[617:1] This canon somewhat differs from the fifth of the Council of Nice, as the latter requires the first meeting to be held “before Lent.”  It is somewhat doubtful which canon is of higher antiquity.

[619:1] “Seniores et praepositi.”—­Epist.  Cypriani, Opera, p. 302.

[619:2] “The Councils of the Church,” by Rev. E.B.  Pusey, D.D., p. 34 Oxford, 1857.

[619:3] Pusey, p. 58.

[619:4] Ibid. p. 66.

[619:5] Ibid. p. 95.

[619:6] As in the case of Athanasius at the Council of Nice.

[619:7] As witnesses and commissioners may still be heard by Church courts.

[619:8] “Graviter commoti sumus ego et collegae mei qui praesentes aderant et compresbyteri nostri qui nobis assidebant”—­Cyprian, Epist. lxvi. p. 245. “Residentibus etiam viginti et sex presbyteris, adstantibus diaconibus et omni plebe.”—­Concil.  Illiberit.

[620:1] Euseb. vii. 30.

[621:1] Prov. xi. 14.

[621:2] Mosheim’s “Institutes,” by Soames, i. 150.

[624:1] See Mosheim’s “Commentaries,” cent. ii. sec. 39; American edition by Murdock.

[624:2] Acts xxiv. 5.

[624:3] Euseb. iv. 5.

[625:1] The English name Easter is derived from that of a Teutonic goddess whose festival was celebrated by the ancient Saxons in the month of April, and for which the Paschal feast was substituted.

[626:1] Pentecost, called Whitsunday or White-Sunday, on account of the white garments worn by those who then received baptism, was observed as early as the beginning of the third century.  Origen, “Contra Celsum,” book viii.  Tertullian, “De Idololatria,” c. 14.  We have then no trace of the observation of Christmas.  See Kaye’s “Tertullian,” p. 413.

[626:2] See Mosheim’s “Commentaries,” by Murdock, cent. ii. sec. 71.  Dr Schaff seems disposed to deny this, but he assigns no reasons.  See his “Hist. of the Christ.  Church,” p. 374.

[626:3] Even as to this point there is not unanimity—­some alleging that our Lord partook of the Paschal lamb on the night preceding that on which it was eaten by the Jews.

[627:1] This is distinctly asserted by Irenaeus.  “Anicetus and Pius, Hyginus with Telesphorus and Xystus, neither did themselves observe, nor did they permit those after them to observe it.  And yet though they themselves did not keep it, they were not the less at peace with those from churches where it was kept, whenever they came to them, although to keep it then was so much the more in opposition to those who did not.”—­Euseb. v. 24.

[629:1] It would appear that the Armenians, the Copts, and others, still observe this rite.  Mosheim’s “Comment.” cent. ii. sec. 71.  As to the continuance of this custom at Rome, see Bingham, v. 36, 37.