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 BV 631 .A7 1887 
 Armitage, William 
 Sketches of church and stat^ 
 in the first eight 
 
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 SKETCHES OF CHURCH AND STATE 
 
SKETCHES OF 
 
 Church and State 
 
 NOV ^^8 1914 
 
 IN THE 
 
 FIRST EIGHT CENTURIES 
 
 BY THE REV. 
 
 WILLIAM ARMITAGE, B.A. 
 
 VICAR OF SCOTFORTH, LANCASTER ; 
 LATE SCHOLAR OF EMMANUEL COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE 
 
 RIVING TONS 
 
 WATERLOO PLACE, LONDON 
 
 .AIDCCCLXXXVII 
 
\ 
 
 PREFACE, 
 
 The facts of the following pages have been given 
 on the authority of the Ecclesiastical Histories of 
 Eusebius and the Venerable Becle ; the Antiquities 
 of Josephus ; Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the 
 Roman Empire; Hallam's Middle Ages; Maclear's 
 History of Christian Missions ; Blunt's History of 
 the Chnrch of the First T%ree Centuries; Bishop 
 Browne's Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles of 
 Religion. The object in writing them has been 
 to bring into a popular form some of the leading 
 persons and events, parties and movements, in 
 the Church and the world, during the first eight 
 centuries of the Christian era ; and where obser- 
 vations have been made or inferences drawn, it 
 has been with a desire to keep within the sanction 
 and authority of our own Church of England. 
 
 The records of the early Church should be 
 known, that we may see and understand the 
 
vi Preface. 
 
 historic position of our own Church, and her 
 close affinity with the early Churcli in constitu- 
 tion, government, and doctrine. It is necessary 
 that the early history of the Church of England 
 should be circulated as freely and widely as 
 possible, if she is to resist with success the 
 assaults made upon her, and if she is to win the 
 affectionate esteem and firm adherence of the 
 masses, whose influence has now become pre- 
 dominant for good or for evil. 
 
\ 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 I. EXTEN.SIOX OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE INTO 
 
 Britain 
 
 II. Early Struggles of the Church with 
 Jews and Gnostics, .... 
 
 III. Heresies and Persecutions, 
 
 IV. Christian Apologists, 
 
 V. Christianity Established by the State, 
 VI, The Arian Heresy, .... 
 VII, Growing Power of Roman Bishops, . 
 VIII. Gothic Invasions, .... 
 
 IX. Growing Corruptions in the Church, 
 X. The Miracles of Saints, . 
 XI. Northumbrian Kings, 
 XII. The Easter Controversy, . 
 
 10 
 21 
 31 
 
 42 
 52 
 68 
 
 75 
 
 86 
 
 96 
 
 107 
 
 lis 
 
viii Contents. 
 
 CHAP. PAGE 
 
 XIII. General Councils, 128 
 
 XIV. Attila, KinCx of the Huns, . 140 
 XV. Monastic Institutions, . . . . 152 
 
 XVI. Mahomet, 162 
 
 XVII. Mahometan Conquests, . . . . 173 
 
 XVIII. Image-Woeship, . . . . . 186 
 
 XIX. Irish Missionaries, 198 
 
 XX. Charlemagne, 211 
 
 Chronological Index, 223 
 
 Index, 229 
 
\ 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 EXTENSION OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE INTO BRITAIN. 
 
 " Out of Zion shall so forth the law, and the Prophecy 
 
 ° ' and its fill- 
 
 word of the Lord from Jerusalem." So spake ^^"^^^*- 
 the Prophet Isaiah. Accordingly the Church of 
 Christ was first established in Jerusalem, by the 
 miraculous descent of the Holy Spirit upon the 
 Apostles. From them shone forth the rays of 
 Gospel light, which soon reached the shores of 
 Britain. The cities and countries first visited 
 were those nearest to the centre of light — Pales- 
 tine, Egypt, Asia Minor, Greece, Italy, Gaul, 
 Antioch, Ephesus, Athens, Alexandria, EomCc 
 All these, notwithstanding their extent and dis- 
 tance from one another, were included within one 
 grand Empire, and bound together by one elaborate 
 system of government, of which the headquarters 
 were at Eome, and chief was an Emperor entitled 
 Augustus.^ Within the Empire every facility was 
 
 1 "Augustus was therefore a personal, Caesar a family 
 distinction. The former shoiild naturally have expired with 
 
 A 
 
2 Extension of the Roman 
 
 CHAP. I. made for passing safely and rapidly from nation 
 to nation, and from city to city ; first, for military 
 purposes ; and next, for the general convenience 
 of subjects in all parts of the world. The words 
 of the prophet were thereby literally fulfilled : the 
 way of the Lord was prepared, and His paths 
 made straight ; the valleys were exalted, and the 
 mountains and hills made low ; the messengers of 
 life and light were able to run freely into all 
 lands, and their words unto the ends of the 
 world. 
 Julius The first spread of Christianity, within and 
 
 invasion of bcyoud the limits of Palestine, coincides in point 
 of time with the first serious attempt to conquer 
 Britain; and it was the only conquest made 
 by the Empire during the first century of the 
 Christian era. Julius Caesar had made an inva- 
 sion fifty-five years before the Birth of Christ. 
 The island had previously been visited by mer- 
 chants for the sake of traffic ; but Julius Caesar 
 was the first Eoman general to meditate and plan 
 
 the prince on whom it was bestowed ; and however the 
 latter was diffused by adoption and female alliance, Nero 
 was the last prince who could allege any hereditary claim 
 to the honours of the Julian line. But, at the time of his 
 death, the practice of a century had inseparably connected 
 these appellations with the imperial dignity, and they have 
 been preserved by a long succession of emperors, Romans, 
 Greeks, Franks, and Germans, from the fall of the Republic, 
 to the present time." — Gibbon, vol. i. 
 
 Britain. 
 
Empire into Britain. 3 
 
 its conquest. He was led to this by the assist- chap. i. 
 ance which Britons had given to his enemies in 
 the Gallic war. He effected a landing with great 
 difficulty. As he approached the southern shores, 
 he saw the hills behind covered with fierce-look- 
 ing warriors — foot, horse, and charioteers — and 
 was at once challenged with showers of missiles. 
 " Leap," cried a standard-bearer, " into the water ;" 
 and the soldiers leapt from their boats, fought 
 their way to the beach, and succeeded in beating 
 back the enemy. But no further progress could 
 be made. The season was far advanced. Caesar 
 therefore hastened back with all his troops. 
 
 He made a second invasion in the following second 
 
 ... ^ . invasion. 
 
 summer. This time no enemy appeared m 
 view. He reached some way into the interior. 
 Then he began to be harassed by attacks from 
 the thick woods. On the banks of the Thames a 
 great battle was fought with Cassivellaunus, the 
 leading chief of the Britons, and won by the 
 Eomans. The victory led to a surrender by the 
 neighbouring tribes ; but its effect was seriously 
 counterbalanced by the damage done to the 
 Eoman boats by storms and high tides. The 
 summer was again at an end, and Caesar was 
 only too glad to get his soldiers safely across the 
 Channel, with his many captives and hostages 
 from the principal tribes of the south of Britain. 
 
4 Extension of the Boman 
 
 CHAP. I. After this the Eomans left the island unmolested 
 until A.D. 43. 
 
 Meanwhile the first of the Csesars was as- 
 sassinated B.C. 44. Under Octavian, the second^ 
 who reigned until A.D. 1 4, Jesus Christ was born. 
 It was a time of peace longer than had ever been 
 known in the history of Eome. Under Tiberius, 
 the third of the Caesars, who reigned until a.d. 
 37, Jesus was crucified ; His Church was estab- 
 lished in Jerusalem, and it increased and spread 
 over Palestine and Syria. Then came Caligula, 
 who reigned four years, and made some prepara- 
 tions for the conquest of Britain ; but Claudius, 
 mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, was the 
 first to take adequate measures in a.d. 43. The 
 Eomans established their dominion as far as the 
 wall of Antoninus, built across the island from 
 the Firth of Forth to the Firth of Clyde. 
 Rapid During the years that Britain was being 
 
 theTiifant effectually added to the Empire, the Gospel was 
 being vigorously preached by the Apostles. The 
 Apostle Paul travelled through Syria, Asia Minor, 
 Greece, and Italy, probably into Spain, and pos- 
 sibly into Britain. Persecution inflamed the zeal 
 of the first Christians, and extended the field of 
 their labour, " The blood of the Martyrs was the 
 seed of the Church." One heathen writer says, 
 " The Christians of the Eoman capital were a very 
 
 Church. 
 
Empire into Bintain. 5 
 
 great multitude." Another speaks of them as chap. i. 
 " crowds of deluded fanatics." Both writers 
 speak from observation at the time of the mar- 
 tyrdom of the Apostles Peter and Paul. And 
 Gibbon affirms that by the middle of the third 
 century there was in Eome one Bishop, forty-six 
 Presbyters, seven Deacons, seven Subdeacons, 
 besides many other inferior officers, and not less 
 than 50,000 believers. Such was the Church of 
 the capital. The Churches of other cities — 
 Antioch, Alexandria, Carthage, for example — em- 
 braced an equal proportion of the population. 
 From all these centres the light shone upon the 
 regions beyond, and shone to a distance in pro- 
 portion to its intensity at these great centres. It 
 is remarkable that the decline of the Empire dates 
 from the dawn of the Christian Church and the 
 conquest of Britain. 
 
 At the time of the conquest the Britons were Religion of 
 divided into thirty or more tribes, often at war Britons. 
 with one another. They gave themselves the 
 most frightful appearance ; bringing their hair 
 down over their foreheads, staining their bodies 
 with a blue dye, and clothing themselves in the 
 skins of animals. Their life and social habits 
 were of the lowest type, not much in advance of 
 the animals they hunted, whose flesh and milk 
 were their principal food. Their religion was tliat 
 
6 Extension of the Roman 
 
 CHAP. I. of the Druids, who were priests, judges, magi- 
 strates, and lawgivers. Their religious rites were 
 performed in some secret shade; sacrifices were 
 offered, not uncommonly of human victims. The 
 mysterious rites were communicated to chosen 
 youths, who were placed under the most stringent 
 oaths of secrecy, and visited with the most terrible 
 penalties if the oath was broken. Young men of 
 the best families were initiated at their own de- 
 sire, or by the wish of their parents and guardians. 
 Some knowledge of the sciences, particularly of 
 astronomy, was cultivated. The Britons were 
 entirely at the mercy of the Druids, who had 
 absolute power of life and death, and were pre- 
 sided over by an elected chief, called the Arch- 
 Druid. 
 The Roman The Eomau couqucst was the preparation of 
 preparation the wav of the Lord into Britain. Thereby the 
 
 of the way *^ , '' 
 
 of the Lord, couutry bccamc settled and consolidated, life and 
 property were rendered secure by a strong govern- 
 ment, and there was freedom of intercourse with 
 foreign nations, who had hitherto been jealously 
 excluded. Towns were built, roads made, forts 
 erected at longer intervals, posts established at 
 shorter, and milestones set up. The posts were 
 at distances of five miles, and provided with 
 horses for the use of the Eoman legions and of 
 travellers. By the roads a journey might be 
 
Empire into Britain. 7 
 
 made with comparative ease into any part of the chap. i. 
 Empire. From Jerusalem, the centre of Christi- 
 anity, to Eome, the centre of the Empire, and 
 from Eome into the very heart of Scotland — the 
 farthest limits of Eoman dominion — a distance 
 of over 4000 miles, the messengers of the good 
 tidings might travel with tolerable security. The 
 way was thus prepared for the ambassadors of 
 Christ from Zion to the east, the west, the north, 
 and the south. 
 
 After their conquest, Britons were drafted into The drafting 
 
 and service 
 
 the Eoman army for service abroad, and troops of Roman 
 
 •^ _ ^ soldiers. 
 
 were drafted from other nations into the legions 
 which garrisoned the island. British soldiers 
 soon obtained a reputation for valour, and found 
 their way into the legions which guarded the 
 capita], where the word of the Lord might be 
 heard from the lips of Apostles. And on their 
 return to their native land, they reported what 
 they had heard of a Saviour for all men. 
 
 The number of soldiers required to maintain Roman 
 
 soldiers 
 
 the conquest, and to keep Britam m subiection, sometimes 
 
 ^ ^ •*■ '' missionaries. 
 
 was three legions, — that is, about 30,000 men, very 
 many of whom must have had some acquaintance 
 with the new religion. A Christian writer of the 
 second century says, " There was no nation of the 
 Empire where the Gospel was not preached, and 
 disciples made, and churches established." 
 
8 Extension of the Roman 
 
 CHAP. I. Christian converts were constituted into 
 co^sHtution Churches everywhere upon the same plan. It 
 Churches. ^^^ ^ maxim that there was no Church without 
 a Bishop, who was intrusted with the government 
 of the churches within the several districts and 
 cities. Believers were everywhere knit together 
 into one body by the bonds of a common faith 
 and obedience, and marched under the banner 
 of a common Lord, Jesus Christ, the Chief 
 Shepherd and Bishop, from Whom sprang a suc- 
 cession of chief ministers in every Church, through 
 the laying on of hands, with prayer for the Holy 
 Ghost. To those thus Ordained, first by Christ, 
 then by His Apostles, the charge was given to 
 Ordain Elders in every city. The Ordination of 
 Bishops, Priests, and Deacons is frequently re- 
 ferred to in the Acts and Epistles of the ISTew 
 Testament. Of such importance was the Epis- 
 copal government of the Church considered, that 
 Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea, at the beginning of 
 the fourth century, and the great historian of the 
 early Church, has carefully recorded complete 
 lists of Bishops of Jerusalem and other lead- 
 ing cities down to his own time. The Bishop 
 of Jerusalem contemporary with himself was 
 Hermon, who was the thirty-ninth in succession 
 from James the Just, the Lord's brother. 
 
 After Claudius, the fifth of the Caesars, came 
 
Umpire into Britain. 9 
 
 Nero, a monster of iniquity and cruelty, the chap. i. 
 murderer of his mother, his wife, and his son, continuity 
 and the bitter persecutor of Christians, under church 
 
 preserved by 
 
 whom St. Paul was beheaded, and St. Peter Episcopacy! 
 crucified. But before their execution much had 
 been done in the city of Eome, the scene of their 
 martyrdom, in extending the Kingdom of their 
 Master. It had been their earnest care to settle 
 the infant Churches ; and, wherever the Name of 
 Jesus was received and believed in, to appoint 
 overseers of the flock to take responsibility of 
 feeding and folding them ; and so they relieved 
 themselves, before their departure, of the care of 
 the Churches. For this purpose, Titus was left 
 in Crete, Timothy in Ephesus, Mark in Alexan- 
 dria, Linus in Rome, Dionysius in Corinth, and 
 possibly Aristobulus, with his two companions, 
 in Britain. 
 
CHAPTEE 11. 
 
 EARLY STRUGGLES OF THE CHURCH WITH JEWS 
 AND GNOSTICS. 
 
 Physical The physical barriers to the spread of Chris- 
 
 remived. tianity were removed by the Eoman conquests. 
 The Eoman soldiers made roads, established and 
 maintained garrisons, around which grew towns 
 with a settled population ; the wild tribes were 
 held in subjection, and became amenable to law 
 and order. 
 Mingling of Jcrusalcm was the spring whence flowed the 
 
 Christianity . 
 
 anciJudaism. pure stream of heavenly truth into all parts ot 
 the world. The Gospel, which Jesus commanded 
 to be preached to every creature, was first to be 
 preached in Jerusalem. The leaven of Chris- 
 tianity, which was to influence the whole world, 
 was first to influence the Jewish capital. But 
 from the Gospel being first preached to Jews by 
 Jews, Christianity and Judaism came to be con- 
 sidered, in the eyes of the Eomans, one and the 
 same ; and for a hundred years Christians and 
 Jews were regarded as one and the same people ; 
 
 10 
 
Struggles of Church tvith Jews and Gnostics. 1 1 
 
 were subjected to the same persecutions, which chap. n. 
 were sometimes the result of Jewish sedition and 
 revolt, and sometimes of the jealousy of the 
 emperors, when they heard of Jesus of Nazareth, 
 the King of the Jews, Who, as they feared, would 
 supplant them. 
 
 It was necessary for the progress of the new 
 Faith to make a separation, and to mark the dis- 
 tinction between Jews and Christians. The new 
 wine could not be contained in the old bottles. 
 The new cloth was not for the patching of an old 
 garment. The Gospel was too vigorous and all- 
 embracins: to be confined within the narrow 
 limits of Palestine, and within the narrow pre- 
 judices of Judaism. Being in its nature expan- 
 sive, it soon began to shake off an effete system, 
 and to present itself in its own native beauty 
 before all the nations. 
 
 For a little while the Apostles preached, as The vision of 
 they had been commanded, only to their own Destruction^ 
 nation — the Jews. Then came the vision of 
 Peter, recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. A 
 sheet was let down from Heaven, which contained 
 all manner of living creatures, clean and unclean ; 
 then the command from Heaven, " Eise, Peter, 
 kill and eat ; " then the objection, " I have never 
 eaten anything that is common or unclean ; " then 
 the reply, " What God hath cleansed that call not 
 
1 2 Early Struggles of the Clmrch 
 
 CHAP. II. thou common." This was Peter's commission 
 from his Lord to welcome the Gentiles into the 
 Church and fellowship of believers, and to minis- 
 ter to the Eoman centurion, Cornelius, and his 
 family, at Csesarea. For so doing an outcry was 
 raised against him, and the commotion within 
 the Church was not easily allayed. But the great 
 partition wall of Judaism was overstepped, 
 although not yet broken down. Many of the 
 believers still held that it was necessary for 
 Christians to be circumcised, and to keep the law 
 of Moses. To settle the controversy upon this 
 matter, a Council was called in Jerusalem, under 
 the presidency of James, the first Bishop, which 
 decided against the necessity of circumcision for 
 Gentile believers ; and, with regard to ceremonial 
 uncleanness, required only that they should avoid 
 pollutions of idols, fornication, things strangled, 
 and blood. The Apostle of the Gentiles, St. Paul, 
 had fought hard for this freedom. Yet circum- 
 cision was held, by the greater part of Christians, 
 to be necessary for all Jewish converts : and so 
 there were Christians of the circumcision, and 
 Christians of the uncircumcision. The first 
 fifteen Bishops of the Church of Jerusalem were 
 of the former. The Temple worship and the 
 ceremonies of the law were observed by St. Paul 
 himself. Peter and John went up to the Temple 
 
vnth Jeius and Gnostics. 13 
 
 to pray at the stated hour. St. Paul was purified chap. n. 
 in the Temple, after the expiration of his vow, in 
 company with other Jews, who were not believers. 
 The synagogues, which were places of Jewish 
 worship, were everywhere open to, and used by, 
 the messengers of Christ in all the principal 
 cities of the world, where Jews had settled. All 
 this led to a confusion between Jews and Chris- 
 tians. But circumstances arose which soon 
 manifested the necessity for a complete separa- 
 tion. The Eomans found great difficulty in 
 keeping the Jews in order ; there were frequent 
 revolts, especially in Jerusalem, which led to the 
 siege and destruction of that city by Titus, a.d. 
 70. The chosen people had filled up the measure 
 of their iniquity. They had killed the Lord's 
 prophets, and crucified His Anointed. They had 
 persecuted His Church and its Ministers. There- 
 fore, as Christ had predicted, their Temple and 
 city were overthrown and utterly destroyed. 
 Untold miseries were suffered by the besieged; 
 the Eoman army carried off and sold in the slave 
 markets of Eome those who had escaped the 
 siege and destruction of the city. 
 
 Meantime the Christians had found a refuge on church of 
 
 the circum- 
 
 the other side of Jordan, at Pella. The Church of "sion. 
 the circumcision had now its centre at Pella, but 
 was still undistinguished from that of the uncir- 
 
1 4 Early Struggles of the Church 
 
 CHAP. II. cumcision. It looked with fondness to the site 
 of the ancient Temple and worship, and returned 
 to Jerusalem, as soon as it was safe. It still was 
 zealous for the ancient rites. At the same time 
 the unconverted Jews became more stubborn in 
 their opposition to the Eomans, until the Emperor 
 Hadrian, who reigned from 117 to 138, banished 
 all Jews from Jerusalem, and forbade them to 
 come near it under the severest penalty. The 
 Church of the circumcision was swept out at the 
 same time, and the place colonised by people of 
 other nations. For the future the Christians of 
 Jerusalem were Gentiles, and the name of the 
 city was changed to ^lia Capitolina, after the 
 emperor's own name ^Elius. 
 
 Separation From this time Jews and Christians were no 
 
 of Jews and i mi 
 
 Christians, longer Considered one and the same people. The 
 separation was now complete, and Christianity 
 was free to pursue its course without compromise 
 with Judaism. The law had gone forth from 
 Jerusalem : her work for the present was done ; 
 her very name was lost, and Christians no longer 
 cast their longing eyes towards her. The centre 
 of Christianity was now removed, and the Church 
 was upon the open sea, with her precious freight, 
 bound for the most distant lands. 
 
 Simon There was another obstruction to the freedom 
 
 Magus. 
 
 of her course, and the fulness of her work. Vessels 
 
icith Jeius and Gnostics. 15 
 
 that sail over Eastern seas become encrusted chap. ii. 
 
 with a kind of shell -fish, which adheres firmly 
 to their sides, greatly impeding their progress, and 
 seriously damaging their timbers. In like man- 
 ner, corrupt doctrines, commonly called heresies, 
 began their mischief upon the ark of Christ's 
 Church. These corruptions were the work of 
 certain leading men and their followers. The 
 opinions of the world, the doctrines of heathen 
 philosophers, were joined to the pure Word of 
 God. The first arch-heretic was Simon Magus, 
 honoured by the Samaritans, and afterwards by 
 the Eomans, with divine honours, as being " the 
 great power of God." At Eome an altar was 
 discovered bearing the inscription " Simoni Deo." 
 This man had joined himself to the body of 
 believers, in the hope of getting the power of 
 conferring miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, 
 and thereby of increasing his fame as a sorcerer. 
 Although St. Peter denounced him, saying, " Thou 
 hast neither part nor lot in this matter," he 
 persuaded many that true Christianity was not 
 what the Apostles but what he himself taught. 
 Others followed him, disfiguring and corrupting 
 the truth. 
 
 These errors and corruptions went to painful Menander. 
 extremes. A disciple of Simon Magus, named 
 Menander, taught that he was himself the 
 
16 
 
 Early Struggles of the CJmrcli 
 
 CHAP. II 
 
 Gerinthus. 
 
 Docetae. 
 
 Other 
 heresies. 
 
 Saviour, that he had come from the invisible 
 world, that believers in him would live for ever, 
 that even Angels derived their power and im- 
 mortality through him. Like Simon, he was a 
 Samaritan, who, as he travelled from city to city, 
 spread doubt and confusion in the minds of 
 believers, and raised the prejudices of unbelievers 
 against the One true and only Saviour. 
 
 Another man of great influence taught, about 
 the same time, that Christ's Kingdom was earthly, 
 and would begin, after the general resurrection, 
 with feasting, which should last a thousand years. 
 According to his teaching, Christianity allowed 
 every indulgence to the flesh. His name was 
 Cerinthus. Polycarp, the good bishop of Smyrna, 
 having accidentally met him in the baths of the 
 city, fled at the very sight of him, and bade 
 others in the building do the same, lest some 
 fearful catastrophe should overtake them. 
 
 Another class of heretics taught that our 
 Blessed Lord took not, at His Birth, a real sub- 
 stantial body, but only the appearance of a body; 
 that therefore He was not truly crucified, dead, 
 buried, and did not truly rise again ; that Simon, 
 the Cyrenian, who bore the Cross after Jesus, was 
 crucified in His stead. They were named Docetae. 
 
 The Ebionites taught that Jesus Christ was 
 not the Son of the Father, was not conceived by 
 
with Jews and Gnostics. 17 
 
 the Holy Ghost, but was the natural son of c hap, ii. 
 Joseph and Mary. The Manichseans taught that 
 matter is essentially evil, and that the Maker of 
 the world is not the Father of the Lord Jesus. 
 The Valentinians asserted that Jesus possessed 
 not all the fulness of the Godhead, but was only 
 an emanation from that fulness, called Logos or 
 the Word. These were some of the corruptions 
 which fastened upon the pure doctrine ; the vain 
 conceits and foolish imaginations of men of 
 depraved minds. Heresies prevailed in the 
 Church from the destruction of Jerusalem until 
 the reign of the Emperor Constantine, who took 
 Christianity under the special protection of the 
 State in a.d. 321, and made it the one religion 
 of the empire. He proclaimed his design to 
 have his subjects taught a pure Christianity, as 
 it had proceeded from the lips of Jesus and His 
 Apostles. 
 
