notice the passages in Irenæus's great work against Heresies' (about A.D. 185), in which he refers to John's residence at Ephesus. But the letter of Polycrates, who was bishop of Ephesus at the end of the second century, to Victor, in defence of the Asiatic observance of Easter, ought, I think, to have been mentioned, Polycrates says, 'For in Asia great lights have fallen asleep which shall rise again in the day of the Lord's appearing; Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who sleeps in Hierapolis; moreover, John, who rested upon the bosom of the Lord and bore the sacerdotal plate, both a martyr and teacher; he is buried in Ephesus.' This testimony is very important." * The reader may estimate the justice of this rebuke if he will turn to p. 235 of this volume, where he will find the passages which it was 'natural for me to omit,' from the letter of Irenæus to Victor, and from that of Polycrates to Victor; and to p. 192, where he will find quoted from Irenæus ' against Heresies' the other missing reference to John's residence at Ephesus. *Contemporary Review, Sept. 1890, pp. 399, 400. |