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A Religious and Miscellaneous Newspaper, devoted to Religion, Morality, Literature, General Intelligence, and the support of the Principles of the Christian Church. « *» “THE LORD GOD IS A SUN AND SHIELD.” $l:So PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE. VOLUME IX. 'w ■Am V RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, JUNE 30, 1852. — ' ' ^ ' # NUMBER 26. jjjT, 57 For the Christian Sun. CHURCH HISTORY, BY N. 8UMMERBELL. (Continued,). “ The Emperor at first consented that Ly Dcrius should return to Rome, and roign in conjunction with Felix, the presiding Pope; but the people cried “one God, one Christ, one Bishop.” Nor was the zeal of the Roman people confined to words alone; after some ineffectual resistance, his rival was expelled from the city.—his adherents inhumanly murdered in the streets, in the public places, in the baths, and even in the Churches; and the face of Rome, upon the return of a Bishdp, renewed the horrid image of the massacres of Marius, and the proscriptions of Sylla.”-rGibbon, 2: 277. From this time, Rome adhered strictly to the new faith, of which she remains the bulwark to the present day. CoCNCII.8. Before passing beyond the establishment of themow creed by Rome, I must call the readers attention to the Councils, ecu menical, or general, and others. These, as well may be sup posed, will present a good view of the faith of the Church in the age's they were held. In accordance with the prejudice of the various writers, some have been denominated general, and oth ers rejected. I shall give their date, and numbers as far-as pos sible, and the reader may decide by the date, which were early; by the members, which were general; and by their doctrine, which were Apostolical: ^ - A. D. 61. Council of Jerusalem, in which James presided, was held on the question of circumcising the Gentiles. There was no power outside of Jerusalem to decide this question.. It started in Antioch, tho mother Church was appealed to—Paul and Barnabas were delegates to her Court, and with Peter and others, took part in the debates; James decided the question in the negative. A. D. 261. Roman Council. Sixty Bishops were present; it was held against Novatian.—TVaddington, 60. A. D. 209. Antioch Council. The doctrine of Paul of Sa mostatia was condemned. “ Paul believed Jesus to be a mere human being, but conceiv ed him to become Christ by boing united to the eternal Logos.” Waddlngton, 70. The same heresy is set forth by Dr. Adam Clarke; and with some variations taught by Storr and Flatt, and other Lutheran divines. • ' A. D. .826. Council- of Nice—composed of 318 Bishops. “ The council assembled by Constantine at Nice, is one of the most famoeft and interesting events, -presented to us in Ecclesi astical history; and yet, what is most surprising, scarcely any part of the history of the Church has been unfolded with such negligence, or rather passed over with such rapidity. Tho ancient writers are neither agreed with respect to the time or place, in which it assembled, the number of those who sat in the council, nor the Bishops who presided in it; and no authen tic acts of its famous sentence, are now extant.”—(Moshiem, 1: 125.) “The Nieene Commons give us a very mean opinion of so many grave fathers, wisely disputing when Easter should bo kept; whether the Clergy might make eunuchs of themselves; whether they ought to cohabit with their wives; whether they can quit their Churches for riches; how long the lapsed should be suspended ? &c.”—IJawies, 1: 266. ii mi •» t i_a _a. __1..a!_.. Clergy, the yoke of perpetual celibacy, when Paphnutius put a atop to their proceedings.”—Moshiem. 1: 125. Neander classes the Church, at the Council of Nice, into three parties, thus—“Arians, Homoousians, and the more numer ous party who held the middle ground between the two others, afterwards called Semi-Arians.'1’—Index, vol. 2: 21. This Council was composed of 31*8 Bishops; 315 of whom were Greek*, and three Roman*. Called to reconcile a difficulty between Arius and Alexander of Egypt. A creed was drawn up by Hosius, Bishop of Cordova in Spain, which -was not so objectionable in its doctrine as its unscriptural phraseology, which Eusebius thought occasioned all the disturbance. It was however adopted, and those banished who would not sign it— afterwards altered and amended, enlarged and perfected, until it expressed the Trinity. But, so far was it from settling the , faith of the Saints, that it was the commencement of an inter minable struggle. %r not oply was Arius dissatisfied with it, but al$o, all truly Bible-loving Christians. It was the hrst grand departure from the word of G»»d—the first open rejection of Bible aptlkerity—the first appeal to earthly wisdom as above the wksdom the first setting up of a Moloch in the temple of God— the 'mat image wdrshipedrHfthestoJhe Bible _had been cohsiderfed of the highest authority1, and frojn the Bible there was no appeal; but now, to believe in God, the Son ' of God, the Holy