 There was one form of heresy which became The 
 
 1 . T r. 1 • • • ^ Gnostics. 
 
 prevalent m the first century, combmmg with 
 Christianity the philosophy of Greece and Eome. 
 This philosophy had in it much that was good 
 and true, noble and elevating. It taught the 
 immortality of the soul, yet not in harmony with 
 pure Christianity. It inculcated the doctrine 
 that the human soul has a past as weU as a future 
 eternity. This philosophy held that there are 
 
18 Early Struggles of the Church 
 
 CHAP. II. two independent principles of good and evil, and 
 two independent powers presiding over the two 
 distinct realms in which these principles operate. 
 But Christianity forbids us to believe that there 
 is any other god but One, or any power, good 
 or evil, independent of the One living and true 
 God. The union of heathen philosophy and 
 Christianity made the latter popular, at the 
 expense of purity. This union was very generally 
 accepted throughout the empire. The Christians 
 who favoured this combination were named 
 Gnostics, "men of knowledge." Many, who would 
 have turned away from pure Christianity, or 
 Christianity in alliance with Judaism, readily 
 embraced it in union with philosophy. This was 
 especially the case with the more refined sections 
 of society. 
 The forma- But it was too o'reat a price to pay — to sacri- 
 value of the fice purity for numbers. And so it was felt by 
 ment. q}^\ ^j^q drank of the water of life from the foun- 
 
 tain ; and they felt it a duty to the Church to call 
 men from darkness and error into the true light. 
 Where could the Church look to behold that 
 light, when Jerusalem was now trodden underfoot, 
 the Saviour gone into Heaven, and the inspired 
 Apostles all departed this life ? It was remem- 
 bered that some of the Apostles and first disciples 
 had left records of their Lord's Life and doctrine : 
 
witli Jews and Gnostics. 19 
 
 and it was found that these very errors and chap. n. 
 heresies had all been answered by anticipation in 
 those records. The Apostles had left those sacred 
 writings that believers might learn from them 
 " the truth as it is in Jesus." Therein all ranks 
 and degrees might learn their duties ; and all 
 errors in doctrine might be corrected. Those 
 writings began to be read in the assemblies of 
 the Church every Lord's Day. Copies of them 
 were multiplied. The several books that were 
 the genuine production of inspired men — whether 
 Apostles, like Peter and John and Paul, or of 
 an inferior order, like. Mark and Luke — were 
 collected into one volume, and called the New 
 Testament, that it might be a canon rule or 
 standard of faith and duty for the whole Church 
 until the Lord's return. Copies were distributed 
 among the churches; and some of these early 
 copies exist to this day. There is one of the most 
 ancient manuscripts of the New Testament in 
 the British Museum ; another in the Library of 
 St. Petersburg ; another in the Vatican Library 
 at Eome. Some of these copies contain all the 
 books of the New Testament ; others only part ; 
 and others but fragments, of which some are very 
 small. They are all exceedingly interesting and 
 valuable, from their variety of material and type, 
 and from their harnionv of teachino-. 
 
20 Struggles of Cliurcli uith Jews and Gnostics. 
 
 CHAP. II. It was to this volume that the Church appealed 
 Supremacy in her stiuoffrle with heresies. This was the only 
 
 of Holy _ ^'^ -^ 
 
 Scripture, autidote of error. Men might come and go ; but 
 the book remained to bear the same witness from 
 age to age, and from land to land. It is a lead- 
 ing principle in the Church of England, that " the 
 Scriptures of the Old and New Testament contain 
 all things necessary to salvation ; so that what- 
 soever is not read therein, nor may be proved 
 thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it 
 should be believed, as an article of the faith, or 
 be thought requisite or necessary to salvation." 
 And now, wherever the messengers of Christ go 
 forth, they take with them this sure Word of God, 
 and from it they deliver their message, as a cor- 
 rective of all that is false and wicked, and as a 
 standard of all that is good and true. If any 
 one country or people has risen to a higher con- 
 dition of general happiness and content, and to a 
 firmer and more established power and domniion 
 than others, it will be found to be due, mainly, to 
 the influence, to the full and free use of the Old 
 and New Testament by the Church, by the family, 
 and by the individual Christian. 
 
enemies. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 HERESIES AND PERSECUTIONS. 
 
 Heresy is an error in doctrine made to pass for jje^gu^s are 
 truth. In the present state of our existence the fJleMs'of 
 evil is ever mingled with the good, and truth is je^wJSope^i 
 never wholly free from corruption. But the 
 heretics of the early Church went beyond mere 
 inadvertence and natural infirmity, and main- 
 tained doctrines which by the Church had been 
 distinctly condemned. It might be said that the 
 Gospel itself, at its first preaching, was condemned 
 by the authorities of the Jewish Church ; and the 
 infant Church of Christ was counted by the 
 Jewish Church a body of heretics. But it may 
 be replied that the Gospel was rejected altogether 
 by the Jews in all its distinguishing features; 
 whereas the heretics accepted it, adding thereto 
 their own peculiar tenets, and their own peculiar 
 colouring to what was true. The Jews were open 
 and declared enemies of Christianity. The here- 
 tics were its false friends. 
 
 One form of heresy was specially associated 
 
22 Heresies and Persecutions. 
 
 CHAP. III. with Britain. The author was a Briton, named 
 Peiagius. Morgan, who took the Eoman name of Pelagius, 
 residing in a monastery at Eome. It spread 
 rapidly over great part of the Church. With 
 Pelagius was associated Celestius, a native of 
 Ireland. Britain was infected by this spiritual 
 plague about a.d. 410, the year in which Eome 
 was sacked by the barbarous tribes of the north. 
 This invasion from nortliern Europe caused the 
 complete withdrawal of the Eoman armies from 
 Britain, which had been under Eoman dominion 
 over three hundred years. It was now a prey to 
 the Picts and Scots from the north of Scotland, 
 whom the Eomans had never been able to subdue. 
 Thus the island was torn to pieces politically and 
 religiously. 
 The Pelagian Pclagius, agaiust whoso teaching the Ninth 
 
 heresy. 
 
 xirticle of the Church is directed, taught that 
 Adam was created mortal ; that the sins of man- 
 kind spring not from his disobedience, but from 
 each man's own act and will ; that infants are 
 born into the world as sinless as Adam at his 
 creation ; that we may do good and avoid evil, if 
 we will, without the assistance of God's grace 
 and Holy Spirit. 
 St. Angus- This heresy is the more remarkable from the 
 
 tine. '' 
 
 great champion of the truth whom it called forth, 
 the great Christian divine and luminary of the 
 
Heresies and Persecittions. 23 
 
 early Church, converted from heathenism by a chap. hi. 
 mother's prayers, — Saint Augustine, Bishop of 
 Hippo, near ancient Carthage. He offered the 
 most determined and successful opposition. He 
 secured the peace of the Church and the condem- 
 nation of Pelagius by the decrees of the General 
 Council of Ephesus, a.d. 431. His errors were 
 combated in Britain by two learned Bishops from 
 Gaul, named Germanus and Lupus, assisted by 
 David, the great father of the British Church, 
 afterwards known as St. David. The chief weapon 
 used by the friends of truth was the Word of 
 truth, the oracles of inspiration, the sword of the 
 Spirit, which the Saviour Himself used in His 
 conflicts with the arch-deceiver, answering each 
 attempt to mislead with the words " It is written." 
 
 There was yet another obstacle to the progress The supre- 
 of Christianity and the establishment of Christian Christ and 
 
 •^ His Word. 
 
 churches. It should be remembered that the 
 heathen have a religion to which they generally 
 cling with passionate fondness. The worship of 
 Diana prevailed in Ephesus, and in all Asia Minor. 
 The end of the religion of Christ is to overcome 
 and take the place of every other religion, as being 
 the only religion which is true. Jesus says, " I 
 am the way, the truth, and the life." Christianity 
 seeks to rule in every heart, over every motive, 
 and to rule alone. It was the policy of the 
 
24 Heresies and Persecutions. 
 
 CHAP. III. Eomaii emperors, as long as tliey were heathen, 
 to patronise and protect all religions, true or false, 
 of the subject nations. Hence there was the 
 great temple of all the gods at Eome, called the 
 Pantheon, afterwards converted into a Christian 
 church. Thus they sought to conciliate the nations 
 they had conquered, and to compensate them in 
 some measure for their loss of independence. 
 But they forbade interference with one another's 
 creeds. There must be no collision between one 
 religion and another. This, however, was opposed 
 to one of the first principles of the Gospel, which 
 aims at the conversion of all nations, and is a 
 message of peace, and a deliverance from all 
 bondage and superstition into the glorious liberty 
 of the children of God. The Emperors themselves 
 had conquered nation after nation, but allowed 
 no other conquerors, no other ruler — not even the 
 King of kings. The Eoman empire benefited 
 politically the pagan nations, but the religion of 
 Jesus blessed the inner life, as well as the outer, 
 of all who most needed to be blessed. " In Him 
 all the families of the earth are blessed." 
 
 The perse- Christianity, therefore, by its principles and 
 
 cuting 
 
 emperors, aims, must interfere with all other creeds, with 
 all other religions, however ancient, however 
 much venerated, and with the lives of all, both 
 rulers and people, bond and free, learned and 
 
Heresies and Persecutions. 25 
 
 unlearned. A teacher of Christianity came to be chap. hi. 
 looked upon as one who turned the world upside 
 down; Christians, as a pernicious sect, to be 
 punished, persecuted, destroyed. The emperors 
 Nero, Domitian, Aurelius, Severus, Decius, and 
 Diocletian are pre-eminent for their persecution. 
 Aurelius was one of the most enlightened philo- 
 sophers, and yet under him there was the most 
 intense hatred of Christianity. 
 
 Lyons and Vienne, in the south of Gaul, Persecution 
 
 at Lyons 
 
 were scenes of martyrdom, attended with every and Vienna. 
 form of cruelty. The Churches of those cities 
 sent to the Churches of Asia Minor the story 
 of their sufferings. One of the martyrs was the 
 aged Bishop of Lyons, another was Blandina, 
 another a boy fifteen years old. The Bishop was 
 old and feeble in body, but strong in faith, and 
 looking with cheerful hope to receive the crown 
 of Martyrdom. He was led by the soldiers before 
 the chief magistrate, and after examination he 
 was committed to prison. When the question 
 was put to him, " Who is the God of the Chris- 
 tians ? " he replied fearlessly, " Thou shalt know, 
 if thou art worthy." On his way to prison blows 
 and insults were heaped upon him by the rude 
 multitude, while those at a distance cast stones at 
 him, the magistrates urging them on. Nothing 
 was omitted in the way of injury and reproach. 
 
2Q Heresies and Persecutions, 
 
 CHAP. III. The pagan crowds thought they were thus aveng- 
 ing their gods. After two days in prison the old 
 man expired at the age of ninety. 
 Sufferings of Blaudina received even worse treatment. Not- 
 
 Blanaina. 
 
 withstanding her sex, she was thrown to the 
 wild beasts, to be torn in pieces for the amuse- 
 ment of the populace, for whom such scenes 
 were provided on special occasions. She was 
 raised up, tied to a stake that the attacks of the 
 hungry beasts might be the better seen. Her 
 faith was firm, and did much to strengthen the 
 faith of her fellow- Christians. It was the hope 
 of her enemies that she would deny the Faith. 
 By a singular providence the wild beasts did not 
 molest her. Then she was carried back to prison, 
 and reserved for other conflicts, other victories, 
 and a brighter crown. It was the common con- 
 fession of the Martyrs, when they were asked 
 their name, city, and nation, to answer, " I am a 
 Christian, and among us there is no wrong." 
 .fuffedngs of During Blandina's imprisonment, many of her 
 Biandina. feUow-citizcns wcrc put to death. Last of all, 
 she herself was brought out again, together with 
 the boy of fifteen, who was commanded to worship 
 the heathen idols. He refused, and was imme- 
 diately despatched. Blandina, who had already 
 been thrown to the beasts, was now scourged, 
 fastened to a heated iron chair and thrown into 
 
Heresies and Persecutions. 27 
 
 a pit with a furious bull. But her thoughts were chap. rii. 
 upon her Heavenly Friend, and upon the crown 
 of righteousness that awaited her. She was de- 
 livered from all fear and sense of pain, and in 
 death proved herself more than conqueror, 
 through Him that loved her. The heathen them- 
 selves confessed they had witnessed no such 
 sufferings as those which the holy Blandina 
 endured. 
 
 At the sufferings and death of the Martyrs the The boast of 
 
 the heathen. 
 
 heathen would laugh and dance, boasting that 
 they had put the Christians to shame, and saying, 
 " Where is their God ? What good is their 
 religion, which they prefer to their life ? " They 
 refused their bodies a burial ; they gathered 
 them into a heap and burnt them, then cast the 
 ashes into the river Ehone, that so they might 
 conquer the gods of the Christians, and take 
 away all hope of their resurrection. " I^ow," 
 said they, " we shall see whether they will rise 
 again, and whether their God will deliver them 
 out of our hands." 
 
 The acknowledged purpose of persecution was Failure of 
 
 <=> ^ ^ ^ perse cutiou. 
 
 to deter the heathen from embracing so exclusive 
 a religion as Christianity, and to drive back as 
 many converts as possible to their old supersti- 
 tion and idolatry. Every imaginable cruelty was 
 devised and practised, but in vain. The enemy 
 
28 Heresies and Persecutions. 
 
 CHAP. III. was bound to admit himself beaten. Christianity 
 triumphed, believers multiplied in numbers, and 
 increased in every Christian grace and virtue. 
 It is true some were deterred, but many were 
 faithful unto death, and did more by their death 
 to extend and deepen the influence of the Church 
 than thousands of professors who, by their luke- 
 warmness, escaped with their lives. Persecution 
 made every true disciple of Jesus look up to his 
 Master for strength and victory in the trial. 
 And such was their joy in the prospect of death, 
 in the midst of their conflicts, that suffering and 
 martyrdom had no terrors. They were even 
 desired and welcomed, because of the immediate 
 passage which was obtained thereby to the 
 mansions of the blest, and the crown of 
 glory. 
 The benefits Althougli the persccutious of the first three 
 tion. centuries were great obstacles to visible progress, 
 
 they served much to deepen and confirm the 
 Christian life and character. Evil was overruled 
 for good. Many who denied the Faith, when 
 they were called upon to make that denial public, 
 repented, and made instead a public confession 
 of it. Some were suddenly struck with thoughts 
 of the pains of Hell as they witnessed the pains of 
 persecution. Others were so deeply impressed 
 by the fortitude and courage of the IMartyrs that 
 
Heresies and Persecutions. 29 
 
 they readily followed their example, that they chap. hi. 
 might share their glory. 
 
 Under the persecution of Diocletian, a.d. 305, JJ^j^f^^^'" 
 died the British Martyr St. Alban, near the town ^^- ^^^^"• 
 which bears his name. Whilst in his heathen 
 darkness, a persecuted Christian flew to him for 
 refuge. For a time Alban observed his earnest 
 devotion and prayers night and day ; he listened 
 attentively to his instruction in the knowledge 
 of Christ. He became a Christian ; and when it 
 was reported that Alban had sheltered a Chris- 
 tian, a strict search of his house was made by 
 order of the governor. When the soldiers 
 arrived, Alban appeared instead of his guest. 
 In the dress of the refugee, he was taken into 
 the presence of the governor. On examination 
 he was soon discovered. The governor's anger 
 grew fiercer; he threatened Alban with all the 
 punishment which he had designed for him 
 whom he had sheltered, unless he returned at 
 once to his old faith. When he was asked his 
 name he answered — " By my parents I am called 
 Alban; but I am a Christian, and I mean to 
 adore and worship the living and true God for 
 ever." Upon this he was tortured, and hurried 
 away to be beheaded. On his way to the place 
 of execution, near the river Colne, which flows 
 through the luwn of St. Albans, he was accom- 
 
30 Heresies and Persecutions. 
 
 CHAP. III. panied by a large and sympathetic crowd. The 
 officer charged with his execution beheld his holy 
 fervour ; and, being won over with admiration, he 
 threw down his drawn sword, and begged that 
 he, too, might suffer as a Christian, and share his 
 reward. The other executioners and the crowds, 
 in amazement, followed on to the neighbouring 
 hill, chosen by Alban himself as the place of his 
 execution. There the holy man was beheaded, 
 and with l^im the officer, into whose charge he 
 had been delivered. Such was the impression 
 produced by their noble behaviour, that the 
 governor could not refrain from expressing his 
 admiration, and ordered that the persecution of 
 Christians should forthwith cease. Thus, instead 
 of being diminished and destroyed by persecution, 
 the Church of Christ increased every day more 
 and more, gained a firmer and wider hold upon 
 the nations of the w^orld, and multiplied and 
 prospered throughout the Empire. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 CHRISTIAN APOLOGISTS. 
 
 In times of persecution there was no alternative christians 
 
 under hostile 
 
 but to suffer or deny the Faith, or appeal to the governors of 
 
 '^ ^ ^ provinces. 
 
 Emperor, with the chance of obtaining some de- 
 gree of relief. For some time Christians were 
 necessarily a minority in every city and country, 
 often outside the protection of the State, and at 
 the mercy of an unrestrained pagan multitude. 
 In some instances Emperors were of a just and 
 kindly disposition. But if the Emperor were 
 even favourable to Christians, the distant parts 
 of a large and unwieldy empire were little affected 
 by his personal feelings, and especially when the 
 local governor was a man of an entirely opposite 
 disposition and character, and of views which 
 were hostile to the Church and faith of Christ. 
 Under such a governor, what could a few de- 
 spised Christians do but suffer or adopt the 
 favourite superstitions ? But even a denial of the 
 Faith was not always found to bring safety and 
 
32 Christian Apologists. 
 
 CHAP. IV. deliverance; and many, knowing this, were the 
 
 more bold to endure to the end. 
 Apologies Sometimes there was hope in an appeal to the 
 
 to the ^ ^ ^ 
 
 Emperors. Emperor, in addressing to him what has been 
 called an "Apology." This was a defence of Chris- 
 tianity, demonstrating the beneficence of its prin- 
 ciples and action, and was "usually dravm up by 
 the most learned and pious of the Christians. 
 The most famous of the early Apologists were 
 Justin Martyr and Tertullian — the one a Martyr, 
 under the persecution of Marcus Aurelius ; the 
 other a Presbyter of North Africa, in the reign 
 of Severus. Justin Martyr wrote two Apologies 
 of considerable length, which abound in refer- 
 ences to Holy Scripture. His first was ad- 
 dressed to Antoninus Pius, a humane Prince, 
 who vouchsafed a favourable response. The 
 second was addressed to his son Aurelius, re- 
 fined and very learned, but strict and intolerant ; 
 and no immediate good resulted. 
 
 Theargu- Somc of the argumcuts of these Christian 
 
 ments of the . . . . . -i- - • • i i 
 
 Apologists. Apologies may be given. Justin reminds the 
 Emperor and people of Eome that heretics, while 
 calling themselves Christians, were only cor- 
 rupters of Christianity ; and yet they were 
 allowed to live unmolested ; they were even 
 honoured in Piome itself with divine honours. 
 He refers to a man whose name was Antinous, 
 
Christian Apologists. 33 
 
 originally a slave of Hadrian, who was honoured chap iv. 
 by the Senate of Eome, as if he were a god, by 
 the institution of a festival and the erection of a 
 city to him. How different was the lot of Chris- 
 tians ! How truly did their condition correspond 
 with the words of their Lord, " The world loves 
 its own, but Me and Mine it hates " ! 
 
 There was a sedition amongst the Jews in the The 
 reign of Hadrian, led by one Bar-Cochebas, for ofHadriait 
 which Christians alone w^ere made to suffer 
 dreadful torments. And they had no escape, 
 except by denying their Master and speaking 
 blasphemy. Justin Martyr refers to his own 
 history. He had lately been converted from 
 Greek philosophy to Christianity ; he had heard 
 Christians slandered ; he was impressed by their 
 patient endurance of suffering and shame for 
 Christ's sake ; he had seen them suffer and die, 
 and he concluded they could not be bad. " For," 
 he asks, " what lovers of this world and its plea- 
 sures would die so cheerfully, that they might 
 be deprived of their pleasures ? " Hadrian, the 
 Emperor, had received from a certain Asiatic 
 Governor letters, which complained that the 
 Christians were pursued by the violence and 
 howling of a mob, and put to death without a 
 trial. The Emperor commanded that charges 
 against the Christians should be substantiated. 
 
34 Christian Apologists. 
 
 CHAP. IV. and an opportunity allowed for their reply in 
 open court. His words are : " If any man bring 
 a charge against the Christians of breaking the 
 laws, let him prove it; and then, if guilty, let 
 him be punished in proportion to the offence. 
 But, if he fail to do this, let the accuser be 
 punished for his false accusation." 
 The favour- This conduct of Hadrian, Justin commends to 
 of Antoninus the attention of the Emperor Antoninus as an 
 
 Pius. ^ 
 
 example worthy to be followed. He speaks of 
 Christians being of every race within the empire, 
 unjustly hated and slandered, of whom he is not 
 afraid or ashamed to count himself one. He en- 
 treats, with all earnestness and humility, that the 
 Emperor would, by a royal edict, grant them pro- 
 tection from the insults and violence with which 
 they were treated, especially by the country 
 people. To this appeal Antoninus returned a 
 favourable and gracious answer. He pointed 
 out to the people of Asia, in a royal decree, that 
 the Christians were very diligent in the worship 
 of their God — yea, more diligent than themselves 
 in the worship of their gods; that they were 
 proved not to be atheists, as they were accused, 
 by their suffering death sooner than deny their 
 God. " And in regard to the earthquakes, of 
 which you consider their impiety and neglect of 
 the gods to be the cause, they are zealous, while 
 
Christian Apologists. 35 
 
 you are careless ; they are earnest, while you are chap. iv. 
 indifferent ; they worship their God, while you 
 persecute them for so doing, even unto death." 
 Antoninus then referred to letters written by 
 governors of provinces to his father, Hadrian, 
 and to himself : " To those governors I returned 
 the answer that I adhere to the counsel given 
 by my illustrious father — namely, that no charge 
 shall be brought against Christians except in open 
 court, and there proved." 
 
 Justin Martyr was afterwards accused himself justin 
 under Aurelius, the son of Antoninus, and con- defence of 
 
 himself. 
 
 demned to death, from which he has been entitled 
 " the Martyr." His accuser was a philosopher 
 of the Cynic school, named Crisces. It was the 
 ordinary charge of atheism and impiety that was 
 brought against him, and to please the enemies 
 of Christianity among the higher ranks of society. 
 Justin boldly challenged his adversary to a public 
 disputation, which Crisces prudently declined. 
 The timid and dainty philosopher was no match 
 for the courageous and well-instructed champion 
 of Christians. 
 
 To show how one Christian often brought christians 
 another into danger, through the whole body compro- 
 
 ° ' ° '^ mised their 
 
 being knit together by the self-sacrificing bond friends. 
 of love, Justin, in his Apology, tells the following 
 story : — A certain man and his wife had led im- 
 
36 Christian Apologists. 
 
 CHAP. IV. moral lives. The woman became a Christian, 
 and then laboured for the conversion of her 
 husband. She pressed upon him the truths of 
 Christianity, and especially the punishment of 
 eternal iire, which shall consume the ungodly. 
 Still he followed his evil courses, and, moreover, 
 took another wife. She then sought a separation, 
 which made him proceed still further in his un- 
 godliness. She then allowed the question of 
 separation to rest for a time, in the hope of still 
 effecting his conversion ; but in vain. She then 
 obtained her divorce ; and he retaliated, seeking 
 to accomplish her ruin by publicly charging her 
 with being a Christian. In this he failed, and 
 immediately after proceeded to persecute another 
 person, whom she had been the means of bringing 
 over to the Christian faith. This person was im- 
 prisoned by the order of the Governor. Another 
 Christian remonstrated, and asked why one who 
 had lived a good life, and whose only offence was 
 that he bore the name of Christian, should be 
 punished. Such a course was unbecoming, and 
 unworthy of the Emperor, the Senate, and people 
 of Eome. The Governor merely replied, " I am 
 not such a one as thou." " Certainly," said the 
 Christian ; and he, too, was sent to prison. 
 
 Another Apologist of great fame was TertuUian, 
 well skilled in Eoman law. In his Apologij he 
 
ChristianApoIofjists. 3 7 
 
 refers to an ancient decree, that no god should chap. iv. 
 
 be admitted by the Emperor until first approved Tertuiiian's 
 
 >/ ^ J- J: reference to 
 
 by the Senate. He mentions an instance where ^SiJ^'and 
 this decree was applied, and then passes on to ^"" ^^^' 
 its application to Christianity, which attributes 
 a Divine nature to the Lord Jesus Christ. He 
 says that Tiberius referred the Godhead of Jesus 
 to the Senate, with an assurance that he was 
 himself satisfied that Jesus was the Son of God. 
 But the Senate disapproved. The Emperor, not- 
 withstanding, maintained his opinion, and threat- 
 ened with death all false accusers of Christianity. 
 Tertullian refers to Nero, the first of the perse- 
 cuting Emperors, and says, " Any one who knew 
 Nero, knew that no one was condemned by him 
 except for some great and good deed." To the 
 Emperor Domitian he makes allusion, as being 
 the next great enemy of the Church. Although 
 at first he was as cruel as Nero, yet upon better 
 acquaintance with Christianity he relented, and 
 recalled those whom he had banished, restored 
 their goods and property, of which they had 
 been unjustly deprived — at which time the 
 Apostle John returned from his banishment in 
 the Isle of Patnios. 
 
 Tertullian uses another argument, which he The conduct 
 
 of Marcus 
 
 addressed to the Senate. He refers to letters Amelias. 
 vv^ritten to the Senate by the Emperor Aurelius, 
 
38 Christian Apologists. 
 
 CHAP. IV. in which he relates the distress of the army in 
 Germany from want of water during a terrible 
 drought, when they were saved by the prayers of 
 the Christians of the army ; and thereupon he 
 determined to punish with death any man that 
 brought a false accusation against them. Ter- 
 tuUian proceeds to ask — " What kind of laws can 
 those be whereby ungodly, unjust, and cruel men 
 are allowed to persecute us and us only ? — laws 
 which Vespasian would not put into operation 
 against the Jews after his victory over them, 
 which Trajan partly set aside when he forbade 
 Christians to be sought after for punishment ?" 
 
 The severity Trajau's dccrce was a reply to the letter of the 
 
 of the 
 
 Konian law vounojer Pliuv, who had condemned some of the 
 
 towards ^ © ^ ' 
 
 Christians. Christians, but became perplexed when he dis- 
 covered how numerous they were. He wrote to 
 the Emperor, saying that he could not consider 
 those as criminals whose only fault was that they 
 were unwilling to worship idols. "And this is 
 what they do : they rise early and sing praises to 
 Christ as their God ; and in their life they are 
 careful to avoid murder, fornication, covetousness, 
 and such-like." TertuUian asks again — "What 
 kind of laws are these against Christians which 
 favour the ungodly, which neither Hadrian, who 
 was most diligent in all departments of govern- 
 ment, nor Antoninus regarded ?" He indignantly 
 
Christian Apologists. 39 
 
 breaks out in the following words : — " We spring chap, iv. 
 up and increase in numbers in proportion as you 
 cut us down. The blood of the Christians is the 
 seed of the Christians. Many amongst your- 
 selves exhort to patience under pain and death ; 
 yet they do not win half as many converts by 
 words as the Christians who teach by deeds. 
 This very obstinacy of the Christians which 
 you denounce is itself a teacher. For who can 
 contemplate it, and not be moved to inquire, 
 ' What there is in this matter at bottom ? ' Who 
 can inquire, and not be drawn towards it ? Who 
 be drawn towards it, and not himself feel a desire 
 to suffer ? " Thus Tertullian, by way of apology 
 and defence of the Christians, sets forth the 
 sufferings and patience of the Christians and 
 the injustice of the laws, which the best of the 
 Emperors treated as a dead letter. 
 
