MEANINGS OF THE WORD CHURCH.

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Throughout our future history we shall find here and there, he that hath an ear, hears and obeys what the Spirit says, but the mass do not: we shall also find here and there, him that overcometh the world, the flesh and the devil, but the major part are themselves overcome by one kind of temptation or the other.

In a previous chapter I have noticed that the original Greek word expressed in English, Church, or Assembly, is used by the Holy Ghost either to signify the whole assembly of the redeemed, purchased by the blood of Christ (Eph. v. 25, and elsewhere), or any number of the Lord's people gathered together in any place in His name (Rom. xvi. 4, 5; Gal. i. 2, and elsewhere). But in process of time this word Church obtained those two very different and distinct meanings which are now in common use; first, signifying the whole outward profession, or any body of people who bear the same outward sign of baptism, profess the same belief, and use the same forms: thus we say the Church of Rome, &c.: secondly, the Church signifies the building where such persons assemble together.

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For the sake of clearness, I shall take up the apostle's expression (1 Cor. xiv. 33), and speak of the first gatherings in different places as the churches of the saints;" for this term seems to be applicable as long as there was pains taken to keep up the distinction between the church and the world which we shall see in some measure continued during the first three

centuries.

The Apostle John, after his deliverance from the isle of Patmos, spent his remaining days in visiting the different churches of the saints. It is said that he became very infirm, and was not able to speak much, so that he used just to repeat these words in the Christian assemblies, "Little children, love one another;" and when asked why he only told them one thing, he replied, this alone was needed. He was probably more than a hundred years old when he fell asleep. The gospel is supposed to have been written soon after his return from exile. It was utterly impossible that such a book could have been written except by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, according to the promise, bringing all things to this faithful disciple's remembrance, whatsoever the Lord had said (John xiv. 26).

I have made this remark, because one of my young friends once expressed to me a very natural wonder, how any man

could write down facts and conversations, and especially the words that were spoken so long before. It could only be, as Moses and all the inspired writers were enabled to write, by being "moved by the Holy Ghost."

CHAP. XXI.

TRAJAN, EMPEROR.-HIS CHARACTER.-CONQUEST OF DACIA.— CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN TRAJAN AND PLINY.-TRAJAN'S EASTERN EXPEDITION.-INTERCOURSE WITH IGNATIUS.-THE JEWS IN EGYPT AND CYPRUS.

IN A.D. 98, Trajan hastened to Rome as soon as he heard of the death of Nerva, and was received there with great gladness. Historians speak of him as the best of the emperors; and, it is supposed, he owed much to the instructions of Plutarch, the most celebrated of the Roman moralists, and the author of a well-known work, entitled Lives of Illustrious Men." A letter, which he wrote to his pupil when he succeeded to the empire, contained very suitable advice, and sufficiently proved that if Trajan acted wrongly it was not by his counsel. Being naturally docile, he was anxious to obey his master's precepts, and was so cautious in pronouncing sentence against any one, that he used to say it was better for a thousand guilty persons to escape, than for one innocent person to suffer. Again, on presenting a sword to the officer who was appointed prefect of the Prætorians, he said, "Use this for me, or against me if I deserve it." It is in such characters as Trajan that we cannot fail to acknowledge the hand of God in restraining evil, and drawing the moral virtues into exercise: as it is written, "By me kings reign, and princes decree justice" (Prov. viii. 5).

Trajan was remarkable for his diligence and modesty, for his liberality to others and frugality in his own expenses; and in war he was equal to the best generals of whom we have read, and distinguished for his willing endurance of fatigue. In his reign, Decebalus again invaded the empire; but he was so far overcome by Trajan as to consent to pay him a yearly tribute. In a battle fought at this period, the emperor was seen tearing

up his own robes to make bandages for his wounded soldiers. Shortly afterwards, Decebalus again appeared in arms; and Trajan, on his way to oppose him, caused a bridge to be thrown across the Danube, such as no modern architect would attempt to construct. It consisted of twenty-two arches, and the ruins of it that remain are reckoned among the wonders of ancient art. The boldness and contempt of life shown by the Dacians are said to have arisen from their expectation of immortality. They were only subdued after a war of five years; and, as Decebalus killed himself, the whole of their uncultivated country, 1300 miles in circumference, fell into the hands of the Romans. The hardy natives gradually submitted to the laws, and learned the arts of their conquerors, so that Dacia became one of the fairest provinces of the empire; and by this addition it reached its greatest extent.