Ghost, the whole Biblo, and maintain the pro fession by a well ordered life, and a godly conversation, only brought a man to the Church door to be cursed as a heretic— to have the dogs of bigotry let loose on him, as a heretic—really less sympathized with than the heathon. lie might believe all this, and yet the door could not be opened to him ; nay, to re fuse to bow the knee to the great image was far worse than heathenism, and he who dared to believe the Bible alone, was driven not only from the Church, but from his home, friends and Country. The Bible rejected for what? The Christian rejected for what? The Bible rejected for a Creed, and the Christian, for a Sectarian. And what can wo say of Sectarians ? They have filled the world -With divisions, contentions, hatred, and death. And what of the Creed for which the Bible was rejected? It was found so worthless, as not to bo preserved even by its friends, save as araendod afterwards. Tub Bibi.b. It points out a faithful aud eternal guardian to the departing husband and father, tells him with whom to leave his father less ohildren, and in whom his widow is to trust. It teaches a man how to make his will; it defends the rights of all, and reveals vengeanco to evory defrauder, over-reachor and oppressor. It is the first book, the best book, and the oldest book in the world; it contains the choicest matter, it gives the best instruction; and affords the greatest pleasure and satisfaction that ever was revealed ; it contains the best of laws, and the profoundest mysteries that ever were penned ; it brings the best tidings, and affords the best comforts to the inqniring and disconsolate. It exhibits life and immortality from ever lasting, and shows the way to glory. It is a brief recital of all that iil'past, and a certain prediction of all that is to come. It settles all matters in debate, resolves all doubts, and eases the mind and conscience of all their troubles. It reveals the only living and true GOI); shows the way to him, and sets aside all other gods, and describes the vanity of them. In short, it is a book of laws, to show what is right and what is wrong—a book of wisdom, that condemns all folly, and makes the foolish wise—a book of truth, that detects all lies, and con futes all errors—and a book of life, that shows the way from everlasting death. It is the most compendious book in all the world, the most authentic, and the most entertaining history that ever was published. It contains the most ancient antiquities, strange events, w on- » derful occurrences, heroic deeds, and unparalelledr wars. U describes the celestial, terrestial, and eternal worlds; and the origin of the angelic myriads, human tribes, and devilish legions. It will instruct the most accomplished mechanic, and the firo foundest artist. It will teach the best rhetorician, and exercise every power of the most skilful mathematician. Rev. xiii: 18. Puzzle the wisest anatomist, exercise the nicest critic ; correct the vain philosopher, and outreach the wisest astronomer. It exposes the subtle sophist, and makes divines mad. It is a complete code of laws, a perfect body of truths; and uncqimled narrative—a book of lives—a book of travels, and a book of voyages. It is the best covenant that eyer was agreed on—tlie best deed that ever was produced—the best will that ever was made; and the best testament that ever was signed. To understand it, is to be wise indeed—to be ignorant of it, ' is to be destitute of wisdom. It is the magistrate’s best guide— the servant’s best directory, and the young man’s Rest compan ion. But the Bible was rejected, and the Niccne Creed was adopt ed, and its friends triumphed over their enemies, and over the word of God. But the triumph was short. For although the Ministers present who would not subscribe to it, were immedi ately banished from the country; yet it was soon found that peace was "not purchased, even at so dear a rate. The people had not sympathized with rulers; and the Laymen were not ready to bow to the Priests. Not only did Arms reject the Creed, but the greater body of the Christians—“the most learn ed—most devoted—most influential men of the age rejected it. Arius was soon lost sight of; but an army of veterans of the Cross, rose up to oppose the human Creed of Nice. „ The friends of the new-creed however, denominated all who opposed it Arians, for three reasons, viz: First—His views being the most obnoxious, were calculated to beget prejudice in the minds of the uninformed. Second—By calling them byjthis name, they avoided the re proach of openly professing opposition to the Christian Church. Third—By calling them by this name, they would cut bff any connection between them and their ancestors; so that it would appear to a careless reader of history, as though nine tenths of Christendom, both throughout the Roman Empire, and in the distant and barbarous tribes in Britian, Spain, and Gaul, without having seen, or even heard of Arius, or his theory—had suddenly renounced their former Trinitarian faith, and adopted one not only repugnant to the Bible, but to com mon sense and- the very nature of things; for nature itself would teach us, that the Son would ever be of the same nature of his Father; and that if the Father was Divine, the Son also shared his nature; and if the Father was God, the Son would by inheritance obtain the same name.