 By these Apologies of Justin Martyr, Tertul- Good effect 
 
 of the 
 
 lian, and others, the Emperors and the higher Apologies, 
 classes of the empire were leavened with the 
 doctrine of Christ, and were either drawn into 
 the net of the Gospel, or led to regard it with 
 more favour. 
 
 The pen of the learned was also employed with The writinga 
 
 of Irenseus, 
 
 ereat effect against heresy by Irenseus, Bishop 2"gen and 
 
 o o J J ? jr Eusebius. 
 
 of Lyons, a contemporary of Tertullian ; by 
 Origen, the great commentator on Holy Scrip- 
 
40 Christian Apologists. 
 
 CHAP. IV. ture ; and by Eusebius, the great historian of the 
 early Church. To these and other early writers 
 the Church of all future ages has been greatly 
 indebted for the defence and preservation of pure 
 doctrine and sound principles of Church Govern- 
 ment. The History of Eusebius is full of the 
 most interesting facts connected with the rise 
 and growth of the Christian Church during the 
 first three centuries ; the hindrances to that 
 growth ; the conquests of Christianity over 
 physical difficulties, over imperial power, over 
 national depravity, over the foul insinuations and 
 secret mischief of error and false doctrine, over 
 violence and injustice. These victories were 
 obtained by a people comparatively few in 
 number, poor in regard to worldly means, de- 
 spised by the rich and the noble in society, and 
 unprotected by the laws. The laws, which should 
 have afforded impartial security to all classes, 
 ranks, and degrees, were specially severe against 
 Christians, and aimed at the extinction of Chris- 
 tianity. 
 The History Euscbius lias prcscrvcd copies of letters from 
 Church to Church ; from Emperors to the Gover- 
 nors of provinces, and from Governors to Emperors; 
 decrees of the Senate ; extracts from the leading 
 Christian writers who preceded him ; quotations 
 from nearly all the books of Holy Scripture, and 
 
Christian A2)ologists, 41 
 
 from the Antiq^dties and the Jewish Wars of chap. iv. 
 Josephus. He has traced the progress of the 
 sacred Scriptures to their final settlement in 
 one volume of the Old and New Testament. He 
 has continued the history of the Church from the 
 New Testament times until his own, and has 
 supplied many facts additional to what have 
 been supplied by the New Testament during the 
 period that it was being written. The progress 
 of the Churches in various parts of the world has 
 been traced; their modes of worship; their peculiar 
 trials ; the succession of their Bishops ; their posi- 
 tion relative to other Churches ; their agreement 
 and union in doctrine and government. He has 
 also described the life of Christians, and the 
 steps whereby converts v/ere introduced into full 
 communion. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 CHRISTIANITY ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE. 
 
 Union of At the end of the third century and the 
 
 Church and 
 
 State. beginning of the fourth, a great and important 
 
 change took place in the relation of the Church 
 to the State. Hitherto, the Church had at 
 the best received a bare toleration ; and many- 
 times it had been bitterly persecuted by the 
 State. The Church, notwithstanding, grew and 
 increased both in numbers and influence ; at the 
 same time Paganism declined. In the year 324 
 the religion of Jesus Christ was not merely a 
 rival — it had become supreme. The Emperor 
 Constantine not only effected the separation of 
 the State from Paganism, but completed its union 
 with the Church of Christ — a union which has 
 continued to this day in many lands. 
 
 Division of The following circumstances led to this result. 
 
 the Empire. ... _, 
 
 Diocletian was Emperor from a.d. 285 to 305. 
 Born a slave, he reached, by his military skill 
 and prowess, and by a subtle policy, the highest 
 pinnacle of an empire which extended from 
 
Christianity EstahlisJicd hy the State. 43 
 
 Britain to Persia, and from the forests of chap, v. 
 Germany to the deserts of Africa. It was a 
 dominion too wide to be held within the grasp 
 of one man. Diocletian adopted the principle of 
 multiplying the Emperors to four ; two of them to 
 be named Augustus, and two Csesar; the latter 
 being of inferior rank. Diocletian was the chief 
 Augustus, and Maximian the second. One Csesar 
 was assigned to each Augustus ; Constantius to 
 Maximian, and Galerius to Diocletian. Max- 
 imian governed Italy, and Diocletian the East; 
 the northern and western provinces fell to the 
 Csesars. Constantius, who was the father of Con- 
 stantine the Great, ruled in Britain, and had his 
 palace at York, where he died. 
 
 The Emperors of the "West were favourable Diocletian 
 
 ^ Persecution. 
 
 to Christianity, while those of the East were 
 hostile. Under Diocletian, the fiercest persecu- 
 tion raged in the East ; and its effects were felt, 
 as the death of St. Alban bears witness, in the 
 far West. It continued for ten years, and was 
 principally instigated by Galerius, the Caesar; 
 although named after Diocletian, the Augustus ; 
 and it fell with most severity upon Upper and 
 Lower Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor, and Palestine. 
 Great numbers were put to death, with every form 
 of torture ; churches were demolished, and their 
 property confiscated; the Holy Scriptures were 
 
44 Christianity Established hy the State. 
 
 CHAP. V. collected and burnt ; all Divine ordinances and 
 assemblies for worship were forbidden. Some 
 of the Christians fled for refuge to mountains, 
 deserts, and caves. Many were required to give 
 up their religious books, and upon refusal were 
 instantly put to death. Others, less courageous, 
 yielded in presence of death, and received the 
 name of Traditores — givers up of the Holy Scrip- 
 tures. Others, who were required to offer incense 
 to the heathen gods, refused, and were put to 
 death. Others, to save their lives, complied ; and 
 were named Thurificati — the offerers of incense. 
 
 constantius Constautius, the Caesar of the West, who was 
 
 and Helena. 
 
 distinguished by mildness and benevolence to- 
 wards all his subjects, was favourable to the 
 Christians. The celebrated Helena was his wife, 
 and the mother of Constantine. Upon his eleva- 
 tion to be Csesar, he was required by his Augustus, 
 Maximian, to put away Helena, and marry his 
 own daughter, 
 carausius The entry of Constantius into Britain gave 
 
 makes him- ... 
 
 self Emperor soiuc remarkable indications of her future power 
 
 of Britam, ^ 
 
 and position in the world. The Eomans had 
 built a fleet, to put a stop to the incursions from 
 the Continent into the island ; and they put this 
 fleet under an able and skilful commander named 
 Carausius. This man decided to make himself 
 master both of the fleet and the island. He 
 
Christianity EstaUishecl hy the State. 45 
 sailed from Boulogne, drew to his side the Eoman chap. v. 
 
 troops in Britain, separated Britain from the 
 empire, and proclaimed himself its Emperor. His 
 rnle lasted from a.d. 287 to 294 ; when Carau- 
 sius was assassinated. Constantius, who was 
 popular with the army on the Continent, and 
 likewise with the troops in Britain, on the 
 death of Carausius, seized the opportunity to 
 re-establish Eoman authority in the island. In 
 this he was successful. The remaining years of 
 his life were spent in beating back the tribes of 
 Picts and Scots, and in settliug the affairs of the 
 island. 
 
 After a reign of twenty years, the two Emperors constantine 
 Augustus, Maximian and Diocletian, abdicated by Emperor. 
 mutual agreement ; the two Csesars now became 
 Augustus ; and new Csesars were appointed by 
 Galerius — Maximinus for the East, and Severus 
 for the West. And, in addition to these, Max- 
 entius, the son of Maximian, established himself 
 as Csesar in Italy and in Eome. Thus there 
 were at this time seven living, and five reigning 
 Emperors. It was then that Constantius died at 
 York, in July 306. His son Constantine, who 
 had been in the army of Diocletian, was sum- 
 moned to the bedside of his father ; and, after 
 his death, immediately — and without any refer- 
 ence to his father's colleagues — proclaimed himself 
 
46 CliTistianity EstaUisJied hy the State. 
 
 CHAP. V. Emperor Augustus. Galerius vigorously opposed 
 this proceeding ; but the popularity of Constan- 
 tine with the army, his numerous military suc- 
 cesses, his noble bearing, his energy and boldness 
 on all occasions, established his position. The 
 seven Emperors were soon at war with each 
 other, and they were gradually reduced, until 
 Constantine closed a series of brilliant victories 
 by the overthrow of the only remaining col- 
 league, the Emperor Licinius, on the plain of 
 Adrianople; and by the siege and capture of 
 Byzantium, on whose ruins he built the new 
 city, named after himself, Constantinople. But 
 the most important consideration connected with 
 the triumphs of Constantine, was that, like his 
 father Constantius, he favoured Christianity ; and 
 made it the one religion of the empire, as he was 
 now the sole Emperor. 
 Diminished Thcrc was an authority in the State, sometimes 
 
 authority of 
 
 the Senate. jQot inferior to that of the Emperor — the Senate 
 of Eome, which met regularly in that city. One 
 half of the empire was under the government of 
 proconsuls appointed directly by the Senate ; 
 the other half under proconsuls appointed by 
 the Emperor. To limit, and ultimately to destroy, 
 the authority of the Senate, the Emperors were 
 multiplied. And when they were reduced to 
 one, Constantine aimed, like his predecessors, at 
 
Christianity Established ly the State. 47 
 
 the same object, by taking up his abode, not in chap v. 
 Eome, but in other great cities — York, Milan 
 Mcomedia, Antioch, Constantinople ; and by 
 choosing the new city of Constantinople as the 
 centre of government, instead of Eome. 
 
 The remarkable position now occupied by Con- constan- 
 stantine, worthily named the Great, had been victories and 
 
 conversion. 
 
 obtained by a continuous succession of victories, 
 in battles which had been forced upon him by his 
 colleagues. They hated him for his Christianity, 
 and envied his successes. They plotted against 
 his life, but he was preserved through all dangers 
 by the singular Providence of God. He, who had 
 now no earthly rival, no other sovereign with whom 
 to share his wide dominion, laid all his glory at 
 the foot of the Cross, and confessed himself the 
 humble and unworthy servant and subject of 
 Jesus of Nazareth, " the King of Kings and Lord 
 of Lords." 
 
 Notwithstanding their flight, their sufferings, Greats 
 
 "^ rejoicings 
 
 their death, their degradation from ofi&ce in the gj^jj^^^f 
 Imperial service during the Diocletian Persecu- S^the*''^"' 
 tion, the Christians still were numerous in the ofchris-""^ 
 Court, the army, the Senate, and among the chiefs ^^"^ ^" 
 of the State. It was the distinguishing policy of 
 Constantine and his father to protect them, and 
 promote them to the highest offices in their ser- 
 vice. They had the wisdom to observe their 
 
48 Christianity E^tahlif^hed hy flic Sfcfte. 
 
 CHAP. V. superior merit, and those qualities which make 
 a government and an empire strong. There was 
 now a period of repose and of worldly prosperity 
 for the Church not altogether favourable to the 
 progress of true Christianity. It was universally 
 admitted by the Church herself that the recent 
 persecution had been a Divine chastisement for 
 evils and abuses, which had multiplied and grown 
 to a great height during a previous time of ease 
 and prosperity, when luxury, pride, strife, and 
 divisions had grievously prevailed in the Church. 
 The fire of persecution came to restore unity and 
 purity, and the beauty of holiness. Now that 
 the trouble was over, and the refining process 
 ended for the present, the Christians united heart 
 and voice, saying : " sing unto the Lord a new 
 song^ for He hath done marvellous things. With 
 His own right hand, and with His holy arm 
 hath He gotten Himself the victory. The Lord 
 declared His salvation; His righteousness hath 
 He openly showed in the sight of the heathen." 
 They acknowledged, at the same time, that those 
 whom trouble and persecution had removed from 
 the earth were in possession of the better inherit- 
 ance in Heaven. But the portion of those who 
 were still left behind afforded clear proofs of the 
 Divine goodness and mercy ; and again songs of 
 praise would burst from their lips, in the words 
 
Christianity Established by the State. 49 
 
 of the Psalmist : " come, see the works of the chap. v. 
 Lord, what goodness He hath wrought upon the 
 earth. He maketh wars to cease in all the world ; 
 He breaketh the bow and knappeth the spear in 
 sunder." And again : " I saw the ungodly in 
 great prosperity, and ,exalted like the cedars in 
 Lebanon, I passed by, and lo ! he was not. I 
 sought his place, and he was nowhere to be 
 found." Now the day was bright, without a 
 shadow. The glory of Christ illumined the 
 Church throughout the world. Now began the 
 rebuilding of churches which had been destroyed, 
 in the midst of universal rejoicing. Constantino 
 issued a decree for this purpose, and granted as- 
 sistance in the work from the Imperial revenues. 
 They rose in nobler proportions, and in more 
 beauty and grandeur than before, and were more 
 worthy of the bountiful Giver of all. The houses 
 of God were also frequented without fear in city, 
 town, and country. The Lord's Day and other 
 Christian Festivals were everywhere observed. 
 Bishops were summoned by the Emperor to the 
 great Council of Nicaea from all parts of the 
 empire, and by their united voice they issued 
 the Nicene Creed. 
 
 Thus unity and harmony prevailed through Harmony 
 
 •^ "^ -^ ° and unity of 
 
 all Christ's Body ; and what had hitherto been T^o^'^wp in 
 
 '^ ' the Church. 
 
 spoken in secret was now proclaimed upon the 
 
 D 
 
50 Christianity Established hy the State. 
 
 Rome 
 delivered 
 from 
 Maxentius. 
 
 CHAP. V. housetops. There was one spirit of Divine grace ; 
 one life from our Lord Jesus Christ ; one eager 
 faith ; one hymn of praise from every mouth and 
 every heart. Christian w^orship w^as free and 
 unmolested. The ministrations of the Clergy 
 were regular and uninterriipted. The Word and 
 Sacraments drew together the whole body of 
 believers, and fresh converts were gathered in 
 daily. 
 
 One event will give some clue to the mind 
 and character of Constantino in regard to Chris- 
 tianity. He had been brought up and educated 
 in the superstitions and practices of the heathen. 
 In birth, education, and kindliness of disposition 
 he surpassed his colleagues ; and while he ex- 
 tended his power, he ever sought the happiness 
 and welfare of all the nations under his sway. 
 His conquest of Italy was the result of his deter- 
 mination to free her from the tyranny of Maxen- 
 tius, the Csesar. With this determination, he 
 swooped down like an eagle from the North, 
 across the Alps, into the plain of Lombardy. He 
 gained a decisive victory over the generals of 
 Maxentius, and marched straight upon Eome, 
 without losing a single day. Before entering on 
 the expedition, he offered up prayers to the 
 Saviour to be with him as his leader and guide, 
 whilst he restored a people to the freedom of 
 
Christianity Established by the State. 51 
 
 their ancestors. The Christians of the time com- chap. v. 
 pared the defeat of Maxentius to the destruction 
 of Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea. The 
 waters of the Tiber swept away many as they his victory 
 
 ascribed by 
 
 recrossed the bridoje m their retreat back to the constantine 
 
 ^ to Clirist. 
 
 city; and the victors sang the Song of Moses. 
 The rescued citizens gave a joyful welcome to 
 their deliverer and benefactor ; but he took not 
 the praise and glory to himself. He raised, as a 
 trophy, a statue of himself in the most populous 
 part of the city of Eome ; and in the right hand 
 of the statue he placed the figure of the Cross, 
 and inscribed thereon a declaration of his faith 
 in the Lord Jesus, as the author of all his suc- 
 cess — " By this have I delivered your city from 
 the yoke of the tyrant, and made free once again 
 your Senate and people." 
 
CHAPTEE VI. 
 
 THE ARIAN HERESY. 
 
 Evils flowing The establishment of Christianity by Constan- 
 sperity. tine as the religion of the Empire was not an 
 unmixed good. The evil of man's nature is not 
 to be subdued by an imperial decree. Christian 
 Emperors and Princes, Christian Bishops and 
 other ministers of the Church, were often a long 
 way from what they ought to be in their life and 
 character. Before its establishment, the evils 
 in the Church had been kept in check by 
 the circumstances of a lower station. By the 
 circumstances of a higher station, their growth 
 and development were manifested in a painful 
 degree. It is an old story, and the common 
 experience of individual persons, as well as of 
 States and Churches. The Church in her pro- 
 sperity became an enemy to herself. She became 
 divided against herself ; and her worst foes were 
 those of her own household. Pride, ambition, 
 worldliness, grievous heresies, and scandalous 
 lives, became painfully common. 
 
 52 
 
The Avian Heresy. 53 
 
 The happiness of mankind depends upon an ^hap, vi. 
 alliance of the rulers of Church and State with The 
 
 Emperors 
 
 truth. Although converts to Christianity, Con- ^n\heS 
 stantine and his sons were not always on the side °^ *™*^' 
 of truth. They were frequently changing sides, 
 according as they were influenced, first by one 
 party in the Church, then by another. Policy 
 was thought to demand the patronage now of 
 one set of doctrines, and now of another. The 
 Church was divided into Catholics and Heretics, 
 who wrangled for years and years upon the most 
 solemn mysteries of the Divine Nature — the 
 existence of the Trinity ; the Three Persons of 
 the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost in One 
 God. 
 
 By the year 324 Constantine had reduced the Tiie Edict 
 
 •^ -^ ^ ^ of Milan. 
 
 whole Eoman Empire under his sole dominion, 
 from Britain to Ethiopia, and from Spain to 
 India; and had established over this wide area 
 the religion of Jesus Christ. Yet Christians 
 of all sections were in a minority, and divided 
 amongst themselves. The Emperor tried a policy 
 of equal toleration. In the year 313 he issued 
 the famous Edict of Milan, giving Heathen and 
 Christians alike the privilege of worshipping 
 according to their conscience. But the privilege 
 made matters worse, and instead of living and 
 worshipping in peace, each in his own way, there 
 
54 
 
 Tlic Arian Heresy. 
 
 Schism of 
 the Dona- 
 
 tists. 
 
 CHAP. VI. sprang up a fierce contention. The Empire was 
 rent with controversy, and unity had to be 
 secured by the strong arm of the civil power. 
 
 The great schism of the Donatists afflicted 
 Northern Africa. They were a fanatical sect, 
 who were excommunicated by the Church, and 
 retaliated by excommunicating all the world. 
 They declared themselves to be God's elect, re- 
 fused all intercourse with other Christian bodies, 
 and expressed the bitterest contempt for their 
 worship and sacred things. Their fanaticism drew 
 them into every form of licentiousness ; while 
 they encouraged one another to look for the 
 second advent of the Lord in one of their own 
 obscure villages. 
 
 But the most serious division in the Church 
 was the Arian ; so called from Arius, a Presbyter 
 of Alexandria. This city had long been most 
 distinguished as a seat of learning. Built by 
 Alexander the Great, and named after himself, it 
 stands near the most western mouth of the Nile. 
 There the language and philosophy of the Greeks, 
 and especially of Plato, found a congenial home. 
 There the successors of Alexander authorised the 
 translation of the Scriptures of the Old Testament 
 from Hebrew into Greek ; which was the work of 
 seventy learned Jews, and hence called the Sep- 
 tuagint. There the learned, and the patrons of 
 
 Arius and 
 Alexandria. 
 
The Arian Heresy. 55 
 
 learning, formed one of the most celebrated chap. vi. 
 
 libraries in tlie world. There Jewish Eabbis 
 wrote the books of the Apocrypha. 
 
 The most important question, which engaged The Arian 
 the minds of thinking men for three centuries '^^^^^' 
 before and for three centuries after Christ, was 
 the Nature of the Word or Son of God. The 
 ancient Greek philosophers had long discussed 
 the Logos or Word as a person or emanation of 
 the Deity, possessed of all the attributes of the 
 Deity. It was warmly disputed at what period 
 the Logos entered upon a distinct existence. The 
 Christians decided the Logos to be no other than 
 the Person of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. St. 
 John accordingly opens his Gospel, in reference 
 to this solemn question, with these words : — " In 
 the beginning was the Word, and the Word was 
 with God, and the Word was God. The same 
 was in the beginning with God. All things were 
 made by Him ; and without Him was not any 
 thing made that was made." " And the Word was 
 made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld 
 His glory, the glory as of the Only Begotten of 
 the Father, full of grace and truth." All the dis- 
 putes of the heathen philosophers with respect to 
 the Logos — all the disputes of Christians respect- 
 ing Jesus Christ, the Word of God, His Nature 
 and existence — were thus decided by an inspired 
 
56 The Avian Heresy. 
 
 CHAP. VI authority, in harmony with previous revelation ; 
 to the effect that Jesus was equal with God, 
 and was God, the Maker of all things ; and, 
 therefore, before all things; from everlasting to 
 everlasting — " the same yesterday, to-day, and 
 for ever." This is the question upon which 
 Unitarians have separated themselves from the 
 Church ; consequently, they are the successors 
 of the Arians of the days of Constantine. 
 
 The Faith of The Ariaus, while denying the Godhead of 
 
 the Church _,, . i • n ti i -n i 
 
 formulated Christ, admitted a likeness between the Father 
 
 in the 
 
 Creeds. ^ud the Sou ; but were much divided among 
 themselves as to the extent and nature of this 
 likeness. The Church has formulated in the 
 Nicene and Athanasian Creeds, upon the autho- 
 rity of the Word of God and the decrees of the 
 first General Council, her faith in Jesus as the 
 ''very and eternal God, equal to the Father as 
 touching His Godhead, but inferior to the Father 
 as touching His manhood." 
 
 The first Athauasius was the great champion of the 
 
 General „ . , . 
 
 Council at orthodox faith m this controversy — a contro- 
 
 Nicea. 
 
 versy of the deepest importance, involving the 
 honour and majesty of the Son of God, the extent 
 and efficacy of His power to save and redeem 
 mankind, to bless and glorify His people with 
 • Himself for ever. The disputes between the 
 Catholic Church and the Arian sects created 
 
The Avian Heresy, 57 
 
 within the Empire intense excitement. It was chap. vi. 
 with the desire of restoring peace and unity 
 that the Emperor decided on calling a great 
 Council of Bishops and Clergy from all parts of 
 the Christian world, to meet in the city of Nicsea, 
 on the eastern coast of the Sea of Marmora. 
 Three himdred and eighteen Bishops assembled. 
 The Emperor himself was present, occupying a 
 low seat in the midst of the assembly, and took 
 part in the debates. The Synod drew up the 
 Nicene Creed; and, by an almost unanimous 
 vote, expressed, as representatives of the whole 
 Church, their belief " in one Lord Jesus Christ, 
 the only begotten Son of God, begotten of His 
 Father before all worlds ; God of God ; Light of 
 Light ; very God of very God ; begotten, not 
 made; being of one substance with the Father, 
 by Whom all things were made." The Arians 
 divided on the words, " being of one substance 
 with the Father " ; and voted for the words, 
 " of like substance with the Father." The small 
 minority, who voted for the latter words, were 
 required hj the Emperor to accept the decision 
 of the majority. 
 
 Athanasius was present at the Council. He Athanasius 
 
 chosen 
 
 was then a young Deacon, and secretary to the Bishop of 
 Bishop of Alexandria. He was already distin- . 
 guished as a divine, a preacher, and a contro- 
 
58 The Arian Heresy. 
 
 CHAP. VI. versialist. In a few months he was elected to 
 succeed his old master in the See of Alexandria ; 
 a position second only to that of the Bishop of 
 Eome. He was Bishop of Alexandria from 326 
 to 373, forty-six years, during which his life was 
 a continual struggle for the true faith and the 
 honour of his Lord against the Arians, and some- 
 times against the Emperor ; who, three years after 
 the Council of Nicea, was on the Arian side. The 
 Emperor repeatedly tried to effect a compromise, 
 by which the Arians might be received into the 
 pale of the Catholic Church. Synods were con- 
 voked, at which many and grievous charges were 
 brought against Athanasius; for example, that 
 he had tyrannised over his Clergy, had deprived 
 Bishops under his authority, had even murdered 
 one, had heaped insults upon, and destroyed 
 the furniture and Communion plate of Arian 
 churches. These charges were refuted ; and the 
 Bishop alleged to have been murdered was pro- 
 duced before the assembly alive and well. The 
 Arians, however, being in favour with the Court, 
 Athanasius was condemned and deprived. 
 Banishment Athauasius uow desircd an interview with the 
 sius. ' Emperor, that he might plead with him in person. 
 This he was only able to do by boldly and sud- 
 * denly appearing before him in the streets of Con- 
 stantinople, dressed in his Episcopal robes. The 
 
The Arian neves'!/. 59 
 
 Emperor was riding in from the country. At first chap. vi. 
 he ordered the Bishop away. Athanasius then 
 prostrated himself on the ground ; with eloquent 
 entreaties pleaded for a hearing, and prevailed. 
 But he was not restored to his See. He was sent 
 into honourable exile at the Court of Constans, 
 the Emperor's son, at Treves, in the north-easfe 
 of Gaul. It was the first of several banish- 
 ments. Here he was diligently engaged upon 
 those numerous writings in defence of the truth, 
 which he left as a valuable heritage to the 
 Church of after-ages. He was also in regular 
 correspondence with his friends. He had a friend 
 in St. Anthony, resident in a Monastery far up 
 the Nile. He had another in Hilary, the famous 
 Bishop of Aries, in the south of Gaul. He had 
 friends in the Bishops of Eome and Cordova. He 
 was beloved by his Clergy; and his popularity 
 was so great and wide-spread in the Church, 
 that he became an object of jealousy to both 
 Constantine and his successors. 
 