The rejoicings at Rome lasted one hundred and twenty days, and Trajan's fame spread so far that even ambassadors came from India to seek his friendship. During the peace that followed, the emperor adorned the capital, and sought to improve the moral condition of his people; and he was so generally beloved that he could hardly believe he had any enemies. In reading the character and actions of Trajan, as set forth by the heathen historians, we may anxiously turn aside to inquire, whether he was nearer the kingdom of heaven than his predecessors, and the doctrine of Christ more acceptable to him than to them? These questions, alas, must be answered in the negative; and it is in the ninth year of his reign that we find the third general persecution of the Christians carried on with the greatest rigour.

The correspondence between Trajan and the younger Pliny, then governor of Bithynia, about A. D. 107, gives us some idea of the state of the Christians at this period, and the general ignorance of their religion, or prejudice against it. Pliny writes to the emperor, humbly asking how he ought to treat the Christians; a serious question, he observes, as the numbers of these impious people of every age and sex so rapidly increase. He inquires if their punishment should be proportioned to their age and strength, and whether any time should be given them for repentance; and, finally, desires to know whether the name alone, or the crimes connected with it were

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PLINY'S ACCOUNT OF THE CHRISTIANS.

the object of punishment? He then tells the emperor that the plan which he pursues, whilst awaiting his wiser counsel, is to question all who are accused before his tribunal, whether they are Christians? If they plead guilty, the question is repeated with a threatening of death. The obstinate he had, in all cases, punished with death, excepting those who were reserved as Roman citizens for the emperor's own judgment; for he judged that whatever was the nature of their religion, their unwillingness to give it up deserved condemnation.

When we remember that the churches in Asia, mentioned in the former chapter, fell particularly under this persecution, the report of them as given by a heathen judge is particularly interesting. He found some of the Asiatic Christians, when accused before him, declaring they never had been Christians; others said they had professed to be such, five, ten, or even twenty years before, but did so no longer. All these proved their innocence by calling upon the gods, and upon Cæsar, and cursing the name of Christ. This," adds the governor, "I have been assured, a real Christian could not be forced to do." We can easily suppose that the Philadelphian or Smyr- nean state produced the most martyrs; the Laodicean state the most apostates. Pliny closely examined the apostates as to the nature of their former religion, and even the imperfect account given by them, made him begin to doubt, whether it was so much crime as error.

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He learned that on a certain day (probably the Lord's day) it was their custom to meet before daylight, and repeat a hymn to Christ as a God; after which they solemnly bound themselves not to commit any wickedness. Later in the day they met to partake of a common harmless meal together, which, however, they had given up when they found it was contrary to the laws. Probably this was the feast of Charity, and the Lord's Supper, which seems to have been at first connected with it (see 1 Cor. xi. 33, 34; Jude 12). Not satisfied with the evidence of the apostates, Pliny caused two deaconesses, or servants of the Church, to be tortured, in order that he might arrive at the truth; but after all it appeared to him " a wicked and excessive superstition." He ends his long letter by saying, he hopes the evil is not beyond remedy, if he may abso

PERSECUTION UNDER TRAJAN.

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lutely promise safety to the repentant, as through his efforts the desolate temples had been revisited, and animals again bought for sacrifice.

Trajan's brief answer was as follows: You have done perfectly right, my dear Pliny, in the inquiry which you have made concerning the Christians. For, truly, no general rule can be laid down which will apply itself to all cases. These people must not be sought after. If they are brought before you and convicted, let them be capitally punished; but with this restriction, that if any one renounce Christianity, and prove his sincerity by worshipping our gods, however suspected he may be for the past, he shall obtain pardon for the future, on his repentance. But all libels in no case ought to be attended to; for the precedent would be of the worst sort, and perfectly inconsistent with the maxims of my government."

Another governor, in Asia Minor, so cruelly persecuted the unoffending Christians, that the whole body of them came with one accord before his tribunal, to show him, as it seems, their numbers, and their determined confession of Christ. He ordered a few of them to be executed, and sent away the rest, saying, contemptuously, " Miserable people, if you choose death you may find precipices and halters enough.'

In the tenth year of his reign, Trajan came to Antioch with his army on his way to the East, where he hoped to subdue the independent kingdom of Parthia. While he rested in this city, Ignatius, bishop of the Christians there, came forwards expressing his willingness to suffer death if the emperor would spare the rest. If the conversation that took place between them has been faithfully reported, Trajan heard and rejected the truth; yet, it appears, Ignatius was so anxious for martyrdom, that he spoke somewhat rashly, and, instead of confining himself to the simplicity of the gospel, boldly telling the emperor he was a sinner, and testifying to him concerning the Son of God, the Saviour of the world, he dwelt much upon a doctrine that was altogether incomprehensible to Trajan, namely, his own union with Christ. This he expressed so strongly that he obtained the name of Theophorus, or the one bearing God within him; and the emperor pronounced sentence against him in the following manner :-" Since Ignatius