A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK

McClintock & Strong Cyclopaedia — Volume 10

John McClintock & James Strong · 1,500,482 words · 1483 reading sections

SECTION 1201

Section 1201

Welles, Noah, D.D., a Congregational minister, was born at Colchester, Conn., Jan. 23, 1718. He grad- uated at Yale College in 1741; engaged in teaching school at Hartford for some time; and became tutor of Yale College in 1745. He was licensed to preach soon after, and ordained pastor of the Church at Stamford, Conn.,…

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SECTION 1202

Section 1202

posed to him in philosophy bore against him. Wesel was summoned before a tribunal composed of theolo- gians from the universities of Cologne and Heidelberg, who were, with a single exception, realists. The Do- minicans M.Gerhard Elten, M.. Jacob Sprenger, and a third iniknown person were inquisitors at the trial. The p…

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SECTION 1203

Section 1203

Wesel was probably a fertile writer. Jakob Wim- pfeling says, in Flacius, that Wesel had adorned the Erfurt school by his teaching and writings ; and Fla- cius adds that the writings were still preserved at Er- furt. Only the two tracts Adversus Indulgentias and De Potestute Ecdesiastica are now extant. See Ar- gentre,…

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SECTION 1204

Section 1204

In Februar}', 1738, the brothers W^esley were intro- WESLEY 908 AVESLEY 1343 William de Wellesley,- Ist Barou of VVellesley, Co. Somerset. Walroud, — 2d Bai'uu PEDIGREE OF THE WESLEY FAMILY. Married Alice, -daiigliier of Sir Joliu Trevelyau. — Lady Geraldiue Fitzgerald. Gerald, — :>d Uanin, ilepiived of liis…

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SECTION 1205

Section 1205

II. A few special topics remain to be treated before we can get a satisfactory view of the career, infiueiice, and genius of Charles Wesley. 1. His Family. — On April 8, 1749, Charles Wesley was married to Sarah Gwynne, a Welsh lady of piety, refine- ment, and fortune. Of this happy marriage were born four sons and fo…

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SECTION 1206

Section 1206

Charles lacked the breadth of view, the practical cast of mind, the wisdom, of his brother; and in measures of Church administration his influence over the latter was slight. Perhaps the remark of Dr. Stevens is justified : •' Had the leadership of Methodism early devolved upon him by the death of his brother, as was a…

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SECTION 1207

Section 1207

WESLEY 911 WESLEY liditv, strength, and tire. Covvper is the greatest name in the hymii-books; but Cowper's best poeras, which are very few, are but equal, not superior, to Wesley's best, which are very maiiv. Toplatly approaches most nearly the Jlethotlist poet, but Toplady borrowed his in- spiration from Wesley an…

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SECTION 1208

Section 1208

3. For authorities on Charles Wesley's life, see White- head, Lives of John and Charles Wesley (Lond. 1793 ; Bos- ton, Mass., 1844, 8vo; Auburn and Rochester, N. Y., 1854) ; Moore, Lives of John and Charles Wesley (Lond. 1824); Jackson, Life of Charles Wesley (Lond. 1841, 2 vols. 8vo ; N, Y. 1844, 8vo, slightly retrenc…

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SECTION 1209

Section 1209

I, School and College Life. — When Wesley was in his eleventh year, the patronage of the duke of Bucking- ham secured his admission to the Charterhouse School, London, of which Dr. Thomas Walker was then master. and the Rev. Andrew Tooke, author of the Pantheon, usher. To such a grave and gentle-mannered boy as was thi…

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SECTION 1210

Section 1210

In this state he entered the university, where, for five years, while treating his religious duties with outward respect, he continued to sin against his convictions in spite of the castigations of iiis conscience. These were so severe at times as to induce transient fits of unfruit- ful repentance. His love of learnin…

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SECTION 1211

Section 1211

There were several "societies" in London, chiefly com- posed of persons who were desirous of spiritual I'ellow- ship and instruction. Some of them were under Mo- ravian teachers, others were made up of Churchmen. Wesley very naturally associated with these societies, and preached to them and to such Episcopal congrega-…

