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are the men to write books for us, in preference to Germans, or even Britons. They only know exactly what we need, and exactly how to speak to our ready comprehension. And whenever this shall be done, we hope the author, instead of giving a compilation, however good, will surround himself with the original works of the Christian fathers, together with all modern helps, and devote some five or ten years to the production of an original and standard work, on themes of such high and permanent importance to the general interests of Christian knowledge and so vital to the final adjustment of sectarian disputes. All that is needed is the requisite time, talent, judgment and truly Christian candor. And by the time such a work shall be produced, the public will doubtless be prepared to patronize it.

To show more definitely the extent and importance of the subjects here embraced, we subjoin the several captions to the twenty-three chapters into which Mr. C. has divided his work:A general View of the Organization and Worship of the Primitive Church; Names and Classes of Christians; of the Ministers of the Church; of the Inferior Officers of the Church; Appointment to Ecclesiastical Offices; of the Rank, Rites, Privileges and Costume of the Clergy; of the Revenue of the Church and Maintenance of the Clergy; of Ordination; of Churches and Sacred Places; of the Prayers and Psalmody of the Church; Use of the Holy Scriptures in Religious Worship; of Homilies; of Catechetical Instructions; of Baptism; of Confirmation; of the Lord's Supper; of the Discipline of the ancient Church; Domestic and Social Character of the Primitive Christians; of Marriage; Funeral Rites and Ceremonies; Sacred Seasons, Festivals and Fasts; Sacred Seasons of the Puritans; of the Armenian Church.

The last two chapters are, the one "from the hand of a distinguished antiquary and historian, the Rev. J. B. Felt, of Boston," and the other from Rev. H. G. O. Dwight, one of our missionaries at Constantinople, where he has the best opportunities for a thorough knowledge of his subject. These two chapters are a very valuable addition to the work. That by Mr. Felt, on the history and reasons of our own sacred seasons, will be deemed invaluable by every genuine descendant of the Puritans. The fact that it does not strictly belong to "the Antiquities of the Church," is rather an artificial than any real objection to its having a place in such a work.

Then comes an index of authorities, of no less than fifty-two

pages, to which references are made all along in the progress of the work, and by which the critical student will see the original authorities for the facts adduced, and will be guided to the best helps in the more extended researches he may wish to make on any of the topics. And to this are added a chronological list of councils to the middle of the ninth century; and a chronological index of persons and events mentioned in the work, to the eighth century; and finally, a general index of the whole work. These are quite full, occupying together about thirty pages, and will be a great help to the more illiterate reader, and will afford facilities to all in the work of occasional consultation. Nor must we here neglect to add, that for this last pur pose, the Sabbath school teacher will find this work a great help in his important vocation.

The reader will not understand our warm commendation of the book as implying an indiscriminate approbation of all it contains. We are sorry, for instance, to find Augusti often vaguely and inconsistently speaking of infant baptism; just as though it were first introduced some ages after the apostles, We say inconsistently, for when treating expressly on the topic, he very properly carries it back to the origin of Christianity. From this inconsistency, and from the manner in which most of the late German authors we have consulted speak on the subject, we cannot help suspecting that they have paid far less attention to this than to the other important topics of Christian antiquity; and we hope the time is not distant in which some one will arise among them to write an entire and standard work on the early history of baptism, and do good justice to the theme. It is no strange thing for a German to be well acquainted with one subject, and sadly ignorant of another in the same general field of research.

As a specimen of the work, we subjoin the following from the section on "Disqualifications and Qualifications for Ordination."

The strictest precaution was exercised by the church to guard against the introduction of unworthy or unsuitable persons into the ministry. Several classes of persons were accordingly excluded from ordination, such as the following.

1. Women. This rule was in conformity with the apostoli, cal precept, 1 Cor. 14: 34, 35, 1 Tim. 2: 11 seq. The appointment of deaconesses, was no exception to this rule. They

were not appointed to bear rule, or to teach, but to perform certain offices which, from a due sense of decency and propriety, were restricted to their own sex. They were ordained with the usual formalities in the early periods of the church, but the custom was afterwards discontinued.

2. Catechumens. To this rule there were a few exceptions, as in the case of Ambrose, Nectarius, etc., but in general it was observed with great strictness.

3. Neophytes, novices; men who were deficient in age, or knowledge, or Christian experience. 1 Tim. 3: 6.

4. Energumens; including all who were subject to severe mental or bodily infirmities.

5. Penitents; all who for any offence had fallen under the censure of the church, even though they had been fully restored to the privileges of its fellowship and communion.

6. Apostates. All who lived a vicious life after baptism. Offences committed previously were not alleged as a disqualification.

7. All who were devoted to theatrical pursuits, or any occupations which disqualified them from receiving baptism.

8. Slaves, and freedmen who were still under some obligation to their former masters. This restriction was made not by reason of their humble condition, but because such persons could not be supposed to act with the freedom and independence which became the ministerial office.

