Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-07-11
THE CHRISTIAN
ERA

"
There has becn considerable mis-
understanding among ancient chro-
nOlOgers as to the birth of Christ, and
this is the reason. unfortunately, there
was no one fixed or universally estab-
itShed era. Different countries reck-
Oned by different eras. which numbers
are embarrassing and their commence
ments not always easily to be adjust
ed or reconciled to each other. and it
was not until A. ID. 532 that the Chris
tan era was invented by Dionysius the
Less. a Scythian by birth and "A ROM
an abbot. who iiodrished in the reign
Of Justinian.
DlOnySiuS began his era with the
ear OF our Lords Incarnation and
Rome, or the 45th of the Julian era.
And at an earlier period P%anodorus. AN
Egyptian monk, who flOurished under
h Emperor Arcadius. a. d.. 1875. had
dated the incarnation in the same
year. But by some mistake or mis-
conception of his meaning Bede. who
lived in the next century after Diony-
sius adopted his ear OF the Nativity.
1853 years after the founding of Rome,
yet began the Vulgar era. which he
first introduced the year after and
made 1t January I, 1854,
which was an alteration for the worse.
as making the Christian era recede
further from the true year of the Ma
ttvity. The Vulgar era began to pre-
vail in the west about the time of
Charles Martel and Pope Gregory III.
A. d.. 730. but 1t was not established
until the time of Pope Eugenius ".
A. q. 1431. who ordered this error to
be used in the public registers.
Dionysius was led to date the year
OF the Nativity. 1853 ears after the
founding of Rome. from the Evangel-
lat lsuke's account that John h Bap-
fist began his ministry in the 18th
year of the reign OF Tiberius Caesar.
and tina Jesus at his baptism was
about 80 years of age. But this date
OF the Nativity Is at variance with
Matthew's account. that Christ was
born before Herod's death. which fol-
lowed shortly after his massacre of the
infants OF Bethlehem.
have been earlier than TAB after
Rome's founding and later than 749.
And Ii we assume the latter year as
most conformable to the whole tenor
OF sacred history. with C~hrysostOm.
Petavius. Prideaux. Playfair. etc, this
woul give Christ's g at his baptism
at about "a years. which Is contrary 20
Lukc's ccOun
In a subsequent table. Mr.. Hales
gives the result of the computations
made by the different chronologists
ancient and modern. to AK the true
yOnU vi Lux. 4NdliNiSJ, DIS aGSOiIiItlOudlb
to what Is called the Vulgar or pop
ularly accepted Christian era. The
range is through no less than 10 years
from b. c.. Ito A. d: 3. His wi on
clusion. supported by Prideaux and
Playfalr., is In favor OF the ear B.. G.
s. Somewhat more commonly at tho
present time 1t is put at b. c. 4.
In modern times. thanks to the eff
forts OF great astronomers and chro-
~noiogists. kepler. Ideler and Munter
the year 77 or 74S following the
founding Of Rome has found the great
est favor as the year of the Wise Mems
star. But since people have come
back from their enthusiasm for the
discovery Of this conjunction to 9
more faithful regard for the gospels, II
has always commended itself afresh
to place the birth OF Jesus at latest In
the flrst beginning Of the year $50. be
fore the death OF King Herod.
It 1eemS remarkable. in view Of the
great amount OF history that II to be
had regarding the period In which the
birth OF Christ occurred. that schol-
ars have been unable to figure out the
actual year In which IL occurred.