external evidence equally satisfactory, it would be absurd to
doubt their genuineness. But whilst the internal evidence
testifies against them, they are not noticed by any writer for
considerably more than a century after they are said to have
appeared.

The date commonly assigned for the martyrdom of Ignatius, and
consequently for the writing of the letters ascribed to him, is
the ninth year of Trajan, corresponding to A.D. 107. This date,
Dr. Lightfoot tells us, is "the one fixed element in the common
tradition." [16:2] It is to be found in the _Chronicon Paschale_,
and in the Antiochene and the Roman "Acts," as well as elsewhere. [16:3]
This same date is assigned by the advocates of the Ignatian Epistles
for the writing of Polycarp's letter. "Only a few months at the
outside," says Dr. Lightfoot, "probably only a few weeks, after
these Ignatian Epistles purport to have been written, the Bishop
of Smyrna himself addresses a letter to the Philippians." [17:1]
In due course it will be shown that Polycarp was at this time
only about four-and-twenty years of age; and any intelligent
reader who pursues his Epistle can judge for himself whether it
can be reasonably accepted as the production of so very youthful
an author. It appears that it was dictated in answer to a
communication from the Church at Philippi, in which he was
requested to interpose his influence with a view to the settlement
of some grave scandals which disturbed that ancient Christian
community. Is it likely that a minister of so little experience
would have been invited to undertake such a service? The
communication is rather such an outpouring of friendly counsel as
befitted an aged patriarch. In a fatherly style he here addresses
himself to wives and widows, to young men and maidens, to parents