9. Soldiers and military men of every description; for reasons substantially the same as those which are mentioned in the preceding article.

10. Lawyers and civilians. Men bearing civil offices, or in any way entangled with the affairs of state, were incapacitated for the sacred office. Cavendum ab his est (says Innocent I.), propter tribulationem quod sæpe de his ecclesiæ provenit. The power of Rome at times overruled this regulation, but the church uniformly sought to separate herself wholly from all connection with the state.

11. All who were maimed, especially eunuchs. Non infirmi tatem (says Ambrose), sed firmitatem; non victos, sed victores, postulat ecclesia. To this rule there were exceptions.

12. Persons who had contracted a second marriage. This rule is based on an erroneous interpretation of 1 Tim 3: 2, and Tit. 1: 6. To these views of the church may be traced the ancient sentiments respecting the celibacy of the clergy, which prevailed as early as the fourth century, and in the twelfth required of them the vow of celibacy in the Roman Catholic church. 13. Those who had received baptism upon their beds in ex

treme sickness, or under any urgent necessity when they might be suspected of having acted not voluntarily, but by constraint. 14. They who had been baptized by heretics. An exception, however, was made in favor of the Novatians and Donatists.

15. Persons who had been guilty of simoniacal conduct, i. e. of using bribery or any unfair means of obtaining ordination. This species of iniquity-the buying and selling of appointments to spiritual offices, and the obtaining of them by any unfair and dishonorable means-was severely censured by the church. The penalty was deposition from office, both on the part of him who was invested with holy orders, and of those who had assisted in his ordination. The laws of Justinian also required the candidate elect to make oath that he had neither given nor promised, nor would hereafter give, any reward directly or indirectly as a remuneration for aiding in his appointment.

The exceptions above mentioned are comprised in the following lines:

Aleo; venator; miles; caupo; aulicus; erro
Mercator; lanius; pincerna; tabellio; tutor,

Curator; sponsor; conductor; conciliator; pronexeta
Patronus causæ ; procurator ve forensis;

In causa judex civili; vel capitali,

Clericus esse nequit, nisi Canones transgrediantur.

Besides the foregoing negative rules, there were others of a positive character prescribing the requisite qualifications for ordination.

1. The candidate was required to be of a certain age. The rules by which this canonical age was determined were undoubtedly derived from the Jewish rituals. The deacons were required to be of equal age with the Levites-twenty-five years. The canonical age of presbyters and bishops was the same as that of the priests of the Jews-thirty years. The Apostolical Constitutions prescribe fifty years as the canonical age of a bishop. This was afterwards reduced to thirty. In some instances, persons may have been introduced into the ministry at an age still earlier. Both Siricius and Zosimus required thirty years for a deacon, thirty-five for a presbyter, and forty-five for a bishop.

The age at which our Lord entered upon his ministry is frequently alleged as a reason for requiring the same age in a presbyter and bishop. That was usually the lowest canonical Children were sometimes appointed readers. The of subdeacons, acolyths, and other inferior officers, was estab

age.

age

lished at different times, at fifteen, eighteen, twenty and twenty-five years.

2. They were subject to a strict examination previous to ordination. This examination related to their faith, their morals, and their worldly condition. They were especially subjected to the severest scrutiny in regard to the first particular. It was the duty of the bishop and subordinate officers of the clergy to conduct, for the most part, the examination; but it was held in public, and the people also took a part in it. No one would be duly ordained without the concurrence of the people in this examination, and the united approbation both of them and the bishop. Cyprian also insists upon the concurrence of the people in the selection of a pastor, and offers as a reason, the consideration that they were more familiarly acquainted with the life and conversation of the candidate. The names of the candidates were published, in order that they might be subjected to a severer canvass by the people. By a law of Justinian, the candidate was required to give a written statement of his religious faith, in his own handwriting, and to take a solemn oath against simony.

The extracts in the margin show how carefully the church observed the apostolic injunction to lay hands suddenly on no

man.

3. No person could regularly be appointed to the higher offices of the church without having passed through the subordinate grades. To this rule there were frequent exceptions, but the principle was strenuously maintained, in order that no one should assume the ministerial office until he had, in this way, become practically familiar with the whole system of ecclesiastical discipline and polity.

4. Every one was to be ordained to some special charge. This was supposed to be the apostolical rule, Acts 14: 33, Tit. 1: 5, 1 Pet. 5: 2. Exceptions sometimes occurred, though very rarely, and always against the decided sentiments of the church. Non-resident clergy, who are in this way removed from the watch and discipline of the church, receive no favor from the ancient canons and ecclesiastical writers.

5. Every minister was required to remain in the diocese over which he was ordained; and no one could, at the same time, be invested with more than one office. Plurality of livings were unknown to the ancient church.

6. A clerical tonsure was made requisite about the fifth or sixth century. No mention is made of it before the fourth, and it is first spoken of with decided disapprobation.

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