Chrysostom, bishop of Constantinople, Ruffin, presbyter Fattener

He who, or that which, fattens; a fatner. of Aquileia; in the 5th century, Jerome, The odor us, bishop of Mopsuestia, Augustine, Cyril of Alexandria, Vincent of Lerins, Isidore of Pelusium, Theodoret, bishop of Cyrus in Syria, Leo I., surnamed the Great, Virgilius, bishop of Thapsus; in the 6th century, Procopius of Gaza, Aretas, Gregory, bishop of Tours, and Gregory I., surnamed the Great, bishop of Rome. The last of the F. is Bernard of Clairvaux, who died about the middle of the 12th century. Learned men and theologians differ very much in opinion as to the value that is to be attached to the writings of the F. By some they are looked upon as nearly of equal authority with the Sacred Scriptures themselves, and as the most excellent guides in the paths of piety and virtue. Others regard them as unworthy of the least attention, considering them the very worst of all instructors, and treating their precepts and decisions as perfectly insipid, and in many respects pernicious. The right we believe lies between these two extremes; and while the Roman Catholics exalt too highly the opinions of the F., yet by Protestants generally they are too much disregarded. Their writings contain many sublime sentiments, judicious thoughts, and things naturally adapted to form a religious temper, and to excite pious and virtuous affections; at the same time, it must be confe ed that, on the other hand, they abound still more with precepts of an exce ive and unreasonable austerity, with Stoical and Academical dictates, with vague and indeterminate notions, and what is still worse, with decisions absolutely false and in manifest opposition to the character and commands of Christ. Of the character and doctrines of the primitive Church they are competent witne es, and, living within a comparatively short period of the apostles, there are many things which they relate regarding apostolic times, which had come down to them by tradition, and which are therefore not to be altogether rejected. In many cases, therefore, they are to be deemed as competent witne es of facts; but we must not confide in their decisions as judges. They had to contend with numerous adversaries, and in the heat of controversy they not only fell into various mistakes, but made use of very unsatisfactory methods of reasoning, betraying imbecility of judgment, or inattention to the principles and rules of logic. Their works, instead of being distinguished by correctne and strength of argument, furnish innumerable examples of feeble reasoning, of interpretations of Scripture irreconcilable with good sense, and of a carele admi ion of spurious writings as genuine authority. ( Anat . ) The cellular membrane has been called fatty or adipose , from an opinion that in its areolæ the fat is deposited. The areolar membrane, however, merely lodges between its lamellæ and filaments, the vesicles in which the fat is contained. Fatty vesicles are small bursæ which enclose the fat. Fatty Acids, n. pl. (Chem.) When a fat or oil is saponified by an alkali, a peculiar change takes place, the stear i nole in , and palmitin or margarin of which it is composed,