 Constantine died in a.d. 337, leaving the Empire constantius 
 
 becomes sole 
 
 — again divided — between his three sons and two Emperor. 
 nephews. In a very short time the nephews 
 were murdered ; and the three sons — Constan- 
 tine, Constans, and Constantius — then shared the 
 Empire ; Constantine taking the new city of Con-, 
 stantinople and the Central Provinces ; Constans 
 
60 The Arian Heresy. 
 
 CHAP. VI. the West, and Constantms the East. Quarrels 
 soon arose between them, which led to the death 
 of Constantine in 341, and of Constans in 351. 
 Then Constantius was sole Emperor. During 
 the struggle between the brothers, the Church 
 enjoyed peace and prosperity. By the favour of 
 Constans, with whom Athanasius had resided in 
 his exile, the Bishop was restored to his See of 
 Alexandria, amidst the joyful acclamations of his 
 people. 
 
 Persecution But Coustautius was of the Arian faction ; 
 
 of Athana- 
 
 s^'^'^- and now that he was sole Emperor, the peace of 
 
 Athanasius and of the Church was at an end. 
 The Bishop had steadfastly and successfully re- 
 sisted all compromise with the Arians — resisted 
 in the teeth of the most cruel persecution, which 
 Constantius had set on foot and encouraged, with 
 the object of bending or breaking him. The 
 Emperor laboured incessantly to destroy him. 
 He influenced against him the Churches of every 
 city and country of the Empire, by every means 
 in his power. He called them together re- 
 peatedly ; and threatened all who refused to 
 join him in the condemnation of this fearless 
 champion of Jesus Christ. He succeeded in 
 gaining another sentence of exile and deprivation 
 from assembled Bishops ; and he took measures 
 at once for the execution of the sentence. 
 
The Avian Heresy. 61 
 
 It was known the Primate was to officiate in chap. vi. 
 
 the Church of St. Thomas, in Alexandria, on a his marvel- 
 lous escape. 
 
 certain evening. A body of troops was ordered to 
 make an attack on the church, while the assembly- 
 was worshipping. As the service proceeded, the 
 tramp of horses was heard by those within. The 
 danger was felt. The Bishop was advised to retire 
 to some place of safety ; but he decided to remain. 
 The church was broken open, the worshippers were 
 slaughtered, lights were extinguished, and dark- 
 ness and confusion prevailed. Nowhere was the 
 Bishop to be found ; and the soldiers were obliged 
 to withdraw, baffled in their purpose. For six 
 years afterwards, until the death of Constantius, 
 in A.D. 360j nothing was publicly known of 
 Athanasius, where or how he had escaped. It 
 was a profound secret among his friends — so 
 well kept, that he w^as able to move from city to 
 city and from country to country, cheering his 
 friends, and encouraging them to continue stead- 
 fast in the Faith. After being again restored to 
 his See, on the death of Constantius, he was 
 again banished by the Apostate Julian ; and 
 again by his successor Valens. 
 
 Gibbon, with all his prejudice against Christi- ^4^J°f%f 
 anity and the Christian Church, has sounded Athauasius. 
 the praises of this holy and unconquerable 
 champion of the Faith, over whom a special 
 
62 TJic Arian Heresy. 
 
 CHAP. VI. Providence had manifestly spread His protect- 
 ing wings. The name of Athanasius will be 
 honoured as long as the Church herself shall 
 continue. And the Creed which bears his name 
 has been, and will be, a bulwark against the 
 waves of error, the pride of kings, and the 
 treachery of false friends. The promise has 
 been fulfilled in him, as it is in the Church, for 
 whose pure doctrine he toiled and fought and 
 suffered — " The gates of Hell shall not prevail." 
 
CHAPTER VIL 
 
 GROWING POWER OF ROMAN BISHOPS. 
 
 Tpie chief officer of every Church is its Bishop. Title of 
 
 Universal 
 
 But all the Churches are one, in Faith, in Baptism ; cishop, 
 having One Lord, One God and Father of all. It 
 might, therefore, be expected to have one visible 
 head, one universal Bishop. But who of all 
 the Bishops could claim the title, and become 
 the Father or Pope of the Catholic, the universal 
 Church ? The influence of the Bishops of Rome 
 had widely and rapidly spread ; and their claims 
 were acknowledged over a great part of, but 
 never over the whole Church ; although for 
 many ages the Roman Church has appropriated 
 the title Catholic, and many who do not belong 
 to her, with culpable indifference to the meaning 
 of this assumption, allow the title. 
 
 The assumption makes all who are not of assumed 
 
 by Bishops 
 
 the Boman Church to be not of the Church. It of Rome, 
 brands all who do not belong to her as heretics 
 and schismatics, and outside the ark of salvation. 
 It is a monstrous assumption ; and the more 
 
 63 
 
64 Groiving Power of Roman Bishops. 
 
 Unwar- 
 ranted by 
 Holy Scrip 
 ture. 
 
 CHAP. vii. SO when those who are outside are more in 
 harmony with the Faith once delivered to the 
 Saints, and with the practice and discipline of 
 the early Christians. 
 
 Holy Scripture is against the supremacy of 
 the Bishop of Eome. It is against the traditions 
 of that See. The Eoman Church is modelled 
 upon the political systems of this world. The 
 Kingdom of Christ is a spiritual kingdom, and 
 not of this world. Worldly glory and wealth 
 are not to be the aim of His people and ministers. 
 The Popes of Eome are not the vicars (as they 
 pretend and call themselves) of Jesus Christ 
 on earth. They are far from being counter- 
 parts and reflections of Him. The Eoman 
 Church is modelled, for the most part, on the 
 plan of the Empire ; like the Emperors, the 
 Eoman Bishops have claimed authority, and 
 sometimes with success, not only over all other 
 Bishops, but over all other sovereigns and princes 
 of the world. 
 
 Grounds Govcmors of the Provinces of the Eoman 
 
 for the 
 
 assumption. Empire were obliged to allow an appeal to the 
 Emperor. The Apostle appealed from the Gover- 
 nor Eestus to the Emperor. In like manner, 
 the Bishops of the several Provinces were re- 
 quired to allow an appeal to the Bishop of Eome. 
 Eome was the capital of the Empire ; and it was 
 
Growing Poiver of Roman Bishops. 65 
 
 also declared to be the capital of the whole chap. vii. 
 Church: the See of St. Peter, who was desio-- 
 nated Prince of Apostles, the Vicar of Jesus 
 Christ, the first Bishop of Eome, and the proto- 
 type of all future Bishops of Eome. And there 
 was a disposition in the Western Church to 
 admit these pretensions. But the East, and 
 especially the cities of Antioch, Alexandria, and 
 Constantinople, were determined opponents of 
 such pretensions. The two former cities had 
 been the capitals of great and ancient king- 
 doms; and the latter was the new capital of 
 the Empire, intended to supplant the old capital 
 of Eome, Although the Empire had been divided 
 into East and West, Constantius, the Emperor of 
 the East, had brought the West under his power, 
 and this tended to lower the position and autho- 
 rity of the Bishop of Eome in the eyes of the 
 Eastern Churches. The race for the first place 
 ultimately remained with Eome and Constanti- 
 nople ; the Western and Eastern Churches, fol- 
 lowing these respective leaders, came to be 
 known as the Greek and Eoman Churches. 
 
 The Bishops of Eome were often men of great was st. 
 ambition. They regarded St. Peter as the chief Bishop of 
 
 "^ ° Rome ? 
 
 of the Apostles, and the first of their line. But, 
 according to the New Testament, St Paul had a 
 better title to the headship of the Eoman Church. 
 
66 Groiving Poivcr of Boman Bishops. 
 
 CHAP. VII. It is certain that he was at Eome ; not so in 
 
 regard to St. Peter. He was the Apostle of the 
 
 Gentiles ; St. Peter of the Circumcision. He 
 
 wrote a most important Epistle to the Komans ; 
 
 . not so St. Peter. 
 
 Pope Victor. By the end of the second century, Bishop Vic- 
 tor threatened excommunication of all Churches 
 which did not conform to the practice of Eome 
 with respect to the time of observing Easter — a 
 stretch of authority which was condemned by 
 the Western Bishop Irenaeus, although he him- 
 self approved and followed the Eoman rule. 
 
 Pope Bishop Stephanus, a.d. 253, was appealed to 
 
 Stephanns. ir x 
 
 by two Bishops of Spain, who had been deposed 
 by their people ; while those who had deposed 
 them appealed to Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, 
 who claimed an authority equal to that of the 
 Bishop of Eome. 
 pnpeLeo The Emperor Valentinian iii. favoured the 
 
 supremacy of the Eoman See, as being the 
 primacy of the Blessed Peter, Prince of the 
 sacerdotal crown ; confirmed by the dignity of 
 the Eoman city, and by the authority of the 
 holy Nicene Council. That Council had re- 
 cognised a patriarchal supremacy of Eome, 
 Alexandria, and Antioch, in their respective dis- 
 tricts. Valentinian was greatly influenced in this 
 matter by Bishop Leo the Great (a.d. 440-461) ; 
 
Grovnng Power of Roman BisJi02JS. 67 
 
 whom Hallam describes as one of the most chap. vii. 
 ambitious Pontiffs. The title Pontiff was an 
 Imperial title, proclaiming the Emperor to be 
 supreme in all matters of religion and religious 
 worship. This title the Eoman Bishops as- 
 sumed as an assertion of a similar position in 
 the Christian Church. In all questions of faith 
 and practice, they maintained that the final 
 judgment rested with them. 
 
 A certain Bishop appealed from Hilary of Leo's decree. 
 Aries to Leo the Great of Eome, who went so 
 far as to depose Hilary, the champion of the 
 freedom and independence of Churches, and the 
 good friend of Athanasius. Leo wrote — " We 
 decree, with our irrevocable sanction, that it 
 is unlawful for any Bishop in Prance, or of 
 any other Churches, to do anything contrary 
 to ancient custom, without the authority of the 
 venerable Pope of the Eternal City ; but that 
 they receive for law whatever the Apostolic See 
 has, or shall have, sanctioned." 
 
 Innocent the First, in 402, demanded to be innocent r. 
 
 andGelasius. 
 
 consulted whenever any question of any doctrine 
 was raised in any Church. Gelasius, in 492, 
 claimed the final decision of all religious ques- 
 tions for the Apostolic See. 
 
 The greatest assistance was rendered to the independent 
 
 ° Church in 
 
 pretensions of Roman Bishops by the mission- Britain. 
 
68 Growing Power of Roman BisJiops. 
 
 CHAP. VII. aries of the Eoman Church. The island of 
 Britain will afford an illustration of this. A 
 Church had been established in the island at least 
 as early as the third century. British Bishops 
 were present at the tfcouncil of Aries in 314. 
 St. Alban was a Martyr for Christ in 305. The 
 Pelagian heresy took its rise in the British Church ; 
 and by that Church the Bishops Germanus and 
 Lupus were invited over to refute that heresy. 
 
 Anglo- At the beginning of the fifth century the island 
 
 tiaxons in- i i t i • • n i i • 
 
 vited into was troubled by incursions from the north into 
 
 Britain. "^ 
 
 the south. The Eoman soldiers ceased to be a 
 protection, and were wholly withdrawn to guard 
 Eome and Italy. The Britons were driven to 
 seek assistance from the Angles and Saxons of 
 the Continent. These, having beaten back the 
 Picts and Scots, turned their arms against the 
 Britons, seized their country for themselves, and 
 invited more of their own countrymen to follow 
 their example. From the numbers of the Angles 
 who settled in the east of Southern Britain, that 
 part of the island came to be called Angleland — 
 England. 
 Gregory the Bishop Greffory I. of Eome heard of the 
 
 Great in the ^ ° -^ 
 
 «^ave-market spiritual darkuess of the Angles and Saxons, 
 their ignorance of Christianity, and their gross 
 idolatry. He was desirous, before becoming 
 Bishop, that a mission should be sent to Eng- 
 
Growing Power of Roman Bishops. 69 
 
 land. On a certain day, the market-place of chap. vii. 
 Eome was filled with merchandise, and people 
 flocked thither to buy. Amongst them came 
 Gregory, who saw some boys put up for sale, of 
 noble countenance, fair complexion, and with 
 gracefully flowing hair. When he saw them, 
 he inquired of what country they w^ere. It was 
 said, "Of Britain." Again he inquired, if the 
 islanders were Christians or Pagans. " Pagans," 
 was the answer. Then, heaving a deep sigh, he 
 said — " Alas for pity ! that the author of dark- 
 ness should possess such a people ; and that men 
 of such graceful form and bright features should 
 have their minds void of inward grace." Again 
 he asked the name of the people. " Angles," 
 was the answer. "Well," said he, "they have 
 angelic faces, and ought to be co-heirs with the 
 Angels." But of what province are they ? " he 
 asked. " Deiri is their provincial name," was 
 the answer. " Well," he said, " they will be 
 rightly named Deiri, when they are delivered 
 from the wrath {cU ird) of God into the mercy 
 of Christ. What is the king of that province 
 called ? " " ^lla," it was said. Playing on the 
 name, he said, " Alleluia, the praise of God 
 ought to be sung in those parts." Gregory then 
 went to the Bishop, and entreated that a mission 
 might be sent to convert the people to Christ. 
 
70 Groioing Power of Eouian Bishops. 
 
 CHAP. VII. He was himself prepared to go, ii' that were the 
 Bishop's pleasure. But he was not permitted, 
 such was the favour of the Eoman people to- 
 wards him. Soon the Bishopric of Eome became 
 vacant, and it was conferred on Gregory. Then 
 he sent the Mission of Augustine. 
 
 Mission of Augustine was accompanied by forty brethren. 
 On their journey through France, the party sud- 
 denly became panic-stricken at the appearance 
 of some barbarous people, through whom they 
 had to pass. The danger seemed to threaten 
 their very life. They begged of Gregory that 
 they might return, and be sent on some less 
 dreadful enterprise, less toilsome, and with 
 better prospects of success. He replied with 
 these words : — " It had been better not to have 
 begun this good work, than, having begun, to 
 leave it off. With God's help proceed, and 
 fulfil your task ; and be not afraid of the way, 
 or the work, or the people. Proceed in the 
 Name of God, remembering the greater the work 
 the greater the reward." He bade his com- 
 panions to obey their leader in all things, and 
 concluded with the prayer — " God Almighty pro- 
 tect and keep you, my most dearly beloved." He 
 also wrote to the Bishop of Aries to further them 
 on their way. Thus encouraged, they arrived in 
 Britain. They landed inKent,in the Isle of Thanet. 
 
Growing Power of Roman Bishops. 71 
 
 Ethelbei't, the King of Kent, had extended chap, vu 
 
 his sovereignty northward, as far as the river g^heibert 
 Humber. The missionaries acquainted the King ^^^^°*'^^^"^" 
 with their arrival. They had come with the 
 best news ; with the promise of eternal joy to 
 those who obey, and of an endless kingdom 
 with the living and true God. 
 
 The King had married a Christian lady — Reception ..f 
 
 Augustine's 
 
 Bertha, daughter of the King of Paris. She Mission. 
 had the attendance of a Christian Bishop, and 
 the privilege of a Christian place of worship, 
 although her husband was a Pagan idolater. 
 Augustine was commanded to appear before the 
 King, who appointed him a residence. On their 
 way into the royal presence, the missionaries 
 carried before them a silver cross, as their 
 standard ; and a banner, on which was painted 
 the image of the Saviour. They offered up 
 prayers for their own salvation, and for the 
 salvation of those for whose sake they had 
 come. They preached before the King and his 
 assembled people. Then said the Bang, " Fair 
 are the promises which you bring ; but as they 
 are new, I cannot yet assent to them, and leave 
 the worship which I and my nation have long 
 observed. But since you have come a long way ; 
 and, as you believe, to do us good, you may 
 remain with us, and do whatever good you are 
 
72 
 
 Growing Power of Roman 
 
 Missionary 
 success. 
 
 CHAP. VII. able. All things needful for your support shall 
 be supplied. Convert as many of my people as 
 you can." As they entered the city of Canter- 
 bury, soon to be the See of an Archbishop and of 
 the Primate of all England, but at present the 
 capital of Ethelbert, they sang this hymn : — 
 " We pray Thee, O Lord, of Thy great mercy, turn 
 away Thine anger from this people, and from 
 Thy holy house ; for we have sinned. Amen." 
 
 In the place appointed for them they began 
 their apostolic labours with prayer, fasting, 
 watching, preaching. They despised the things 
 of the world, providing only such things as were 
 necessary. They were prepared for all adversi- 
 ties ; even to die for the truth. Some believed, 
 and were baptized. 
 
 On the east of the city, there was a church 
 dedicated to St. Martin, which had been built 
 while the Eomans ruled in Britain, in which 
 Queen Bertha worshipped. To this Augustine 
 and his company resorted, and there performed 
 the sacred offices of religion. The King was 
 finally won over to Christianity, and was 
 baptized. The means of grace were now rapidly 
 multiplied ; churches were built and restored in 
 every direction. Multitudes followed the ex- 
 ample of their sovereign. None were under 
 compulsion ; yet the King naturally favoured 
 
 Augustine 
 lirst Arch- 
 bishop of 
 Canterbury. 
 
Growing Poiucr of Roman Bishojjs. 73 
 
 those of his subjects, whom he now counted as chap. vii. 
 fellow-citizens in the Heavenly Kingdom. He 
 liberally supplied the temporal needs of the 
 new church — even surrendered to Augustine his 
 capital, and chose another for himself. By 
 Gregory the First's instructions, Augustine re- 
 turned to the Continent ; and was consecrated the 
 first Archbishop of Canterbury by the Bishop of 
 Aries. 
 
 Augustine, at the same time, referred certain Augustine 
 questions, respecting the government of the Eng- popT 
 lish Church, to the Bishop of Eome. For example 
 " What distribution should be made of the offer- 
 tory ? " to which the reply was, " Let one part 
 be for the Bishop, one for the clergy, one for the 
 poor, and one for the repairs of the Church 
 fabrics." Another question was respecting the 
 custom or form of service in Churches. " Choose," 
 says Gregory, " what custom seems best ; all 
 things which are good, take and bind them 
 together as in a bundle, and lay them up in the 
 minds of the Angles." 
 
 The new Archbishop was then supplied with a The paiiium. 
 pallium or cloak — a symbol of the authority 
 which the Eoman Bishop confers on those whom 
 he provides therewith. York, too, was made York made 
 
 an Arch- 
 
 an Archbishopric, with authority similar to bishopric. 
 that of Canterbury; the one See, to which a 
 
74 Groiving Poicer of Roman Bishops. 
 
 Gifts and 
 letter of 
 Gregory to 
 Augustine. 
 
 Letter of 
 Gregory to 
 Ethelbert. 
 
 CHAP. VII. Bishop was first appointed, having precedence of 
 the other. 
 
 Along with sacred vessels and other gifts, 
 Gregory sent a letter to King Ethelbert, recom- 
 mending the Church to his royal favour ; another 
 to Augustine, warning him not to be puffed up 
 by the success with which God had blessed his 
 ministry. His words were : " Whatever thou 
 hast received, or shall hereafter receive, consider 
 not as given to thee, but to them, for whose 
 salvation they were given." 
 
 Addressing the King as his " most glorious and 
 excellent son," Gregory wrote as follows : "As 
 once the most pious Emperor Constantine brought 
 his subjects under the dominion of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, whereby he excelled all his pre- 
 decessors ; so your glory will be to spread the 
 knowledge of the One God, Father, Son, and 
 Holy Spirit. You will exceed in praise all your 
 predecessors, the ancient kings of this nation ; 
 and the more you purge yourselves of individual 
 and national sins, the better will you pass the 
 scrutiny of the Almighty Judge." He concludes 
 the epistle with an earnest exhortation to listen 
 to whatever Augustine shall advise, diligently to 
 keep it in mind, and to perform it with filial 
 devotion. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 GOTHIC INVASIONS. 
 
 The invasions of Britain by the Angles and Migrations 
 Saxons were part of a general disturbance through- into Europe. 
 out Europe. The movement began in the north- 
 east of Asia, on the confines of China. The Huns 
 were a bold and restless people, who preyed on 
 their neighbours, and drove before them, or de- 
 stroyed, the inhabitants of the lands which they 
 ravaged. They journeyed westward, arrived in 
 Europe towards the end of the fourth century 
 and laid waste those parts which were occupied 
 by the Goths, then divided into Visigoths and 
 Ostrogoths. The Huns dispossessed and expelled 
 them, and the Goths were obliged to seek a home 
 elsewhere. The Visigoths moved towards those 
 limits of the Eoman Empire which were on the 
 great river Danube. 
 
 Christianity had already spread amongst the uiphiias the 
 
 ^ -L <~> Apostle of 
 
 Gothic tribes, through the labours of Uiphiias, the Goths. 
 who has been named " the Apostle of the Goths." 
 Uiphiias had been consecrated their Bishop by 
 
 75 
 
76 Gothic Invasions. 
 
 CHAP, viii. Eusebius of Mcomedia, after which he devoted 
 himself heart and soul to the conversion of his 
 countrymen. Partly through the pressure of the 
 Huns, and partly from a desire to separate them- 
 selves from their heathen fellow-countrymen, the 
 Christian Goths petitioned the Emperor for a 
 home within the Empire. The petition was 
 carried to the Emperor Valens by ambassadors, 
 the chief of whom was Ulphilas, a man to whom 
 the nation was indebted for the use of letters, for 
 a translation of the Scriptures — excepting the 
 Books of Kings, which were omitted from a fear 
 of exciting too much their martial courage, 
 "which required the bit rather than the spur." 
 The Emperor was at Antioch, forcing on the 
 inhabitants the Arian theology, which Ulphilas 
 himself adopted, on condition that the petition 
 was granted, and lands were assigned for the 
 occupation of the Goths. The Emperor, however, 
 demanded a surrender of their arms and their 
 children, whom he distributed over the provinces 
 of Asia. 
 
 The Goths On these conditions, the Goths were allowed to 
 
 cross the 
 
 Danube. cross the Danube, and to "settle in the province 
 now called Bulgaria. But besides the peace- 
 loving disciples of Ulphilas, thousands of their 
 heathen brethren took advantage of the Emperor's 
 favour, and for days and nights there was crossing 
 
GotJiic Invasions. 77 
 
 and recrossing, many being drowned through the chap. viii. 
 force of the current. Whilst one of the leaders 
 raised the standard of Christianity, another raised 
 the standard of Woden, the pagan god of war, 
 before whose image all were required to bow 
 down, on pain of being burnt with their wives 
 and children. 
 
 The Goths, after they had entered upon the Defeat and 
 
 ' '' ^ death of 
 
 promised land, were much dissatisfied with the Salens. 
 behaviour of the Eoman Governors and military 
 officers ; their bold and independent spirit could 
 not endure Eoman insolence. They rebelled, and 
 revenged themselves by a march on Constan- 
 tinople, the capital. The Emperor Valens marched 
 out in hot haste, and met them in the plains of 
 Adrianople, where, after a disastrous battle, the 
 Emperor took refuge in a private dwelling, which 
 w^as surrounded and set on fire, and all within 
 perished by the flames. 
 
 The East was now without a ruler, and the Theodosiu 
 
 the Great. 
 
 Emperor of the West appointed as successor of 
 Valens, Theodosius, known as Theodosius the 
 Great ; the only man, as it w^as believed, able to 
 cope with the Goths. He met them with promises 
 of friendly and honourable treatment, gave their 
 chiefs a position in the imperial service, honoured 
 their leader Alaric, and settled on them the fertile 
 province of Eoumelia. They were now pacified, 
 
78 Gothic Invasions. 
 
 CHAP, viii . and Theodosius turned his attention to the 
 Church. Since Constantine, all the Emperors, 
 except the Apostate Julian, had been Arians. 
 But Theodosius held the true faith of the Mcene 
 Creed, and was as zealous in pressing it upon his 
 subjects as his predecessors had been in pressing 
 on them the Arian doctrines. 
 
 The Second A Bishop of Constantinople, named Mace- 
 
 General ^ ^ 
 
 Conn ml. donius, believed in the Godhead of Jesus Christ, 
 but denied the Godhead of the Holy Spirit. The 
 matter was submitted to a Council of 150 Bishops 
 at Constantinople, summoned by Theodosius in 
 the year 381. It was there decreed to be the 
 teaching of Holy Scripture that the Holy Spirit 
 is co-equal with the Father and the Son, that the 
 Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy 
 Ghost is God; and the following words were 
 added to the Nicene Creed : " The Lord and 
 Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father 
 and the Son, who with the Father and the Son 
 is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the 
 prophets." 
 
 Gregory Thcodosius vigorously set to work to stamp 
 
 Nazianzen, -, . . , tt n t /-^ -v-r 
 
 Bishopof out the Arian heresy. He called Gregory JNa- 
 
 Constan- "^ ° -^ 
 
 tinopie. zianzen to the See of Constantinople from his 
 native Cappadocia. Nazianzen was obliged for 
 a time to preach and minister in a private room, 
 which he named Anastasia, signifying thereby 
 
Gothic Invasions. 79 
 
 the resurrection of that purity of faith and chap. viii. 
 doctrine which the Arian and Macedonian 
 heresies had destroyed. It was afterwards en- 
 larged, and at length became the magnificent 
 Church of St. Anastasia, from whose pulpit he 
 proclaimed the pure Word of God with power 
 and eloquence. The heretical Bishop was ordered 
 by Theodosius to surrender his See, palace, and 
 churches to Gregory and the orthodox party. The 
 good man did not feel very happy in his exalted 
 position, and spoke of himself as being more of a 
 wolf than a shepherd. Gibbon describes him as 
 " the most pious and eloquent Bishop of the age, 
 a true Saint and Doctor of the Church." He was 
 soon the victim of malice and envy, and for the 
 sake of peace he resigned his See and retired to 
 his home in Cappadocia, where he spent the 
 remaining eight years of his life in writing poeti- 
 cal and devotional treatises. At the same time 
 the Emperor published and enforced the decrees 
 against the Arians, prohibited their religious 
 meetings, appointed inquisitors, whose duty was 
 to bring offenders to justice. 
 
