Advertisement

Professor Marsh's Lecture.

Professor Marsh delivered an address to the Catholic Club last night in Holden Chapel on "St. Ambrose and St. Augustine." He said in substance:

S. Ambrose and St. Augnstine are two of the most prominent figures in the history of Christianity. They lived in the same century, but St. Ambrose being somewhat the older, was the first to gain prominence. After his election to the bishopric of Milan he made an exhaustive study of theology, and from his teachings dates that allegorical method of treating the Bible which is the base of the Catholic Church.

The circumstances of St. Augustine's life were radically different from those of St. Ambrose. He was born in Africa and was designed by his father to become a professor, not a bishop. At Milan, however, he met St. Ambrose and, influenced by him, entered the clergy. On his return to Africa he was elected Bishop of Hippo. This office he held until his death. Influenced by a desire to get at the heart of things, he eventually took up the question of the source of evil and enriched the church by philosophical writings. As St. Ambrose was characterized by a passion for order and uniformity in christianity, so St. Augustine was characterized by his love for truth and knowledge.

Advertisement
Advertisement