and a few above twenty years ago) renounced that error." "It appears to be a matter highly deserving your consideration; more especially as great numbers must be involved in the danger of these prosecutions, which have already extended, and are still likely to extend, to persons of all ranks and ages, and even of both sexes. In fact, this contagious superstition is not confined to the cities only, but has spread its infection among the neighboring villages and country. Nevertheless, it still seems possible to restrain its progress. The temples, at least, which were once almost deserted, begin now to be frequented; and the sacred solemnities, after a long intermission, are revived; to which I must add, there is again also a general demand for the victims, which for some time past had met with but few purchasers." This letter of Pliny proves what immense numbers of Christians were found in Bithynia at the time it was written, seventy-five years after the period at which Christ is said to have been crucified! This surely shows that they must have begun to exist some time prior to this date; and it is proved also from the expressions, "the temples were once almost deserted," the revival of the "sacred solemnities after a long intermission." It is evident that they must have exerted a very wide and decided influence, to have caused such a general desertion of the heathen temples. This influence could not have been acquired in a day, or in a year; neither could the "contagious superstition" have spread through cities, towns, and villages, infecting all ranks

*

* Melmoth's Pliny, lib. x. Letter 97.

and ages, in this brief space. These circumstances prove that it must have had its rise at least, several years before this date; and were we destitute of earlier authority, we might, justified by the laws of evidence, throw it back to the point at which Christians place it. But we are not reduced to this course. There is proof in the letter itself of the existence of Christians twenty years previous, for Pliny states that some whom he examined owned that they had been of this number above twenty years prior to that. This carries us to the year 87, or 54 years after the death of Christ. But we have other witnesses to bring forward.

13. 100-33, the date at which Christians fix the death of Christ. Within the period here named there were not less than eleven emperors, several of whom are well known as being of a most depraved and abandoned character. With regard to the existence of Christians at this time, their origin and name, there is abundant and unquestionable evidence. We say unquestionable, because it comes from the highest authority, from historians who were themselves strongly prejudiced against Christians, and whose testimony is therefore free from all suspicion. It is of the same class indeed with that of Pliny, and the other heathen witnesses who have been cited. Tacitus, the celebrated Roman historian, who was born about fifteen years after the crucifixion of Christ, gives us an account of the great fire at Rome. This happened in the tenth year of Nero, and as his reign began in 54, it brings the events of which Tacitus speaks to the year 64, about 30 years from the crucifixtion. It was reported, he informs us, that Nero had himself set the city on fire, and, to avoid the odium,

charged it upon the Christians. He states it thus:"Nero procured others to be accused, and inflicted the severest punishments upon those people who were held in abhorrence for their crimes, and were commonly known by the name of Christians. They had their name from CHRIST, who, in the reign of Tiberius, was put to death by the procurator, Pontius Pilate.* This pernicious superstition, though repressed for a time, broke forth again, and spread itself not only through Judea, the source of the evil, but even through the city, (Rome) whither, from every quarter, flow all things detestable and shameful, and find a ready reception. At first, indeed, only those who confessed were seized; but afterward, by their discovery, a great multitude were condemned, not so much for the crime of burning the city, as for their hatred of mankind.” † 14. To the preceding we have to add the testimony of Suetonius, who wrote the lives of the first twelve emperors of Rome. In the life of Nero, he says, "The Christians were also punished, a race of men of a new and mischievous superstition." In relation to

*"Vulgus Christianos appelabat. Auctor nominis ejus CHRIstus, Tiberio imperitante, per Procuratorem Pontium Pilatum supplicio adfectus

erat."

†Tacitus, Annal. lib. xv. c. 44.

Suetonius, in Nerone, c. xvi. We have omitted the passage in the life of Claudius, because we have some doubts whether Suetonius refers to Jesus Christ. The passage is this " He expelled from Rome the Jews who were continually creating tumults, Chrestus being their leader." c. xxv. Of this a celebrated critic says" Christum Dominum nostrum, hic fuisse intellectum, adhuc mihi persuadere non possum." Another says " Non Jesu Christo, sed Judaeo quodam Chresto impulsore." Gesselius, Tom. i. Addenda p. 9. Taciti Opera, Tom. ii. p. 76. Boston, 1817. A. Clarke, Acts xviii. 2.

the event recorded in these passages, Mr. Gibbon observes,- "The most sceptical criticism is obliged to respect the truth of this extraordinary fact, and the integrity of this celebrated passage of Tacitus.* The former is confirmed by the diligent and accurate Suetonius, who mentions the punishment which Nero inflicted upon the Christians. The latter may be proved by the consent of the most ancient manuscripts; by the inimitable character of Tacitus; by his reputation, which guarded his text from the interpolations of pious fraud; and by the purport of his narration." Here, then, with the approbation of Mr. Gibbon, we go back to the year 64, thirty years after the death of Christ, at which time are found great bodies of Christians, not only throughout Judea, but at Rome. To the testimony brought forward here, we must give attention in several important particulars. It will at once be seen that it establishes beyond all dispute the declaration of the Christians with which this section commenced that they owe their origin, name, and religion, to one Jesus Christ, who lived and taught in Judea, and was there put to death eighteen hundred years ago. Tacitus affirms, 1. That there were great multitudes of Christians at Rome in the year 64. Of course, if they existed in such numbers then, they must have had an origin some time prior to this. But we are not left to inferences; for Tacitus states, 2. That they had "their name from Christ," and 3. That this Christ was put to death in the reign of Tiberius by the procurator Pon

* Decline and Fall, c. xvi.

tius Pilate. And lastly, the truth of these facts is endorsed by Suetonius, and admitted by Mr. Gibbon.

*

15. The exactness of this account is remarkable. Tacitus tells us that Christ was crucified under the procuratorship of Pilate. Pilate, according to Josephus, was recalled to Rome for mal-administration; he set out immediately, but Tiberius died while he was on his way. Now Tiberius died on the 16th of March, of the year 37, and of course Pilate must have put Christ to death previous to this, because his procuratorship ceased before this date. If we here take into the account the series of tumults, as mentioned by Josephus, which resulted in the embassy of the Samaritan senate to Vitellius, the time occupied in the debates of the senate, the journey of the ambassador to Syria, the hearing of the complaint, and the return of Marcellus with orders for Pilate-we shall find that, at least, it will be necessary to go back one or two years farther, which would leave us at the year 35. This brings us within two years of the date named by Christians, and sufficiently near to prove the truth of their statement as

named above.

16. We have now arrived at an interesting stage in our investigation. It has been proved, by an appeal to the pages of acknowledged history, that Christianity began its existence in the reign of Tiberius, emperor of Rome, more than eighteen centuries ago. We have followed the Christians from our own time upward through all the changes of empires to that date; we have in every step of our progress found their history and name inwoven with those of the greatest nations of the earth,

*Josephus, Ant. lib. xviii. c. 4. § 2.