 At this time there arose one of the most dis- Ambrose 
 tinguished lights of the early Church — Ambrose, of MUan. 
 who was suddenly called by the citizens of Milan 
 to be their Bishop, although he was not yet bap- 
 tized. It was no uncommon practice for such as 
 
80 Gothic Invasions. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. were brought up in Christianity to delay their 
 Baptism. The Emperor Theodosius was not bap- 
 tized until the first year of his reign. Ambrose 
 had filled the office of chief magistrate of Milan 
 with great distinction, and with much satis- 
 faction to the people. His call to be their 
 Bishop in spite of all his remonstrances, was 
 persisted in, until he regarded it as a voice from 
 Heaven. 
 
 Ambrose Milan belono'cd to the Western half of the 
 
 resists the ^ 
 
 vStSian Empire. The Western Emperor Valentinian, who 
 was of the Arian faith, often resided in Milan. 
 On such occasions he requested that there should 
 be a church in the city for those of his own faith. 
 This, as Diocesan, Ambrose resisted. His answer 
 was : " The palaces of the earth might belong to 
 Csesar, but the churches were the Houses of God ; 
 and within the limits of his Diocese he himself, 
 as the lawful successor of the Apostles, was the 
 only minister of God. He would sooner die as a 
 Martyr than yield to the impious sacrilege of 
 allowing the Arians the use of the Houses of God. 
 And when the Emperor and his Arian ministers 
 arrived in Milan, their lives were in imminent 
 danger, and were only secured by the interces- 
 sion of Ambrose. All Milan sided with the 
 Bishop and against the Emperor ; and when the 
 Bishop was entreated by some to comply with his 
 
Gothic Invasions. 81 
 
 sovereign's request, he answered fearlessly that chap. viii. 
 his life and fortunes were in the hands of the 
 Emperor, but he would never betray the Church 
 of Christ nor degrade the dignity of his Episcopal 
 office. Force was then resorted to. Gothic bar- 
 barians in the service of the Emperor were ordered 
 to occupy the Cathedral. The Archbishop met 
 them at the entrance, and with a voice of thunder 
 pronounced their excommunication. Then, with 
 the tone of a father and a master, he asked if 
 they were enlisted under the Emperor for the 
 purpose of invading the house of God. The 
 soldiers were awed, and withdrew ; while Valen- 
 tinian and his mother, at whose instigation he 
 had acted, retired from Milan. 
 
 The Arians were still determined that Ambrose Kebeiiion m 
 
 the West. 
 
 should have no peace. They secured against him 
 a sentence of banishment. But he boldly refused 
 to obey, and in this his people supported him. 
 They guarded his person, and secured his palace 
 and Cathedral. A rebellion against the Western 
 Emperor broke out in Britain, and spread rapidly 
 over France and Italy to the walls of Milan. 
 The only hope of stemming the tide was to call 
 in the assistance of the Eastern Emperor, Theo- 
 dosius. This assistance was granted ; and, after 
 a decisive victory, Theodosius rested for a time 
 in Milan, arranging the affairs of the whole 
 
 F 
 
82 Gothic Invasions. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. Empire, having become sole Emperor through the 
 
 death of his Western colleague. 
 Massacre of While Theodosius was at Milan, a terrible 
 
 the Thes- 
 
 saionians. tragedy was enacted at Thessalonica. A sedition 
 there had been caused by the conduct of a 
 favourite charioteer in the public games of the 
 Circus. This man had seen, and at once de- 
 sired to possess, a beautiful boy, the son of a 
 Gothic General ; who was a favourite officer of 
 the Emperor. The Goth declined to give up 
 his boy ; and the Thessalonians, in their mad 
 rage on seeing their favourite thus disobliged, 
 seized the General, murdered him and several 
 of his principal officers, and then dragged their 
 mangled bodies through the streets of the city. 
 Theodosius, hearing what had happened, was 
 filled with anger and vexation, and declared that 
 the shameful act of the Thessalonians should 
 not be expiated but with their blood. Hesitat- 
 ing a while between clemency and revenge, he 
 was finally instigated to revenge. He issued an 
 order for a general massacre, which was executed 
 with such speed, that the relentings which imme- 
 diately followed were too late. The inhabitants of 
 the doomed city were invited into the Circus ; and, 
 at a signal, were massacred by the soldiers of Theo- 
 dosius. The most moderate estimate states the 
 number of the slaughtered to be seven thousand. 
 
Gothic Invasions. 83 
 
 What was the conduct of Ambrose on this cHAr. viii. 
 occasion ? He had great influence with Theo- Penance of 
 
 *^ Theodosius. 
 
 dosius, and was regarded by him even with 
 affection. Hearing of the massacre, Ambrose 
 retired from Milan, and avoided the Emperor's 
 presence. Feeling that silence was likely to 
 make him appear a partaker of his guilt, he 
 indirectly excommunicated the Emperor. He in- 
 formed him that he had been warned by a vision, 
 never to give the Holy Eucharist into those hands 
 which were still polluted with the blood of an 
 innocent people. Theodosius was deeply affected, 
 and bitterly lamented his rash fury with all its 
 direful consequences. He came to the Cathedral 
 to join in its service, but was met at the porch 
 by Ambrose ; who, as the ambassador of Heaven, 
 declared that his private repentance was not 
 sufficient to atone for a public crime. "You 
 have imitated David in the crime; imitate him 
 in his repentance." Thereupon Theodosius made 
 a public confession of his guilt; and, humbled 
 to the dust, and stripped of all the ensigns of 
 royalty, he placed himself in a mournful and 
 suppliant posture in the middle of the Cathedral, 
 and solicited with tears and sighs the forgive- 
 ness of his sins. After eight months, he was 
 restored to the communion of the Church. 
 
 Of this event, Gibbon remarks : — " Posterity 
 
84 Gothic Invasions. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. has applauded the virtuous lirmness of the Arch- 
 Gibbon's bishop ; and the example of Theodosius may 
 
 observation. ^ ^ "^ 
 
 prove the beneficial influence of those principles, 
 which could force a monarch, exalted above the 
 apprehension of human punishment, to respect 
 the laws and ministers of an invisible judge." 
 Ambrose Although Ambrosc had firmly resisted all 
 
 intercedes 
 
 for an Avian compromisc witli the Arianism of the Western 
 
 usurper. 
 
 Emperor, when that Emperor died, he pro- 
 nounced over him the charitable hope of his 
 entrance into the mansions of bliss. The usurper, 
 who succeeded for a short time, had to thank 
 the good and brave Bishop of Milan. For, when 
 overthrown by the forces of Theodosius, the 
 clemency of the conqueror was secured by the 
 intercession of the Bishop. 
 The It is a belief, which has been long entertained, 
 
 "TeDeum.'' 
 
 and is widely prevalent, that the Church is in- 
 debted to Ambrose for the hymn, " Te Deum." 
 We are told that, probably from very ancient 
 times, psalms or canticles were intermingled 
 with the reading of Scripture in the public 
 service. Many of them occupy, as nearly as 
 possible, the places where they have been sung 
 for centuries. The first of these is the hymn, 
 "Te Deum Laudamus." In the Breviary, it is 
 called the Psalm " Te Deum, or the Canticle of 
 Ambrose and Augustine," from the old legend 
 
Gothic Invasions. 85 
 
 that, at the Baptism of Augustine by Ambrose, chap. viii. 
 it was composed by inspiration, and sung alter- 
 nately by the two Saints. Most probably, however, 
 it was composed in the Gallican Church. In an 
 ancient manuscript, it is entitled " The Praise of 
 the Holy Trinity, which Saints Augustine and 
 Ambrose composed," and is preceded by the 
 couplet, " Praise the Lord, ye children ; Praise 
 the Name of the Lord." 
 
CHAPTEE IX. 
 
 GROWING CORRUPTIONS IN THPJ CHURCH. 
 
 The march Theodosius THE Great died A.D. 395, and left 
 upon Rome, two sons to succeed him — Arcadius in the East and 
 Honorius in the West. From this time, the Eastern 
 half of the Koman empire remained distinct from 
 the Western, and had a continuous and separate 
 existence until its destruction by the Turks A.D, 
 1453. The two halves had been united under 
 one head for the last time by Theodosius. His 
 strong hand and wise government had kept in 
 check the barbarous Goths, but on his death they 
 aimed at a wider and more independent domi- 
 nion within the Empire. Their King Alaric went 
 from victory to victory up to the very walls of 
 Rome. The city maintained a siege for some 
 time. The inhabitants of the surrounding dis- 
 tricts fled before the savage warriors. The siege 
 was scarcely less destructive of life and property 
 than that of Jerusalem by Titus. The daily 
 allowance of bread was gradually diminished 
 until there was none to divide. The widow of 
 
 86 
 
Groiuing Corruptions in the C%urch. 87 
 
 Theodosius, as far as her means would enable her, chap. ix. 
 met the wants of the hungry and the perishing. 
 Many lived on the bodies of those whom they 
 had murdered, and even mothers tasted the flesh 
 of their slaughtered infants. Thousands died of 
 want in the houses and in the streets. The air 
 was infected with the stench of unburied corpses, 
 and pestilence followed upon famine. Messen- 
 gers were sent to Alaric to arrange the terms of 
 a capitulation. With a lofty tone they said that 
 if he would not treat with them on reasonable 
 terms, an innumerable multitude would march 
 out against him from the city. With a loud 
 insulting laugh the King replied, "The thicker 
 the hay, the easier it is mowed." He then named 
 the price of his withdrawal. " All the gold and 
 silver, all the rich and precious moveables, all 
 the slaves." "What," asked the ambassadors, 
 " will you leave us ? " " Your lives," was the • 
 reply. A stipulated sum, however, was agreed 
 upon, and Alaric withdrew, but for no long 
 time. 
 
 For the sake of his own safety, the Emperor Rome 
 
 trenoher- 
 
 Honorius had fixed his residence at Eavenna, ousiy sur- 
 rendered. 
 
 situated in the north-east of Italy, near the 
 coast, and surro-ymded by extensive marshes. 
 When he heard of the agreement made with 
 Alaric by the Eoman Senators, he scorned to give 
 
88 Grov-infi Corruptions in flic Chmxli. 
 
 CHAP. IX. his assent to such exorbitant demands. The 
 Goths were soon again at the walls of Rome, the 
 gates of which were treacherously opened, and 
 the inhabitants delivered up to the licence and 
 fury of the savage enemy. One restriction was 
 laid upon the soldiers by their leader, which 
 illustrates the power which Christianity had 
 already acquired over these fearless and cruel 
 invaders. Respect was to be shown for the 
 Churches of St. Peter and St. Paul. One of the 
 Gothic soldiers beheld with wonder the valuable 
 consecrated vessels. " These," he was told, '' be- 
 long to St. Peter, and if you presume to touch 
 them, the sacrilegious deed will remain on your 
 conscience." The soldier was struck with a 
 reverential awe, but, for further security, an order 
 came from Alaric that they should be solemnly 
 removed to one of the favoured churches. This 
 was done with the singing of Psalms and a public 
 procession, which was swollen by Christians of 
 all ranks issuing from their houses. 
 
 The Sack of Nevertheless, the destruction of the city went 
 
 Rome. 
 
 on ; and as Rome had done to others, so now it 
 was done to her. The streets were filled with 
 dead. Slaves rose up against their masters to 
 the number of 40,000, and visited upon them a 
 terrible revenge for the lashes they liad received. 
 The massive buildinsjs and the statues of the 
 
Growing Corm/ptions in the Clmircli. 89 
 
 gods, which adorned the Forum, were levelled chap. ix. 
 to the ground. In this terrible crisis were to be 
 seen many bright examples of Christian forti- 
 tude and self-sacrifice. This sack of Eome was 
 regarded by St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, and 
 the great Christian theologian of that age, as a 
 Divine judgment on the city for its luxury, its 
 pride, and grandeur, and as a triumph for Christ. 
 He asks whether, in Eome or elsewhere, the idols 
 of the heathen had been able to hold their own, 
 or preserve their cities from Divine wrath. Many 
 of the Christians fled for safety and succour to 
 distant parts. Some found refuge with St. Jerome, 
 who at that time occupied a retired cell in 
 Bethlehem, the Saviour's birthplace, where he 
 was engaged in translating the Holy Scriptures 
 from their original language into Latin. This 
 translation, commonly known as the Vulgate, 
 has from that time to the present been the 
 authorised version of the Koman Catholic Church. 
 Many of those who fled to him from the ruined 
 capital of the Empire were members of illustrious 
 families, and excited his compassion by their 
 misfortunes. This terrible visitation occurred in 
 August 410, and was considered by the Chris- 
 tian Church at large as a certain sign of the 
 immediate end of all things. 
 
 While the Visigoths, under Alaric, were work- 
 
90 Growing Corruptions in the Church. 
 
 CHAP, IX. ing devastation in the capital of the West, the 
 TheOstro- Ostrosjoths Were marchinsf from Asia Minor 
 
 gotlis march '-' ° 
 
 thi?"ie^*'^"' — where they had been located by Theodosius — 
 on Constantinople, the capital of the East. Here 
 the Emperor Arcadius was betrayed by one of 
 his chief ministers, who was a Gothic General. 
 The chiefs of the enemy had an interview with 
 the Emperor in a church, a little distance from 
 the city. It was agreed that the Ostrogoths 
 might transfer themselves from Asia Minor into 
 Europe, and that their leader should be a Master- 
 General of the empire. The Goths were Arians, 
 and demanded the use of one of the city churches. 
 This demand produced an uproar among the 
 Catholic Christians, and disorder throughout the 
 city. The gates were suddenly closed by the 
 inhabitants, and the people rose in a mass 
 against the strangers, 7000 of whom perished. 
 
 chrysostom It was about this time that the famous John 
 
 Bishop of • 1 1 ot P 
 
 constati- Chrysostom was appointed to the See of Con- 
 stantinople. It would appear that bribery had 
 already much to do with the election of a 
 Bishop, who was then elected, not by the 
 sovereign, but by the people. The election of 
 Chrysostom, however, was purely the result of 
 his own superior merit. John was his Christian 
 name, and Chrysostom — the " golden-mouthed " — 
 was added, because of his marvellous eloquence. 
 
Growing Comiptions in the Church. 91 
 
 Eutropius, the Prime Minister of Arcadius, chap. ix. 
 and an historian of the empire, had met with Popularity 
 
 as a preacher 
 
 him in Antioch, where he had established his ^""^^ ^"^^r- 
 reputation as a preacher of the Gospel. Eutro- 
 pius invited him to Constantinople. The people 
 of Antioch were unwilling to lose him, and he 
 had to be hurried away secretly in a post-chariot. 
 He surpassed the sanguine hope of his new 
 flock. Of a noble and wealthy family, he had 
 been tended and educated by his mother with 
 the greatest care. He had for his tutor Libanius, 
 the great master of rhetoric, who, being a heathen, 
 complained that his pupil might have succeeded 
 him, had not the Christians stolen him away. 
 He was baptized, and then left the study and 
 profession of the law for the Church. Six years 
 he lived the life of a severe recluse, and he con- 
 tinued to live, after he became Archbishop, by 
 the same rule, taking his meals, which were of 
 the simplest fare, alone, and applying the in- 
 come of his See to the building of hospitals. 
 Numerous monuments of his earnest labour in 
 the Church have been preserved. Not less than 
 one thousand sermons have came down to us, 
 remarkable for eloquent and copious language, 
 an inexhaustible fund of metaphors and simili- 
 tudes, of ideas and images, engaging the human 
 mind and heart in the service of virtue, and 
 
92 Gro'wing Corruptions in the Church. 
 
 CHAP. IX. exposing with irresistible force the follies and 
 
 vices of Court and people. 
 Degeneracy He raiscd against him two classes of enemies 
 
 of Court ° 
 
 and people. — thosc wlio cnvicd his high position, and those 
 whom he offended by his faithful reproofs. 
 From his pulpit in the Cathedral of St. Sophia, 
 he declaimed against the degeneracy of Chris- 
 tians, and the vices of the wealthy. He spared 
 neither the minister of State, nor the Court 
 favourite, nor the magistrate. He denounced 
 the corrupt lives of the Empress Eudoxia and 
 her ladies. He exposed to public detestation 
 both offenders and offences. The Court, the 
 Clergy, the Monks — all banded against him. 
 Strict ascetics he commended, but degenerate 
 Monks he lashed with severity. To persuasion 
 he added authority. In his visitation of his 
 Asiatic Churches, he deposed thirteen Bishops 
 for corruption, simony, or licentiousness. So 
 great was the flood of iniquity which had 
 gathered and spread over the Church, after one 
 short century of power and prosperity ! The 
 enemies of Chrysostom were furious. They 
 denounced him as the tyrant of the Church. 
 A conspiracy was raised against him, headed by 
 Theophilus, the Bishop of Alexandria — a city 
 which had been to some extent eclipsed by the 
 elevation of Constantinople. 
 
Growing Corruptions in the Churck. 93 
 
 A Synod of Bishops met, at which Theophilus chap. ix. 
 presented seven articles against Ghrysostom, who chrysostom 
 was summoned to appear and answer in his ^y Eudoxia. 
 defence. He, however, declined to trust him- 
 self amongst his adversaries ; and forthwith they 
 pronounced his condemnation and deposition. 
 For this they sought the sanction of the Emperor, 
 representing him as a reviler of the Empress — 
 calling her Jezebel. The imperial officers seized 
 and conveyed him into banishment, from which 
 after two days he was recalled. His return 
 caused great rejoicing among the citizens. It 
 became dangerous for any of the countrymen 
 of Theophilus to appear in the streets of Con- 
 stantinople. Theophilus himself fled in haste 
 from the city, which was now in a state of 
 sedition against the Empress, upon whom the 
 blame of Chrysostom's persecution justly rested. 
 For the sake of peace, she was obliged to entreat 
 the Emperor to restore the Archbishop. 
 
 This was a triumph for Chrysostom, who re- Restoiea 
 
 to his See. 
 
 turned to his duties, still declaiming against the 
 vices of the Court, and specially against the pro- 
 fane honours given to the statue of the Empress. 
 It was reported that in one of his sermons he had 
 used these words : " Herodias is again furious ; 
 Herodias again dances. She once more requires 
 the head of John." The truce was soon broken. 
 
94 Growing Corruptions in the Church. 
 
 CHAP. IX. The former sentence of deposition was renewed. 
 Troops were stationed to maintain order in the 
 city. It was Easter Eve. The administration of 
 Baptism was rudely interrupted ; the Cathedral 
 occupied ; and, on the following day, it was in 
 flames. 
 
 lu exile. Chrysostom quietly submitted to retire from 
 
 the city, to a small and desolate town of Armenia. 
 It was a difficult and weary march of seventy 
 days in the heat of summer. The hope was that 
 he might perish on the way. He arrived in 
 safety, and spent there the three remaining and 
 most glorious years of his life. His character 
 rose still higher in the estimation of the Church. 
 His faults were forgotten ; his praises were 
 sounded by every tongue. In his retreat he 
 kept up an extensive correspondence with the 
 most distant provinces, exhorting congregations 
 to be faithful ; that idol temples should be de- 
 stroyed, heresy extirpated, Christian missions 
 extended, great questions transferred from pro- 
 vincial Synods to a free and General Council. 
 
 The death of Another cruel order was issued, by which he 
 
 Chrysostom. 
 
 was banished to a still more remote and desolate 
 region, on the farthest shore of the Black Sea, in 
 the neighbourhood of the wild, uncivilised tribes 
 of the Caucasus — an order which was so cruelly 
 executed, that he perished on the way (a.d. 407), 
 
Gh'owinrf Corruptions wi the Church. 95 
 
 in the sixtieth year of his age. His innocence chap. ix. 
 and great merits were universally acknowledged 
 by the next generation. His remains were trans- 
 ported, thirty years after his death, from their 
 obscure resting-place to the royal city. They 
 were met by Theodosius the Younger, son of 
 Arcadius and Eudoxia, who fell down before 
 them, and implored forgiveness for the injuries 
 which had been done to the Saint. Within a 
 year of Chrysostom's death, the haughty and 
 criminal Eudoxia died in childbed ; her end 
 being applauded as a mark of the righteous 
 judgment of God for her cruel persecution of a 
 good and faithful mhiister of Christ. 
 
CHAPTEK X. 
 
 THE MIRACLES OF SAINTS. 
 
 Christianity In the difficulties and trials which attend the 
 
 confirmed by 
 
 Miracles, fij^gt prcaching of the Gospel to a hostile and 
 barbarous people, special assistance is needed 
 from Heaven. Such assistance, wherever and 
 whenever sought by faith and prayer, is granted. 
 The mission of Moses to the King of Egypt was 
 one of danger, which was overcome by the gift 
 of miracles, performed in the King's presence — 
 miracles of such a kind, as commanded the atten- 
 tion and respect of the King. The Twelve Apostles 
 and the Seventy Disciples were armed wth similar 
 powers. At the Ascension of our Blessed Lord, 
 the Apostles were charged to go into all the world, 
 and preach the Gospel to every creature. The 
 charge was accompanied with a promise — " He 
 that believeth and is baptized shall be saved : 
 but he that believeth not shall be damned. 
 And these signs shall follow them that believe : 
 In my name shall they cast out devils; they 
 shall speak with new tongues ; they shall take 
 
The Miracles of Saints. 97 
 
 up serpents ; and if they drink any deadly chap. x. 
 
 thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay 
 hands on the sick, and they shall recover." 
 Accordingly, miracles were performed by the 
 first teachers of Christianity, by which their 
 testimony to Jews and heathen was confirmed. 
 At Lystra St. Paul healed an impotent man ; 
 at Philippi an earthquake opened the prison 
 doors ; at Malta he shook off from his hand a 
 venomous reptile, and felt no harm. 
 
 The Venerable Bede, whose truthfulness as a Becie's tes- 
 narrator is praised alike by believers and un- miracles in 
 
 "^ Britain. 
 
 believers, records many instances of the same 
 kind of confirmation, which was given to the 
 message of the Gospel to the Britons and Saxons. 
 It was the belief at any rate of the age to which 
 they belong, that miracles were wrought in the 
 Name of the Blessed Trinity, by those Apo- 
 stolic messengers, who carried their lives in 
 their hand, for the sake of a nation's conversion 
 to Christ. 
 
 On his way to martyrdom, at the crossing of Miracle of 
 a stream, St. Alban found the water dried up ' 
 before him. And when he arrived at the hill 
 on the other side, where he was beheaded, and 
 being thirsty, there sprang up at his feet a foun- 
 tain of water. 
 
 Germanus, who had been invited over from 
 
 G 
 
98 Tlie 3Iiracks of Saints. 
 
 CHAP. X. France into Britain to stay the mischief of the 
 
 Germanus Pelagian heresy, had the assistance of miracles. 
 
 calms the "^ '' 
 
 wind and When crossing the English Channel, his passage 
 was safe and speedy for some distance. But 
 suddenly burst forth the rage of demons, who 
 envied the salvation of the island people. They 
 raised storms and darkness and fierce winds. 
 The sailors were bafiied and overcome. The 
 captain was worn out with toil and watching. 
 All hope was gone. The storm grew still more 
 violent. At length all eyes turned to Ger- 
 manus ; who, in the Name of the Trinity, re- 
 strained the fury of the winds, and the violence 
 of the waves. Help came from God ; evil demons 
 were put to flight ; the winds were favourable ; 
 and all arrived safe at the desired haven. 
 Restores the During his ministry, we are told of a daughter 
 magistrate's of oue of the cliicf magistrates, whom Germanus 
 
 daughter. 
 
 bade the enemies of the pure faith to heal. They 
 confessed their inability, and joined their prayers 
 with those of her parents, beseeching Germanus 
 that he would heal her. Then he, full of the 
 Holy Ghost, invoked the Blessed Trinity ; and 
 her sight, of which she had been deprived ten 
 years, was restored — to the joy of her parents 
 and the wonder of the people, who had witnessed 
 the miracle, and were thereby confirmed in the 
 pure doctrine of Christ. 
 
The Miracles of Saints. 99 
 
 Great virtue was attributed at the same period chap. x. 
 
 of the Church's history to the intercession of virtue 
 
 •^ attributed 
 
 departed Saints, and to the use of relics, in the to reiics. 
 cure of the afflicted. It is difficult for us at 
 this day to enter into the feelings of those who 
 placed such value upon the ashes of the departed. 
 The Twenty-second Article of the Church has 
 stated that the Romish doctrine concerning 
 Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and Adoration 
 as well of Images as of Reliques, and also Invo- 
 cation of Saints, is a fond thing vainly invented, 
 and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, 
 but rather repugnant to the Word of God. And 
 we must, therefore, grant that the Deceiver of 
 mankind succeeded in imposing upon the 
 ignorant and superstitious of every land for 
 many generations. 
 