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SECTION 1212

Section 1212

class -meeting originated. It immediately became a means of "unspeakable usefulness;" indispensable, in- deed, to siilritual instruction and discipline in a system of itineracy which made it impossible for its ministers to perform thorough pastoral work. Wesley illustrated his sagacit}', if not his genius, in incorpora…

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SECTION 1213

Section 1213

VII. Formulation of a Doctrinal riatfurm. — The doc- trinal platform of the Wesleyan societies was formulated, at least in its essential outlines, at this first conference. Wesley himself had, after diligent study while at Ox- ford, conclusively accepted the Arrainian theory of gen- eral redemption, and learned to rega…

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SECTION 1214

Section 1214

Under this unexampled leadership, continued through half a century, the organization which was begun with the feeble society at Fetter Lane, London, in 1739, had developed in 1790 into a powerf^ul body consisting of five hundred and eleven preachers, laboring on two hun- dred and sixteen circuits, which covered vast te…

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SECTION 1215

Section 1215

AVesley's mind was constructive in all its tendencies. Had it been destructive, he would have spent much of his force in efforts to pull down the National Church, which was nearly "dead in trespasses and sins" when, he began his itinerant career. He did not do this, be- cause his genius moved him to build, not to destr…

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SECTION 1216

Section 1216

XHL Literature. — See The Journal of the Rev. John Wesley ; Southey, Life of John Wesley, and the Rise and Progress of Methodism; Clarke, Memoirs of the Wesley Family; Whitehead, Life (f John Wesley; Crowther, Portraiture of Methodism ; Watson, Life of Rev. John Wesley ; Smith, History of Wesleyan Method- ism; Moore, L…

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SECTION 1217

Section 1217

Wesley, Samuel (2), A.M., an English clergy- man, son of the Eev. Samuel and Susannah Wesley, was born in London, Feb. 10, 1090. His mother tauglit him to read at the age of five years, and laid the foundation of the scholarship which he afterwards acquired. He was sent to Westminster School in 1704, and was admit- ted…

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SECTION 1218

Section 1218

WESLEY AN CONF., AUSTRAL. 919 WESLEYAN CONF., AUSTRAL. commencement, and they resolved to apply to the Meth- odists in England for a missionary. Mr. Samuel Leigh, who had conversed with Dr. Coke, had ottered his ser- vices as a missionary, and the application from New South Wales having reached Dr. Adam Clarke, he se-…

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SECTION 1219

Section 1219

Mr. Horton commenced his labors in Tasmania, or V^an Diemen's Land, in 1820. The population there was utterly demoralized, both convicts and natives. Among the former were found a few who had been Methodists, who had repented of their evil doings, and had commenced a society class, and were erecting a chapel. The missi…

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SECTION 1220

Section 1220

ployed as teachers, class -leaders, cxhorters, and local ]ircachcrs, the people learning to read with aviditv, and the missionaries' wives teaching the art of cutting out clothes and sewing, as well as other domestic and use- ful arts. The news of these conversions spread far and wide, and canoes laden with inquirers c…

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SECTION 1221

Section 1221

426 66,833 1848... 61 15,933 IV. Litei-ature. — The literature which belongs to this section of the Methodist Church relates chiefly to the publislied biographies of the ministers who have died in the work : The Life of the Rev. Samuel Leir/h, by Alex- ander Strahan, a small octavo volume of 592 pages, with portra…

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SECTION 1222

Section 1222

After the peace of 1814, some evangelists again com- menced to labor in Normandy; but the return of Bona- parte from Elba caused them to fiee for safety, leaving a small society of fourteen members, which was increased to twenty- five during the year. After the battle of Waterloo, and the return home of prisoners, the …

