Christians, rich and poor, furnished money and help, to bury the bodies of their persecutors, and to rescue the city from the danger of a more terrible devastation.*

THE EARLY

CHRISTIANS' VIEW OF THEIR CALLING AS

PRIESTS.

"We are the true worshippers of God, the true priests, who, praying in the spirit, from the Spirit of God, present the only sacrifice which he desires. Such a sacrifice, flowing from the fulness of the heart, from a pure mind, from love, accompanied by good works, must we bring to the altar of God, and we shall obtain every thing from him."†

DESCRIPTION OF THE JOY OF THE CHRISTIANS, IN CONTRAST WITH HEATHEN AMUSEMENTS.

"How art thou so ungrateful, that thou art not satisfied with so great joys given thee from God, and dost not acknowledge them? For what can give greater joy than the revelation of truth, the detection of error, the forgiveness of sins, and reconciliation with God, thy Father and Lord? What greater joys are there, than the contempt of every thing earthly, true freedom, a clear conscience, and a contented life, free from the fear of death?"

CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE, ACCORDING TO TERTULLIAN. "What union between two believers! One hope, one life in the service of one Lord, one union of body and spirit. They pray and fast together. They incite and encourage each other. They go to the church in company. They appear together before God. They share their trials and their joys. There is no secret between them. Their psalms and hymns resound, and they strive which shall praise God the best. Christ rejoices while he sees and hears, and sends them his peace. Where two are united, he is there with them; and where he is, the power of evil cannot come."§

THE CHRISTIAN LADY IN EARLY TIMES.

"She visits the sick brethren in every street, even in the poorest houses. She provides for the entertainment of Christians, coming from abroad. She nourishes the martyrs in prison."||

*Pontii vita Cypriani. culis, c. 2, 9. § L. II, c. 9.

† Tertull., de Orat., c. 22. Tertull., de SpectaDe cultu Fem., c. 11, 12.

Such was the influence of the word of God, at the time when the church had no weapons to conquer the hearts of men but the power of this very word, which was disclosed in the doctrine and the life of its preachers and confessors. That was the golden age of the church.

[The passages which follow are from another article in the Gelegenheitschriften" of Dr. Neander, entitled, Traits of the life of St. Chrysostom. Chrysostom lived at an age somewhat later than the one to which the preceding pages refer. He was born A. D. 344, and died about A. D. 407. The simplicity and purity of the church had begun to be corrupted. It is interesting, however, to notice the devotedness of the Christian teacher of so early a period, and to contemplate both his views of Christian duty, and their manifestation in some of the disciples. The transitions in the successive quotations are somewhat sudden and unnatural; but not more so in the appendage, than in the former parts of this article.]

INFLUENCE OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN MOTHERS.

Anthusa, the mother of Chrysostom, did much to implant early in his mind that religious feeling, which afterwards yielded such noble fruit. Of her, after she had lived a widow twenty years, from her youth, Libanius, a heathen and a learned man, and by no means favorable to the Christians, could say, "What women the Christians have!" (Chrysostom, Lib. ad. vid. junior., c. II.) In the education. of the great men of the church of that period, Christian mothers generally had great merit. In their early and tender youth, they protected them from the infection of heathenism, to which their husbands, in some cases, were still attached; or, at least, from the corruptions and the thoughtless habits of the age. Thus the pious Monica, by her Christian gentleness and resignation, wrought upon the mind of Augustine, when a child; and though her efforts were long to no purpose, she had the joy of seeing them bring forth fruit at last. So also, Nonna, who by the influence of her pious life had turned her husband from heathenism, wrought upon the mind of Gregory of Nazianzum. This long wished-for son, she carried to the altar immediately after his birth, and, laying under his hand a book containing the gospels, conse

crated him to the service of God. This early consecration had an important influence on his whole life. So also the mother of the champion, Theodoret.

CHRYSOSTOM'S VIEW OF THE DUTY OF CHRISTIANS IN THE

WORLD.

It was his most earnest endeavor to lead not only the clergy, but all Christians, to view the advancement of the kingdom of God among men, as their calling; and to persuade every one, from the position in which Providence had placed him, to contribute his influence, that from each individual family true Christianity might be diffused abroad. "Let every house be a church, consisting of men and women. Count it no obstacle that thou art the only man in the house, and thy wife the only female. For Christ says: Where two are assembled in my name, I am in the midst of them.' And, where Christ is, there is a true church."