 The dead body of Elisha caused the resurrec- superstition 
 tion of a dead man. Our Blessed Lord anointed fiurSgthe 
 
 early and 
 
 with clay the eyes of a blind man ; and then middle ages 
 directed him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. He 
 washed, and was restored to sight. It was such 
 examples upon which was grounded the belief 
 in the virtue and efficacy of dead matter, and 
 especially of the mortal remains of the Saints. 
 The miracles recorded as resulting from the use 
 of relics, from the fourth to the sixteenth 
 century, are innumerable. Every new Church 
 
100 The Miracles of Saints. 
 
 CHAP. X. was provided with the rehcs of some holy person, 
 or with something rendered sacred by association 
 with them. It was not the peculiar belief of 
 one Church. It leavened the whole Church. It 
 is the peculiar reproach now of the Koman 
 Church, that she, notwithstanding a reforma- 
 tion of other Churches in this and other matters, 
 still cherishes a belief in the efficacy of relics, 
 and refuses to cast off this and other super- 
 stitions. 
 Superstition If Scripturc forbids such a belief, the Eoman 
 learned. Church falls back upon St. Augustine and the 
 Venerable Bede — the great, but not infallible 
 lights of their own day, and of the ages that 
 followed. In the dreary times of ignorance and 
 superstition, no marvel that many even among 
 the pious and learned should be misled by an 
 ignis fatuus. 
 Relics The Emperor Arcadius provided relics for the 
 
 for new new cliurclies of Constantinople, which was a 
 
 churches. 
 
 new city, and not possessed of a long roll of 
 Saints and Martyrs, like Eome, with their tombs 
 lining the Appian and Ostian Eoads. The 
 remains of Saints Andrew, Luke, and Timothy 
 were brought from their quiet and obscure rest- 
 ing-places. The tomb of the Prophet Samuel in 
 Palestine was opened, and the dust of it conveyed 
 with great pomp to Constantinople. The whole 
 
The Miracles of Saints. 101 
 
 way was thronged with multitudes, who devoutly chap. x. 
 looked upon this treasure, as a new source of 
 health and life to the city, the empire, and the 
 world. A similar transfer was made of the 
 remains of the first Martyr Stephen to Jeru- 
 salem, and a distribution made from thence to 
 all parts of the world. 
 
 Some there might be who attributed no virtue useofieiics 
 
 unscriptural. 
 
 to relics, but considered them only as channels 
 of virtue — as food or medicine which have in 
 themselves no life and power, but are the means 
 of life, nourishing and strengthening as though 
 they were themselves a stay and support ; while 
 God is Himself the Author of life, in Whom we 
 live and move and have our being. But what 
 proof have we of relics being an appointed means 
 of life and health ? — or what Scripture example 
 could be taken as a precedent ? Those instances, 
 which seem most to the purpose, are far from 
 authorising such a use of the dust of the dead, as 
 that which prevailed in the Church for many 
 centuries. 
 
 With the honour mven to their remains, there Jesus the 
 
 "^ only Media- 
 
 was associated the honour done to the Saints g^yf^l^. 
 
 themselves. In their departed state, they were 
 
 believed to be actively engaged in assisting their 
 
 brethren and friends left behind on earth. We 
 
 are told that Germanus sought in prayer the help 
 
102 
 
 The Miracles of Saints. 
 
 Vision of 
 Laurentius. 
 
 CHAP. X. of the Blessed Alban ; and through him he offered 
 his thanks to God. It is only too evident that 
 the worship and reverence due to the Saviour 
 were being transferred to the Saints. At this early 
 period the merits of the Saints were fast becoming 
 that treasure which we have in Jesus, through 
 Whom alone we present our petitions ; there 
 being none other Name under Heaven, given 
 among men, through whom we can be saved. 
 On the question of Merit, we have the teaching 
 of the Eleventh Article of Eeligion. 
 
 Visions also became a feature in the Church, 
 Two examples may be given, which occurred at 
 the beginning of the seventh century in the 
 Anglo-Saxon Church, when Laurentius was Arch- 
 bishop of Canterbury. He was about to leave 
 the country in despair, on account of a general 
 relapse of the King and people into their old 
 idolatry and superstition. But whilst Laurentius 
 was in the Church of the Apostles Peter and 
 Paul, in Canterbury, in the dead of night, praying 
 and weeping because of the unhappy state of the 
 Church, there appeared to him the most Blessed 
 Prince of the Apostles, who laid on him with a 
 scourge, and asked why he would leave the flock 
 intrusted to him — or to whom he would leave the 
 sheep of Christ, now in the midst of wolves? 
 " Art thou unmindful of my example, who 
 
The Miracles of Saints. 103 
 
 endured chains, scourges, prisons, afflictions, and chap. x. 
 finally death itself — even the death of the Cross — 
 for the little ones whom Christ had commended 
 to my care, that He might prove my love ? — all 
 which I endured at the hand of the enemy, that 
 I might be crowned with Him." In the morning 
 the King was shown the stripes, and was told that 
 they had been inflicted because he and his people 
 had despised the grace of God, and the gift of 
 eternal life. The King was in great fear, at once 
 returned to the true faith, and furthered by every 
 means the work of the Church in his kingdom. 
 
 Another vision was that of Edwin, who had Edwin and 
 
 Redwald. 
 
 been driven from his kingdom of Northumbria, 
 
 and had found a refu^je with Redwald, King of Between 
 
 ° ° A.D. 613 aud 
 
 the East Angles. The usurper sought, if possible, ^^i-- 
 to accomplish Edwin's death. He offered Red- 
 wald money and other inducements to deliver him 
 up. At length Redwald consented; but of this 
 Edwin was warned by a faithful friend, who 
 entered his bedroom at the beginning of the night, 
 called him outside, and showed him the danger 
 he was in ; adding, " If thou art willing, I will 
 lead thee from this province into a place where 
 neither thy enemy nor Redwald will be able to 
 find thee." He replied, " I am thankful for thy 
 kindness, but cannot do as thou dost suggest, for 
 I shall give my friend real ground of offence, and 
 
vision. 
 
 104 The Miracles of Saints. 
 
 CHAP. X. he has never yet failed in his friendship to me. 
 And whither shall I flee to avoid the snares of 
 my enemy ? " His friend then left him alone in 
 front of the palace, sad, and pondering what he 
 should do, or whither he should turn. 
 
 EdJviu's While in this mood, a person of strange coun- 
 
 tenance and dress appeared to him. The stranger 
 drew near, saluted him, and asked why, at that 
 hour, he sat alone, sad and anxious. Edwin asked 
 what it mattered to him how and where he passed 
 the night. The stranger answered, " Do not sup- 
 pose I am ignorant of thy condition. I know who 
 thou art, and why thou art sad and troubled. 
 But tell me what thou wouldst give the man that 
 would free thee from thy fears, and persuade 
 Eedwald to do thee no ill, nor deliver thee up." 
 He said he would do all in his power, " And what 
 if he should make thee a king more glorious and 
 powerful than all the kings of the Angles before 
 thee ? " He answered he would give real and 
 worthy tokens of his gratitude. "And what if he 
 should show thee a way of life better, happier, 
 and more profitable than thy parents and relatives 
 ever walked in ? Wouldst thou consent to obey 
 his wholesome counsel ? " Edwin answered, with- 
 out hesitation, that he would follow his teaching. 
 The strange visitor then laid his hand on Edwin's 
 head, and said, " When this sign shall be repeated, 
 
The Miracles of Saints. 105 
 
 remember this occasion, tins conversation, and do chap. x. 
 as tliou hast now promised." Then he suddenly- 
 disappeared. 
 
 Edwin still sat where he was, rejoicing, yet Hopes of a 
 
 rGStiOr3(Lion. 
 
 afraid, and wondering who the stranger was, and 
 whence he came. While he was thus musing, 
 the friend who had advised him to flee returned, 
 and bade him rise, come in, and rest, for the king's 
 heart was changed towards him. He had been 
 recalled from his evil purpose, and was now con- 
 vinced that good faith is of more value than the 
 most costly presents. 
 
 In short, Eedwald was determined to reinstate The vision 
 
 ' fulfilled. 
 
 Edwin in his kingdom, and drive out the usurper. a.d. 017. 
 He raised a large army, and succeeded in com- 
 pletely overthrowing the enemy of the youthful 
 Edwin, who not only recovered his dominions, 
 but greatly extended them. Two-thirds of the 
 vision had now been fulfilled in his deliverance 
 and restoration ; but yet the faith of Christ, which 
 he had heard from the lips of Paulinus, the first 
 Bishop of York, he hesitated to accept. Coming 
 into his presence, a certain day, Paulinus laid 
 his hand on Edwin's head, and asked whether 
 he recognised the sign, saying, " Lo, thou hast 
 escaped thy enemies ; thou hast received back 
 thy kingdom by the Divine favour and goodness ; 
 remember now the third thing which thou pro- 
 
106 The Miracles of Saints. 
 
 CHAP. X. misedst, and do not hesitate or delay to welcome 
 the faith and the teaching of Him Who has de- 
 livered thee from temporal evils, and has raised 
 thee to the dignity of a temporal throne. If thou 
 wilt obey His Will, which He delivers by my 
 mouth, He will save thee from eternal evils, and 
 make thee partaker with Himself of the everlast- 
 ing kingdom in Heaven." 
 
 Edwin The Kino;, recosjnisino- the sisii, and hearincj the 
 
 accepts the o' o o & '^ o 
 
 faith. words of Pauliuus, confessed his duty and his 
 
 readiness to receive the faith ; but would first 
 consult his princes and counsellors, and see if 
 they agreed with him ; if they did, they would 
 together consecrate themselves to Christ in 
 Baptism. 
 
CHAPTEE XL 
 
 NORTHUMBRIAN KINGS. 
 
 As he had promised Paulinus, Edwin, the King 
 King of North umbria, called a council of his council^ 
 
 speech of the 
 
 chiefs and nobles, and inquired of them separ- Pagan high 
 
 ■*■ ^ priest. 
 
 ately their opinion of the new faith. The first 
 to answer was Coiti, the high priest of Paganism. 
 He said, " Whatever the new faith may be, the 
 old has proved of no value or utility. No one 
 has been more devoted to it than I, and yet no 
 one has been worse served. If our gods can do 
 anything, surely they ought to assist the man 
 who has been most diligent in serving them. 
 Whence it follows that if, upon trial, we find 
 the new faith more to our advantage, we ought 
 at once to receive it." 
 
 After him rose one of Edwin's chiefs, who speech of 
 
 the leading 
 
 assented to the words of Coifi, adding, " The chief. 
 present life, for shortness and uncertainty, may 
 be compared to thee, King, when sitting at 
 supper with thy chiefs and servants, on a winter 
 night. The fire is burning on the hearth, and 
 
 107 
 
108 Northumbrian Kings. 
 
 CHAP. XI. spreading its warmth tliroughout the room ; the 
 winds and storms are beating outside ; and there 
 swiftly flies through the room a sparrow, enter- 
 ing by one opening, and disappearing at another. 
 Whilst within it escapes the storm, but its com- 
 fort is only for a moment. It passes out quickly 
 from winter into winter, from darkness into dark- 
 ness again. So with respect to the present life ; 
 what follows and what precedes we know not. 
 If the new faith will teach us anything certain, 
 it ought to be received with welcome. 
 
 Idolatry Coifi rosc ao'ain, and asked that thev might 
 
 destroyed m o ^ .> o 
 
 bi?r^^^"^" ■'^^^^ Paulinus. And having heard him, he ex- 
 claimed, " I knew the gods we worshipped were 
 nothing ; for the more diligently I sought the 
 truth, the less I found it. Now I see it in this 
 preaching, which promises salvation and happi- 
 ness for ever. Wherefore I propose that the 
 temples and altars we have consecrated in vain, 
 be given to the curse and to the fire." To this 
 the King agreed. The faith of Christ was con- 
 fessed, and idolatry was renounced. When it 
 was asked, who would be the first to throw 
 down the idolatrous shrines, Coifi answered, " I 
 will ; who is fitter than I, who have been the 
 leader in folly ? " He, whose office had forbid- 
 den him to mount a horse or hold a lance, 
 rode off, lance in hand, to destroy the idols 
 
Northumhrian Kings. 109 
 
 of Northumbria, to the joy and wonder of all chap. xi. 
 
 beholders. 
 
 At the following Easter, 12th April, 627, Ed- Baptism of 
 
 ., i-i ■\ ~i -t /~i-i 1 Edwin and 
 
 wm was baptized m the Cathedral Church of his family, 
 
 ^ 12 April 627. 
 
 York, which the King had hastily erected of 
 wood — a structure which finally developed into 
 the present magnificent Minster. For six years 
 longer Paulinus preached the Word of the Lord 
 in the kingdom of Northumbria, until the death 
 of Edwin. Among those who believed, and were 
 baptized, were two of Edwin's children by a 
 former marriage, and three by his second mar- 
 riage with the daughter of Ethelbert and Bertha, 
 the King and Queen of Kent. 
 
 From Northumbria Paulinus visited the king- spread of 
 dom of the East Angles, extending from the in EasiT"^ ^ 
 
 Anglia. 
 
 Humber to the Thames. Piedwald, the King 
 like the Samaritans of old, was half Christian 
 and half heathen — worshi23ping one day with 
 the Christians, the next in the idol temple. 
 His kingdom consequently drifted back into 
 idolatry, until the accession of Sebert, who had About a.d. 
 been exiled in France. On his return to take 
 possession of his throne, he brought with him, 
 from Burgundy, Bishop Felix, to evangelise his 
 people. The labours of Felix were greatly blessed. 
 The whole province returned to the faith, and to 
 those good works which are the fruits of faith. 
 
A.D. 633. 
 
 110 Northumhrian Kings. 
 
 CHAP. XI. Paulinus also was labouring in the extension of 
 the knowledge of Christ, and in the erection of a 
 Cathedral Church at Lincoln, which became al- 
 most the counterpart of the Minster at York. 
 The See of York had been left in charge of his 
 faithful deacon, James. Such good results fol- 
 lowed the labours of these earnest Christian 
 missionaries, in the north and east of England, 
 that it was said a mother might travel with her 
 little boy the country through, from sea to sea, 
 without fear of harm. 
 
 Edwin's Civilisation, and a more regular administration 
 
 of justice, followed in the wake of Christianity. 
 Edwin raised drinking fountains on the roads, 
 wherever good springs of water were found. He 
 made state processions through his dominions on 
 horseback, attended by his ministers, and pre- 
 ceded by a standard-bearer, for the punishment 
 of evil-doers, and the encouragement of them 
 that did well. After a reign of seventeen years, 
 the last six of which he had fought under the 
 banner of Christ, he was slain a.d. 633, in a great 
 battle with Cadwalla, a British King, and Penda, 
 King of the Mercians. The immediate conse- 
 quence of his death was a massacre of Nor- 
 thumbrians, and a restoration of Paganism. 
 Penda was thoroughly devoted to idolatry ; 
 and Cadwalla was Christian in name, but 
 
Northumbrian Kings. Ill 
 
 a stranger in heart and life to every Christian chap. xi. 
 
 principle. 
 
 At this period, Britain was in possession of Differences 
 
 the old inhabitants, the Britons, and of the recent British 
 
 and Anglo- 
 invaders, the Saxons and Angles. The Britons ^'1^°^^ 
 
 ' o Churches. 
 
 had been driven into the west ; the Saxons and 
 Angles held the north, east, and south. There 
 was a Christian Clmrch among the Britons, long 
 before the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons, who were 
 Pagan idolaters, nntil the mission of Augustine 
 in A.D. 596. There were, therefore, not only two 
 bitterly hostile races, but two bitterly hostile 
 Churches ; differing in their order and discipline, 
 especially as to the time of observing the feast 
 of Easter, and equally tenacious of their own 
 peculiar customs. The British Christians counted 
 the Christianity planted by Augustine among 
 the Anglo-Saxons, as nought ; and would sooner 
 have communicated with the Pagans than with 
 the Christian Saxons. These latter called the 
 British Christians ignorant and stubborn, unlike 
 all other Christians in the world. Proposals 
 came from the Saxon Church some time after it 
 had been established, asking that the old and 
 new Churches should amalgamate, but on the 
 condition that the old Church should be subor- 
 dinate to the new. In the many conflicts be- 
 tween Britons and Saxons, there was always a 
 
112 Northmiibrimi Kings. 
 
 CHAP. XI. large element of religious strife and intoler- 
 ance. 
 Eanfrid and The kingclom of Northumbria consisted of two 
 
 Oswald sue- . . 
 
 ceed Edwin, provmces : tlic ouc m the south, named Deira, 
 reached from the Humber to the Tyne ; the 
 other in the north, named Bernicia, reached 
 
 A.D. 633. from the Tyne to the Clyde. Eanfrid, the son 
 of Ethelfrith, returned from exile among the 
 Picts and Scots after the death of Edwin ; ruled 
 for a short time over Northumbria ; and was 
 then slain in an engagement with Cadwalla and 
 
 A.D. 635. Penda. He was succeeded by his brother Oswald, 
 so remarkable in the history of the early Saxon 
 Church, and afterwards known as St. Oswald, 
 after whom many English Churches have been 
 named. 
 
 Oswald's The Picts and Scots had been evangelised some 
 
 near Hex- time bcforc Oswald and his brother had been 
 
 ham. 
 
 exiled amongst them. From them Osw^ald him- 
 self had received the Gospel, and became an 
 earnest and sincere convert. He gathered the 
 remains of his brother's army, led them against 
 the enemy in the Name of the Lord, and gained 
 the victory in the great battle near Hexham, 
 where Cadwalla was slain. The battle-field was 
 long held in veneration. It was a victory of 
 Christians over Paganism. Before the battle, 
 Oswald, on bended knees, besought the Lord to 
 
Northumbrian Kin(/s. 113 
 
 give him help. He addressed his whole army chap. xi. 
 thus with a loud voice : " Let us kneel and pray 
 to the Almighty, the living and true God, to 
 defend us from our proud and fierce enemy ; for He 
 knows we have undertaken this war for the safety 
 of our nation." After prayer, the battle began at 
 early dawn ; and faith and prayer won the day. 
 
 An institution sprang up early in the Church, institution 
 
 . . ofnionas- 
 
 of great advantage m certain conditions of society, tenes. 
 but liable at other times to become a snare and 
 a delusion — namely, the isolation of Christian 
 men and women in monasteries and nunneries — 
 there to live separated from the world, and from 
 all their natural guardians, by rules which 
 regulate their whole life, and the application 
 of their whole time night and day. Chris- 
 tians who lived this monastic life were named 
 Eegular, and were distinguished from^ Chris- 
 tians, who mingled with the world, and were 
 named Secular. The monastic life led to a 
 celibate or unmarried clergy, which was affirmed 
 to be a holier estate than marriage ; and had for 
 its outward and visible sign the tonsure, or 
 shaving of the crown of the head. 
 
 In a feeble and insecure state of society, Aidan 
 Christians needed certain well-established and Lindisfume. 
 strongly-organised centres of life and work. 
 There was a celebrated monastery in the island 
 
 H 
 
114 Northumhria n Kings. 
 
 cHAr. XI. of lona, off the west of Scotland, which will 
 illustrate the distinguished services which such 
 institutions rendered. After Oswald was securely 
 seated on his throne of Northumhria, he sent to 
 the Scots, among whom he had been exiled, re- 
 questing them to send him a Bishop, to re- 
 establish the faith in his dominions. He had 
 not long to wait. They sent him Aidan, a man 
 of fervent piety, of great judgment and courtesy, 
 whose Christianity was more of the British than 
 of the Anglo-Saxon type. Oswald assigned him 
 the island of Lindisfarne, afterwards called Holy 
 Island, near the coast of Northumberland. The 
 King assisted him in every way in his work. 
 He translated to his assembled chiefs, ministers, 
 and people what Aidan preached. Converts in- 
 creased ; churches were built ; the people flocked 
 together to hear the Word of God ; lands were 
 granted by the King, and monasteries were built, 
 to which the Anglo-Saxon youth were sent for 
 knowledge and discipline. Monks were em- 
 ployed by Aidan, himself a monk from lona, 
 which was long the headquarters of the monastic 
 institutions of Britain. 
 Monastery The Mouastcry of lona was founded by 
 Columba, who had crossed the Grampian Moun- 
 tains to preach the Gospel to the northern Picts. 
 The southern Picts had been converted by the 
 
Nortkwmhrian Kings. 115 
 
 preaching of St. Miiyan, Bishop of Whithorn, chap. xi. 
 in Wigtownshire ; whence the See was afterwards 
 removed to Glasojow. After much success amonoj 
 the northern Picts, their King gave Columba the 
 island of lona for the establishment of a mon- 
 astery. Before coming to Scotland, he had 
 founded a noble monastery in Ireland, the parent 
 of many others ; but over them all lona was 
 made supreme. The heads, or Abbots, were 
 priests, but never Bishops. Over all monastic 
 institutions their authority was higher than that 
 of the Bishop, which was often a cause of 
 much strife within the Church. 
 
 It was from the Monastery of lona that Aidau Aidan's 
 
 ministry. 
 
 came to evangelise the kingdom of Oswald. His 
 life was in harmony with his doctrine. He was 
 unmindful of this world, its wealth, and its 
 honours. He bestowed on the poor all his goods. 
 Every one whom he met in the street, or on the 
 road, was invited by him to share in the blessings 
 of the Gospel ; if he were a believer already, he 
 was encouraged to greater diligence in the race 
 for the prize of our high calling. He enjoined 
 upon his followers a fast on Wednesdays and 
 Fridays, until the ninth hour. 
 
 Another of the lona brethren had been sent ^S's* 
 before Aidan, in answer to Oswald's application ; fot^Q^ 
 
 ,, , , . . , . , . Bishopric of 
 
 a man ot a more austere disposition, whose mis- Lindisfanie. 
 
116 Northumhrian Kings. 
 
 CHAP. XI. sion was attended with so little success, that he 
 returned to his monastery, and reported that the 
 people of Northumbria were of a hard and in- 
 tractable nature. The elder monks met in 
 council, and amongst them was Aidan, who 
 thus addressed the unsuccessful missionary: — 
 " Brother, it seems to me you have been too 
 severe. You have not acted according to the 
 Apostolic maxim, ministering first the milk, and 
 then the strong meat." The Council then pro- 
 ceeded to discuss what should be done to meet 
 the needs of the King of Northumbria. It was 
 finally decided to send Aidan, through whose 
 earnest preaching the people of Northumbria 
 were blessed with the hope of eternal joys, and, 
 at the same time, with earthly greatness and pro- 
 sperity beyond any previous experience. 
 Charity and Notwithstanding the glory of his reign, 
 
 liuinility of , ., . i i • t 
 
 Oswald. Oswald was a man of great humility and kind- 
 ness towards his poorest subjects. On one occa- 
 sion, being seated at dinner, there was before 
 him a silver dish, filled with royal dainties. As 
 soon as the blessing had been pronounced, a 
 servant entered, saying that there was a crowd 
 of poor asking his Majesty's alms. Oswald 
 ordered both the dish and its contents to be 
 taken away, and divided amongst them. Aidan, 
 who was seated near the Kiuii, seized him bv 
 
NoTtliiirribrian Kings. 117 
 
 the right hand, and blessed him ; saying — chap. xi. 
 " May this hand never grow old." Afterwards, 
 when he had fallen in battle, and his hands and 
 arms had been severed from his body, they were 
 preserved in a silver chest in the Cathedral of 
 York, and, it was said, undecayed and uncoi- 
 riipted. 
 
CHAPTEE XII. 
 
 THE EASTER CONTROVERSY. 
 
 Political and The portioii of Britain possessed by the Angio- 
 
 religious 
 
 progress in Saxons was divided into seven kinordoms. formincr 
 
 England. *^ ' ^ 
 
 altogether what has been called the Heptarchy — 
 the chief or leading kingdom being at one time 
 Northumbria ; at another East-Anglia ; at another 
 Kent ; at another Wessex ; at another Mercia or 
 Mid-Anglia. Anglo-Saxon Christianity spread 
 from Kent ; British Christianity from the Mon- 
 astery of lona ; and the two streams met in 
 Northumbria. Paulinus, King Edwin's mission- 
 ary, came from the south ; Aidan, King Oswald's 
 missionary, came from the north. Einan and 
 Colman, who succeeded Aidan in the Bishopric 
 of Holy Island, came likewise from the north. 
 Penda, King of Mercia, was the zealous patron 
 of the old Saxon idolatry. His name was a 
 terror to all his neighbours. He had slain King 
 Edwin in battle, in an invasion of Northumbria. 
 In another invasion, a.d. 642, he fought the great 
 battle of Maserfield, in which King Oswald fell. 
 
 118 
 
The Easter Controversy. 119 
 
 The sanctity of this illustrious prince was chap. xii. 
 magnified to a marvellous decjree by the miracles The piety 
 
 '^ *=" "^ of King 
 
 which were reputed to have been wrought by os^vaid. 
 him, and by his ashes and other relics. As he 
 had bestowed alms in abundance during his life, 
 his corpse after death was equally powerful for 
 good. It prevailed against fire ; a heavenly 
 light hovered over it one whole night ; evil 
 spirits were cast out, and fevers allayed by it. 
 His head and arms, on which Aidan had pro- 
 nounced the blessing, " May they never grow 
 old," were transferred to the Cathedral Church 
 of Holy Island. His relics were distributed far 
 and wide. In Ireland, during a time of plague, 
 a person of distinguished learning, but regardless 
 of his salvation, fell ill, became alarmed about 
 his soul, and with trembling lips cried out that 
 he was lost, and that, if he should die, he must 
 be eternally lost. He resolved, if he were spared 
 to live longer, to give himself wholly to God. 
 But this new lease he could not hope to obtain 
 without the pardon of his sins, which could only 
 come to him through the merit of one who had 
 served God faithfully. The sick man had heard 
 of the holy King Oswald, and of the virtue which 
 had issued from his body ; and, remembering that 
 he had in his possession a relic from him, he 
 believed that, with firm faith, it might be the 
 
120 The Easter Controversy. 
 
 CHAP. XII. instrument of his recovery. And it is said to 
 have been the cause of his immediate restoration 
 to health; and, according to his vow, he lived 
 henceforth to God, preaching everywhere the 
 mercy of the gracious Creator, and the glory of 
 his faithful servant Oswald. So much was the 
 truth, as it is in Jesus, overlaid by the ignorance 
 and superstition of the age ! 
 ^redSion Oswald's friend, Aidan, entered into his rest 
 A.D. 651. A.D. 651. Like Oswald, he was considered worthy 
 of a place among canonised Saints, on the ground 
 both of miracles and prophecy. The following 
 instance of a prophecy is recorded by the Vener- 
 able Bede. The prophecy might in reality be a 
 conclusion, drawn from observation and superior 
 intelligence, in interpreting the facts of nature. 
 A presbyter, in high esteem with the Kings of 
 Northumbria, was sent to fetch Eanfleda, daughter 
 of King Edwin, from Kent, whither she had fled 
 for safety, after her father's death, to be the wife 
 of Oswy, who had succeeded his brother Oswald 
 on the Northumbrian throne. The presbyter 
 intended to go by land and return by sea, but 
 first went to Aidan to ask -his blessing on the 
 journey. After blessing and commending him 
 to God, he gave him oil, which he had conse- 
 crated, saying, " I know that, as soon as you are 
 on board and have set sail, a storm will overtake 
 
T]}p Easter Controversy. 121 
 
 you ; but remember to pour this oil on the chap. xii. 
 troubled waters, and the winds will be hushed 
 and the sea calm, and you shall come back in 
 safety." All, it is said, came to pass, as Aidan 
 predicted. 
 
