Vincent Henry Stanton

“ We cannot but suppose that at a time when the number of the original band of disciples of Jesus who survived must have been becoming noticeably smaller, and all these were advanced in life, the importance of writing down that which had been orally delivered concerning the Gospel-history must have been realized. We also gather from Luke’s preface (i. 1-4) that the work of writing was undertaken in these circumstances and under the influence of this feeling, and that various records had already in consequence been made. ”

“ He frequently addressed large bodies of workpeople, not merely at services specially arranged for them, such as an annual miners' service in Durham Cathedral, but at their own meetings. At various times he spoke to the members of co-operative societies, and in 1894 he addressed the great concourse at the Northumberland Miners' Gala. In many previous years this gathering had been addressed by eminent politicians, as well as by labour-leaders, but the invitation to a church dignitary was something new, and was a remarkable proof of the place that Westcott had won in the esteem of the pitmen. ”

“ In a narrower sense each of the records of the life and teaching of Christ preserved in the writings of the four “evangelists” is described as a Gospel. The many more or less imaginative lives of Christ which are not accepted by the Christian Church as canonical are known as “apocryphal gospels” (see Apocryphal Literature) . The present article is concerned solely with general considerations affecting the four canonical Gospels; see for details of each, the articles under Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
The Four Gospels.—The disciples of Jesus proclaimed the Gospel that He was the Christ. ”

“ A careful examination, however, of the “we” sections shows that words and expressions characteristic of the author of the third Gospel and the Acts are found in them to an extent which is very remarkable, and that in many instances they belong to the very texture of the passages. This linguistic evidence, which is of quite unusual force, has never yet been fairly faced by those who deny Luke’s authorship of Acts. ”

“ In a first letter to his clergy of the diocese, which he addressed to them as soon as he had been duly elected, he undertook 'to face in the fight of the Christian faith some of the gravest problems of social and national life.' Very soon, with a view to furthering the solution of difficult social and economic problems and the removal of class-prejudices, he brought together for conferences at Auckland Castle employers of labour, secretaries of trade-unions, leading co-operators, men who had taken a prominent part in the administration of the poor laws or in municipal life. ”

“ Consequently, it is not strange that citations of sayings of Christ—and these are the only express citations in writings of the Subapostolic Age—should be made without the source whence they were derived being named, and (with a single exception) without any clear indication that the source was a document. The exception is in the little treatise commonly called the Epistle of Barnabas, probably composed about A.D. 130, where (c. iv. 14) the words “many are called but few chosen” are introduced by the formula “as it is written.” ”

“ But it has been and is still held by many critics that the author of Acts is a different person, and that as in the Third Gospel he has used documents for the Life of Christ, and perhaps also in the earlier half of the Acts for the history of the beginnings of the Christian Church, so in the “we” sections, and possibly in some other portions of this narrative of Paul’s missionary life, he has used a kind of travel-diary by one who accompanied the Apostle on some of his journeys. ”

“ Like his friend Benson, he cherished the hope that ancient ideals might be so adapted to modern conditions as to make the cathedrals of England a more potent influence for good in the life of the church and nation than they had long been. He wrote two articles on the subject in 'Macmillan's Magazine'; and an essay in the volume on Cathedrals edited by Dean Howson. He strove in various ways to increase the usefulness of his own cathedral both to the city and diocese. He gave courses of expositions and addresses at other than the usual times of service. ”

“ The arrangement of its contents can, it seems, best be learned from Luke.
3. One or two remarks may here be added as to the bearing of the results of literary criticism upon the use of the Gospels. Their effect is to lead us, especially when engaged in historical inquiries, to look beyond our Gospels to their sources, instead of treating the testimony of the Gospels severally as independent and ultimate. Nevertheless it will still appear that each Gospel has its distinct value, both historically and in regard to the moral and spiritual instruction afforded. ”

“ From 1837 to 1844, while residing at home, the future bishop attended King Edward VI's School in Birmingham under James Prince Lee [q. v.] , who, while he insisted on accuracy of scholarship and the precise value of words, used the classics to stimulate broad historical and human interests and love of literature, and gave suggestive theological teaching. From boyhood Westcott showed keenness in the pursuit of knowledge, aptitude for classical studies, a religious and thoughtful disposition, interest in current social industrial movements, and a predilection for drawing and music. ”

“ Among practical duties, the stress laid on that of almsgiving is remarkable (see especially xi. 41, xii. 33, xvi. 9 sqq., which are peculiar to this Gospel) . In the second of these passages the disciples are exhorted to choose a life of voluntary poverty; the nearest parallel is the ideal set before the rich young man at Mark x. 21 = Matt. xix. 21 = Luke xviii. 22. In the Beatitudes in Luke vi. 20, 21 a condition of physical want is contemplated, not, as in Matt. v. 3, 6, poverty of spirit and spiritual hunger, while woes are denounced against the rich and the full (vi. 24, 25) . ”

“ So, too, with a view that men who were looking forward to be parochial clergy should receive more help at the university in preparing for their future work, the Cambridge Clergy Training School was founded, with Westcott as president; he delivered courses of devotional addresses to the members, and they regularly attended his classes on Christian doctrine. ”

“ But it would be an exaggeration to say, as some have done, that the poor are represented as being the heirs of a blessed hereafter, simply on the ground that they are now poor. In the Beatitudes Christ’s own disciples are addressed, who were blessed though poor, whereas the rich as a class were opposed or indifferent to the kingdom of God. ”

“ He felt that men of an opposite school, whose views were more advanced than his own, had likewise a place in the Church of England, and he was ready to protect them fearlessly, so far as they seemed to him to be within their rights, at the same time as he discountenanced excesses in ritual. ”

