period were willing to be credulous in such matters; and thus it
was that this tale of martyrdom was permitted to pass unchallenged.
In due time the author of the letters, as they appeared one after
another, accomplished the design of their composition. The question
of the constitution of the Church had recently awakened much
attention; and the threat of Victor to excommunicate the Christians
of Asia Minor, because they ventured to differ from him as to the
mode of celebrating the Paschal festival, had, no doubt, led to
discussions relative to the claims of episcopal authority which,
at Rome especially, were felt to be very inconvenient and
uncomfortable. No one could well maintain that it had a scriptural
warrant. The few who were acquainted with its history were aware
that it was only a human arrangement of comparatively recent
introduction; and yet a bishop who threatened with excommunication
such as refused to submit to his mandates, could scarcely be
expected to make such a confession. Irenaeus had sanctioned its
establishment; but, when Victor became so overbearing, he took the
alarm, and told him plainly that those who presided over the
Church of Rome before him were nothing but presbyters. [73:1] This
was rather an awkward disclosure; and it was felt by the friends
of the new order that some voucher was required to help it in its
hour of need, and to fortify its pretensions. The letters of an
apostolic Father strongly asserting its claims could not fail to
give it encouragement. We can thus understand how at this crisis
these Epistles were forthcoming. They were admirably calculated to
quiet the public mind. They were comparatively short, so that they
could be easily read; and they were quite to the point, for they
taught that we are to "regard the bishop as the Lord Himself," and
that "he presides after the likeness of God." [74:1] Who after all
this could doubt the claims of Episcopacy? Should not the words of