literaryhistoryo02crut - Carmel Apologetics

354 'I'HE APOLO(;iSTS.
tlic wIk.Ic subject, and disposed tlic ecclesiastics of the Nicene
l)eriod to pass it over without iiutice, and relegate it to wliat
they considered well-merited oblivion.
Our concern at the loss of Papias' work is renewed in the
case of liis successor in a similar field, the Jewish-Christian
writer Hegesippus, of wliose five books of Miscellanies of
Cliristian Tnidlt ion ^ only a few fragments are preserved.
This writer, who came from l*alestine, and was evidently
well ac(|uainted with the condition of its churches, by his
clear, straightforward narratives made a very favourable impression
on Eusebius.
Unlike Papias, for whom the historian
has scant respect, he speaks of Hegesippus as a repository of
the genuine apostolic tradition,^ and quotes him several times
as a trustw^orthy authority. Our knowledge of his life is
unfortunately Ijut meagre. From his own statement that he
puljlished during the episcopate of Eleutherus (a.d. 175-189),
presumal)ly when in ad^'anced age, we may fix his birth
approximately A.D. 11 5- 120, which would agree fairly well
witli S. Jerome's assertion that he bordered on the apostolic
age.^
It has generally been considered that he was by birth a
Jew, and converted to Christianity in Jerusalem. But this
is quite uncertain. It is just as possible that he was born
of Christian parents, though his introduction of Hebrew
words, his intimate knowledge of non-Christian Jewish sects,
and his enthusiastic admiration of S. James, all point to
his being a Christian of the circumcision. He did not, however,
confine his sympathies to the Christianity of his native
land. Mr was of a large and incpiiring mind, and determine(l
to judge by jjcrsonal inspection how far the leailing
churches of the West had remained true to the apostolic
faith. For this p\irpose he made a voyage to Pome, toui-hing
])robably at many Christian centres on his route, ami in
particular at Corinth, wliere he tells us he paid a long and
* -Klvrt virotiv-ntiaTa iKKX-noiacriKCiv Trpdifw*'— literally, "live memoranda
of ecclesia-stical Acts."
' See Eus. H. E. iv. 8. l\v says, ov irXdarai^ KfXPW^^^- 0'^»'a'"s.
' Vicinus Ai)Ostolorum temi)oribus. — Ih Vir. Illm^tr., c. 22.