The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-05-29
From Friends Review
BY THOMAS KIMBER.
rAcp AND Good WILL TO MEN.


Perhaps the most marked and uni
versal change, manifested in the lives
as we'll as in the deaths of the early
Christian converts, was expressed by
that simple word so commonly in use
among them; PEACE.
It was inscribed on hundreds OF
their tombstones, in the Catacombs
and in their burying places elsewhere,
telling of that Divine peace which
had irradiated their countenances and
overflowed their hearts, amid the
agonies of bloody or fiery martyr
dom; and into which, it was believed;
they had now everlastingly entered.
Moreover this Heavenly Peace evil
IDENTIFY clothed their spirits, and ami
mated their daily lives, not only m
wardly towards God,-but manlfestiy
to all around them; even towards
those enemies, who had cruelty wrong
ed or prosecuted, them. Many testl-
monies are recorded by the early
Fathers and Historians of the Church,
to this wonderful change in the hearts
and lives of the Primitive Christians.
Even their enemies bore witness to
this meekness and forgiving disposl-
ton, which were evidently deemed IN
those days a reproach and dlshonor
rather than virtue.
They interpreted literally the COM
mands of their Lord and Saviour, and
the teaching of His Apostles, that they
were to love and pray for all men; and
that, especially, they were to assist ana
comfort the brethren, those who were
of the "household of faith, ,"---the"!lke
precious faith" which they themselves
enjoyed. :, ,
During this period it evidently was
not deemed possible that a cha'zs1aCz7a
could feel at liberty to Rght,---or to
seek deliberately to "destroy, mems
lives,n even at the command OF his
earthly Sovereign; which he honored
and obeyed, always and only, when IL
did not conflict with his paramount
obligations to Him. whom he Wor-
shipped as the King of Kings and
Lord of Lords. There are many
recods preserved, both in the accusa-
tons of their enemies, in this regard,
and in the apologies of their friends
which place this general question be-
yond controversy, and which are 100
we'll known, and too numerous, 10
need quotation here. -,
It must not, however, be inferred that
in the history of the primitive Church
there were no exceptions to this almost
universal record. We find them, for
example where the glad-tidings OF the
Gospel of our Lord and Saviour had
reached the enlisted soldiers OF the
Romano army; or the military
captives and slaves of the Empire; or
among those who, from any cause,
had but imperfectly apprehended its
spirituality and fulnesS. Such eXcep-
tions would only seem to make strong
er the general rule of Primitive Chris
tian doctrine and practice, in this re-
spect.
Afterwards, as the simplicity and
purity of the Church declined, steadi-
iy with the growth of its temporal
prosperity and power under the EN-
peror Constantine and his successors,
we find that the clear injunctions and
restraints of our Lord and His Apos-
ties, on this and other points, both OF
doctrine and practice, were gradually
relaxed, and almost lost sight of -
until the maXims of the world had
largely transformed, and eventually
almost supplanted, the pure doctrines
and precepts of the Gospel of Christ.
II is sad to record this detection, but
sadder still to acknowledge that on
this great question at least, it largely
prevails in the Christian church TO
day.