DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14564#0214
ALEXANDRIA.
197
speculation was not without a native influence. The
Egyptian contributed his love of mystery, and that
strong desire for individual holiness without reference to
others which is the root of asceticism.
Two men are typical of this stirring age of the young
Church in the Greek city. Clement of Alexandria, the
learned Greek, eagerly read all philosophy, not to explain
or to define dogma, but because he felt that the truth
was to be discovered everywhere, in Greek and in Egyp-
tian as well as in Hebrew writings. To him there was
nothing derogatory to the Scriptures in the belief that
there were other revelations, that indeed all wisdom was
necessarily a gift of God. Had he reasoned out his
view he would have been a modern of the modems. 1
As it is, he remains only a pious searcher, rejoicing in
each fresh treasure that rewards his unwearying labour.
In his simple nature and his true love of various know-
ledge combined, he stands quite alone among his fellows,
to the loss of later generations, for had there been more
like him, far less of ancient knowledge would have been
allowed to perish.
Origen, like Clement, was a great and loving student,
but he was more; he was one of the few original
197
speculation was not without a native influence. The
Egyptian contributed his love of mystery, and that
strong desire for individual holiness without reference to
others which is the root of asceticism.
Two men are typical of this stirring age of the young
Church in the Greek city. Clement of Alexandria, the
learned Greek, eagerly read all philosophy, not to explain
or to define dogma, but because he felt that the truth
was to be discovered everywhere, in Greek and in Egyp-
tian as well as in Hebrew writings. To him there was
nothing derogatory to the Scriptures in the belief that
there were other revelations, that indeed all wisdom was
necessarily a gift of God. Had he reasoned out his
view he would have been a modern of the modems. 1
As it is, he remains only a pious searcher, rejoicing in
each fresh treasure that rewards his unwearying labour.
In his simple nature and his true love of various know-
ledge combined, he stands quite alone among his fellows,
to the loss of later generations, for had there been more
like him, far less of ancient knowledge would have been
allowed to perish.
Origen, like Clement, was a great and loving student,
but he was more; he was one of the few original