the fact that his own Church of
Smyrna did not now adopt the new polity; for we have seen [556:1] that,
upwards of a quarter of a century after his demise, it still continued
under presbyterial government. Irenaeus was obviously well acquainted
with the circumstances which occasioned this extraordinary visit of
Polycarp to Rome; but had he not come into collision with the pastor of
the great city in the controversy relating to the Paschal Feast, we
might never have heard of its occurrence. Even when he mentions it, he
observes a mysterious silence as to its main design. The Paschal
question awakened little interest in the days of Polycarp, and among the
topics which he discussed with Anicetus when at Rome, it confessedly
occupied a subordinate position. [556:2] "When," says Irenaeus, "the
most blessed Polycarp came to Rome in the days of Anicetus, and when as
to _certain other matters_ they had a little controversy, they were
immediately agreed on this point (of the Passover) without any
disputation." [557:1] What the "certain other matters" were which
created the chief dissatisfaction, we are left obscurely to conjecture;
but we may presume that they must have been of no ordinary consequence,
when so eminent a minister as Polycarp, now verging on eighty years of
age, felt it necessary to make a lengthened journey by sea and land with
a view to their adjustment. He obviously considered that Anicetus was at
least influentially connected with arrangements which he deemed
objectionable; and he plainly felt that he could hope to obtain their
modification or abandonment only by a personal conference with the Roman
pastor. And intimations are not wanting that he was rather doubtful
whether Anicetus would be disposed to treat with him as his
ecclesiastical peer, for he seems to have been in some degree appeased
when the bishop of the capital permitted him to preside in the Church at
the celebration of the Eucharist. [557:2] This, certainly, was no
extraordinary piece of condescension; as Polycarp, on various grounds,
was entitled to take precedence of his Roman brother; [557:3] and the
reception given to the "apostolic presbyter" was only what might have
fairly been expected in the way of ministerial courtesy. [557:4] Why has
it then been mentioned as an exhibition of the episcopal humility of
Anicetus? Apparently because he had been previously making some arrogant
assumptions. He had been, probably, presuming on his position a