Page:The early Christians in Rome (1911).djvu/168

 It was a practical proof that all Christians were really brothers and sisters—"that goodness among the Christians was not an impotent claim or a pale ideal, but a power which was developed on all sides, and was actually exercised in common everyday life."

We have dwelt at some length upon what were the principal objects to which the alms of the Brotherhood, asked so earnestly at the various weekly assemblies, were devoted; there were, however, other "causes" pleaded for besides these—no doubt principally in such great centres as Rome, where a proportion of rich and well-to-do persons formed part of the little gatherings; of these, relief and assistance to "prisoners of the faith" occupy a prominent place.

There were many Christians, especially in the more acute periods of persecution, who were arrested and imprisoned by the government, and not a few condemned to the harsh discipline of the mines. Justin Martyr especially names assistance to imprisoned Christians as one of the regular objects to which a portion of the collections at the "meetings" was devoted. It was ever a matter of love, if not of absolute duty, to help and succour these. "If," wrote Aristides in his Apology quoted above, "the Christians learn that any one of their number is imprisoned or is in distress for the sake of the Name of Christ, they should all render aid to such a one in his necessity."—Apol. xv.

See, too, among other references, Heb. x. 34; Tert. ad Mart. i., and Apol. xxxix.

Another and special object of almsgiving pressed upon the faithful was help to other and perhaps distant Churches who from one cause or other were in want. We find this urged upon Christian congregations even in apostolic days.

In S. Paul's Epistles to the Galatians, Romans, and Corinthians we find various appeals to the generosity of these early communities to assist the Church at Jerusalem. The deep poverty of this famous Church we have already suggested was probably owing to the attempt of the Jerusalem Christians literally to carry out the idea of community of goods.

In the Letter of Dionysius of Corinth to the Roman Church written circa 170, quoted by Eusebius, H. E. iv. 23, we