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SECTION 1223

Section 1223

II. Staiistics. — Tlie following table will exhibit the numerical progress of French Methodism : Yenr. Ministers. Members. Year. Ministers. Members. ISU... 14 1848... 19 890 1S15... 25 1849... 16 775 1S16... 3 35 18.50... 18 7.'i5 181T... 4 30 1851... 17 813 1818... 4 29 1852... 17 770…

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SECTION 1224

Section 1224

Philip Guiton, who has now been forty years in the ministry, published, in 1846, Histoire du Methodisme Wesleyan dans les lies de la Manche :— in 1864 he pub- lished a French translation of Rev. William Arthur's Tongue of Fire. William J. Handcock, who travelled many years in the French Conference from 1838, published…

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SECTION 1225

Section 1225

During that visit Charles Wesley travelled abroad into the conntr}'. The singing of the Methodists had a most winning effect on the Irish people. A good work was begun in many places, and in some a spirit of trans- formation was the effect. This was especially the case at Tyrrell's Cross. The people there had been wick…

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SECTION 1226

Section 1226

In 1758 Mr. Wesley again held a conference in Ire- land, at which fourteen preachers were present; and though the record of its proceedings is compressed within a few lines, yet it is most satisfactory. In 17G0 Mr. Wesley was again among the Palatines, when he " observed the ravages of emigration." How little did he th…

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SECTION 1227

Section 1227

Dr. Coke became the apostle of Ireland after the death of Wesley. He visited the country twentj'-five times at his own cost ; gave freely of his own money to the preachers and the new erections of chapels; trav- elled and preached all over the country; and the society advanced rapidly under his superintendence. In 1782…

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SECTION 1228

Section 1228

Ireland, however, was not to be so much benefited by these labors as other countries. Methodism would have been mighty in that country' had not emigration, continuing year by year for half a century, deprived it of thousands of its Methodist converts. In fifteen years fully ten thousand members were reported at success…

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SECTION 1229

Section 1229

The parent society was known for some time as the Sacramentarians, because the preachers had voted them- WESLEYAN CONF., IRISH 927 WESLEYAN CONF., IRISH selves to the prLvilege of administering the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's supper — a privilege they ought to have had from the lirst. Tiie vote carried with …

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SECTION 1230

Section 1230

Year. Ministers. Members. Yenr. Ministers. ^lembers. 1765... 15 18l'3... 126 22,039 1706... 17 1824. . . 128 22,047 1707... 19 1825... 130 22,077 170S... 20 2,700 1820... 134 22,514 1769... 20 3,180 1827... 139 22,599 1770... 23 3,024 1828... 142 22,700 1771... 23 2,032 1829...…

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SECTION 1231

Section 1231

Rev. George Vance has published a pamphlet, Calvin- ism Not the 'Theology of the Bihlf. Rev. Samuel Weir, in 1867, published a small volume, ISmo, Onirard to God. Kev. G. v.. Wedgwood has published a lecture entitled Liberty. (G. J. S.) (Wesleyan) Methodist New^ Connection, abody of English Independents whicli separ…

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SECTION 1232

Section 1232

Fh'st, That instead of the preachers having; the sole power to admit and expel members, these acts shoidd be done with consent of the people. Second, That the members should have a voice in choosing their own leaders. Third, That local preacliers, instead of being appointed by the circuit preacher, should be examined…

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SECTION 1233

Section 1233

In addition to the above, a committee of seven per- sons is chosen at each Conference, by ballot, to transact the business of the Connection between one Conference (WESL.) M. NEW CONNECTION 930 (WESL.) 3r. NEW CONNECTION and another; four of the members are preachers and three are laymen, one year, and vice fersit th…

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SECTION 1234

Section 1234

The Conference of 1799 recognised a society' in Ireland, and the Rev. John JMcClure commenced a cause at Lis- burn. The same year the few preachers then associated agreed to contribute ten shillings and sixpence yearlv to found a fund for the support of aged ministers. The Conference of 1803 commenced what is known as…

