xing which confronts the
student of earlier Christian history. The literature is voluminous; the
considerations involved are very wide, very varied, and very intricate.
A writer, therefore, may well be pardoned if he betrays a want of
familiarity with this subject. But in this case the reader naturally
expects that the opinions at which he has arrived will be stated with
some diffidence." [58:1] My critic objects that I express my opinions
with decision. I shall hereafter justify this decision, but I would
here point out that the very reasons which render it difficult for
Dr. Lightfoot to form a final and decisive judgment on the question
make it easy for me. It requires but little logical perception to
recognize that Epistles, the authenticity of which it is so difficult
to establish, cannot have much influence as testimony for the Gospels.
The statement just quoted, however, is made the base of the attack,
and war is declared in the following terms:

"The reader is naturally led to think that a writer would not use
such very decided language unless he had obtained a thorough mastery
of his subject; and when he finds the notes thronged with references
to the most recondite sources of information, he at once credits the
author with an 'exhaustive' knowledge of the literature bearing upon
it. It becomes important therefore to enquire whether the writer
shows that accurate acquaintance with the subject, which justifies
us in attaching weight to his dicta as distinguished from his
arguments." [59:1]

This sentence shows the scope of the discussion. My dicta, however, play
a very subordinate part throughout, and even if no weight be attached to
them--and I have never desired that any should be--my argument would not
be in the least degree affected.

The first point attacked, like most of those subsequently assailed, is
one of mere critical history. I wrote: "The strongest internal, as well
as other evidence, into which space forbids our going in detail, has led
(1) the majority of critics to recognize the Syriac version as the most
genuine form of the letters of Ignatius extant, and (2) this is admitted
by most of those who nevertheless deny the authenticity of any of the
epistles." [59:2]

Upon this Dr. Lightfoot remarks:--

"No statement could be more erroneous as a summary of the results
of the Ignatian controversy since the publication of the Syriac
epistles than thi