Early Christian Witnesses; or Testimonies of the First Centuries to the Truth of Christianity

360 Pages·12.821 MB·English

by  Fleming J.

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Fleming, James, 1816-1879.
Early Christian witnesses,
or. Testimonies of the
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EARLY CHRISTIAN WITNESSES.
— —
WORKS BY EDWARD CLODD, F.R.A.S.
ThirdEdition. C7-oivii8vo. Piice3s.
THE CHILDHOOD OF THE WORLD:
A SIMPLE ACCOUNT OF MAN IN EARLY TIMES.
A Special Editionfor Schools. Price is.
"This little book is intended for the youthful reader; whose
interest it will excite, and whose attention it will retain by the
simplicity ofits style, and the legendary characterofagreatportion
ofits contents." British Qitartcj'/yReview.
Third Thoiisand. Crown8vo. Price^s.
THE CHILDHOOD OF RELIGIONS.
INCLUDING A SIMPLE ACCOUNT OF THE BIRTH AND
GROWTH OF MYTHS AND LEGENDS.
ASpecialEditionforSchools. Priceis.6d.
"Marked by charming simplicity of style .... It contains the
story ofcreation astold bylegends,and theotherandmoreveritable
story as told by science Then we have the legends about
mankind, and an account of the early races, more particularlythe
Aryan or Indo-European. Following these we have an account of
the ancient religions, a glance at the Semitic nations and at
Mahommedanism." Ingjiirer.
London
:
C. Kegan Paul & Co., 1 Paternoster Square.
EARLY CHRISTIAN WITNESSES;
OR
TESTIMONIES OF THE FIRST CENTURIES TO
THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY.
BY
JAMES'^LEMING, D.D.
AUTHOR OF "christian SUNSETS," ETC.
London
:
C. Kegan Paul & Co., i Paternoster Square.
1878.
The Rights ofTranslalion andofRcprodiiclioii arc reserved.
PREFACE.
My
object in the following papers is to give
the reader some idea of men who are fre-
quently referred to by writers and speakers
on the claims of Christianity. The references
often fail of force, from the want of all
knowledge of those to whom they are
made. That knowledge I have endeavoured
to furnish in the accompanying sketches.
How far I have succeeded will be best
judged of by those for whom the book is
intended ; but I have aimed at so pre-
senting the men, in the circumstances they
occupied, the educational advantages they
enjoyed, the opportunities they had for getting
the information they sought, and the character
vi PREFACE.
they exemplified, as to show that they pos-
sessed peculiar qualifications for giving the
testimony they bore, and are fully entitled to
be regarded as trust-worthy witnesses.
Though anxious to meet the cases of those
who desire such knowledge as is here given, but
who, in these days of over-taxed brain and
limb, have no time to master folio volumes, I
have yet confined myself to examples only of
early Christian writers, and to the more pro-
minent traits of their characters and events of
their lives.
My
obligations for help in the preparation
of the work are due to Drs Lardner, Stanley,
De Pressense, Newman, Donaldson, Scrivener,
and Kennedy; also to Canon Westcott,
Neander, Mosheim, Milner, Isaac Taylor,
and Alford; and further to Messrs Clark's
Edition of the Anti-Nicene Fathers, and the
Dictionary of Christian Biography.
May He who has continued His Word amid