50. Presbyters (0εоßντε00

Historical Events.

εлιожоло), an order for the management of
church affairs.-Baptism by immersion.-Confession of belief made
at baptism.
60. Deacons.-Deaconesses.-Meetings of Christians in private houses.-
Daily meetings for divine service.-Daily instruction by prayer, sing-
ing, and reading of the Old Testament.-Exclusion of unworthy
members from the church.-Love feast connected with the commu-
nion.

70. Common care for the poor.-Contributions to other churches.-Church
officers carry on their former occupations.-The Ebionites use unlea-
vened bread in the supper. · Choice to church-offices usually by

-

church-officers and the churches

80. Particular days selected for the worship of God.-The keeping of Sun-
day.-Consecration to church offices by the laying on of hands.-The
celebration of the Jewish sabbath by the Jewish Christians continued.
-The yearly feasts of the Jews (passover and pentecost) continue
among the Jewish Christians.-One of the presbyters presides in the
college of presbyters.

90. Country churches with their own officers.

100. Reading of the New Testament Scriptures in the churches.

110. The communion connected with the meetings for divine service, parti-
cularly with those on Sunday-Catechumens.-Preparation for bap-
tism by fasting and prayer.-Growing importance of the president in
the college of presbyters.

120. The celebration of marriages brought into connection with the church.
-Heathen Christians begin to celebrate the yearly feasts, but with
altered views.-Voluntary offerings (700040001) at the celebration of
the communion. Traces of a separation of divine service into two
parts.
130. In divine service the scriptures are explained and applied by the min-
ister. Then follows a simple celebration of the supper.-The dea-
cons carry the elements to the absent members.

140. The Scriptures and church Fathers are read in divine service.-Episto-
lary correspondence between churches (formatae) -Formula of bap-
tism as generally prevalent mentioned in Justin Martyr.

150. During the persecutions the Christians hold their meetings in retired
places-Laying on of hands in baptism.- Difference about the cele-
bration of the passover between the oriental and occidental churches,
-Infant baptism.-Those that have been regenerated are incorpora-
ted into the body of the church by baptism

160. First appearance of buildings appropriated to public worship.-Polycarp
has a conference with Anicetus on the disagreement respecting the
passover.-Images and pictures in the houses of Christians.-Week-
ly or monthly collections in the meetings for public worship, for the
poor and the sick.-Special fasts for the benefit of those in distress.-
The use of the sign of the cross in all the actions and events of life.—
Transfer of the ordinances of the Jewish Sabbath to Sunday.
170. Catechists.-Contest about the passover in Asia Minor.-Deaconesses,
who are widows above sixty years old, receive the usual ordination.-
In the Lord's supper the common bread, and wine mingled with wa-
ter, were used.-Images of Christ among the heretics.-The deacon-
esses are consulted in the celebration of marriage. The bride and
bridegroom partake of the Lord's supper with each other,-Abrenun-
tiatio at baptism and trine immersion.- More definite form given to
the confessions made at baptism.-Easter eve and Whitsuntide favor-
ite times for administering baptism in the whole church.-Celebration
of Easter night by vigils.-Festival of fifteen days from Easter to
Whitsuntide.-Catholic epistle of Dionysius of Corinth.

240

250

Maximus the Thracian, d. 238.233. Heraclus, Bp. of Alexandria.

Historical Events.

180. The christian custom of burying the dead. Church festival in com-
memoration of the dead immediately after death and on its anniver-
saries. Among the Catholics the division of the form of worship into
two parts is the universal custom.-Tertullian opposed to infant bap-
tism.-The heretics on their entrance into the Catholic church are, in
Asia Minor and North Africa, again baptized; in Rome, they are
treated as penitents.-In the oriental church divine service on the
sabbath, and no fasts - In the Romish church and other places of the
West, fasts on the sabbath.-Attempts to determine the day of Christ's
birth. Perhaps a celebration of it in Egypt (?).—In the churches an
altar and pulpit (pulpitum, suggestus).-The office of readers.-The
performance of particular penances by the penitents.

190. Images of Christ among the heathen.-Symbolical rites in baptism.-
Anointing after baptism.-Use of milk and honey-Kiss of peace.-
The laying on of hands as a concluding act, regarded as particularly
important.-Contest between the Christians of Asia Minor and of
Rome respecting the celebration of the passover.-197. Victor of
Rome withdraws from the fellowship of the Christians of Asia Minor.
-The college of the presbyters still exists in subordinate connection
with the bishop.

200. Public discussions upon the baptism of heretics in North Africa.-Com-
munion in private houses in North Africa.-The birth day of the
martyrs celebrated.-A house of public worship in Edessa.

210. Introduction of Old Testament ideas of a particular priesthood into the
christian church.-The clergy, as a body, called zirgos, zingizo, ordo,
in distinction from the Laos, plebs. laici.-The catechumens divided
into classes by Origen.

