CONVERSATION V.

MR. B.

IN our last conversation we satisfied ourselves as to the existence of Christianity up to the time of the emperor Julian, and found no evidence of its having had any other origin than what is commonly assigned. In further tracing the vestiges of this religion, you must be aware, from the very nature of the case, that we cannot reasonably expect such strong evidence as we have had in the preceding part of our inquiry.

EDWARD.

Certainly; if Christianity was originally professed only by an obscure and despised sect, in a remote province of the Roman empire, it would be unreasonable to expect it should attract that attention which it afterwards obtained, when it became the religion of a material portion of the whole people.

MR. B.

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It is also probable, that if such were its origin in the first instance, it would be every where spoken against:" for we know that there was a general prejudice against the Jews; and the Christian statement, as to the death of its Founder, was not ikely to allure the votaries of the esta

blished superstitions. From the testimony of Libanius, it appeared that the Christians previously to their obtaining the ascendency had been cruelly persecuted; and it hence becomes by no means improbable that they were also calumniated; and the more so, if the hatred of the Christians to idolatry, which we have already seen, was manifested during the period in which the power remained in the hands of its abettors. But let us now turn from conjecture to examination, and we shall find the truth of these observations confirmed by facts. During the latter part of the period under consideration, Christianity was an object of the greatest interest, and its opposers were equally anxious to overthrow its principles, and intimidate its professors into a renunciation of them. During the second century it was by no means so much the object of general attention; for its success was not then so decided as to threaten the subversion of the established creed; and in the first we only find such traces of it as might have been expected would remain of a sect which had its origin in a country, the inhabitants of which were generally disliked, and the religion of which was not understood.

BEATRICE.

But does the increased knowledge of Christianity which the Pagans had, in consequence of its universal dissemination, prove favourable to it?

MR. B.

It does; inasmuch as accusations of horrible crimes, practised by the Christians at secret meetings, were afterwards laid aside as untenable, although the disposition of its enemies yet remained unchanged.

BEATRICE.

And is there no trace of any other origin than the one commonly assigned to Christianity, perceptible in their writings?

MR. B.

Not the least; but abundant confirmation of the Christian statements on the subject.

BEATRICE.

But what sort of writers are those which thus corroborate them?

MR. B.

The works in question may be divided into three classes. Imperial edicts relative to the Christians; the works of professed antagonists of Christianity; and, lastly, those of writers who incidentally allude to it.

BEATRICE.

Have the first come down to us entire?

MR. B.

Unfortunately they have not.

Lactantius re

lates that Ulpian, who flourished at the beginning of the third century, made a collection of the edicts against them, which he inserted in his work on the Duty of a Proconsul; but this being no longer extant, we are forced to content ourselves with the fragments which yet remain interspersed in the writings of contemporary authors.

EDWARD.

But can we rely on such evidence, if transmitted only through the medium of Christians?

BEATRICE.

According to the conclusions drawn in a former conversation, we must (provided there is no internal evidence militating against them), since the facts must have been matters of public notoriety; and it is not likely in such a point the Christians would run an unnecessary risk of exposure.

MR. B.

And in this case, the testimony of Pagans already adduced is greatly in favour of their accuracy; and they also bear the strongest internal marks of genuineness.

EDWARD.

How high does our knowledge of the conduct pursued by the emperors extend?

F

MR. B.

We have mention made by heathen writers of persecutions carried on against the Christians to the first, viz. that of Nero, in the year 67: but our knowledge of the declared sentiments of the emperors does not extend higher than the year 110, when Trajan appears to have given the first general directions as to the conduct which was in future to be pursued by the public officers towards them.

EDWARD.

You speak of the emperors as the persecutors of the church. Are we warranted from the records which have come down to us, in regarding them as such?

BEATRICСЕ.

Surely not all there were some excellent men among them.

MR B

The conclusion which Lardner draws from a very careful examination of all the remaining documents which can throw light upon the subject is, that

Christianity, from the time of its first appearance in the world, was all along in a state of persecution till the time of Constantine."

He afterwards explains himself more at large as follows:

"These things are sufficient to assure us, that the Christians