The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-11-23
LECTURES ON CHURCH HISTORY
A Learned Address by DR.. Pittenger on
Clement of Rome"

The first of the series of lectures to
be delivered at the Church of the Good
Shepherd this winter on "The Apostolic
and Ante Nicene Fathers" was delivered
last evening by the rector, Rev. DR.. l..
Mex Pittenger. His subject was Gle
ment of Rome" The talk was instruc-
tive and entertaining and was worthy
introduction to the other lectures which
will fol- w. The congregation to be con-
graduate, on the intellectual and spirit
ual feasts Itch DR.. Pittenger has pre-
pared for the min this popular course of
lectures on "Earl- Church History"
In the beginning . his lecture last
evening he said there were four classes
of men who merit and are accorded the
foremost place in the christian church
and its history: Apostles, fathers, mar
tyrs and reformers.
1.-THE apostles are the pioneers Of the
Christian church-blazing out the way.
The apostolic fathers succeeded the apos-
ties, building upon the foundations laid
by the Christ and his apostles From
them were taken the martyrs, cementing
their work with blood. Then came the
reformers finishing it up and sloughing
off the rough edges and useless parts.
Dr. Pittenger said he had chosen this
subject that some ofhis people might get
a better understanding of the Episcopal
church's claims of direct apostolic de-
scent.
The year 200, he said, marks the linn
it of the apostolic period. The Council
at Nicaea was held in the year 325. Pre-
vious to this time most of the forms Of
worship in the church had been fixed,
though even after it, there were some no.
table changes. This is a most impor-
tant period in church history-in it were
formed church customs and the course of
its history.
Though there were many inperfec-
tons in the Christians of thatperiod,
still they were certainly of the class that
must be called heroes. The literary fin
ish and elegance of their work has been
criticised, but it was certainly as good
as anything else written in that period.
And I have often wondered why young
men in college should not in their study
of the classics, be set to reading some Of
these writer's as we'll as the pagan writ
ers they now study so closely.
The lecturer then ran over rapidly
the names and history of the leading
men in the church of that day-Clement,
the great scholar and teacher:Ig natius,
bishop of Antioch; Tertulan, teacher at
Carthage and disciple Of John; Polycarp,
who suffered martyrdom at Rome
Ironaeus, bishop of Lyons, and others
less prominent.
Among the minor writer's of that time
were mentioned Hermus who wrote an
allegory. somewhat on the order Of Bun
vans Pilgrims Progress; st. Barnabas,
author of an epistle in twenty-one short
chapters: Mathetes, who wrote the epis-
tie to Dionetus, and Papaeus. a brief
writer, whose work remains only in
small fragments.
OF Clements personal history nothing
is known, except that he lived from 80
TO 100 A D., and most writer's give
him the place of third bishop of Rome.
Linus was the first, Clitus the second
and Clement the third.
~ Pittenger said he once believed St.
Peter was never at Rome. but he had
now become convinced that he was there.
Clement was a man Of very great spirit
uality and moral power His epistles
were read in the early churches and rec
ognized as part of the New Testament.
These epistles, extracts of which DR..
Plttenger read, were composed of SO
brief chapters and make one Of the most
Interesting documents the church has to-
day, outside of the Bible. Another work.
called Recognitiones, has been attributed
to Clement, but it is generally recognized
as spurious.