Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-10-26
Early ChristIauity-Th Catholic Tele.
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very brief generalization Of any long
series Of historical relations will always be
open to cavil from those whose learning Is
in acquisition rather than in digestion or
who have theory of their own which they
prefer. When we wrote, in an article en-
titled "our Sectarian Status" the following
sentences NI
"Rome was the cradle Of modern Chris
tia1ity The Church of Christ had died out
in Judea it had become corrupted with all
sorts of heather intermixtures in Alexandria,
and in the seven Asistic Churches, when it
arose to gain new life and a radical recon-
struction under the patronage of the Roman
Emperors, and to find central point from
whence to radiate over oil the then-known
world, from the Eternal City ITSELF All
Christianity, as it appears in its exterior
manifestations, therefore, dates back i'm
mediately to Rome; and this is the testimony
not only Of Catholic but Protestant and pro-
fame history"
we perfectly understood that the rapid
glance they presented of occurrences extend
ing through several centuries, would be
likely to tempt to the indulgence of the very
style of criticism in which our cotemporary
of the Catholic Telegraph INDUCES.
If, however, the editor of the Telegraph
will be so good as to read what we have re-
printed above, in connection with his own
paraphrase, he will see that his indictment
is founded upon points of his own manufac-
ture-in other words, upon a misstatement
of the meaning of what we wrote. We did
not say that Religion died out at Jerusalem,
Antioch and Alexandria, nor that it was re-
vived at Rome under the patronage of the
Emperors. We were speaking Of the
Chrishan Cb1rcL, which did disappear from
Jerusalem, and did become corrupted in
Antioch and Alexandria; which, under a
new organization, in the time of Constan-
tine, became the state religion of the Eastern
Empire; which was protected and extended
by nearly all his successors; and fnally-its
patriarchate transferred to the West
found a seat for its central authority at
Rome. How much or how little the modern
Western Emperors have done for the Church
| is not matter-as it is easy to see from the
! context-that had any thing to do with the
subject upon which we were treating; and
the animadversions of the Telegraph, taking
that view of the case are simply hypercrit-
ical.
We might return the compliment of the
Telegraph by juster criticism upon some Of
its statements; for example:
''In the beginning of the fourth century,
Constantine patrsnized the church because
the Christians were the support of his throne.
He professed himself Christian, and dis
claimed all right to interfere in ecclesiastical
matters Of any kind
It would be much more consonant to the
testimony of history to say that the Chris
tians became supporters of the throne of
Constantine in consequence of his patronage
of the church. He was converted by mir
acle, as all the world is aware. He saw a
great light in the heavens, and cross, with
the motto in hoe sigrio VincsS, and came out
at once upon the side of Christianity. He
professed himself Christian, and Christians
adhered to him; and the church took form
and gained solidity under his hand. And
the fact that he threw his imperial influence
into the scale to decide question of doctrine
between Arius and Athanasius at the Council
of Nice, and not only so, but banished the
former from his dominions, and ordered that
whosoever should find any Of his writings
and not burn them should be punished
capitally, is a curious commentary upon the
declaration that "he diselaimed all right to
interfere in ecclesiastical Matters