—Iieb. 1st chapter. The difficulty was not settled, council after council was called, so that “ the highways were covered with troops of Bishops, gal loping from every side to the assemblies, and while they labored to reduce the whole sect to their own particular opinions, the public establishments of the posts were almost ruined by their hasty and repeated journies.”—Ammianus, 20: 16. Hosius, wbo generally presided in the councils in that age, is usually admitted to have presided at the Council of Nice; but since the establishment of Popery, it has been claimed by some Catholics, more zealous than learned, that Hosius presided in the name of the Bishop of Rome. But a truly learned Roman Catholio says: “ ’Tis not certainly "known who presided in this Council, lmt it is very probable that it was Hosius, who held tiro chio^dace there in his own name, and not in the Pope’s.” Du Pin, 1: 158,159. • It was at this council, that Constantine, being grieved at the sectarian exclusiveness of At^sius, a Novatiari. said: “ Acesius, take a ladder, and get up to heaven by yourself.” Gibbon shrewdly remarks, that “Most of the Christian sects, have by turns, borrowed the h*d4*gfof Acesius.”—-Gibbon, 2: 238. * A. D. 835. The Council of Tyre eoudeinned Athanasius on account of his sectarianism, and annulled tlie condemnation of Arius, not because they approved of the peculiar views of Arius, more than those of Athanasius, but because Arias was a Chris tian in his character. However, the Alexandrian Prelate re fusing to reccivo Arius, he went to Constantinople, where he died. . Speaking of his death, Maclaine, the learned translator of Moshiom,.says: “ It appears to me extremely probablo, that this unhappy man was a victim to the resentment of his enemies, and was destroyed by poison, or some such violent method. A blind fanatical zeal, for certain systems of faith, has in all a^es, produced such horrible aets of cruelty-and injustice.”—Moslii em, 1: 126. A. D. 341. The Council of Antioch composed of 90 Bish ops was hold. It also condemned the New-doctrine, and adopt ed the twenty-five Canons which govern the Greek Church to this day. Athanasius was cliurged with various crimes, de graded and expelled. His Tricnds say unjustly ; that nothing was proved against him; that he was accused of murdering a man, and produced the man alive, with much other trumpery, first, no doubt told as witty fictions, and afterwards recorded to disgrace history, by glossing a corrupt character. A. D. 855. Council at Arlet. Twenty-one Bishops mot by request of Lyberius of Rome, where Athanasius was condemn I ed; even Vincent, the Roman legate signing thp condemna | tion.”—Reeves, 108. A. D. 3^5. Great Council of Milan, consisting of above three hundred Bishops, regarded Athanasius and the New-creed, as the cause of all the disturhijfcje^ in the Church; and the Councils of Arles and Milan comprising the Judgment, both of the Eastern and Western Church solemnly confirmed the de crees of the former Councils, and condemned and deposed Athanasius. The Catholic Bishops were not satisfied. Said Hilary of the Emperor': “ We combat Anti-Christ, (the Empe j tor) who strokes the belly, instead of scourging the back.”— Ilil. Const. 5—1240. The Catholic Princes never so erred, the sword was their strong, and always ready argument. In this Council there were factious spirits, whom even the gentle Constantins deemed it prudent to remove from the seat of their influence, notwith standing the taunt of Hilary. No unprejudiced person can carefully read the history of the *> age, as written by the bigoted friends of Athanasius, and the determined foes of the Christians, without seeing that Athana sius was a decidedly bad man, with no redeeming trait save, party zeal. In a letter after his expulsion, he says: ‘ The faith is now begun’—now begun; mark that! Three hundred years after. Christ, the faith., is just begun! He expresses his fears, lest what is ‘left inthe’Churches perish.’ And closing his let ter, begs the Bishops not to receive the letters of his successor, but to tear them, and to treat the bearers with disdain, ns min isters of iniquity, though always firm and constantly sincere, he fails in charity and meekness.”—Milner, 1: 289. A. D. 855. The Council of Milan was held, this also con demned the New-doctrine; and Athanasius, and Hosius the father of the Niceue Creed, and Lyberins, Bishop—now record ed Pope of Borne, were banished for schismatical conduct by disturbing the peace of the Church, by their factious support of the human doctrine of Nice, which was now almost universally regarded as unsound and heretical. Hosius at last gave up the Nicene Creed, and returned to Spain, where he showed the insincerity of his past conduct, and the inutility of force in religion, by again contending for the new creed. A. D. 551. “ The Church had to deplore the loss of her first * champions Osius and lyberins.”