A Source Book for Ancient Church History - Mirrors

82 A Source Book for Ancient Church Historyhave been lost in whole or in part. The Philosophumena, orthe Refutation of All Heresies, was lost, with the exception ofthe first book, until 1842, and was then published among theworks of Origen. It is of importance as giving much materialfor the study of Gnosticism. It may be found as a wholetranslated in ANF, V.But after a time, when other martyrs were there [i.e., in the minesin Sardinia], Marcia, the pious concubine of Commodus, wishingto perform some good deed, called before her the blessed Victor[193?-202], at that time bishop of the Church, and inquired ofhim what martyrs were in Sardinia. And he delivered to her thenames of all, but did not give the name of Callistus, knowingwhat things had been attempted by him. Marcia, having obtainedher request from Commodus, hands the letter of emancipationto Hyacinthus, a certain eunuch rather advanced in life [or apresbyter], who, receiving it, sailed away to Sardinia. He deliveredthe letter to the person who at that time was governor ofthe territory, and he released the martyrs, with the exception ofCallistus.§ 20. The Literary Defence of ChristianityIn reply to the attacks made upon Christianity, the apologistsdefended their religion along three lines: It was philosophicallyjustified; it was true; it did not favor immorality, but, onthe contrary, inculcated virtue. The philosophical defence, orjustification, of Christianity was most brilliantly undertaken byJustin Martyr, who employed the current philosophical conceptionof the Logos. The general proof of Christianity was chieflybased upon the argument from the fulfilment of prophecy. Allapologists undertook to show that the heathen calumnies againstthe Christians were false, that the heathen religions were replete