an's Apology and a collection of Cyprian's epistles.[18] The
influence of the Roman Church extended over the greater part of
Christendom. Up till about the year 260 the Churches in East and West
had still in some degree a common history.

3. The developments in the history of dogma within the period extending
from about 150 to about 300 were by no means brought about in the
different communities at the same time and in a completely analogous
fashion. This fact is in great measure concealed from us, because our
authorities are almost completely derived from those leading Churches
that were connected with each other by constant intercourse. Yet the
difference can still be clearly proved by the ratio of development in
Rome, Lyons, and Carthage on the one hand, and in Alexandria on the
other. Besides, we have several valuable accounts showing that in more
remote provinces and communities the development was slower, and a
primitive and freer condition of things much longer preserved.[19]

4. From the time that the clergy acquired complete sway over the
Churches, that is, from the beginning of the second third of the third
century, the development of the history of dogma practically took place
within the ranks of that class, and was carried on by its learned men.
Every mystery they set up therefore became doubly mysterious to the
laity, for these did not even understand the terms, and hence it formed
another new fetter.

Footnotes:

[Footnote 1: Aube (Histoire des Persecutions de l'Eglise, Vol. II. 1878,
pp. 1-68) has given a survey of the genesis of ecclesiastical dogma. The
disquisitions of Renan in the last volumes of his great historical work
are excellent, though not seldom exaggerated in particular points. See
especially the concluding observations in Vol. VII. cc. 28-34. Since the
appearance of Ritschl's monograph on the genesis of the old Catholic
Church, a treatise which, however, forms too narrow a conception of the
problem, German science can point to no work of equal rank with the
French. Cf. Sohm's Kirchenrecht, Vol. I. which, however, in a very
one-sided manner, makes the adoption of the legal and constitutional
arrangements responsible for all the evil in the Church.]

[Footnote 2: Sohm (p. 160) declares: "The foundation of Catholicism is
the divine Church law to which it lays claim." In many other passages he
even seems to express the opinion that the Church law of itself, even
when not represented as d