success, however, could change his character or impair the deep religious impressions of his youth. They were with him at all times, and made him a model of excellence in every relation of life, as a husband, father, brother, friend, and member of the Church of Christ. He was the friend of the poor, and a patron of every charitable enterprise. He was zealous in the cause of religious truth, and generous in his contributions to the cause of Liberal Christianity, but with the most perfect charity and liberality to all who bear the Christian name. His death was answerable to his life, resigned, serene, hopeful. His parting spirit triumphed over agony, and words of comfort were the last he

uttered.

The example of such men is precious. They show the world the true and Christian use of wealth, that it can be applied to nobler purposes than those of selfishness and ostentation.

B.

HON. HENRY WHEATON, LL. D., died at Dorchester, Mass., March 11, 1848, aged 63 years.

Mr. Wheaton was born in Providence, R. I., November 27, 1785, and graduated at Brown University in 1802. After being admitted to the bar, he passed some time in Europe, and established himself, upon his return, in the city of New York, in 1812. For three years he was editor of the National Advocate. In 1815 he published a treatise on Maritime Law, and in 1816 became Reporter of the Decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States, which situation he retained for twelve years. He took a conspicuous position in the legislature of New York, and in 1826 received the high honor of a place on the Commission for revising the laws of that State. In 1827 his diplomatic career began with his appointment as Chargé d'Affaires at Copenhagen. In 1834 he went to Berlin as Resident Minister, and from 1837 to 1846 remained in the Prussian capital as Minister Plenipotentiary. He returned home in 1847.

His chief works are his Life of William Pinckney, 1826; History of the Northmen, 1831; History of Scandinavia (Edinburgh), 1838; Elements of International Law, 1836; History of International Law, 1844. His various contributions to periodical journals, his orations, addresses, and diplomatic papers, are too numerous to be mentioned even in the most general classification.

Mr. Wheaton's life exhibited from beginning to end a remarkable unity. Law was his study, and literature his recreation. He rose constantly towards the heights of his noble profession, and his horizon widened as he ascended. The law of nations that science which promises to be the handmaid of justice and humanity is identified with his name. As a diplomatist, he was at once patient of details and mindful of principles. As a scholar, he was earnest, indefatigable, persevering in his way an enthusiast, if not for a Utopian ideal, for a knowledge of those facts upon which rests the truth with all its power and promise. He was a decided, consistent Christian; in opinion, Unitarian; in spirit, catholic. He was an early and active friend of our cause in New York. In the humanity and enlargement that characterize his writings, we see traces of a faith that is wont to view men and nations as children of the Heavenly Father, and as subjects of a kingdom of justice and good-will.

The progress of mankind in true civilization, peace, and order cannot but add honor to the memory of Henry Wheaton.

1848.]

Dr. Chase's Letter.

479

Dr. Chase's Letter on the Notice of the "Revised Version" of the "Apostolical Constitutions."

[WE very cheerfully give insertion to the following communication from Dr. Chase, simply observing, that we are pleased to find that his views of the original character of the "Constitutions," as also of the orthodoxy of the ante-Nicene Fathers as measured by the standard of a later age, do not differ so widely from those of the writer of the article referred to, as the expression which occurs in the Preface was thought to imply. For the rest, we are willing to leave the subject where it is, seeing no cause to change our views as to either the origin and character of the "Constitutions," or the value of Krabbe's Essay, but feeling no disposition to withhold from our readers the remarks and comments of the learned translator and editor, whom we again thank for his useful labors. - EDS.]

"MESSRS. EDITORS,

"Boston, March 11, 1848.

"After the candid and courteous manner in which you have been pleased to speak of me, in the last number of the Christian Examiner, in connection with the work claiming to be the Constitutions of the Holy Apostles,' I am particularly desirous of removing an erroneous impression from your minds and from the minds of your readers. It seems to have been inferred from a clause in my Preface, that I would represent the Apostolical Constitutions as having expressed themselves in the style of the Athanasian creed, until they suffered interpolations. Certainly, I did not intend thus to represent either those Constitutions or the writings generally of the ante-Nicene Fathers.

