 54 The Apostles refuse to obey the rulers of the Jews, 55 The date of the martyrdom of Stephen, ib. The gospel preached in Samaria, 56 The baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch, and of Cornelius the centurion, 57 The conversion of Saul, his character, position, and sufferings, 59 His visit to Jerusalem, and vision, 62 His ministry in Syria and Cilicia, 63 His appearance at Antioch, ib. Why the disciples were called Christians, 64 Paul and Barnabas sent from Antioch with relief to the poor saints in Judea, 65 The Apostles leave Jerusalem why no successor appointed on the death of James the brother of John, 66 Why Paul taken up to Paradise, 68 CHAPTER I. 7 CHAPTER V. THE ORDINATION OF PAUL AND BARNABAS; THEIR MISSIONARY TOUR IN ASIA MINOR; AND THE COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM A.D. 44 TO A.D. 51. Previous position of Paul and Barnabas, 70 Why now ordained, 71 Import of ordination, 73 By whom Paul and Barnabas were ordained, 74 They visit Cyprus, Perga, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, and other places, 75 Ordain elders in every Church, 76 Opposition of the Jews, and dangers of the missionaries, 77 Some insist on the circumcision of the Gentile converts, and are resisted by Paul, 79 Why he objected to the proposal, ib. Deputation to Jerusalem about this question, 81 Constituent members of the Council of Jerusalem, ib. Date of the meeting, 82 Not a popular assembly, 83 In what capacity the Apostles here acted, 85 Why the Council said "It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us," 86 The decision, 87 Why the converts were required to abstain from blood and things strangled, 88 Importance of the decision, 89 CHAPTER VI. THE INTRODUCTION OF THE GOSPEL INTO EUROPE, AND THE MINISTRY OF PAUL AT PHILIPPI A.D. 52. Date of Paul's first appearance in Europe, 90 History of Philippi, ib. Jewish Oratory there, 91 Conversion of Lydia, ib. The damsel with the spirit of divination, 92 Paul and Silas before the magistrates, 93 Causes of early persecutions, ib. Paul and Silas in prison, 94 Earthquake and alarm of the jailer, 95 Remarkable conversion of the jailer, 96 Alarm of the magistrates, 98 Liberality of the Philippians, 99 CHAPTER VII. THE MINISTRY OF PAUL IN THESSALONICA, BEREA, ATHENS, AND CORINTH. A.D. 52 TO A.D. 54. Thessalonica and its rulers, 100 The more noble Bereans, 101 Athens and its ancient glory, ib. Paul's appearance among the philosophers, 102 His speech on Mars' Hill 104 Altar to the unknown God, ib. The Epicureans and Stoics, 105 The resurrection of the body, a strange doctrine, 106 Conversion of Dionysius the Areopagite, 107 Corinth in the first century, ib. Paul's success here, 109 Works at the trade of a tent-maker, 110 Corinth a centre of missionary operation, 111 The Corinthian Church, and its character, 112 Opposition of Jews, and conduct of the Proconsul Gallio, ib. Paul writes the First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, 113 CHAPTER VIII. THE CONVERSION OF APOLLOS; HIS CHARACTER; AND THE MINISTRY OF PAUL IN EPHESUS A.D. 54 TO A.D. 57. Paul's first visit to Ephesus; 115 Aquila and Priscilla instruct Apollos, 116 Position of the Jews in Alexandria, ib. Gifts of Apollos, 117 Ministry of Apollos in Corinth, ib. Paul returns to Ephesus, and disputes in the school of Tyrannus, 118 The Epistle to the Galatians, 119 Paul's visit to Crete, and perils in the sea, 120 Churches founded at Colosse and elsewhere, 121 Temple of Diana at Ephesus, and the Ephesian letters, ib. Apollonius of Tyana, and Paul's miracles, 122 First Epistle to the Corinthians, 123 Demetrius and the craftsmen, 124 The Asiarchs and the town-clerk, 125 Progress of the gospel in Ephesus, 127 CHAPTER V. 8 CHAPTER IX. PAUL'S EPISTLES; HIS COLLECTION FOR THE POOR SAINTS AT JERUSALEM; HIS IMPRISONMENT THERE, AND AT CAESAREA AND ROME A.D. 57 TO A.D. 63. Paul preaches in Macedonia and Illyricum, 128 Writes the First Epistle to Timothy, and the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 129 Arrives in Corinth, and writes the Epistle to the Romans, 130 Sets out on his return to Jerusalem; and, when at Miletus, sends to Ephesus for the elders of the Church, 131 The collection for the poor saints of Jerusalem carried by seven commissioners, 132 Riot when Paul appeared in the Temple at Jerusalem, 134 Paul rescued by the chief captain and made a prisoner, ib. Paul before the Sanhedrim, 136 Removed to Caesarea, ib. Paul before Felix and Festus, 137 Appeals to Caesar, 138 His defence before Agrippa, 139 His voyage to Rome, and shipwreck, 142 His arrival in Italy, 145 Greatness and luxury of Rome, ib. Paul preaches in his own hired house, 148 His zeal, labours, and success, 149 Writes to Philemon, to the Colossians, the Ephesians, and the