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and the general style and character utterly barbarous, setting at defiance all laws of grammatical construction, and rendering the meaning extremely obscure and difficult to decipher.*

Sometimes the inscription is found upside down, and sometimes it is written backward, like a Hebrew text. Sometimes it is written in Latin, sometimes in Greek; sometimes in a mingling of the two, and sometimes in what is neither the one nor the other. The dates are indicated by the names of the consuls of the year, which of course adds greatly to the value of the epitaphs as evidence of doctrine or practice. Of eleven thousand inscriptions classified by De Rossi, only thirteen hundred and seventy-four bear dates. But in many cases the presence or absence of certain symbols, as the "Constantinian monogram," offers a very fair criterion of approximate date.

An exposition of the doctrinal teachings of the early Christian inscriptions does not lie within the scope of Professor Bennett's treatise, although he furnishes a large number of fac similes and translations from which very important conclusions may be adduced. While we should not expect to find in these inscriptions a complete system of theology, we should certainly look for some definite expression regarding the religious belief of those who wrote these memorials of the dead. In this expectation we are not disappointed. We find in these epitaphs a body of evidence on the doctrine and discipline of the primitive Church whose value it is scarcely possible to overestimate. We are struck with the infinite contrast of their sentiment to that of the pagan sepulchral monuments; and also by the conspicuous absence, in those of the early centuries and purer periods of Christianity, of the doctrines by

*The later examples are often marked by the absence of terminal inflections, and the use of prepositions instead, and by other indications of the falling to pieces of the stately Latin tongue, which had been the vehicle of such a noble literature and such lofty eloquence. Frequently the accusative is used instead of the ablative; as cum uxorem, cum fratrem, sine aliquam, decessit de seculum, etc. The transition into modern Italian is indicated by prefixing the letter i, as in the words ispiritus, iscribet; by affixing e, as posuite for posuit; and by a general softening of the pronunciation, as santa for sancta, meses for menses, sesies for sexies. The misplacing the aspirate is seen to be by no means a cockney peculiarity, as in the following examples: hossa, hordine, helephantus, post hobitum. etc. In the following the h is omitted: ora, omo, ilaris, onestus, ospitium, oc, and ic. We find also such forms as vicxit, visit, bissit, or visse for vixit; pake or pache for pace, pulla for puella, restutus for restitutus, and the like.

which the Church of Rome is characterized. The primitive Christians had no doubt of the immediate happiness of those who died in the faith. They were incapable of the torturing thought that the atoning blood of Christ was insufficient to wash away their guilt, and that therefore they were doomed to penal fires,

"Till the foul crimes done in [their] days of nature

[Were] burned and purged away."

All the expressions applied to the death of the righteous indicate the assurance of their spirits' peace and happiness. Thus we have in A. D. 310 the following beautiful euphemism for death: "ACCERCITVS AB ANGELIS"-" Called away (literally, sent for) by angels." In A. D. 329 occurs the still nobler expression: "NATVS EST LAVRENTIVS IN ETERNVM ANN XX. DORMIT IN PACE"-"Laurentius, born into eternity in the twentieth year of his age. He sleeps in peace."

The Christian's view of death is always, in striking contrast to the sullen resignation or blank despair of paganism, full of cheerfulness and hope. Its rugged front is veiled under softest synonyms. A few examples will illustrate the pious orthodoxy of those early Christian epitaphs: "ABIIT AETHERIAM CVPIENS COELI CONSCENDERE LVCEM" (A. D. 383)—" She departed, desiring to ascend to the ethereal light of heaven."

"NEC REOR HVNC LACRIMIS FAS SIT DEFLERE

CORPORIS EXVTVS VINCLIS QUI GAVDET IN ASTRIS

NEC MALA TERRENI SENTIT CONTAGIA SENSVS." (A.D. 399.) "Nor do I think it right to lament with tears him who, free from the fetters of the body, rejoices among the stars, nor feels the evil contagion of earthly sense."

"HIC REQUIESCET (sic) IN SOMNO PACIS MALA.

ACCEPTA APVT (sic) DEVM." (A. D. 432.),

"Here rests in the sleep of peace Mala.... Received into the presence of God."

"VIVENTEMQVE DEO CREDITE FLERE NEFAS." (A. D. 472.) "Believe that it is forbidden to weep for one who lives in God."

So also the following: “ΠΡΩΤΟΣ ΕΝ ΑΓΙΩ ΠΝΕΥΜΑΤΙ OEOY ENOAAE KEITAI"-"Here in the Holy Spirit of 36-FIFTH SERIES, VOL. V.

ΘΕΟΥ

-

God lieth Protus;" "CORPVS HABET TELLVS ANIMAM CELESTIA REGNA"-"The earth has the body, celestial realms the soul;" “ ΓΛΥΚΕΡΟΝ ΦΑΟΣ ΟΥ ΚΑΤΕΛΕΨΑΣ (sic) ΕΣΧΕΣ ΓΑΡ ΜΕΤΑ COΥ ΠΑΝΑΘΑΝΑΤΟΝ ” "Thou didst not leave the sweet light, for thou hadst with thee him who knows not death," literally, "the all-deathless one; ""MENS NESCIA MORTIS VIVIT ET ASPECTV FRVITVR BENE CONSCIA CHRISTI"-" The soul lives unknowing of death and consciously rejoices in the vision of Christ;""PRIMA VIVIS IN GLORIA DEI ET IN PACE DOMINI NOSTRI XR."-" Prima, thou livest in the glory of God and in the peace of Christ, our Lord."

