e
factions. An ancient writer represents them as conducting their
adherents to water, and as baptizing them "in the name of the Unknown
Father of the universe; in the Truth, the mother of all; and in Him who
descended on Jesus." "Others again," says the same authority, "repeated
Hebrew names to inspire the initiated with the greater awe." [540:2]
These attempts at proselytism were not unsuccessful. Valentine, in
particular, made many converts, and after his death, when Irenaeus wrote
a refutation of his heresy, his disciples must still have been numerous.
[540:3]

The account given by Jerome of the state of the Christian interest when
it was deemed necessary to set up episcopacy, is not so completely
supplemented by the condition of the Church at any other period. Never
certainly did the brethren at Rome more require the services of a
skilful and energetic leader, than when the Gnostic chiefs settled in
the great metropolis. Never could it be said with so much truth of their
community, in the language of the Latin father, that "every one reckoned
those whom he baptized as belonging to himself and not to Christ;"
[541:1] for, as we have just seen, some, when baptizing their disciples,
used even new forms of initiation. Never, assuredly, had the advocates
of expediency a better opportunity for pleading in favour of a decree
ordaining that "one chosen from among the presbyters should be put over
the rest, and that the whole care of the Church should be committed to
him, that the seeds of schisms should be taken away." [541:2]

III. The testimony of Hilary, who was contemporary with Jerome, exactly
accords with the views here promulgated as to the date of this
occurrence. This writer, who was also a minister of the Roman Church,
was obviously acquainted with a tradition that a change had taken place
at an early period in the mode of ecclesiastical government. His
evidence is all the more valuable as it contains internal proofs of
derivation from an independent source; for, whilst it corroborates the
statement of Jerome, it supplies fresh historical details. According to
his account, "after that churches were erected in all places and offices
established, an arrangement was adopted different from that which
prevailed at the beginning." [541:3] By "the beginning" he understands
the apostolic age, or the time when the New Testament was written.
[541:4] He then goes on to say, in explanation, that it was found
necessary to ch