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About Google Book Search Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web at |http : //books . google . com/ pi^NlLqoio.^H- HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY THE BEQUEST OP EVERT JANSEN WENDELL (CLASS OF 1882) OF NEW YORK 1918 r^ /VLrd ,"Cp^r^-^<^ //. ^ ^:.^^:^ ° AMUSEMENTS ▲ND THE CHRISTIAN LIEE |n t\t $nmititrt C^nrtj; mi in m iaj. BY THE Rev. L. C. VASS. PHILADELPHIA : PBESBYTEBIAN BOABD OB' PUBLICATION, 1884 CHESTNUT STREET. ^^'^-il ^0 O vJ laiVAlID COlUGf IIMIARY FKOW THE BIQUfSI or EVERT IANS€M WINOELL COPYRIGHT, 1884, BY THK TRUSTEES OF THE PRESBYTEKIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION. ALL BIGHTS RBSBRTBD. Wrbtoott & Thomson, ai$rtoiifpm'» and EUdrotypen^ Phikula. INTEODUCTOEY NOTE. In preparing the following discussion, my aim has been to illustrate great principles by the light of early history for practical effect. All the ma- terial used is old ; much of it is common to his- torians and antiquarians, and yet so scattered through and hidden in large works not in general circulation ias to be practically inaccessible and un- known. The writer has no knowledge of any es- say similar to this. It will suffice to make here a general acknowl- edgment of the chief authorities freely used, with- out filling every page with references or quotation- marks for common statements or isolated sentences Cave's Primitive Christianity (London, 1682) Tjurdner's Works (4to, London, 1815, 6 vols.) Bingham's Christian Antiquities (8 vols., 1834) Coleman's Andeni Christianity Exemplified. His- tories: Milman's Latin Christianity ; Schaff's Chris- tian Church; Killen's Ancient Church; Gibbon's s 4 INTRODUCTORY NOTE, Rome; Euaebius; Mahaffy's Social Life in Oreeee; Dean Stanley's Christian Imtitutiom ; Leland'8 Christian Revdaiion (2 vols., 1818); Earl of Orrery's Pliny (London, 1762) ; Ulhorn's Conflict of Christianity y etc.; Renan's Apostles; Daill^ On the Fathers; Schaff-Herzogy Ikcydopasdia ; Piper's Leaders of our Christian Church ; Meri vale's Con- version of the Roman Empire; The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles. PART I. Popular Amnsements and Frimitive Christians. The Question. What relation did Christians of the first three centuries sustain to the popular amusements of their day? Authentic records of the thoughts, feelings and acts of these disciples of the new faith must reflect much light on many portions of God's word, and produce increased firmness of faith and peculiar satisfaction when any interpretation of the Holy Scriptures is confirmed by the concurrent conduct and testimony of professors of the Christian faith nearest to the apostles. True, Hegesippus is quot- ed by Eusebius as saying in the secoud century that the Church continued a pure and uncorrupt virgin until Trajan's time ; but when the sacred choir of apostles and the generation of those privileged to hear their inspired wisdom became extinct, com- 8 AMUSEMENTS AND CHRISTIAN LIFE. binations of error arose. Yet Origen's testimony is correct tliat during these three centuries the Christian religion was defended by innooency of life and honesty of wnversation. The Church's testimony was sealed with blood and is profitable for instruction. Christ's Church, from its nature, is separate from a corrupt world and in conflict with it. Her con- stitution is written and unchangeable, the same in every age. It is the inspired, revealed word of God. Chillingworth tersely said, " The Bible is tlie religion of Protestants.'' Ecclesiastical courts are only ministerial and declarative of these heav- enly oracles. Anything contrary to this central and controlling truth binds neither body nor eon- science, but whatever accords with its teachings challenges cheerful and complete obedience from every man, and esi>ecially from every member of the visible kingdom of Jesus Christ. In gathering and applying, then, the principles of God's word which must govern his children in deciding what are legitimate amusements for them, it will be profitable to scan the pages of early his- tory, scanty though they be, and collect its testi- mony on this special point — viz.. What was the POPULAR AMUSEMENTS. 9 relatum of