The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-06-08
AN IMPORTANT DISCO YER Y

The author of Supernatural Reli-
gion, in his reckless attack on the au-
thenticity of the Gospels, asserts that
Justin Martyr CA. D. 140) was not only
unacquainted with Johns Gospel, but also
with the other three. The Gospel re-
ferred to by Justin Martyr, he affirms,
was the Gospel according to the He
brews,' in use among the Judaising Chris
tians of Palestine. No other Gospel Che
asserted) existed as late as A. D. 40.
Our presents Gospels were the creations
of the latter part of the second century.
1t was very well known that Tatian,
the pupil of Justin Martyr, about A. D.
100, had written a work called Dates
seron, which the Church tradition had
uniformly affirmed to be Harmony of
the Four Gospels; but the writer of the
work alluded to also contradicts this, and
asserts that there has been no authority
for such an assumption-that the name
Dlatessaron was not given to the work
by Tatian himself, and that no writer be-
fore the 9Th century had ever seen the
work that Tatian, in short, had only
used the Gospel of the Hebrews, like
his master Justin Martyr
The Syrian Father, Ephraem, about
A. D. $50, wrote an exposition of this
Harmony. An Armenian translation of
this exposition, which had been preserved
(but had remained unnoticed or unknown)
was translated into Latin in 1871 by
Aucher, of the Mechitarist monastery in
Venice; and this translation, with ammo
tations, was published by Dr. George
Moesinger in 1876. The Armenian text
of the work had been printed as far back
as 1886, and thus for more than forty
years this great discovery remained un-
noticed by scholars.
DR.. Ezra Abbot, in his excellent mon
ograph- on the Gospel of John, seems to
have been the first English-speaking
scholar to refer to this important work,
and through him it seems to have become
known, says the Quarterly ReUieaV, to DIR.
Harnack, who has just published a full
account Of it in a recent number OF
Briegers Zeitschrift fur Kirchengeschi-
chte.' The Quarterly Reviee0 observes
that " the restoration of Tatian's Dates
saron' makes a more important addition
to our stores than any gain that has been
made since Tischendorfs discovery of the
Slnaitic manuscript"
One familiar with the questions so
largely discussed in our day as to the
genuineness, the dates, and the authen-
ITCHY, of our gospel narratives, will real
Use at once the immense Importance of
Hormomy-or. even an exposition of
Harmony-of the four evangelists writ
ten in the third quarter of the second
century, and that by pupil of Justin
Martyr.
1t sets at rest the question raised by
the author of Supernatural Religion Cor
his German precursers) as to the sense in
which Justin Martyr speaks of the Cos
pei which was read in the Christian as
semblies on. the first day of the week.
1t shows that the four gospels were in
existence and in use in Justin's time, to
the exclusion of all others; and SO firmly
had the authority of these books been es-
tablished in the Church in Tatians day,
that he undertakes to prepare Har-
mony, or sort of commentary on them.
Justin Martyr lived in the next gen
Grafton after st. John.
The adversaries of Christianity have
in our generation made hard fight at
this point-the date and authenticity of
the received gospel narratives; but they
have been driven back step by step.
Very fierce has been the fire concentrated
for some years past on the Gospel of John,
it being represented as a production Of
the latter part of the second century. We
think this discovery will pretty much
put an end to this discussion.
The BAPTIST GENERAL, a Associations