220. Choice of bishop by the provincial bishops in connection with the adja-
cent churches. The symbol of baptism, the rite of baptism, the Lord's
prayer, and some church songs kept concealed from the catechumens.
230. Origen gave theological instruction in Cesarea in Palestine.-Hippoly-
tus writes upon the disagreement of the East and West in respect to
sabbatical fasts, and the contest about the passover.-Composed a canon
paschalis.-Opposers of infant baptism in Egypt.-Candidates for
baptism exorcised. Consecration of the water.-Houses of public
worship become more frequent.-The clergy are not permitted to
become guardians, or to engage in any worldly business.-The
churches provide for the support of their clergy.-Comparison of the
christian clergy with the Jewish priests. Episcopus Summus sa-
cerdos, Presbyteri = Sacerdotes, Diaconi or Clerici (generally) = Le-
vitae.

240. Infant communion in Africa, afterwards also in the East.-Clinic
baptism. The laying of hands on the newly baptized begins to be
regarded as the appropriate act of none but the bishop.-The commu-
nion is extended to the sick and dying-Frequent and large church-
edifices. Provincial synods common in Africa and proconsular Asia.
The whole body of the clergy and the people participate in them.—
Contests of the bishops and presbyters in Rome and Africa.-Subdea-
cons. Acolyths. Exorcists. Ostiarii.-Doctores audentium in Af-
rica. Cyprian consults with the presbyters upon the affairs of the
church. Sometimes the advice of the whole church is asked.
250. Easter sabbath a common fast day in the church-Libelli pacis nume-
rously distributed by the confessors.-The people take part in the
elections to the church offices, particularly in the election of bishops
and presbyters.-The bishop nominates the lower clergy.-Pope, title
of illustrious bishops.--Synods in respect to penitents in Asia Minor.
-Triumph of the Episcopal over the Presbyterial system.

Constantine sole emperor, d. Eusebius, Bp. of Nicomedia.

Historical Events.

250 Gregory Thaumaturgus permits banquets to be introduced into the fes-
tivals in honor of the martyrs.-252. Infant baptism at the council of
Carthage declared to be necessary. Anointing at baptism required by
Cyprian. 253. Stephen of Rome withdraws fellowship from the
Christians of Asia Minor on account of the baptism of heretics.-Two
councils in North Africa confirm the old African principles upon the
subject of the baptism of heretics; on this account Stephen excom-
municates the North Africans.-The African synod in the autumn of
256, declare in favor of the customs of the African church.

260. The practice of cheering the preacher during the delivery of his ser-
mon.-The Lord's supper has become more complicated and splendid.
270. Fixed formularies for the administration of this rite are formed.—Cata-
logues of the members of the church and of Christians that have died
are kept,

280. Infant baptism common among the Persian Christians.

290. Pamphilus establishes a theological school in Caesarea. The church
year begins with Easter festival.-Attempt to introduce images into
the churches.

300. Peculiar dress of the clergy.-Beginning of sacred hermeneuticks.-
The beginnings of the school of Antioch.-305. The council of Elvi-
ra forbids images in churches.-The splendid church in Nicomedia
destroyed. The council at Elvira enjoins sabbatical fasts, censures
the irregularities in the keeping of vigils, and limits the festival of
Whitsuntide to one day.-In the Romish church the beginning of an
eighty-four years' Easter cycle.-The council at Elvira determines
the duration of the catechumenate.-The practice of sending conse-
crated bread as a sign of church fellowship.-The subterranean vaults
in Rome (catacombs) used for christian burial places.-Christian em-
blems, pictures, carving on the coffins, and funeral lamps in the niches
of the walls.
310. The council at Arles gives laws respecting the baptism of heretics.—
Churches are solemnly dedicated to the worship of God.-The order
of rural bishops in most places suppressed.-Regular division of the
penitents into classes.-Easter cycle of nineteen years; perhaps es-
tablished by Eusebius of Caesarea.-Church in Tyre built by Paulinus.
320. Establishment of the canonical age for bishops and of seven as the
number of Deacons.-Exclusion of such as had received clinic bap-
tism from the rank of clergy.-Ecumenical synods.-Laws against
taking those who have been penitents and neophytes into church of-
fices.--Fixed regulations respecting the number and time of the pro-
vincial synods.-Altars mostly of wood.-Constantine and his mother
very active in building churches in Asia and Europe.-The church
of St. Sophia built.-Several Basilicae are granted to the Christians.
-321. (in March and June) Decrees of Constantine in respect to the
observance of Sunday. His orders respecting the army. Law for
the religious observance of Friday.-325. The Nicene council ordains
a uniform celebration of the passover for the churches, and commits
to the Alexandrians the calculation of Easter.-Celebration of a festi-
val of the Ascension-Four classes of catechumens.-Arius, a writer
of sacred songs. In the public worship, particular prayers for cate-
chumens, energumens, and penitents.

330. Arch-presbyters. Arch-deacons. Favorite division of churches into
three parts-ante-temple, nave, and bema or sanctuary.-At the feast
of Epiphany the celebration of the passover is announced. The ori-
ental eighth of Whitsuntide a general martyr festival.-Supplications
for the repose of the souls of the dead. The pretended discovery of
the cross in the Holy Land promoted the superstition about the use of
the sign of the cross.