 Aidan died in a tent, which he had erected J^eath and 
 
 character of 
 
 against the west w^all of his church, near the ^i^^"- 
 royal city of Bamborough, Oswy's capital, and 
 his body was laid in the Cathedral of Holy 
 Island. He is described as a man of peace and 
 charity, of humility and self-denial; unmoved 
 by anger, avarice, pride, or vainglory ; industrious 
 in observing every Divine precept, in reproving 
 the great and powerful, in assisting and consoling 
 the poor and needy ; careful, to the utmost of his 
 power, to observe whatever he had learnt from 
 the prophets and evangelists. 
 
 Finan succeeded Aidan as Bishop of Lindis- Kingoswy 
 
 i iifliiGriC6< I 
 
 fame, and after him Colman. Like Aidan, they by his son 
 
 ' "^ Ak-hfrid. 
 
 were both from the Monastery of lona, and 
 trained in the discipline of British Christianity. 
 Oswy was now King of Northumbria, and had 
 been educated and baptized according to the rites 
 of the British Church ; whereas his son, Alchfrid, 
 had for his tutor the learned Wilfrid, whose rules 
 of religion were those of the Anglo-Saxons and 
 of Kome. Wilfrid was invited into Northumbria 
 at the instance of Alchfrid ; and land was granted 
 
122 The Easter Controversy. 
 
 CHAP. XII. him for a monastery at Eipon — land wliicli had 
 been already assigned to the monks of lona, but, 
 upon their refusal to conform to the Anglo-Saxon 
 ritual, it was taken from them and given to 
 Wilfrid. 
 
 The Easter It was at tliis time that the question of Easter 
 
 controversy. 
 
 was agitatmo- the Churches of Britain. British 
 
 A.D. 661. ^^ ^ 
 
 Christians observed the Sunday, which falls on 
 or after the foiirteenth day of the Passover moon. 
 The Anglo-Saxons observed the Sunday which 
 falls on or after the fifteenth day of the Passover 
 moon — the moon which comes to the full on or 
 next after the twenty-first day of March. It 
 was King Oswy's determination to settle the 
 point once for all by the decrees of a Council, 
 which was held in the monastery of the Abbess 
 Hilda at Streneshalc, over which the King pre- 
 sided. Both sides were represented by their 
 leading men. On the British side were the King, 
 Bishop Colman, the Abbess Hilda, and Bishop 
 Chad. On the Anglo-Saxon side were Alchfrid, 
 the King's son ; Agilbert, Bishop of the West 
 Saxons ; Wilfrid, and James the Deacon, the 
 friend and coadjutor of Paulinus. 
 The speeches The King first delivered a short address, to the 
 and Bishop cffcct that those who serve One God should keep 
 to one rule, in their administration of the Sacra- 
 ments and other ordinances, since all expect to 
 
The Easter Controversy. 123 
 
 meet in one home in Heaven. All ought to ascer- chap. xii. 
 tain the correct tradition, and follow it. He 
 called upon Colman to speak, as the representa- 
 tive of British Christians, and say what his 
 custom was, and what its origin. Colman rose 
 and answered : " The Easter which I observe was 
 that of the fathers of lona, who sent me hither, 
 and ought not to be set aside, since it was the 
 custom of the Apostle and Evangelist John, the 
 beloved of Christ, and of the Churches over which 
 he presided." The King next called upon Agil- 
 bert to say wdiat his custom was. As one who 
 had not long resided in England, and must speak 
 by an interpreter, he desired that Wilfrid, with 
 whom he agreed, might be requested to speak for 
 the Anglo-Saxons. 
 
 At the royal command Wilfrid rose and said : wiifnd 
 " The Easter which we observe is that of the cohliTn."^ 
 Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, who lived, 
 taught, suffered, and died at Eome. Their cus- 
 tom is observed in all parts of the world, save 
 only among these obstinate Britons, who are en- 
 gaged in a foolish contest with all other Churches 
 in Asia, Africa, Europe, and in the greater part 
 of Britain itself." Colman replied, " Do you call 
 that foolish which we do after the example of 
 him who leaned on the breast of the Lord ? " 
 Wilfrid answered: " Far be it that I should blame 
 
124 The Easter Controversy. 
 
 CHAP. XII. John, who observed the letter of the law, while 
 the Church was yet in many respects Jewish, 
 nor yet able to break away from Jewish ordin- 
 ances. The Apostles desired to avoid giving 
 offence to the Jews who lived among the Gen- 
 tiles : and therefore Paul circumcised Timothy ; 
 offered sacrifice in the Temple for his own purifi- 
 cation ; had his head shorn at Cenchrea to signify 
 the expiration of a vow. And John for the same 
 reason observed the fourteenth day of the Pass- 
 over moon, and began the celebration of the 
 Easter festival on the eve of that day, being the 
 time when the Passover feast began, whether the 
 day was a Sunday or not. 
 
 " But Peter kept in mind that the Lord rose 
 from the dead on the Sunday, being the first day 
 of the week, and consequently waited until the 
 Sunday next after the fourteenth day ; which 
 might be the fifteenth, or any day up to the 
 twenty-first; and then began the feast of the 
 Eesunection. In this way he observed the law 
 and the custom of the universal Church, as it was 
 afterwards confirmed by the Council of Mcea. 
 But you follow neither John, nor Peter, nor the 
 law, nor the Gospel. You do not follow John, 
 who began the Easter festival when the Jews 
 began the Passover ; but wait until the Sunday 
 on or following the fourteenth of the moon. You 
 
The Easter Controversy. 125 
 
 do not follow Peter, who began on the Sunday, chap. xii. 
 7iot on, but following the fourteenth; which 
 might be the fifteenth, up to the twenty-first. 
 You do not follow the law, for what you call the 
 fourteenth is the thirteenth of the moon; and 
 you do not follow the Gospel, for our Blessed 
 Saviour observed the Passover, and instituted 
 His holy Supper on the evening which began 
 their fourteenth day, and was the eve of our 
 fifteenth." 
 
 Colman then referred to Anatolius, Bishop of Arguments 
 
 ^ of Colman 
 
 Laodicea, a great authority on the question ; and ^^^ wiifrid. 
 to the jDractice of Columba, the founder of the 
 great Monastery of Zona. Wilfrid replied that 
 Anatolius availed them nothing, for his rule they 
 did not follow, and as for Columba, he knew 
 nothing of him, adding, "Many will say at the 
 day of judgment, ' Lord, Lord, have we not pro- 
 phesied in Thy Name, and in Thy Name cast out 
 devils, and in Thy Name done many wonderful 
 works ? ' to whom He will answer, ' I never knew 
 you.' Not that I think this of your fathers. On 
 the contrary, I think and believe they served 
 God with rustic simplicity, but with pious inten- 
 tion, and their keeping of Easter on the Sunday 
 which may fall on the fourteenth to the twentieth, 
 instead of on the fifteenth to the twenty-first, was 
 through want of better information. But now 
 
126 
 
 The Easter Controversy. 
 
 Further 
 arguments 
 of Colman 
 and Wilfrid 
 
 CHAP. XII. you have that better infonnation, and yet you 
 persist in your opposition to the whole world, 
 and set up your Columba as an authority against 
 the most Blessed Prince of Apostles, to whom the 
 Lord said, ' Thou art Peter, and upon this rock 
 I will build my Church, and the gates of hell 
 shall not prevail against it ; and I will give to 
 thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.' " 
 
 At this point the King intervened, and asked 
 Colman if he admitted these words to have been 
 spoken to Peter. " Certainly, King," answered 
 Colman. "But," asked the King, "was this 
 authority given to your Columba ? " " No," 
 answered Colman. Acjain the Kinc,^ asked, " Do 
 each of you agree that these words were first 
 addressed to Peter, and that the keys of the 
 kingdom of heaven were given to him ? " " Even 
 so," they answered from both sides. Then said 
 the King, " Since this man is the doorkeeper, I 
 am unwilling to oppose him ; rather do I to the 
 fullest extent desire to obey his ordinances, lest 
 perchance when I come to the door of the king- 
 dom of heaven there may be no one to open, he 
 having turned from me who is proved to have 
 the keys." 
 
 When the King had thus concluded, the 
 majority of the Council voted for the adoption 
 of the Itoman custom, and the British was 
 
 The King 
 
 pronounces 
 
 judgment. 
 
The Easter Controversy. 127 
 
 thenceforth given up. Cohiian relinquished his chap. xii. 
 See of Lindisfarne, and returned to lona ; and 
 there succeeded him one who followed the Eoman 
 rule, thouo'h of the British Church. Chad of 
 Lichfield and the Abbess Hilda also went over 
 to the Eoman side. 
 
 We have here an illustration of the growing The Roman 
 
 • rt n 1 T~» /-<i 1 T p ii I'll le prevails. 
 
 influence of the Eoman Church, and of the argu- 
 ments used for the increase and confirmation of 
 that influence throughout the world. For many 
 centuries no argument prevailed so much in 
 deciding religious questions in favour of Eome 
 as that Peter taught at Eome, was the rock on 
 which the Church was built, and possessed the 
 keys of the kingdom of heaven. 
 
CHAPTEE XIII. 
 
 GENERAL COUNCILS. 
 
 The hypo- The iiiost important subject upon whicli the 
 
 static union. 
 
 Church has been divided is the Nature and Per- 
 son of her Lord. The mysterious union of the 
 Divine and human natures in the Person of Christ 
 must ever be beyond the most perfect under- 
 standing. The utmost we can do is with meek- 
 ness to receive the statements of Holy Scripture, 
 and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, derive 
 such needful light and comfort in our minds as 
 they are intended to convey, and we are capable 
 of receiving. 
 GeneS ^^^ ^^^^ early ages of the Church there was 
 
 '• much speculation by the heretics, especially 
 upon these high mysteries. Heathen philosophy 
 mingled with the doctrines of Holy Scripture, 
 widely differing views were held of the person 
 and work of the Eedeemer, and much disturbance 
 and division w^ere caused in the Church. The 
 troubles were met in the best way the circum- 
 stances of the time would allow. The authority 
 
 128 
 
 Councilfc 
 
General Councils. 129 
 
 referred to in the first instance for the settling chap. xiii. 
 of disputes was the Bishop. Then there was an 
 appeal to a Synod of Bishops and clergy, and after- 
 wards to a larger Synod or Council ; and finally, 
 when the world came under the rule of one man, 
 and after he had become Christian, a Council, called 
 Ecumenical, representing the Catholic or univer- 
 sal Church, was summoned by him. The first of 
 these was summoned by Constantine the Great 
 in 325, the second by Theodosius in 381, the 
 third by Theodosius the Younger in 431, the 
 fourth by Marcian in 451, the fifth by Justinian 
 in 553, the sixth by Constantine Pogonatus in 
 681. Since these six, no other General Council 
 has been acknowledged by the universal Church. 
 
 The chief purpose of these assemblies was to The settling 
 
 ofcontrover- 
 
 settle controversies, and to decide upon the teach- sies. 
 ing of Holy Scripture with respect to disputed 
 points of the mystery of Christ and of the Holy 
 Spirit. Arius, who denied Christ's Divine nature, 
 was condemned by the first ; Macedonius, who 
 denied the Divinity of the Holy Spirit, was con- 
 demned by the second ; by the third, Nestorius 
 was condemned, who denied a perfect union of 
 the Divine and human natures in one person, at 
 Christ's conception by the Holy Spirit ; by the 
 fourth Eutyches was condemned, who denied 
 that the two natures remained distinct after the 
 I 
 
130 Gfeneral Councils. 
 
 CHAP. XIII. Incarnation; the fifth confirmed the decisions of 
 the first four; and the sixth condemned Theo- 
 dorus, who maintained that in Christ the human 
 will was lost in the Divine. The followers of 
 Eutyches were named Monophysites ; those of 
 Theodoras, Monothelites. 
 
 The title While condemnincj error, the General Councils 
 
 " Mother of '^ 
 
 h°res o*f^^ defined, as* clearly as human language and human 
 Nestorius. understanding could, the doctrine of the Trinity 
 according to the Word of God. Nestorius 
 objected to a title given to the Virgin, which had 
 become common in the Church, namely, " Mother 
 of God." By this title it was intended to affirm 
 not so much the honour of the Virgin as the 
 Divinity of her Son ; and that He Who was con- 
 ceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin 
 Mary was the God-man, truly and distinctly God 
 and man — One Christ, Who suffered, died, was 
 buried, rose again, and now sits at the right hand 
 of God. St. Paul affirmed no less when he thus 
 addressed the elders of the Church at Ephesus : 
 "Take heed to the flock, over which the Holy 
 Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the 
 Church of God, ivhich He hath piorchased ivith His 
 own Mood." Nestorius held that the union of 
 God and man in Christ was but one of friendship 
 and respect, whereas the Church held it to be 
 real, substantial, and never to be divided. It 
 
General Councils. 131 
 
 was to maintain the Oneness of Christ, and at the chap. xiii. 
 same time the distinct existence in Him of the 
 two natures, that the third General Council met 
 at Ephesus, under the presidency of Cyril, the 
 Bishop of Alexandria. 
 
 But, althouf^h condemned and deprived of his The Nes- 
 
 torians. 
 
 position as Patriarch of Constantinople, Nestorius 
 persisted in his errors, which spread rapidly over 
 great part of the East. They were zealously pro- 
 pagated by the Church of Edessa, and took firm 
 root in Persia. There was a Nestorian Patriarch 
 at Seleucia. The Nestorian missionaries laboured 
 successfully in Armenia, Chaldea, Syria, Arabia, 
 India, and Scythia. In the 13 th century they 
 had bishops and clergy among the Chinese, and 
 in several of these countries Nestorian churches 
 are to be found at the present time. 
 
 In twenty years from the Council of Ephesus The heresy 
 
 *^ '^ ^ ofEutyches. 
 
 it was found necessary to summon another, which 
 met at Chalcedon. In his zeal against Nestorius, 
 Eutyches, the Abbot of Constantinople, fell into 
 the opposite error. The Council of Ephesus had 
 affirmed the oneness of Christ's person. This 
 Eutyches understood to be an affirmation of the 
 oneness of His nature, and that by the Incarnation 
 the human was wholly absorbed by the Divine. 
 The Athanasian Creed was held to favour 
 Eutyches in the following words : " As soul and 
 
132 General Councils. 
 
 CHAP. XIII. body become one man, so God and man become 
 one Christ." Eutyclies argued : " If this be true, 
 and if one man has but one nature, though con- 
 sisting of soul and body, Christ can have but one 
 nature, though being both God and man." He 
 pressed the comparison of the Creed too far. 
 Things which we compare are seldom comparable 
 all round ; the analogy may hold but in a very 
 few points. It was declared by the Council, by 
 which he was condemned, that whilst in Christ 
 there is but one Person, there are the two distinct 
 natures of God and man ; '"' neither confounding 
 the substance," like Eutyches, " nor dividing the 
 person," like Nestorius. 
 
 The The error of Eutyches spread, like that of Nes- 
 
 Eutychicans i • i i -r-»- i 
 
 or Mono- torius, ovcr Edessa, of which the Bishop was 
 
 ]iliysites. 
 
 Jacob, who became the head of a sect named 
 Jacobites. The heresy spread over Syria, Meso- 
 potamia, Egypt, and Abyssinia. At present there 
 are three principal sects — Oriental, African, and 
 Armenian. 
 The Mono- Aiiothcr qucstiou respecting the mystery of 
 
 tlielites. 1 /-wT 1 
 
 Christ agitated the Church of the seventh century. 
 Theodorus, Bishop of Mopsuestia, with whom 
 Honorius, Bishop of Eome, sympathised, thought 
 that there was but one will in Christ, and that the 
 human will was lost in the Divine. He grounded 
 his doctrine upon the words of the Lord, in the 
 
General Councils. 133 
 
 garden of Getlisemane, when in His agony He char xiii. 
 prayed, " Nevertheless, not my will, but Thine be 
 done." But what do we really find ? While the 
 Divine Will was that Christ should suffer, the 
 human will desired that the cup of suffering 
 should pass from Him. The human will shrank 
 from suffering, but was submissive ; while the 
 Divine Will ordained it, as the remedy for the 
 sufferinoj and death of mankind. The Sixth 
 General Council, which met at Constantinople, 
 decreed that, as the two natures are in Christ, so 
 there are in Him two distinct wills, human and 
 Divine. 
 
 The decrees of these six Councils are the voice The 
 of the Church echoinsj the voice of Holy Scripture, a General 
 
 ^ J r ^ Council. 
 
 and are binding on us now, not because the 
 Councils decreed them, but because, as the Church 
 has always acknowledged, they are the teaching 
 of the inspired Word. 
 
 Preparations for these great Councils were preparation 
 usually made by smaller Councils, or Synods of council. 
 the several national Churches. For example, 
 before the Sixth General Council, a Synod was ^.d. gso. 
 held at Hatfield of the English Church, under 
 the presidency of Theodore, Archbishop of Can- 
 terbury. Here representatives were elected to 
 be a deputation to a larger Council at Eome, 
 under the Bishop there. Wilfred was the 
 
134 General Councils. 
 
 CHAP. XIII. chosen English representative. Then again, at 
 Eome, representatives were chosen from the 
 members of the Council, who proceeded to the 
 Great Council of the whole Church of the East 
 and the West. 
 
 The Council The EugHsh Synod embodied its conclusions in 
 the form of a letter, addressed to the clergy and 
 Church of England. It proceeds thus : " As our 
 Incarnate Lord, Jesus Christ, delivered to His 
 disciples, who saw Him in the flesh, and heard His 
 discourses ; so have all holy and Catholic Synods, 
 and the whole band of approved doctors of the 
 whole Church, delivered the doctrine of our holy 
 fathers. And we, following them devoutly and 
 correctly, profess our agreement with their divinely 
 inspired doctrine, and confess with our holy 
 fathers, sincerely and truly, the Father, Son, and 
 Holy Spirit ; One God in Three Persons ; of the 
 same substance, and of equal glory and honour. 
 We also have accepted the five General Councils 
 of our holy fathers, namely, those which, to the 
 number of 318, met in Mcea against Arius and 
 his teaching ; in Constantinople, to the number of 
 150, against Macedonius and his doctrine; in 
 Ephesus, to the number of 200, against Nestorius 
 and his doctrine ; in Chalcedon, to the number 
 of 630, against Eutyches and Nestorius ; and in 
 Constantinople, against Theodorus and the doc- 
 
General Councils. 135 
 
 trine which he taught, in opposition to Cyril, chap. xiii. 
 And we glorify our Lord Jesus, as they glorified 
 Him, without adding to, or taking away ; and we 
 anathematise whom they anathematised; and 
 whom they received we receive, glorifying God 
 the Father, without beginning; and His only 
 begotten Son, begotten of the Father before the 
 worlds ; and tlie Holy Spirit, proceeding from 
 the Father and the Son, after a manner which 
 no pen can describe, nor tongue utter; as 
 apostles, prophets, and doctors have taught 
 and preached; and we have all put our hands 
 to the Catholic Faith, as it has been by them 
 and us expounded." 
 
 Theodore, who presided over the Council of Theodore 
 Hatfield, was the seventh Archbishop of Canter- UShop of '" 
 
 TT- • -n n Canterbury. 
 
 bury alter Augustme. His appointment will fur- 
 ther illustrate the growing power and influence 
 of Eome, especially over the Western Churches of 
 Christendom. The See of Eome looked upon the 
 Anglo-Saxon Church, planted by Augustine, as a 
 daughter, over whom she might and would exer- 
 cise the rights of a mother. On the death of 
 Theodore's predecessor, the Kings of Kent and 
 Northumbria agreed upon a candidate, whom 
 they sent to Eome for consecration. But he and 
 his companions died of the plague soon after they 
 arrived there. Without any apparent reference 
 
136' General Councils. 
 
 CHAP. XIII. to England or her kings, the Bishop of Eome 
 looked about for a successor in the monasteries of 
 Eome. The Pope thought of the Abbot Hadrian, 
 but he objected on the ground of un worthiness. 
 When pressed, he begged that he might name 
 another. This was Theodore, a native of Tarsus, 
 in Cilicia. He was sixty-six years of age, and 
 well versed in sacred and profane literature. 
 Theodore was accepted, on the condition that 
 Hadrian accompanied him, as being acquainted 
 with the countries through which they had to 
 pass; and likewise to prevent Theodore, who 
 was a Greek, and of the Eastern Church, from 
 falling into any doctrine or discipline at variance 
 with the Eoman Church. 
 
 He was consecrated by Pope Vitalian in the 
 year 668, and after a protracted journey, in com- 
 pany with Hadrian, arrived in England, to govern 
 a Church to which both were strangers. Hadrian 
 became head of the Monastery of St. Peter (now St. 
 Augustine's) Canterbury ; while Theodore entered 
 upon a general visitation of the Church. He was 
 the first Archbishop who brought all the Churches 
 of England into one communion. He took great 
 pains to promote learning, especially among his 
 clergy. He communicated so thorough a know- 
 ledge of Latin and Greek, that they were said to 
 have been as familiar to his scholars as their 
 
 Theodore'; 
 administri 
 tioii. 
 
General Councils. ■ 137 
 
 native tongue. Times were never more peaceful chap. xiii. 
 and prosperous in Britain, the kings never so 
 powerful, their subjects, like themselves, having 
 their minds set upon the duties and the joys of 
 religion. 
 
 In the year 673, Theodore presided over the synod of 
 Synod of Hertford. There were present the 
 Bishop of East Anglia ; Wilfrid, now Bishop of 
 Northumbria ; the Bishops of Eochester, of Essex, 
 and of Mercia, with their leading presbyters. 
 The Archbishop opened with an address as fol- 
 lows : — " I, Theodore, appointed by the Apostolic 
 See, although unworthy. Archbishop of Canter- 
 bury, and my most reverend brethren here pre- 
 sent, beseech you, for the love of our Eedeemer, 
 to consider together our common faith, and to see. 
 that the decrees which have been delivered to us 
 by our holy and approved fathers be preserved 
 by us incorrupt, for the furtherance of all things 
 which appertain to the peace and unity of the 
 Church. I ask all present to signify their assent 
 to the decrees, and to the faith, as anciently and 
 canonically delivered." This all did with readi- 
 ness. 
 
 Then he presented for their approval and assent canons of 
 the following Canons: — (1) That all observe the 
 Easter festival on the Sunday next after the four- 
 teenth day of the Paschal Moon ; (2) That each 
 
138 General Councils. 
 
 CHAP. XIII. Bishop confine himself as Bishop to his own 
 diocese ; (3) That no Bishop interfere with any 
 monastery, or with the property belonging thereto ; 
 (4) That monks shall not pass from one monastery 
 to another without the permission of their 
 superior; (5) That no clergyman pass from one 
 diocese to another without letters of commenda- 
 tion from the Bishop of the one to the Bishop of 
 the other ; (6) That Bishops and clergy be content 
 with the hospitality provided for them, and that 
 they perform no religious service in public with- 
 out permission of the Bishop of the diocese in 
 which they may be; (7) That a Synod be called 
 twice in the year, and once a year a more General 
 Synod of the whole English Church, in the month 
 ..of August ; (8) That no one Bishop exalt himself 
 above another ; (9) That the number of Bishops be 
 increased with the increase of the Church; (10) 
 This canon related at considerable length to ques- 
 tions of morals. 
 
 A united As iUustratiug the energy of Theodore, and the 
 
 National . c -i • •^^ -r» 
 
 Church. strictness of his adherence to Eoman rule, he 
 required the reconsecration of one Bishop who had 
 been consecrated by certain British Bishops, whom 
 therefore he considered not duly consecrated. 
 Such was his zeal in putting down the British 
 Church, for the sake of establishing the Anglo- 
 Saxon of Augustine as the sole Church in this 
 
General Councils. 139 
 
 land. Another Bishop he deposed for some act of chap. xiii. 
 disobedience, although a man of correct doctrine 
 and morals. But he succeeded in binding the 
 Church together into one national Church, long 
 before the nation was united under one sovereign. 
 And there is good reason for believing that this 
 union of the Church led to the union of the king- 
 dom, which has since developed into the largest 
 and most powerful of Empires. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 ATTILA, KING OF THE HUNS. 
 
 Truth The power of true relisrion and of the Church 
 
 prevails iu -^ ° 
 
 the end. of God has always in the end been more than a 
 match against false religion, even when that 
 false religion has been backed by the princes of 
 this world, whether they have been cruel and 
 coarse barbarians, or refined and well-educated 
 Greeks. The waves of heathenism have often 
 darkened the horizon of the Church of God, 
 threatening it with an overwhelming storm ; 
 yet that Church has prevailed in the end, and 
 the heathen have either submitted themselves, 
 or have been destroyed. 
 
 Thepiidc At intervals the world's history presents us 
 
 of princes 
 
 with examples of great and leading men building 
 up an Empire. They have gone forward irre- 
 sistibly from conquest to conquest. They have 
 come to be regarded by themselves and their 
 followers as invincible. But ere long they have 
 been made conscious of the presence of One 
 greater than themselves standing in their way, 
 
 140 
 
 humbled. 
 
Attila, King oj the Huns. 141 
 
 as the Angel stood in the way of Balaam, when chap. xiv. 
 their purpose has been not to bless, but to curse 
 His people. 
 
