So far we have seen the form which Christianity at first took among the Egyptians; but, as few writings by these Gnostics have come down to our time, we chiefly know their opinions from the reproaches of their enemies.  It was not till the second generation of Gnostic teachers were spreading their heresies that the Greek philosophers began to embrace Christianity, or the Christians to study Greek literature; but as soon as that was the case we have an unbroken chain of writings, in which we find Christianity more or less mixed with the Alexandrian form of platonism.

[Illustration:  106.jpg KOPTIC CHARM AND SCARABEUS]

The philosopher Justin, after those who had talked with the apostles, is the earliest Christian writer whose works have reached us.  He was a Greek, born in Samaria; but he studied many years in Alexandria under philosophers of all opinions.  He did not, however, at once find in the schools the wisdom he was in search for.  The Stoic could teach him nothing about God; the Peripatetic wished to be paid for his lessons before he gave them; and the Pythagorean proposed to begin with music and mathematics.

[Illustration:  107.jpg GNOSTIC GEM]

Not content with these, Justin turned to the platonist, whose purer philosophy seemed to add wings to his thoughts, and taught him to mount aloft towards true wisdom.  While turning over in his mind what he had thus learned in the several schools, dissatisfied with the philosopher’s views, he chanced one day to meet with an old man walking on the seashore near Alexandria, to whom he unbosomed his thoughts, and by whom he was converted to Christianity.  Justin tells us that there were no people, whether Greeks or barbarians, or even dwellers in tent and waggons, among whom prayers were not offered up to the heavenly father in the name of the crucified Jesus.  The Christians met every Sunday for public worship, which began with a reading from the prophets, or from the memoirs of the apostles called the gospels.  This was followed by a sermon, a prayer, the bread and wine, and a second prayer.  Justin’s quotations prove that he is speaking of the New Testament, which within a hundred years of the crucifixion wras read in all the principal cities in which Greek was spoken.  Justin died as a martyr in 163 A.D.

The platonic professorship in Alexandria had usually been held by an Athenian, and for a short time Athenagoras of Athens taught that branch of philosophy in the museum; but he afterwards embraced the Christian religion, and then taught Christianity openly in Alexandria.  He enjoys with Justin the honour of being one of the first men of learning who were converted, and, like Justin, his chief work is an apology for the Christians, addressed to the emperor, Marcus Aurelius.

[Illustration:  108.jpg GEMS SHOWING SYMBOL OF DEATH AND THE WORD [IAH] JAVEH]

Athenagoras confines himself in his defence to the resurrection from the dead and the unity of the Deity, the points chiefly attacked by the pagans.