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siderately and gravely, so as even to persuade another also, without tragical exclamations." (Lardner, vii. 135.)

From this passage Dr. Lardner draws the following corollaries: 1. At that time the Christians were well known in the world. 2. The Emperor Marcus was well acquainted with them, and had often heard of their sufferings. He knew that many Christians had died in testimony to their principles, and as Christians. 3. He knew, and here acknowledges their resolution and steadiness in the profession of their principles, for which they suffered death. This he calls obstinacy. 4. He had heard of their cheerfulness in death, and in all the sufferings which they had met with. This he endeavors to disparage by comparing it to the declamations of tragedians. (vii. p. 142.)

And now the allusions to Christianity by Pagan writers begin to be so numerous and so extended, that it would be useless for us to undertake to quote or even to notice them. Anno Domini 150-176 is the date usually assigned to Celsus, the distinguished opponent of Christianity, from whose writings such copious extracts have been given by Origen. In the same year, Lucian of Samosata is supposed to have written his letter to Cronius concerning the death of Peregrinus, also called Proteus, whom Lucian alleges to have been a Christian; and a few years later his Pseudomantis, a letter to Celsus, concerning one Alexander, an impostor, in which he makes honorable mention of Christians as well known in the world, and formidable to cheats and impostors.

But enough has been said to illustrate the definiteness and reliability of Pagan testimonies respecting the main facts in the early history of Christianity. The extracts we have made have been selected from a great number, leaving others which were in many respects equally conclusive, but were either not so undisputed in their authenticity, or so clear in their application, and would hence have required more space for explanation or defence than this article can admit. We have thought, however, it might not be unprofitable to make a list in chronological order of those writings which, in one way or another, are supposed to

make allusion to Christians in the first two centuries, including the authors whom we have already quoted, whose names will be distinguished by italics. They are as follows:

33 A. D. The Acts of Pontius Pilate, and his Letter to Tiberius. Justin Martyr, in his First Apology, presented to Antoninus Pius A. D. 140, speaking of our Savior's crucifixion, adds, "And that these things were so done, you may know from the acts made in the time of Pontius Pilate." (Paris, 1636, p. 76,-Benedic. ed., 36, p. 65.) Also, afterwards, in the same Apology, in speaking of Christ's miracles, he refers to the same authority. (Claris; p. 84,-Benedic 48, p. 72.) Tertullian, in his Apol. A. D. 200, makes the same reference for the same purpose. (c. 21, p. 22.) And in another part of his Apology (c. 5, p. 6) he remarks that Tiberius, in consequence of these reports from Palestine in Syria, proposed to the Senate to place Jesus among the Gods. See also Eusebius, lib. 1, cap. 2.

68 A. D. A monumental inscription in Portugal erected in the time of Nero, i. e. before his death, June, 68 A. D., for after that no people paid him honor. In ruinis pagi Mafquosiæ in Lusitania. Ap. Gruter, p. 238-9.

Neroni. Cl. Caes.
Aug. Pont. Max.

Ob. Provinc. Latronib.
Et. His. Qui. Novam
Generi. Hum. Super-
stition. Inculab. Pur-
gatum. Lard. vi. 625.|

To

Nero Claudius Caesar,
Augustus, High Priest,
For Clearing the Province of
Robbers,

And those who taught Mankind
A New Superstition.

77 A. D. Caius Plinius Secundus (Pliny the Elder), who

died 79 A. D., aged 56, refers to Paul and Elymas the Sorcerer.-Nat. Hist. lib. 30, cap. 1, "De Origine Mag.," &c.

100 A. D. Tacitus the Historian.

100 A. D. Decimus Junius Juvenalis (Juvenal) refers in

104 A. D.

109 A. D.

his Satires to the persecutions under Nero and Domitian.-Sat. iv. ad finem.

Pliny the Younger and Trajan.

Epictetus the Stoic, in his Discourses, published by Arrian, speaks of the Christians as Galileans.-Lib. 2, cap. 9, and lib. 4, cap. 7.