66

Epiphanius, about A. D. 380, pronounced the Constitutions free from heterodoxy, as he would also the writings of most of those early Fathers. Doubtless he had some way of explaining in an orthodox sense those expressions of theirs which seem to be Arian. At least, he was not disposed to declare them heretical. But in what was written after the rise of the Arian controversy, certain phrases and certain modes of representation acquired a kind of technical character, and, as matters then stood, were pretty clearly adverse to the system of Athanasius. Now some of these occur in the Constitutions as they are at present; and, in rejecting this work, the Trullan Council declare it to have received certain things spurious and unknown to the Church.' Photius, too, the learned Patriarch of Constantinople, in speaking of the Constitutions (as they were in his time) mentions Arianism as a charge from which they could not easily be defended.

"In view of these facts, permit me to recall to your attention the passage in my Preface to which I have referred :-In the fourth century arose the Arian controversy, a storm which fiercely agitated Christendom more than sixty years, and did not entirely die away for ages. After the many fluctuations connected with that controversy, and long after the ascendency of the views of Athanasius, it was found that the Constitutions had been corrupted, probably by some Arian hand; and accordingly a decree against them was passed by the general council at Constantinople, A. D. 692; saving, however, the authority of the eighty-five canons. It has been thought that the decree was owing also, in some measure, to latent political reasons. Be this as it may,

the work, in most respects, continued, and it still continues, to exhibit what had long been to many the beau-ideal of the Church.'

"The clause' probably by some Arian hand,' was used with no invidious design, but only because it seemed to me to be required by the evidence in the case. An Athanasian hand would have labored to introduce into an ancient writing expressions decidedly hostile to Arianism; but an Arian hand would naturally present such as we now find, some of which appear to be irreconcilably opposed to that system which was perfected in the Athanasian creed.

"If the testimonies of the Trullan Council and of Photius and others could be invalidated, as arising from party spirit and a desire to destroy the influence of the Constitutions, which manifestly favored what has been denominated the Arian system of subordination,' still it would be difficult to set those testimonies entirely aside. That there was some ground for the charge of interpolation can hardly be denied. But the interpolating may have been exaggerated; and, from a comparatively few instances, occasion may have been eagerly taken to disparage and condemn the whole work.

"Having said thus much for the purpose of removing a misapprehension in regard to my own views, I think it due to the author of the Essay on the Origin and Contents of the Apostolical Constitutions to invite your attention to a few words of his which may be found on pages 429 and 430:-Those who place the Constitutions in an earlier time could, perhaps, adduce for the explanation of this circumstance the consideration, that the ante-Nicene Fathers, especially in the doctrine concerning the Trinity, very often employ many expressions which afterwards, in the Arian controversies, were assailed. The fact is incontestably true. Justin Martyr, Theophilus of Antioch, Irenæus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and Origen use phrases and expressions which are found among the Arians. But, since neither the Arians nor the Catholics in their controversies used the Constitutions, and these were adduced neither for nor against Arianism, it may be inferred from this silence, especially from that of Athanasius, that neither party had any knowledge of the Constitutions with their present Arian corruptions.'

In regard to what has been achieved in the Essay, the field of discussion is so broad that there is room for some diversity of judgment touching certain points; but that the author is worthy of a respectful hearing cannot be seriously called in question. To some it may be gratifying and useful to see the following statement in the decision pronounced by the Faculty of the University of Bonn: :- Diligentiam plane eximiam expendendis veterum testimoniis moderandisque recentiorum aut profligandis opinionibus probavit, et ad vindicandam septem priorum librorum unitatem originalem, ad intelligendas interpolationes demonstrandamque octavi libri seriorem accessionem nova quædam, eaque non mala attulit.'

"Thanking you, Messrs. Editors, for the generous interest which you have shown in commending the volume to the favorable consideration of your readers, I am, as ever,

"Yours, with much respect and Christian love,

"IRAH CHASE."

INDEX.