—Beeves, 110. These two Prelates, he goes on to affirm, signed the Articles of the Sirmium Council—Anti-Trinitarian, through persecution. A. D. 351-—The Pope turned .Arian. “ The same year, Lyberius (Pope) Bishop of Borne, after two years (easy) exile, was not only prevailed on to receive an Arian Creed, but even to reject Athanasius. The subscription to the Creed was not so much an evidence of insincerity, as was the condemnation of Athanasius. Lyberius by these unworthy means recovered his Bishopric. The See of Borne at that time had secular charms sufficient to seduce a worldly mind. “ Whether Lyberius cordially repented of his hypocrisy or not, we have no evidence. Now the proverb was verified, ‘all the world against Athanasius, and Athanasius against all the world.’ ”—Milner, 1: 294. For all the Bishops of any name in Christendom, had reject ed the Trinity. Where is the succession ? Where the unani mous consent of the fathers? Where the infallibility of the i ope s vuurcu t ixoi a msnop m me worm, save uegraueu Athanasius, professed her Creed !! A.—©. 800.—The Gexeeai. Council* of the West. This Council was held at Rimini, composed of 400 Bishops from Britain, France, Spain, Gaul, Africa, and lllyricum. They anathematized both Arius and the NSw-doctrine of Athanasius. 1 A council was held at Selucia in the East the same year, they did not agree, but the majority were of the same sentiments approved at Rimini. The opposers of the New-doctrine were “ now every where victorious,” says Milner. Forty-Jive Councils. It is unnecessary to enter into a miuute history of each Council, suffice to say, that during the fourth century, forty-five Councils were held, thirteen of which were | favorable to the Trinity, and thirty-two in favor of the Old Religion of the Christian Church. Notwithstanding the iuflu-. ence of the Soverign was l'clt in all those Councils, yet where Jthe majority of Sovereigns, and the majority of the Bishops, and the majority of the Priests, and'the majority of the people, and the majority of the Councils were opposed to a doctrine, hypocrisy cannot impeach the sincerity of their decisions. The spirit of those of the New, is distinguished from them of i the Old religion in this. The Christians only seemed to desire- i the peace of the Church, and the good of the cause—and were always willing to abide by the language of the Bible, and:fel lowship those who opposed them, while the New religionists trished those of the Qld_ doad. prayed for-their daath^-amh— fought to accomplish it, and constantly desired their banish ment and extripation. Yet under Christian Emperors ‘-‘In many Churches the Arians and Ilomoousians, (that is the Chris tians and Catholics,) who reuoudfced each others communion, continued for some timo to join in prayer.—Philostorgius, L. iii. c. 14. Gibbon, 3: 275; The complaint of persecution.,urged by the Catholics, comes with a bad grace; and in a large majority of cases, is the work of fiction, that the Emperors on eitlieir side interfered, is to be lamented, that any were forced by any temporal sanctions more; but that1 those who coujjfi^ined the most, were real schismatics, determined to have their own way, or to destroy the Church, no honest well informed man will deny. Their being called “ good Bishops of Cordova ”—“ St. Athanasius and Pope Lybe rius,” to the contrary notwithstanding. It is true that, the Anti-Trinitarians are accused of several cases of cruelty, but in almost every instance the charge evapo rates on a closer examination. The story of the tongues cut out, is doubted by Hawies. The story Of the murder of Paul, of Constantinople, is doubted by Sozomon, and proved false by Photius, (Gib. 3: 279,) and it must be admitted that if they were persecuted ever, which remains to be proved, their charac ters, were so corrupt, that their best writers doubt their word 1 when they report it—while none denies that they persecuted. *The largest Council held in the ancient Church. For the Trinitarians could never muster 400 Bishops in any of their Councils. Onr Savior said: “By their fruits shall ye know them and truly little good fruit is claimed for any of them, except that they strove zealously to sustain “ the New Nieene form of doe trine of the Trinity, which at length obtained the victory over the OLDER systems of subordination."