“ Before the close of the 2nd century the four Gospels had attained a position of unique authority throughout the greater part of the Church, not different from that which they have held since, as is evident from the treatise of Irenaeus Against Heresies (c. A.D. 180; see esp. iii. i. 1 f. and x., xi.) ”

“ Again, the contrast between Lazarus and Dives in the future state pictures vividly the reversals that are in store; but it is unreasonable to take it as implying that every poor man, whatever his moral character, will be blessed. ”

“ The value of Westcott's work as a commentator lies especially in the aid he affords towards an understanding of the profound teaching of the Johannine writings, and of the Epistle to the Hebrews (1889; 3rd edit. 1903) . It may be held that he is sometimes too subtle in his interpretations; but through spiritual sympathy and deep meditation he has often penetrated far into the real meaning of the text. ”

“ The arrangements for the encouragement of theological studies stood in great need of improvement, and in the movement for reform Westcott, as regius professor, took the lead. From time to time the lectures of particular professors had excited interest. But there was no concerted action among the professors or the colleges — in which indeed few theological lectures of much value were given — with a view to covering different branches of the subject. At the beginning of the Michaelmas term of 1871 the divinity professors for the first time issued a joint programme of their lectures. ”

“ Chap. iii. 1–iv. 13. From the Commencement of the Preaching of the Baptist to the End of the Temptation in the Wilderness.—The accounts of the Baptist’s preaching and of the temptation are taken from the Logian document. The genealogy of Jesus here given is peculiar to this Gospel.
Chap. iv. 14–vi. 16 From the Commencement of the Ministry of Jesus in Galilee to the Appointment of the Twelve.—In the main Luke here follows his Marcan document. He has, however, independent narratives of the visit of Jesus to Nazareth (iv. 16-30) and the call of the first disciples (v. 1-11) . ”

“ These 'sons of the house,' as they were called, present and past, including those who had been there in Lightfoot's time, assembled once a year at the Castle. Many of the junior clergy placed themselves in Westcott's hands to decide for them individually as their bishop what their work should be, whether in the church at home or abroad. His old interest in foreign missions never diminished, and thirty-six men in orders went from the diocese during his episcopate 'with the bishop's direct mission or glad approval' to foreign or colonial service. ”

“ Though no considerable work appeared from his pen during the first ten years of the tenure of his professorship, he published various sermons, essays, and addresses and the articles on the Alexandrian teachers, 'Clement,' 'Demetrius,' and 'Dionysius,' in the 'Dictionary of Christian Biography' (vol. i. 1877) . His literary energy was mainly absorbed by the preparation, in conjunction with Hort, of a critical text of the New Testament in Greek. ”

“ These, it is said, point to the author’s having been a physician, as Luke (Col. iv. 14) was (see esp. Hobart, The Medical Language of St Luke, 1882) . The instances alleged are, many of them at least, not very distinctive. Yet they have some value as confirming the conclusion based on a comparison of the “we” sections of the Acts, with the remainder of the two books.
If we may assume that the writer who uses the first person plural in Acts xvi. 10 sqq. was the author of the two works, they can hardly have been composed later than A.D. 96 ”

“ COMPTON, LORD ALWYNE FREDERICK (1825–1906) , bishop of Ely, born at Castle Ashby on 18 July 1825, was fourth son of Spencer Joshua Alwyne Compton, second marquis of Northampton [q. v.] , by his wife Margaret, daughter of Major-general Douglas Maclean Clephane of Torloisk. He was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, whence he graduated as fourteenth wrangler in 1848. He was ordained deacon in 1850 and priest in 1851. ”

“ The artist wrote of his 'countenance so mobile, so flashing, so tender and yet so strong.' His old friend Llewelyn Davies recalled that as an undergraduate 'he had the intensity which was always noticed in him, rather feminine than robust, ready at any moment to lighten into vivid looks and utterance.' His figure was spare and rather below middle height ”

“ He used on these occasions few notes, and spoke with a greater eloquence and effect than in delivering sermons and addresses which were carefully written but were sometimes difficult to follow. The bishop's influence in labour matters is in some respects unique in the history of the English episcopate. (For Westcott's treatment of labour problems and for the impression which he made upon the miners, see especially the very interesting appreciation by Mr. Thomas Burt, M.P., in the Life, ii. 733 seq.) ”

“ Meanwhile, on 11 Nov. 1878, Compton was nominated by Lord Beaconsfield to the deanery of Worcester. At Worcester he promoted the common good of the city and county, and entered into the friendliest relations with his neighbours of all classes. He also effected changes in the arrangements for the triennial musical festivals in the cathedral with a view to securing greater reverence in the performances. After seven years at Worcester he was appointed by Lord Salisbury to the see of Ely on the death of James Russell Woodford [q. v.] ”

“ John's, afterwards professor of Latin, and J. S. Howson [q. v.] of Christ's, afterwards dean of Chester. The young men discussed the most varied topics, literary, artistic, philosophical, and theological, including questions raised by the Oxford Movement, which reached a crisis in 1845 through the secession of J. H. Newman to the Church of Rome. Westcott liked Keble's poetry, and was attracted by the insistence of the Tractarians on the idea of the corporate life of the church and on the importance of self-disciphne, but he was repelled by their dogmatism. ”

“ The school's subsequent position largely reflects Westcott's early interest in it. Its present home has received the name of Westcott House.
At public meetings in Cambridge he advocated foreign missions and other religious or social objects with inspiring eloquence. In general university business he was also active. From 1872 to 1876 and 1878 to 1882 he was a member of the council of the senate, the chief administrative body in the university, and he served on important syndicates. Like Lightfoot he urged on the senate the plan of university extension originated by (Prof.) ”