Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/100

6 4 Readings in European History 19. Tertul- lian (ca. 160- ca. 220) dwells upon the special distinction of the apos- tolic church at Rome. The blessed apostles, having founded and built up the church, committed the office of bishop into the hands of Linus. Of this Linus, Paul makes mention in the Epistles to Tirfiothy. To him succeeded Anacletus ; and after him in the third place from the apostles, Clement was assigned the bishopric. This man, since he had seen the blessed apostles and had been conversant with them, might be said to have the preaching of the apostles still echoing in his ears and their traditions before his eyes. Nor was he alone in this, for there were still many remaining who had received instruc- tions from the apostles. In the time of this Clement, no small dissension having occurred among the brethren at Corinth, the Church in Rome dispatched a most powerful let- ter to the Corinthians, 1 exhorting them to peace, renewing their faith, and declaring the tradition which it had lately received from the apostles. . . . To this Clement succeeded Evaristus. Alexander fol- lowed Evaristus; then, sixth from the apostles, Sixtus was appointed ; after him Telesphorus, who was gloriously mar- tyred ; then Hyginus; after him Pius; then after him Ani- cetus. Soter having succeeded Anicetus, Eleutherius does now in the twelfth place from the apostles hold the inherit- ance of the episcopate. In this order and by this succes- sion, the ecclesiastical tradition from the apostles and the preaching of the truth have come down to us, and this is most abundant proof that there is one and the same vivify- ing faith which has now been preserved in the Church from the apostles until now and handed down in truth. Tertullian, presbyter at Carthage, a vigorous writer of the second and. early third century, thus speaks of the churches founded by the apostles : Come now you who would profitably direct your curiosity toward the interests of your salvation, run over the apostolic churches in which the chairs of the apostles still preside in 1 See note i on preceding page.