ST. JEROME.

THIS very celebrated person was born of Christian parents at Strido, a town in Dalmatia, about the year A.D. 329, a period when many of the first Christians were ardent in sincere piety. Although this Christian father was not free from great faults, yet he had learning beyond almost any man of that time, with sincere piety, zeal, and industry. His father, Eusebius, was a man of rank and good fortune, and gave his son a most accomplished education. After making him master of the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin languages, he sent him to complete his studies at Rome, where he had the advantage of the best masters in every kind of literature. Donatus was his master in grammar, he was well known by his commentaries on Virgil and Terence; under this master Jerome made great progress. Jerome also studied, with great attention, the Hebrew language, which at that time was of great importance, when the Emperor Constantine the Great had declared himself to be a Christian, from having seen in the Heavens the appearance of a Cross, when he was proceeding to Rome at the head of a great army.

Constantine, called the Great, was born in Bri

tain (where his father, Constantinus, died at York). Some historians say his mother was a British lady'. It is certain that Constantine the Great was very remarkable, not only by courage and success in military life, but also by his justice, moderation and great piety. He had resolved to build Constantinople to be the capital of the Christian Empire.

Jerome having finished his education at Rome, and having read all the books of the progress of the Christian Religion, then resolved to travel. He first visited France (then called Gaul) where the men of talents were all Christians who had fled from the East. The Kings of the Goths had embraced Christianity, which every where improved and enlightened the people. After spending some time in Gaul Jerome returned to Rome, and began, at twenty-one years of age, to consider his future life. He had set his heart on being a man of study and literature, and had collected a valuable library at Rome.

Never were books in higher estimation than in the time of Constantine the Great, when he had embraced the religion of Christ, and had built many Churches, and encouraged every library, and every Christian preacher.

Jerome determined to leave Rome and Italy and go to the East. He got money from his rich father, and carried with him valuable books.

'See Clarendon's History of England.

On

his way he passed through Dalmatia and Asia Minor to visit Jerusalem. In those days such a journey was considered as the indispensable duty of all accomplished scholars, who were able to afford the expenses of the journey.

Rome was full of the riches of the world, collected there by the long reign of the Emperor Augustus. Forty years did he reign in Rome, when she was mistress of the world, and he found the number of the people, a short time before his death, to be four millions one hundred and thirtyseven thousand; he expired soon after, in the seventy-sixth year of his age, appointing his sonin-law, Tiberius, to succeed him on the throne. He was very cruel in the beginning of his reign. He had wished to revenge the death of Julius Cæsar, by the infliction of severe punishment; but he afterwards maintained peace in Rome, where he was justly beloved. He indulged the senate and people by the appearance of a republic, while he made them really happy by the effects of an absolute government, guided by the most consummate wisdom and prudence. All the women in Rome wore mourning for one year, for the death of Augustus.

Eighteen years afterwards, our Divine Saviour was born at Jerusalem, in the reign of Tiberius. Pontius Pilate wrote to that Emperor a particular account of the life, the miracles, and the death of Christ. It was a law of the Empire that all governors of provinces or states, should send an account of

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every important matter to Rome. We read in the Evidences of the Truth of the Christian Religion," by Mr. Addison, that this account of the life, death, and resurrection of our Saviour, was written by Pontius Pilate, to the Emperor Tiberius. The historian, Tacitus, has recorded the same, in his History of Rome, and says, That a great light had appeared in the East, which directed certain wise men to go to Bethlehem and see the infant.

When the Emperor Tiberius began his reign, he was anxious to appear just and wise, after the example of Augustus. He made a report to the senate of the letter he had received from Pontius Pilate, and he desired that Christ might be added to the gods of the Romans. But the senate were not willing to permit him to be dictator to them; so they refused his request, alleging that by the laws of ancient Rome, they alone had superintendence of all matters of religion. They went further, and, by an edict, commanded all Christians to leave Rome. But Tiberius, by another edict, as Emperor, threatened death to all who should accuse the Christians. By this measure they were wholly protected from any persecution during his reign of twenty-two years. Tiberius was very cruel and odious to the senate and people of Rome, but to the Christians he was just and lenient.

St. Jerome proceeded to Jerusalem about 350 years after the death of our Divine Saviour, but was taken dangerously ill at Antioch. He reco

vered, but was in a very weak state of health, and left that populous city to seek a more retired place. After long rambling over various countries in Asia, disgusted (as appears in his writings) by the bad customs, and vice, and wickedness of all kinds, which he had seen, at last he fixed in a wild deserted place in Syria, where only the beasts of the wood could live. Here he staid for some time, a misanthrope, sick of the world, and devoting himself entirely to the reading of the Holy Scriptures. He divided his time between devotion and study, he lived like a hermit, slept little, eat sparingly, and it was reported that he had got the Scriptures by heart, especially the New Testament. He acquired a powerful knowledge of the Hebrew language, by which he got a key to understand the Bible. He recovered his health, and could, with the moralist, in Shakspeare,

"Find tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in every thing."

Four years did St. Jerome live in this desert, as his own writings inform us: the goat-herds brought him bread, milk and eggs.

Jerome, after some time, returned to Antioch, and he found that city all in discord, by various parties calling themselves Christians, but having no resemblance to the religion of Christ. The city was divided into three parties, all violently engaged in choosing a new Bishop; for which office