HERNIAS, a Christian writer of the first century; who is said by Eusebius (' Hint. Ecel.,' iii. C. 3) and Jerome (' De Illustr. Vizi"; C. 10) to have been the same individual whom St. Paul salutes in his Epistle to the Romano (xvi. 14). He was the author of a work entitled ' The Shepherd ; ' which is called by this name because the angel who bears the principal part in it is represented in the form of a shepherd. This work is divided into three books; of which the first contains four visions; the second, twelve commands; and the third, ten similitudes. Hermes appears to have followed the plan of the Apocalypse; which he has imitated in many parts of his work. Lardner in his ' Credibility of the Gospel History' (' Works,' voL p. 69.72) has given many instances of such imitations. Mosheim (' Eccles. Hist,' voL i., p. 100.1, ed. of 1826) and many other critics have maintained that the 'Shepherd' was written by Hernias, who was a brother of Pius, bishop of Rome, in the year 141.
The 'Shepherd' of Hermes is frequently quoted with the greatest respect by almost all the early Christian writers. We learn from Euaebius (' Hist. Ent, iii., c. 3, 5) and other writers that it was received by many churches as a canonical work. It is quoted by lrenteus and Clement of Alexandria as a part of Scripture, and also by Tortullian, before ho became a Montanist (see the passages in Larduer's Works,' vol. iL, pp. 186, 249, 303, 304). Origen also con sidered it of divine authority ; but informs us that it was rejected by some churches. After the time of Origen its canonical authority appears to have been generally denied. Eusebius, Jerome, Athanasius, Ruffinus, Gelasius, and Prosper expressly declare that it should not be included in the canon.
The ' Shepherd' contains no express citations of any books of the Old or New Testament. This work was originally written in Greek ; but there is only an ancient Latin version of it extant There is an English translation by Wake, London, 1693 and 1710.
(Lardner, Works, vol. iL, pp. 57-73; Du Pin, Ecclesiastical History,
voL L, pp. 26, 27; Woke, Preliminary Discourse, c. viii.; Tillemont, Mem. Eccles., voL ii.; Neander, Kirchengesthichte, vol. 1.) lIERNIES, GEORG, the founder of a philosophical school of Roman Catholic theology, was born on the 22nd of April 1775, at Dreyerwalde, near 31finster in Westphalia, where he received his first education from the priest of the place. He subsequently became a pupil of the gym nasium at Rheina, and there gave the first proofs, especially iu his mathematical lessons, of his strong mental powers. After the year 1792, he entered the theological faculty at Minister, where he de voted himself with greit zeal to the study of the philosophy of Kant. In 1798 he was appointed teacher at the gymnasium of Mini ster, and all his exertions henceforth were directed towards restoring, on a firm basis, that which had been demolished by Kant's Criticism of Pure Reason.' But as a teacher at the gymnasium, be had no oppor tunity of making known the results of his philosophical studies. This opportunity however was offered to him in 1807, when lie was appointed professor of theology at Munster. His great talent as a lecturer, and his kind and benevolent manners, attracted great numbers of students. On one occasion, when ho had to give his opinion on some ecclesiastical question, he greatly offended Droste-Vischering, afterwards archbishop of Cologne, and the ill feeling thus created is thought to have had some influence in the subsequent proceedings against the doctriuee and followers of Hermes. In 1819 Hermes was appointed professor of theology in the newly-established University of Bonn. His lectures again attracted students not only from all parts of Roman Catholic Germany, but the king of the Netherlands sent a largo number of young men to Bonn for the special purpose of studying under Hermes. In the enjoyment of the highest esteem, both of his colleagues and pupils, he died at Bonn on the 26th of May 1831.