In another sermon (Hom. 20, Act. Ap., c. 4), he says: "Nothing is more chilling than a Christian who does not labor for the salvation of others. How can one be called a Christian, who is not useful to others? If the leaven, hidden in the meal, does not communicate its own quality to the whole mass, can it be called leaven? If the balsam does not send forth its fragrance to all that come near it, is it balsam? Say not, it is impossible for me to win others. If thou art a true Christian, it is much more impossible not to do it. As that which is in the nature of things must necessarily ensue, so also this; for the nature of the Christian demands it. If our own Christianity is such as it should be, this result cannot fail; for the light of the Christian cannot remain hid."

Shortly before a tumult, the consequences of which might have been very dangerous to the city of Antioch, Chrysostom, as if by an almost prophetic warning, exhorted the citizens to labor with all their might for their mutual reformation. In the year A. D. 387, in a sermon preached on a fast-day (ad Pop. Antioch, Homil. I, § 12), he says: "Say not to me this chilling word, 'what have I to do?' With Satan only we have nothing common; but with all men we have much in common; for they have, in common with us, the same nature, the same Lord, the same obligation. They are invited to the same blessings. Let us, therefore, not say that we have no concern with them. It is a sentiment of the

adversary. It is an infernal misanthropy. I assure you, that if ye all, who are present, would divide among yourselves the care of the salvation of this city, all would soon be well. One man, inflamed with holy zeal, might reform a whole nation."

ANXIETY OF THE CHRISTIAN PASTOR FOR HIS HEARERS.

Chrysostom, anticipating danger which threatened him, said: "I am ready to shed my blood, if I can only prevent sin. I am not troubled about hatred and war. One thing only lies near my heart, the improvement of my hearers."

METHOD OF COMBATING ERROR.

"Show him, who is in error, that that which, from prejudice or ignorance, he holds to be right, is contrary to the doctrine of God. If he admit it, thou hast provided both for his salvation and thy own. If he will not admit it, proceed to apply it, only with patience and gentleness, that thou mayst not have to give account for his soul to the eternal Judge; not with hate and persecution, but with the manifestation of pure and true love. We gain much, showing love and the true spirit of a disciple of Christ. John 13: 35." "We must condemn false doctrines; but in every way spare the men who espouse them, and pray for their salvation." (De Anathemate.) He recommended Christian mildness and gentleness, as the best means of converting the heathen. "Let us follow the example of the apostles. Though it is not a time of contention, it is a time to show confidence. If, therefore, we meet the heathen, let us oppose them without anger and severity; for if we do it with anger, there is no more confidence; but we seem to be moved by passion. But if it is done with mildness and gentleness, then is there true confidence." (Hom. 17, Act. Ap., § 3.)

In another sermon, "Even if thou workest miracles, and whatever thou mayst do, the heathen will not admire thee so much, as when they see in thee gentleness and mildness. Nothing has power to draw men like love. If one does not come immediately to the faith, still do not desire every thing at once; but lead him on gradually by love." (Ep. I, ad Cor. Homil., 33, § 5.

ARTICLE IV.

IMMORTALITY OF THOUGHT.

THE power of mind, as manifested in its capabilities of improvement, of action, of influence, of sensation, of discovery, and of recollection, would open a fine field for a train. of consecutive articles, which would doubtless afford both instruction and entertainment. But the copiousness of such a theme, together with the limited space allotted us, has determined us to confine ourselves to the last branch, viz., the power of recollection. And, as the extent of this power is not so much disclosed by direct feats of recollection, in the present encumbered state of the human mind, as by collateral facts and considerations, it will be our purpose to show that thought is immortal.

We use the term mind, not with reference to the intellectual powers, as distinguished from the sensibility and the volitions, but to denote that nature in which all those qualities, that elevate man above the beasts that perish, have their foundation. These qualities inhere in the same substance, as the hardness, elasticity, color, and other properties of a rock or tree, inhere in the same substance or essence. To analyze this substance, that we call mind or soul, is impossible. Indeed, all human science is confined to the properties of things, never being able to penetrate so far as their essence. Still, that there are souls, we can no more mistake, than that there are rocks, or trees. Thought, memory, desire, hope, fear, veneration, and all the features of moral and intellectual natures, must have their basis in something real and substantial. This something it is, which has effected all the changes of art and industry upon this earthly ball; which both constructs and guides the ship over the trackless main, by laws of its own discovering; which wields the lightnings of heaven at its pleasure; which has filled the world with its feats of intelligence and its monuments of greatness; this mysterious something, we call mind or soul, as distinguished from its bodily casement. Its capabilities of action, knowledge and sensation place it at an inconceivable distance above all the