Page:Beauty for Ashes.djvu/22

16 do see, by the light of the, that this old doctrine could have originated nowhere else than in the darkness of the abyss:—that it never came down from God out of heaven.

In the prosecution of our design, we shall pursue that course which we deem the fairest, and likely at the same time to be most satisfactory to the reader: that is, we shall exhibit the hitherto prevalent belief among Christians on this subject, by copious quotations from authentic documents, citing the ipsissima verba of the writers themselves.

And we begin with the opinion of Augustine—sometimes called in the short style of the Middle Ages, St. Austin—who lived and wrote in the latter part of the fourth century. And of this writer the Encyclopædia of Religious Knowledge says: "He was one of the most celebrated Fathers of the church, whose writings for many centuries had almost as potent an influence on the religious opinions of christendom, as those of Aristotle exercised over philosophy." What did this learned and influential Father believe and teach concerning the final state of many who die in infancy? Hear him:

Again, this eminent Father says:—