110 A. D. Suetonius.

117 A. D. Hadrian.

136 A. D. Bruttius Presens. Eusebius refers to this heathen author as giving an account of the persecutions under Domitian, and the martyrdoms that happened in his reign, among which was the banishment of Flavia Domitilla, niece of Flavius Clemens, then Consul to the Isle of Pontia, on account of her avowal of faith in Christ. Euseb. lib. 3, cap. 18.

138 A. D. Phlegon alludes to the darkness at the crucifixion.-Eusebius, Chron. p. 77, 158 (doubtful). 138 A. D. Antoninus Pius. See Gieseler, Ch. Hist., §42

note.

161 A. D. Marcus Aurelius. See Neander, K. G. 1, 177. 170 a. D. Apuleius of Madaura, Africa, a Platonic Philosopher, refers to Christianity in his Metamorphosis and Apology. See Lardner.

176 A. D. 180 A. D.

Celsus the Epicurean. See Origen's works. Lucian of Samosata alludes to Christians, by way of satirical opposition, in his works de morte Peregrini, c. 11-16, Alexander, c. 25, 38, de vera Historia, i. 12, 30. On his dialogue Philopatris, see Gieseler, Ch. Hist. N. Y., 1849, i. §41 note.

180 A. D. Galen the Physician is also referred to by Lardner and others, as having passages in his works concerning Christ and the Christians.

If the reader will now compare this list with any literary chronology for the same period, he will be surprised to find how large a proportion of all the heathen historians and prominent writers of those two centuries are included in it. It may safely be said that there has been no period since,

within which the number of allusions to Christianity in merely literary (i. e. as distinguished from religious or ecclesiastical) productions is proportionately greater.

So much time has been occupied in the statement of these facts, that we will not trespass upon the patience of our readers by an extended discussion of them. The opinion expressed at the beginning of this article has, we think, been sustained, viz, that the existence of Christianity in the first two centuries has been as fully noticed by contemporary Pagan writers as could reasonably have been expected, and these notices have entirely confirmed the more important statements of Christian writers in regard to the same period. This has been true not only as it respects the outward facts in the lives of Christians, their diffusion, labors and persecution, but in an equal degree as to the moral and social character which they maintained, the principles they avowed, and the practices which they enjoined or shunned. The consideration of these facts cannot but assist our confidence in the authenticity of that Word which was transmitted through them to us, and in the divine origin of that religion which it reveals. Enough can be found in the testimonies of heathens themselves to prove its superiority to all other religions of the world. Its very enemies have been made unwittingly its defenders, and in their fiercest attacks have been but adding stones to the foundation of truth on which it rests. Thus, in a signal manner, in the history of His Church, has God caused the wrath of man to praise Him.

ART. VI.-HARRISON ON GREEK PREPOSITIONS.

A Treatise on the Greek Prepositions, and on the Cases of Nouns with which these are used. By GESSNER HARRISON, M.D., Professor of Latin in the University of Virginia. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. 1858.

In the early part of the last century, as we are told in "Kitto's Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature," three distinct treatises appeared in Germany on the Dream of Pilate's Wife. We imagine it may be thought by some a hardly less striking instance of multum de parvo, that one should publish five hundred octavo pages upon the Greek Prepositions. Yet in truth the subject is extensive, as well as important and difficult. It may be doubtful whether a knowledge of any other part of discourse, not even the moods of the verb, can be considered so important to the correct understanding of language, as that of these particles, with their accompanying cases. On the articulations of speech, almost everything depends.

And the difficulty of the subject is known to every scholar, not only from his own studies, but from his observation of the confusion and inaccuracy with reference to the prepositions which pervade many highly popular critical works. Any of our readers who do not happen to have noticed McKnight's Preliminary Essay on the Particles, will be at once amused and astonished to see what havoc is made of the prepositions there. Indeed, we never could conceive what has made McKnight so popular, unless it be that among his hundreds of strained and fanciful renderings, every man who has a theory to uphold with much Scripture against him, can sometimes find a passage translated more to his mind than in the common version, and accepts it

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