Philippians, 150 CHAPTER X. PAUL'S SECOND IMPRISONMENT, AND MARTYRDOM; PETER, HIS EPISTLES, HIS MARTYRDOM, AND THE ROMAN CHURCH. Evidences of Paul's release from his first Roman imprisonment, 152 His visit to Spain, 153 Writes the Epistle to the Hebrews, 154 Revisits Jerusalem, and returns to Rome, 155 His second Roman imprisonment, ib. Writes Second Epistle to Timothy, ib. Date of his martyrdom, 156 Peter's arrival in Rome, ib. His First Epistle written from Rome, 157 Why Rome called Babylon, 158 Peter writes his Second Epistle, ib. His testimony to the inspiration of Paul, 159 His martyrdom, 160 Circumstances which, at an early period, gave prominence to the Church of Rome, ib. Its remarkable history, 162 CHAPTER XI. THE PERSECUTIONS OF THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH, AND ITS CONDITION AT THE TERMINATION OF THE FIRST CENTURY. The Jews at first the chief persecutors of the Church, 163 Their banishment from Rome by Claudius, 164 Martyrdom of James the Just, 165 Why Christians so much persecuted, 166 Persecution of Nero, ib. A general persecution, 167 Effect of the fall of Jerusalem, 168 Persecution of Domitian, 169 The grandchildren of Jude, ib. Flavius Clemens and Flavia Domitilla, 170 John banished to Patmos, 171 His last days, and death, 172 State of the Christian interest towards the close of the first century, ib. Spread of the gospel, 173 Practical power of Christianity, 174 SECTION II. THE LITERATURE AND THEOLOGY OF THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH. CHAPTER I. THE NEW TESTAMENT, ITS HISTORY, AND THE AUTHORITY OF ITS VARIOUS PARTS THE EPISTLE OF CLEMENT OF ROME. CHAPTER IX. 9 Why our Lord wrote nothing Himself, 176 The order in which the Gospels appeared, 177 Internal marks of truthfulness and originality in the writings of the Evangelists, 178 The Acts of the Apostles treat chiefly of the acts of Peter and Paul, 179 On what principle the Epistles of Paul arranged in the New Testament, 180 The titles of the sacred books not appended by the Apostles or Evangelists, and the postscripts of the Epistles of Paul not added by himself, and often not trustworthy, 181 The dates of the Catholic Epistles, 182 The authenticity of the various parts of the New Testament, ib. Doubts respecting the Epistle to the Hebrews, and some of the smaller Epistles, and the Apocalypse, 183 Division of the New Testament into chapters and verses, 184 All, in primitive times, were invited and required to study the Scriptures, ib. The autographs of the sacred penmen not necessary to prove the inspiration of their writings, 185 The Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians, 186 The truth of the New Testament established by all the proper tests which can be applied, 187 CHAPTER II. THE DOCTRINE OF THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH. Same system of doctrine in Old and New Testaments, 188 The New Testament the complement of the Old, ib. The views of the Apostles at first obscure, 189 New light received after the resurrection, 190 In the New Testament a full statement of apostolic doctrine, ib. Sufficiency and plenary inspiration of Scripture, 191 State of man by nature, 192 Faith and the Word, ib. All the doctrines of the Bible form one system, 193 The Deity of Christ 194 The Incarnation and Atonement, 195 Predestination, 197 The Trinity, ib. Creeds, 198 Practical tendency of apostolic doctrine, ib. CHAPTER III. THE HERESIES OF THE APOSTOLIC AGE. Original meaning of the word Heresy, 200 How the word came to signify something wrong, 201 The Judaizers the earliest errorists, ib. Views of the Gnostics respecting the present world, the body of Christ, and the resurrection of the body, 202 Simon Magus and other heretics mentioned in the New Testament, 205 Carpocrates, Cerinthus, and Ebion, 206 The Nicolaitanes, ib. Peculiarities of Jewish, sectarianism, 207 Unity of apostolic Church not much affected by the heretics, 208 Heresy convicted by its practical results, ib. SECTION III. THE WORSHIP AND CONSTITUTION OF THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH. CHAPTER I. THE LORD'S DAY; THE WORSHIP OF THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH; ITS SYMBOLIC ORDINANCES, AND ITS DISCIPLINE. Christians assembled for worship on the first day of the week, 210 Our Lord recognized the permanent obligation of the Fourth Commandment, 211 Worship of the Church resembled, not that of the Temple, but that of the Synagogue, 214 No Liturgies in the apostolic Church, 215 No instrumental music, 216 Scriptures read publicly, 217 Worship in the vulgar tongue, ib. Ministers had no official dress, 218 Baptism administered to infants, 219 Mode of Baptism, 220 The Lord's Supper frequently administered, 221 The elements not believed to be transubstantiated, 222 Profane excluded from the Eucharist, ib. Cases of discipline decided by Church rulers, 223 Case of the Corinthian fornicator, ib. Share of the people in Church discipline, 226 CHAPTER I. 10 [...]