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SECTION 1235

Section 1235

The Methodist hymn-book had been used in the New Connection from 1797. In the year 1834 a new hymn- book was prepared and published, which was intended more as a source of profit to the Connection than as a superior book to the one .which it supplanted. This also was displaced by another and very much improved collecti…

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SECTION 1236

Section 1236

At the Cont^erence of 1848 arrangements were made for the establishment of home missions in England ; but the work grew slowly, and ten years afterwards, in 1857, a plan was adopted for the management of home mis- sion chapels. In 1865 the present Home Missionary Society was inaugurated. In 1880 there were thirteen mis…

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SECTION 1237

Section 1237

In 1877 a loan fund was commenced for the purpose of aiding chapel trusts and of encouraging the erection of new chapels. The Conference of 1880 was remark- able for its record of deaths among the ministers, no less than six of whom, all men of distinction, had died during the year. Their names were Par- kinsoa Thomas…

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SECTION 1238

Section 1238

(G.J.S.) "Wesleyan Methodists. See Weslkyans. Wesleyan Reform Union. This organization had its origin in the cxpidsion of the Revs. James Ev- erett, Samuel Dunn, and William (Griffith from the Weslevan Conference, in August, 1840. These expul- WESLEYAN REFORM UXION 934 WESLEYAN REFORM UNION sions took the people of E…

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SECTION 1239

Section 1239

1S77. 1S7S. 1S79. 18S0. achcrs. in Members 7703 2n 7673 19 76'^3 IS 772S Their doctrines are identical in all respects with those of the Wesleyan Jlethodists. The points of polity or discipline in which they differ arc, that their ministers may remain as many years in a circuit as the people may desire; and t…

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SECTION 1240

Section 1240

2. Intimately connected with the foregoing position is that of the divine foreordination. Wesleyans hold that while God absolutelv and of his own inscrutable purposes determines beforehand (whether from all eter- nity or not is of small moment) the events in the nat- ural or physical world, he has not done so with rega…

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SECTION 1241

Section 1241

5. Wesleyanism, moreover, maintains that this salva- tion is not only free and present, but aUofuIl, i. e. that it is the privilege of every believer to be entirely sanc- tilied in this life, and to live without actually feeling or committing any known sin. They admit, of course, the continual peccability of human natu…

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SECTION 1242

Section 1242

He desired, in bis own mind, to retire to Oxford to his beloved obscurity, but Divine Providence ordered otherwise; and John Wesley was detained in London and importuned to preach these new doctrines, in vari- ous churches, thrice every Sunday, and on week-days also. One source of attraction was that he had recent- ly …

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SECTION 1243

Section 1243

came ; the next week thirty or forty. When they were increased to about a hundred, I took down their names and places of abode, intending, as often as it was con- venient, to call upon them at their homes. Thus, with- out any previous plan, began the Methodist Society in England — a company of people associated togethe…

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SECTION 1244

Section 1244

John Cennick joined IMr. Wesley at Bristol, and was very useful in that city and at Kingswood; but, not agreeing with ]\Ir. Wesley's views on general redemp- tion, he joined iMr. Whitefield, and became a useful min- ister in many parts of the United Kingdom. In 1740 Mr. Wesley preached against predestination, and ]Mr.…

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SECTION 1245

Section 1245

The year 1745 was memorable for the inquiry made in the Conference, Is Episcopal, Presbyterian, or Inde- pendent Church government most reasonable? The unrest of Mr. Wesley's mind was deepened by corre- spondence with the Kev. Westley Hall, who had urged him to renounce the Church of England. At that time, IMr. Wesley …

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SECTION 1246

Section 1246

The Conference of 1752 agreed that the preachers should receive a stipend of £12 per annum to provide themselves with necessaries. Previously no money sal- arv was given, the stewards supplying the preachers with what thej' wanted. In the \-ear 1800 the finances had improved suflScientlj- to allow the preachers £4 each…

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SECTION 1247

Section 1247

At the Conference of 17G5 it was resolved to issue from London one uniform society ticket of membership for all the societies. The first ticket so issued is dated February, 17GG. The tickets have been printed and sent out by the book-room ever since. At the same Conference it was recommended that in speaking to and of …