The glorious doctrine of the resurrection, which is peculiarly the characteristic of our holy religion as distinguished from all the faiths of antiquity, is frequently recorded in these epitaphs, as in the following examples:

"HIC REQVIESCIT CARO MEA NOVISIMO VERO DIE

PER XPM CREDO RESVSCITABITVR A MORTVIS." (A. D. 544.) "Here rests my flesh; but at the last day, through Christ, I believe it will be raised from the dead."

In the following example from the Catacombs of Naples Christian confidence adopts the sublime language of Job:

"CREDO QVIA REDEMPTOR MEVS BIBIT (sic) ET NOBISSIMO DIE DE TERRA SVSCITABIT ME IN CARNE MEA VIDEBO DOM."

"I believe, because that my Redeemer liveth, and in the last day shall raise me from the earth, that in my flesh I shall see the Lord."

More briefly is this cardinal doctrine asserted in the following: "IVSTVS CVM SCIS XPO MEDIANTE RESVRGET""Justus, who will arise with the saints through Christ;""HIC IN PACE REQVIESCIT LAVRENTIA QVAE CREDIDIT RESVRECTIONEM"--"Here reposes in peace Laurentia, who believed in the resurrection."

The very idea of death seems to have been repudiated by the primitive Christians: "NON MORTVA SED DATA SOMNO," sings Prudentius in paraphrase of the words of our Lord, "She is not dead, but sleepeth." So also in the Catacombs we read such words of sublime assurance as these: "MORTVVS NON EST SED VIVIT SVPER ASTRA" -"He is not dead, but lives above the stars."

In like manner the doctrine of the essential divinity of the Son of God is repeatedly and strikingly affirmed. Not only are the symbolical letters Alpha and Omega often associated with the sacred monogram, in allusion to the sublime passage in the Revelation descriptive of the eternity of Christ, but his name and Messianic title are variously combined with that of the Deity so as to indicate their identity. Thus we have the expressions: "ZHCHC IN AEO XPICTO (sic) — EN OEN - ΘΕΩ ΚΥΡΕΙΩ ΧΡΙΣΤΩ (sic) VIVAS IN CHRISTO DEO-IN DOMINO IESV"-"May you live in God Christ-in God the Lord Christ--in Christ God-in the Lord Jesus." Or the divine attributes are still more strongly expressed as follows: "AEOYC XPICTOYC OMNIHOTEC" (sic) — “ God Christ Almighty;" "DEO SANC XPO VN LVC" (sic) — “God, only Christ, only light;" "DEO SANC XPO VNI "-"To Christ, the one holy God."

Mention is made of the three persons of the Trinity separately in several epitaphs in which the deceased is said to sleep in DEO--in CHRISTO-in SPIRITV SANCTO, and collectively in the following, of date 403: "QVINTILIANVS HOMO DEI CONFIRMANS TRINITATEM AMANS CASTITATEM RESPVENS MVNDVM"-" Quintilianus, a man of God, holding fast the doctrine of the Trinity, loving chastity, contemning the world." In later examples from Aqueilia and other places we find the formula: "IN NOMINE SANCTAE TRINITAS -- PATRIS ET FILII ET SPIRITVS SANCTI"-" In the name of the holy Trinity-of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."

It is true that there are also traces of ancient heresies, but the overwhelming preponderance is that of devout orthodoxy. But we have spent more time on this important theme than we had designed.

Dr. Bennett treats with his characteristic good taste and sound judgment the interesting subject of early Christian poetry and hymnology, and the allied topic of early Christian music. He presents specimens of these early hymns, and curious fac similes of the Gregorian Antiphonarium, and other ancient musical manuscripts. As to this important part of Christian worship he concludes: "By the study of the early hymnology we are impressed with its comparative poverty. The depth of

devotional feeling and the perfection of rhythm which characterize the medieval and the modern hymn are largely wanting. The dignity and high inspiration which have characterized public worship since the Reformers joined the perfected hymn to appropriate music, and thus brought the singing to the entire congregation, could not have been attained even in the most imposing churches of Constantinople, Antioch, Milan, or Rome."

In the second main division of his volume our author discusses the archæology of the constitution and government of the early Christian Church. In this section he adopts largely the historical method, depending chiefly upon literary evidence, including the recently discovered "Teaching of the Twelve Apostles," and other ancient authorities. In addition to these the use of epigraphy is so important that it has been said that we might reconstruct the organization of the early Church entirely by its aid. On the question of the essential identity of presbyters and bishops in the apostolic age, he furnishes evidence that almost amounts to demonstration.

The whole officiary of the post-apostolic Church is passed in review-presbyters, deacons, archdeacons, chorepiscopi, metropolitans, and patriarchs; subdeacons, acolytes, exorcists, lectors, etc., whose multiplication were evidences of the growing splendor of ritual and doctrinal corruption of the Church of Rome. So also was the elaborate penitential discipline, with its various orders of penitentes-flentes, audientes, genuflectentes, and consistentes.

Book Three treats of the sacraments and worship of the early Church. Professor Bennett deals frankly and fairly with the vexed question of the subjects and mode of Christian baptism. His paramount object evidently is, not to obtain a polemical victory, but to arrive at the ultimate truth. He gives ten distinct illustrations of early frescoes or other art representations from the catacombs and ancient churches, in every one of which the mode is evidently by aspersion. These reach from the second to the ninth century. The following is his conclusion on this subject:

When we consider the fact that monumental evidence is invaluable because of its unconscious character, and also it is remembered that the testimony of the archaic document, "The

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