... be found in the ancient Church, 633 Increasing intolerance of the dominant party in this Church, 634 CHAPTER XIII THE THEORY OF THE CHURCH, AND THE HISTORY OF ITS PERVERSION CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS The Church invisible and its attributes, 636 The visible Church and its defects, 637 The holy Catholic Church what it meant, 639 Church visible and Church invisible confounded, 640 Evils of the Catholic... towards the close of the third century, 282 Its progress, how to be tested, 283 CHAPTER II THE PERSECUTIONS OF THE CHURCH Spectators impressed by the sufferings of the Christians, 284 The blood of the martyrs the seed of the Church, 285 Persecution promoted the purity of the Church, ib Christian graces gloriously displayed in times of persecution, ib Private sufferings of the Christians, 286 How far the. .. apostolic Churches elected all their own office-bearers, 244 Church officers ordained by the presbytery, 245 The office of deaconess, ib All the members of the apostolic Churches taught to contribute to each other's edification, 246 CHAPTER III THE ORGANIZATION OF THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH Unity of the Church of Israel, 218 Christian Church also made up of associated congregations, 219 The Apostles act upon the. .. to the ideas of the Jews of that age there were seventy heathen nations; [43:3] and it is rather singular that, omitting Peleg the progenitor of the Israelites, the names of the posterity of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, recorded in the 10th chapter of Genesis, amount exactly to seventy "These," says the historian, "are the families of the sons of Noah, _after their generations, in their nations; and by these... of them were persons of rank and wealth, they possessed a much greater amount of influence than their mere numbers would have enabled them to command It has been said that they admitted the divine authority only of the Pentateuch, [10:1] and though it may be doubted whether they openly ventured to deny the claims of all the other books of the Old Testament, it is certain that they discarded the doctrine... officer of the synagogue, ib The angel of the synagogue a congregational officer, 266 The angels of the Churches not diocesan bishops, 267 The stars, not attached to the candlesticks, but in the hand of Christ, 268 The angels of the Churches were their messengers sent to visit John in Patmos, ib Why only seven angels named, 271 ***** CHAPTER IV 12 PERIOD II FROM THE DEATH OF THE APOSTLE JOHN TO THE CONVERSION... Polity of the Christian Church borrowed from the institutions of the Israelites, 251 Account of the Sanhedrim and inferior Jewish courts, ib Evidences of similar arrangements in the Christian Church, 253 How the meeting mentioned in the 15th chapter of the Acta differed in its construction from the Sanhedrim, 254 Why we have not a more particular account of the government of the Christian Church in the New... unmarried clergy and the virgins, 315 Paul and Antony the first hermits, ib Origin of the use of the sign of the cross, 316 Opposition of the Christians to image-worship, 319 Image-makers condemned, 320 Objections of the Christians to the theatre, the gladiatorial CHAPTER III 13 shows, and other public spectacles, 321 Superior morality of the mass of the early Christians, 322 How they treated the question... attention to the advent of the illustrious babe, for a wonderful star made known to wise men from the east the incarnation of the King of Israel; and when they came to Jerusalem "the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was." [15:4] The history of these eastern sages cannot now be explored, and we know not on what grounds they regarded the star... after the birth of Jesus, and before His presentation in the temple._ Bethlehem was not the stated residence of Joseph and Mary, either before or after the birth of the child (Luke i 26, ii 4, 39; Matt ii 2) They were obliged to repair to the place on account of the taxing, and immediately after the presentation in the temple, they returned to Nazareth and dwelt there (Luke ii 39) Had the visit of the . PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ANCIENT CHURCH *** Produced by PG Distributed Proofreaders The Ancient Church 4 THE ANCIENT CHURCH: Its History, Doctrine, Worship,. I. HISTORY OF THE PLANTING AND GROWTH OF THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH. The Ancient Church 6 CHAPTER I. THE ROMAN EMPIRE AT THE TIME OF THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. PAGE The boundaries