—Meander, 2: 424. That both sides, might, sometimes have persecuted, is true; but the persecution by the Catholics was general, without tol eration—universal without exception—unceasing without rest, i and exterminating without favor; while that by the Christiana! (the Catholics themselves being witnesses^ was unusual, pro-1 voked, local, short and tolerating—while they _even favored their enemies in many instances. Had the first Roman Chris tian Emperors, or even at a later day in the long reign of Theo* doric and others (Gib. 3: 32) persecuted as did the Catholics, no Trinitarian would have remained to teB the fate of wo, or dismember the Church by his philosopy. V Saints and Heretics. For the better understanding of the internal state of the Church, I will now present the reader with a concise view of some of the principal actors, wndse lives have adorned or dis graced its history. Let the reader remember that I present him the testimony in the language of the enemies of the Old Christian Church, whose testimony, is above suspicion only, when in favor of those whom they hate, and against those whom they love. St. Alexander, The first person, whom I am willing to allow a Roman Catho lic, St. Alexander, was Bishop of Alexandria, and the first father * of the Boman Church, the. introducer of the novel doctrine, and the persecutor of Heretics. Hawies cannot decide whether he was timid, candid, or cautious, (1: 254) but he was bold enough to adopt the doctrine of Plato, as Maclaine of Moshiem admits. And when opposed by a Presbyter, much his superior in every grace which can adorn the human character. “ He assumed the office of his Judge, and pronounced his sentence ; as a rule of faith,” in place of the word of God. Sozomon represents him as ignorant, and others of his friends regard him as injudicious, bigoted, and unchristian, (G.^J: 243.) While Waddington admits that (93) “ the opinions of Alexan der have not escaped the charge of heresy. His notions respect ing the distinct persons in the Trinity were so imperfect, that Arius accused him with seeming justice, of inclination to the error of Sabellianism. And again, some of his expressions re specting the nature of the second person, places him upon the very borders of Semi-Arianism.”—Wad. 93. So is the father of the Catholic Church, admitted to be in error, or condemned as a heretic. Ignorant, assuming, tyranni cal, and rash; even by his friends. Let us pass from this disa greeable picture, to consider the brighter virtues, of what the Trinitarian calls an arch heretic—and cull what we can of ad mission from his enemies. a * portant circumstances of bis manners and conversation, we shall be contented to adopt the language of a writer, who has seldom treated either him or his followers with any show of candor or justice. Arius made of the advantages he was master of, by art and nature, to gain the people; for it was certain he had a * great many talents. He was tall of stature, and of a very be coming make; grave and serious in his carriage, with a certain air of severity in his looks—but this severity was softened by an extraordinary delicacy in his features, giving lustre to his whole person, which had in it something so sweet and engaging as was not easily resisted, nis garb was modest, but withal neat, and such as was usnaHy worn by men of quality, as well as learning. His manner of receiving people was very courte ous, and very ingratiating. Through his agreeable way of en tertaing those who. came to him upon any ocoasion, notwith standing tlio seriousness, severity and strictness of his mien; he possessed all imaginable wit and address, and perfectly well understood how to soothe.”—Vaddington, 96. * “ He was a man of subtle turn and remarkable for his elo quence,-possessing great firmness and constancy of mind.”— Mosheim, 1: 121,125. v" W Athanasius, A. D. S26 to 3T3. This man, revered by both Protestant and Catholic, as, Saint, was a bold and persevering sectary, who “ stuck at u fraud, and was ashamed of no villany.” 1 Ju == Hawies^ssyg?Lrcver s anffbenar Athansshis^but I Leaf? ~ representations of his enimes with suspicion.”—Hawies, 1: i '■ That he was'not exempt from many things highly bf ble, is certain, yet if we dare not palliate his faults, cando bids severe reprehension, and wishes to impute them rat1 the times than to the man.”—Ibid, 1: 283. Anthony’s life “ by Athanasius, is as mortifying a prd the spirit of the biographer, as of the hero of the tale, a afflicting evidence of the piety, then had in the highest ec tion. I turn from it in disgust, and am amazed that as Mr. Miluor's spirit, can affect to gloss over ft with. IpAsT liation, if not of approbation. The pride and jfrff-nghteo of the human heart ought not so to be treated fp exalt; character. Even Athanasius can report miradsj|fc*7M surd, ridiculous, and contemptible.”—Hawses, A child is born in London every seven minute*, and a death occurs in every nine. The population is estimated at 1,572,000. Aries of Alexandria. “His most implacable adversaries have acknowledged the learning and blameless life of that eminent Presbyter.”—Gib* bon, 2 : 243. . ‘fe y “So far from joining in the anathemas, which are commonly ! heaped upon him, we shall perform a more grateful office in bearing testimony to the purity of bis moral life, and the prob able sincerity of his religions opinions. Respecting the less im
The Christian Sun (Elon College, N.C.)
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June 30, 1852, edition 1
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