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SECTION 1248

Section 1248

WESLEYANS 941 WESLEYANS structions for the establishment and perpetuation of a Methodist Church, and he sent them also an abridged liturgy for their use. Sunday-schools were systematically commenced by the Methodists about the year 1784. Mr. Wesley him- self had conducted a Sunday-school in Georgia, America, as ear…

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SECTION 1249

Section 1249

The Conference of 1790 was the last presided over by Mr. AVesley. As if premonitory of his death, two committees were appointed, one to manage the mission newly established in the West Indies, and one to super- intend the erection of chapels both in England and Ire- land A plan of the order of business in conducting th…

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SECTION 1250

Section 1250

reported at the annual meeting that j-ear in support of the foreign missions being i!105,498, while the expen- diture of ilic year was £190,080. A Committee of Privileges was appointed by the Conference of 1803, which then consisted of ten of the principal preachers and laymen in Methodism. Its ori- gin dates from the…

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SECTION 1251

Section 1251

Ill 1819 important improvements were made in the system of finance, and the Conference resolved that in future a financial district meeting should be held in the early part of the month of September in everj' district, at which all the preachers and stewards who could were to be present, to make whatever iinaneial arra…

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SECTION 1252

Section 1252

WESLEYANS 944 WESLEYANS £216,000. The objects to be benefited by the fund were : the erection of two Theological Institutions; the pur- chase of a Centenary Hall and Mission-house in Lon- don ; the relief of distressed chapels ; the better sup- port of worn-out jireachers and their widows; the build- ing of a Centen…

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SECTION 1253

Section 1253

At the Conference of 1854 the Wesleyan Chapel Fund was established on a new and separate basis. The com- mittee has to consider and determine all matters relat- ing to the trust property of Methodism, and it carries out as far as possible the recommendations of the Ex- tension Fund committee. An important change in th…

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SECTION 1254

Section 1254

cess of the first Representative Conference, four months after its close the Thanksgiving Fund was inaugurated, which has now reached in promises £292,000, but it is hoped the fund will reach £300,000. The conferences of all the offshoots of Methodism have from their origin consisted of ministers and laymen. The parent…

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SECTION 1255

Section 1255

(2.) The chairman of the district exercises the au- thority of a bishop, or overseer, in the locality to which he is appointed. He convenes and presides over the annual district meeting held in May, and the financial one held in September, at both which all the preachers residing in the district are expected to attend.…

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SECTION 1256

Section 1256

(8.) Supernumeraries. — Ministers who either from age or infirmity are unable to perform their circuit work are placed in this class. Many ministers are obliged to retire from the full work for one or more years to rest, and after recovery of strength resume cir- cuit work. At the Conference of 1793 it was resolved tha…

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SECTION 1257

Section 1257

To advise, reprove, comfort, or exhort, as occasion may require. To receive what they are willing to give towards the support of the Gospel. II. To meet the ministers and the stewards of the soci- ety once a week, in order — To inform the minister of any that are sick, or of any that walk disorderly, and will not be…

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SECTION 1258

Section 1258

The teachers and elder scholars in our Sunday-schools render important services as collectors for the Foreign JMissionary Society. Forty years ago a special effort was made to secure the services of the Sunday-school children as collectors, first of Christmas offerings. In this way, £4000 and £5000 was soon raised as f…

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SECTION 1259

Section 1259

3. Quarterly meeliiH/s, as their name indicates, are held in each circuit once in three months, about the time of the usual quarter days. All the stewards, class- leaders, and local |ireachers of at least one year's stand- ing may attend. The superintendent-minister presides. A secretary records the names of those pres…

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SECTION 1260

Section 1260

8. Society meetings are convened by the preaclier, and consist of members of the society usually. Alter singing and prayer, the preacher delivers an address respecting their religious duties. Christian experience, and general conduct. The rules of the society are oc- casionally read and expounded, and their principles …

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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.