 Alexander the Great is an instance. He built Alexander 
 
 the Great. 
 
 an empire upon the ruins of the great Persian 
 Empire which he had pulled down. He had 
 fought his way victoriously from his kingdom of 
 Macedon to the land of Israel. He sent a de- 
 mand to the High Priest at Jerusalem by letter 
 that he must transfer his allegiance from the 
 King of Persia to himself. The High Priest re- 
 plied that he could not break his oath of allegiance 
 to Darius. The mighty conqueror became very 
 angry. He was then engaged with the siege of 
 Tyre, the prince of merchant cities. He took it, 
 and also Gaza ; and the land of Israel was con- 
 sequently between the finger and thumb of 
 Alexander, who then proceeded to punish the 
 High Priest. 
 
 At that time two brothers, Jaddua and Man- The lempie 
 asseh, divided the office of High Priest between Gerizzim. 
 them. Manasseh married, against the law of the 
 Jews, a foreign wife, daughter of Sanballat, the 
 Persian Governor of Samaria. The Jews held 
 that Manasseh was thus disqualified for his holy 
 office, and they expelled him. His father-in-law, 
 however, promised, if he would not put away his 
 wife for the sake of keeping his office, he would, 
 
142 
 
 Attila, King of the Huns. 
 
 CHAP. XIV. through his influence with the King of Persia, 
 provide him with another temple, and make him 
 the High Priest of it. But when the King of 
 Persia was utterly routed in the battle of Issus, 
 in Cilicia, Sanballat at once transferred his alle- 
 giance to the victorious Alexander. Moreover, 
 he sent him assistance in men and money, with a 
 letter, asking the favour which he had promised 
 his son-in-law Manasseh. This was granted, and 
 the temple was built on Mount Gerizzim, in 
 opposition to that of Jerusalem ; and Manasseh 
 was made its first High Priest, in opposition to 
 his brother Jaddua, who was in ill odour with 
 Alexander. This was part of Jaddua's punish- 
 ment for his refusing to break his word to the 
 King of Persia, and the beginning of that bitter- 
 ness between Jews and Samaritans of which 
 Jesus tasted at Jacob's well. 
 
 Jaddua was in mortal fear of his enemy, 
 who was now approaching; but was comforted 
 by prayer and by a vision, in which he was in- 
 structed to go out in solemn procession with the 
 priests in their robes, and with the people clad 
 in white garments, to meet Alexander. The 
 soldiers of the conqueror were eagerly expect- 
 ing the speedy capture of the far-famed city and 
 temple. They anticipated the possession of mag- 
 nificent spoils. The people went forth dressed 
 
 Jaddua 
 prepares 
 to meet 
 Alexander. 
 
Attn a, King of the Huns. 143 
 
 in white ; the priests in their robes of fine linen ; chap. xiv. 
 the High Priest, with his noble bearing, in purple 
 and scarlet, the mitre on his head, with its plate 
 of gold, bearing the motto, " Holiness to the 
 Lord." 
 
 Alexander, as he approached alone, bowed in Alexander 
 adoration of that Holy Name, and was the first to God of 
 
 Israel. 
 
 salute. Then the priest and the people saluted. 
 One of the generals of Alexander asked his 
 master why he, whom all adored, adored this 
 High Priest ? The Prince replied, " I did not 
 adore him, but that God, Who has honoured him 
 with the office. I saw this very person, in this 
 very dress, in a dream which I had in Macedonia, 
 when I was considering with myself how I should 
 obtain possession of Asia ; and he exhorted me 
 to make no delay, but boldly push on ; that he 
 would conduct my army, and give me the victory 
 and dominion over the Persians. I believe that, 
 under the Divine conduct, all will come to pass 
 according to my dream." The High Priest then 
 led Alexander into the city, where he offered 
 sacrifices to the God of Israel. The High Priest 
 also pointed out in the Book of the Prophet 
 Daniel, the passages where he predicts the con- 
 quest of the Persians by the Greeks. On the 
 following day Alexander departed, leaving the 
 city unharmed, and promising freedom of wor- 
 
144 Attila, King of tlic Huns, 
 
 CHAP. XIV. ship to the Jews throughout his dominions. This 
 is an instance of submission to the Name of the 
 Lord and His worship at Jerusalem on the part 
 of a refined and literary prince — the conqueror 
 of the Persian and the founder of the Greek Em- 
 pire — which occurred a little more than three 
 centuries before the Birth of Christ. 
 
 Waves of Another instance of a victory gained over 
 
 population 
 
 from the worMly powcr by the Church of God shall be 
 that of another great conqueror — a rude, cruel, 
 uncivilised, and uncouth barbarian — who con- 
 tributed more than any one to the downfall of 
 the Eoman Empire, to the foundation of the 
 feudalism of the Middle Ages, and the formation 
 of the modern States of Europe. This instance 
 occurred about the middle of the fifth century of 
 the Christian era. That period was one of ter- 
 rible political convulsions. When some huge 
 rock is hurled into the sea, wave follows after 
 wave, and beats violently against the neighbour- 
 ing beach ; so wave after wave of population 
 swept over the countries of Europe from east to 
 west, starting from some centre of disturbance in 
 Asia. Eeference has already been made to the 
 invasions of Asia Minor, Thrace, Greece, and 
 Italy by the Goths, and the sack of Eome by 
 Alaric, their King, a.d. 410. But a wave of Huns 
 swept behind that of the Goths, and with greater 
 
Attilcc, King of the Huns. 145 
 
 violence, under the leadership of the dreaded chap. xiv. 
 Attila, whose boast it was that the grass never 
 grew on the spot where his horse had trod. 
 
 The Emperor Valentinian iii., whose Court Attiia aud 
 
 Houoria. 
 
 was at Eavenna, had a sister named Honoria. 
 Attila declared himself her lover and champion. 
 But the proposals of the barbarian prince were 
 rejected by the imperial Court; and at sixteen 
 years of age Honoria, for the sake of her better 
 security, was put in seclusion, where she passed 
 some twelve to fourteen years in enforced reli- 
 gious duties. At length she made a desperate 
 effort to gain her freedom. She determined to 
 put herself in the hands of Attila. She sent by 
 a faithful eunuch a ring, earnestly entreating him 
 to claim his faithful spouse. These addresses 
 were received with some disdain by one who 
 had multiplied his wives at his own pleasure, 
 and at his own time. But he decided to 
 demand the release and surrender of his 
 bride, with a fair share of imperial territory 
 as her dowry. This was declined; and it was 
 alleged that the hand of Honoria had been 
 pledged to another. Immediately after the dis- 
 covery of this connection between Attila and 
 Honoria, she was married to an obscure indi- 
 vidual, and confined within the walls of a 
 prison. 
 
 K 
 
146 Attila, King of the Huns. 
 
 CHAP. XIV. Attila now pursued his revenge. All the cities 
 Attiia's and countries, as he passed from. Scythia in the 
 
 desolating ^ "^ 
 
 march. East to Gaul in the West, were mercilessly 
 ravaged and destroyed. Some few, like Troyes, 
 in France, were saved, as it was believed, by the 
 prayers, or the merits, or the miracles of Saints. 
 Metz was taken by storm. There was one pro- 
 miscuous massacre of priests at the altar, and 
 of helpless infants, who had been brought with 
 haste, in the hour of danger, for Baptism. Finally 
 the whole city was given to the flames. At 
 Orleans, battering-rams were brought against 
 the walls. All citizens, not under arms, were 
 prostrate in prayer. The Bishop was anxiously 
 counting the days and hours, when relief might 
 come. A trusty messenger was sent to a neigh- 
 bouring hill to look out for the expected aid, 
 but twice he returned without intelligence. The 
 third time he reported that a small cloud was 
 visible in the distant horizon. "It is the help 
 of God," exclaimed the Bishop — " It is the help 
 of God." 
 His un- The Eoman and Gothic armies were now fast 
 
 spirit. approaching for their relief. Attila at once 
 raised the siege, and ordered a retreat. He was, 
 however, followed by the brave Eoman General, 
 ^tius. Although beaten in one or two engage- 
 ments, he assured his followers that the Eoman 
 
Attila, King of the Huns. 147 
 
 and Gothic successes were insignificant ; and chap. xiv. 
 encouraged them with promises of the protection 
 of Heaven, and safety against the darts of their 
 enemies. " I will myself," he said, " throw the 
 first javelin ; and the wretch who refuses to 
 imitate the example of his Sovereign, is doomed 
 to inevitable death." 
 
 Tlie decisive battle was fought on the plains Attiia 
 of Chalons, in which it was stated that 300,000 chaions. 
 were slain. Victory crowned the Eomans and 
 the Goths ; but Theodoric, the King of the 
 Goths, had fallen. Notwithstanding this severe 
 defeat, the terror of Attila's name continued. 
 He was compared to a lion, encompassed in his 
 den, and threatening his hunters with renewed 
 and redoubled fury. And the Eomans were 
 beginning to feel that, if the Huns were annihi- 
 lated, the Goths w^ould turn against them. The 
 Huns retreated for the present to the Thuringian 
 Forest, where they massacred their captives and 
 hostages, and left their bodies on the ground to 
 the dogs and the vultures. Again Attila de- 
 manded Honoria, and was again refused. To 
 strengthen his position, and to further his suit, 
 he had from the beginning made a profession of 
 Christianity, and had been baptized. 
 
 And now, having been again refused, he as- 
 saulted Aquileia, the richest and most populous 
 
148 Attila, Ki7ig of the Huns. 
 
 CHAP. XIV. city of Italy, on the Hadriatic coast, with stones, 
 The destruc- darts, and fire. Three months it resisted ; and 
 
 tion of 
 
 Aquiieia. Attila was about to retire, when, as he was riding 
 round the walls, he observed a stork with her 
 infant brood, flying into the country, from her 
 nest in one of the towers. This he regarded as a 
 good omen, signifying that the city was doomed. 
 He resumed the siege, and made the first breach, 
 where he had observed the departure of the stork. 
 The destruction of the city was so complete, 
 that the ruins in the following generation were 
 scarce discernible. The refugees formed, upon the 
 neighbouring islands, the nucleus of what was 
 afterwards the most famous city of Venice. 
 
 Rome Attila now hastened on towards Eome, to 
 
 spared, 
 
 deal his final and decisive stroke. The Emperor 
 and Senate sent out to meet him a distinguished 
 embassy; of which the principal person was 
 Leo, Bishop of Eome, known as Leo the Great ; 
 distinguished alike for his learning, and his 
 championship of the Church. The embassy was 
 introduced ; the barbarian listened with respect- 
 ful attention. He promised to spare Italy, if the 
 Princess Honoria was surrendered. At the same 
 time, he had resolved to march his army up to 
 the gates of Eome. He was warned that Alaric 
 survived his assault of the city but a little while. 
 His fears were aroused. He felt the power of 
 
Attila, King of the Huns. 149 
 
 Leo. He was awed by his eloquence, by bis chap, xiv 
 majestic form, and by his sacred robes. The 
 sight of this great spiritual father excited his 
 veneration. Moreover, he had seen in a dream 
 the two Apostles, Peter and Paul, the great 
 spiritual guardians of the city, threatening him 
 with death, should he reject their prayer to spare 
 the city. Attila retreated, and Eome was saved. 
 Erom these examples, it will be seen that the 
 true and certain defence of the Church is the Death of 
 
 Attila 
 
 fear of God, and a trust in His present help. 
 Missionaries go into the world with this confi- 
 dence, and contend with success against spiritual 
 wickedness in high places, against the darkness 
 and cruelty of heathenism, against the blight 
 of infidelity and immorality, against the fierce 
 tempers and cruel arrogance of conquering princes, 
 against every stronghold of Satan. Often has 
 the enemy perished — the victim of his own folly 
 and vice. Alexander perished thus, at the age 
 of thirty-two; and Attila, on his retreat from 
 Eome, married a fair maid from beyond the 
 Danube, and, on the morning after his nuptials, 
 was found dead in his bed. 
 
 Waves of population continued to flow from 
 East to West. The Franks settled in Gaul, and Migrations 
 
 from East 
 
 gave it its present name of France. The Anglo- to west. 
 Saxons proceeded still further west, and crossed 
 
150 Attila, King of the Huns. 
 
 CHAP. XIV. over into England. The Danai fixed their abode 
 in Denmark ; and the Frisians, who settled in 
 Holland, have left their name in the province of 
 Friesland. The Huns found a home at last in 
 the extensive territory of Hungary. The general 
 name, by which these migratory nations was 
 known, in their mixed condition, was Germans. 
 This succession of heathen tribes beat upon the 
 Christian provinces of Gaul and Britain; and 
 for some time threatened the very existence 
 of Christianity in the West; inflicting untold 
 miseries upon Christians and heathen alike. 
 But Christianity triumphed in the end. Numer- 
 ous missionaries went out from Britain and from 
 Eome ; and stemmed the tide of heathen idolatry 
 and superstition. 
 
 Two centuries after Attila, the Franks had 
 Conversion bccome Christian, through the influence and 
 the Franks, example of their great leader, Clovis. The 
 family of Clovis appointed officers of the house- 
 hold, who became powerful governors over the 
 provinces of the kingdom of the Franks, and were 
 named Mayors of the Palace. One of the most 
 distinguished of these was Pepin d'Heristal ; 
 whose son, Charles Martel, was even more dis- 
 tinguished than his father, by his successful 
 resistance of the tide of Mohammedan conquest. 
 Charles and his father were long engaged in 
 
Attila, King of the Hims. 151 
 
 subduing the heathen Frisians. Their chief, chap, xiv. 
 Eaclbod, was compelled at last to yield, even to of^p^fj-^'*^" 
 the extent of embracing Christianity. But when othe?^' ^^'^ 
 he was about to be baptized, and one foot was Europe. °*^ 
 already immersed in the water, it occurred to 
 him to ask the question, where his departed 
 ancestors were. " In hell," was the cruel answer 
 of the Bishop, who was standing near. " Mighty 
 well, then," answered the old warrior, withdraw- 
 ing his foot, " I will rather feast with my 
 ancestors in the halls of Woden, than dwell 
 with your little starveling band of Christians." 
 Eadbod died, as he had lived, a heathen. So 
 did his son, who, however, permitted the intro- 
 duction of Christianity among his people. Wil- 
 librod, a British missionary, was consecrated 
 their Bishop at Eome ; and, with the favour 
 and assistance of Charles Martel, destroyed the 
 idols of the Frisians, built numerous churches, 
 and became the first Bishop of the city of 
 Utrecht. Two brothers named Hewald, and a 
 third man, known afterwards as the Apostle of 
 Germany, also went from the shores of England 
 to preach the Gospel, where it had not been 
 heard, and to seal their testimony with their 
 blood. 
 
CHAPTEK XV. 
 
 MONASTIC INSTITUTIONS. 
 
 The means of DURING the early a^es of Christianity, the 
 
 circulating 
 
 Christian means of circulating a knowledge of Divine truth 
 
 knowledge. ^ ^ 
 
 were very limited, partly through the ignorance 
 which prevailed, and partly through the labour 
 and cost of multiplying manuscript copies of 
 God's Word. Kings and nobles were frequently 
 unable to write their names. Under these cir- 
 cumstances, we shall not be surprised that visions 
 and dreams exercised great influence, that miracles 
 multiplied, that pictures, which adorned the walls 
 and roofs of churches, supplied the needs of the 
 unlearned, that the cross became the favourite 
 symbol of our redemption, and that every suit- 
 able and appropriate device was employed, where- 
 by the unlettered might be instructed and im- 
 pressed with the everlasting benefit of the 
 Saviour's life, suffering, and death. The minis- 
 ters of Christ became distinguished by their 
 peculiar dress, and by the tonsure, which was 
 intended to represent the crown of thorns. As 
 
 152 
 
Monastic Institutions. 153 
 
 printing was not invented until the fifteenth chap. xv. 
 century, all books were in manuscript; and 
 nearly all manuscripts were in a language un- 
 known to the people, who were called laity, as 
 distinguished from monks and clergy, who were 
 specially set apart for their learning, and hence 
 named clergy. Until the introduction of Chris- 
 tianity, many countries were entirely without 
 opportunities of learning, and there was but 
 little good ground where the seeds of know- 
 ledge could be sown, and where learning could 
 take root and bear fruit for a long time, except 
 in the monasteries, which served the purposes 
 of both school, college, and university. Into 
 these, all who wished to dedicate themselves to 
 the work of the ministry entered early. 
 
 Monasteries, of which so many splendid ruins Monasteries 
 
 T-. . . , p 111 sometimes 
 
 exist m Britain, became too often the abodes of the homes 
 
 of indolence 
 
 indolence and vice. Young princes and nobles, '^"'^ ^^''^• 
 in some instances, obtained royal grants of land 
 in the name of religion ; built a monastery, ob- 
 tained their appointment to be the head, and 
 then with their boon companions allowed and 
 practised unbridled indulgence. No wonder 
 these institutions fell into great discredit, and 
 brought disgrace upon the name of religion. 
 With the best government, they are liable to 
 special abuses, from the difficulty of restraining 
 
154 Monastic Institutions. 
 
 CHAP. XV. the young dwelling together under one roof, and 
 
 of guiding them in the paths of virtue, when 
 
 the world, the flesh, and the devil present their 
 
 attractions at the most susceptible period of life. 
 
 Monasteries But the mouastic society, speaking generally, 
 
 centres of at first and for some time, consisted of earnest 
 
 life and ' 
 
 light. ^^^ zealous servants of God, whose lives were 
 
 sincerely devoted to the spread of true religion. 
 We have already referred to the monastery 
 founded by Columba in lona, and to others 
 which looked to it as a mother. There is one, 
 whose ruins are a source of deep interest to 
 travellers in Scotland — the Abbey of Melrose. 
 Connected with it stands the name of Cuthbert, 
 who became Bishop of Lindisfarne in A.D. 685. 
 From his earliest years he had been devoted to 
 a religious life. He entered the Monastery of 
 Melrose. One of the presbyters was Boisil, 
 whose holiness of life and spirit impressed Cuth- 
 bert deeply. From him he derived his know- 
 ledge of the Scriptures and his example of god- 
 liness. Boisil became Abbot, and on his death 
 was succeeded by Cuthbert. Under the govern- 
 ment of Cuthbert, the monastery flourished in 
 numbers and in missionary zeal. The truth 
 spread around far and wide among the border 
 tribes of England and Scotland. The monks 
 were sent forth to instruct the ignorant, to re- 
 
Monastic Institutions. 155 
 
 claim and rebuke the vicious, to administer the chap. xv. 
 
 Sacraments, to correct the practices of idolatry 
 and the mysterious incantations of heathenism. 
 Cuthbert himself would set out on these jour- 
 neys for a week or even a month, sometimes on 
 foot, sometimes on horseback, through the neigh- 
 bouring villages and towns, as his predecessor 
 Boisil had been accustomed to do. In these 
 expeditions he would call the people together to 
 hear the Word of God; and such were his 
 powers of persuasion, and such the angelic 
 brightness of his countenance, the hearts of his 
 hearers were speedily convinced. They were 
 fully persuaded of the truth and goodness of 
 the message. He would then visit the moun- 
 tainous parts, which others dare not, on account 
 of the barbarous character of the inhabitants, 
 whom he succeeded in winning to a better way 
 and to a better hope. Such was Cuthbert, the 
 Abbot of Melrose, when he was appointed to 
 the bishopric of Lindisfarne. As Bishop, he 
 lived with his clergy — as Abbot, he had lived 
 with his monks — upon the Apostolic principle 
 that none of them who possessed anything should 
 call it his own, but have all things common. 
 
 He was Bishop for two years only. His time cuthbert 
 
 . 1 , . . T Bishop of 
 
 was occupied much m prayer, m commending Lindisfarne 
 
 , or Holy 
 
 to God s care and protection those intrusted to isiami. 
 
156 Monastic Institutions. 
 
 CHAP. XV. him, and in daily exhorting them to set their 
 affections on things above. He was a bright 
 example of his own teaching, a man of fervent 
 love, patient in tribulation, of ready access to 
 to all who sought consolation. He was divinely 
 forewarned of his end. 
 
 Herebert There was livinc? in seclusion near Keswick, 
 
 the friend of ^ ' 
 
 cuthbert. ^^ ^^ island in Derwentwater, a venerable man 
 named Herebert, a friend of Cuthbert, whom 
 he was accustomed to visit every year for spiri- 
 tual counsel. Herebert heard that Cuthbert was 
 in Carlisle, on the occasion of an ordination of 
 deacons, and went to seek from his friend some 
 further counsel, on which occasion the Bishop 
 thus addressed him : " Eem ember,', brother Here- 
 bert, and speak only on matters which are need- 
 ful. For after this meeting, I know we shall 
 meet no more in this world. I know my depar- 
 ture is at hand." Herebert, bathed in tears, fell 
 at his feet, imploring him not to leave him 
 behind, but, as his most true and faithful friend, 
 to pray that they might leave the world together, 
 and together enter the higher service of heaven. 
 Cuthbert cheered him with the assurance that 
 his request should be granted. They each re- 
 turned to his home, saw one another no more 
 in the flesh, but passed away, both on one day, 
 the 20th day of March, A.D. 687. 
 
Monastic Institutions. 157 
 
 There was another famous centre of light in chap. xv. 
 the Monastery of Jarrow, near the mouth of the The 
 
 Venerable 
 
 river Wear, in the county of Durham. To this ^^ede. 
 belonged the Venerable Bede, the great historian 
 of the early English Church, who spent his 
 whole life in sacred study and literary pursuits. 
 His writings consisted of commentaries and 
 homilies upon the Scriptures, letters on eccle- 
 siastical subjects, histories of Saints and Martyrs, 
 the life of Cuthbert in verse and prose, hymns, 
 a history of his own monastery and of the English 
 Church, and books, on philosophy and grammar. 
 
 The founder of the monastery at Jarrow was Benedict 
 a nobleman, named Biscop, and afterwards known monastic 
 
 ' -^' _ ^ liabit. 
 
 by the name of Benedict. He was minister of 
 Oswy, the King of Northumbria. He left the 
 army for a higher warfare ; he left home and 
 kindred for Christ, that he might receive a 
 hundredfold more in this life, and in the world 
 to come life everlasting — he forsook earthly for 
 heavenly joys. He accompanied Alchfrid, Oswy's 
 son, in his journey to Eome; on which occa- 
 sion he assumed the tonsure and the mon- 
 astic habit, and with him returned Theodore 
 the newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury 
 who made him Abbot of St. Peter's, Canterbury, 
 after Hadrian. 
 
 Afterwards he returned to the north, and 
 
158 Monastic Institutions. 
 
 CHAP. XV with the assistance and patronage of King 
 The Eofrid, who had succeeded Alchfrid in the king- 
 
 Monastery ^ ' « 
 
 of jarrow. ^^^ ^f Northumbria, he built the Monastery of 
 Jarrow. He frequently visited the Continent, 
 and introduced from thence builders in stone, 
 and workers in glass, the manufacture of which 
 had hitherto been unknown in England. The 
 knowledge of these useful arts now spread over 
 the country with the spread of Christianity. He 
 also introduced from abroad sacred vessels and 
 robes, of superior quality and workmanship. 
 At the same time, he made a large collection 
 of books of every kind, and formed a library. 
 He also collected what were then held of great 
 value as a source of health and life — relics of 
 Saints and Martyrs. He also brought in an im- 
 proved method of singing and chanting, as 
 settled by Pope Gregory the Great, the author 
 of that style of chant called Gregorian, first intro- 
 duced into England by Augustine, and into the 
 Church of York by Paulinus and his deacon, 
 James. It was adopted by Benedict in his new 
 Monastery of Jarrow. He also obtained a guar- 
 antee from the King against pillage and violence. 
 The church of the abbey he adorned with sacred 
 illustrations. There were paintings of the Virgin 
 and of the twelve Apostles upon the roof. The 
 Gospel story was illustrated on the south wall, 
 
Monastic Institutions. 159 
 
 and the visions of the Eevelation on the north chap. xv. 
 wall. In the remaining parts of the church 
 there were illustrations of the incidents con- 
 nected with the Incarnation and the Crucifixion. 
 By these the interest and attention of the wor- 
 shippers were arrested, and their minds were 
 enlightened with heavenly wisdom through the 
 eye, as they were through the ear, by preaching. 
 
 The life of the first Abbot Benedict was as Abbot 
 plain and humble as it had been in the service 
 of the King. He was one of the humblest of 
 the fraternity, and cheerfully took his part in 
 threshing and winnowing the corn, in milking, 
 in grinding at the mill, in the work of the 
 garden and the kitchen. He would say, " Though 
 I am a ruler, that is no reason for being proud 
 and haughty, but rather for being towards my 
 brethren gentle, affable, and kind." Thus cheer- 
 fulness and humility were combined with disci- 
 pline and authority. He would even take his 
 place at the plough or the anvil, giving at the 
 same time spiritual advice to his fellow- workers. 
 He would eat at the same table with them, and 
 sleep in the same common room. Only a few 
 days before his death was he taken into a 
 separate room, that he might be more quiet. 
 There the brethren all gathered round him, to 
 whom he gave one by one the kiss of peace, 
 
160 Monastic Institutions. 
 
 CHAP. XV. while they wept and lamented the loss of so 
 good and kind a shepherd. 
 
 Abbot He was succeeded by Ceolfrith, who was 
 
 Abbot in the time of Bede. He further en- 
 riched the monastery and church with illustra- 
 tions of sacred history ; for example, there was 
 the picture of Isaac carrying the wood of his 
 sacrifice alongside another of Christ carrying 
 the wood of the Cross ; there was one of the 
 serpent lifted up by Moses in the wilderness, 
 alongside another of Christ uplifted on the 
 Cross. 
 
 Death of the In this monastery the Venerable Bede lived, 
 
 sede. and died a.d. 735. It is recorded of him, that 
 
 as he drew near his end he was much distressed 
 by shortness of breath. From Easter till Ascen- 
 siontide he spent day and night in praising and 
 thanking God, in singing psalms, and instruct- 
 ing his pupils. As the end approached, he 
 awoke in the night, and exclaimed, with out- 
 stretched hands, " truly happy man ! O King 
 of Glory ! Lord of all grace. Who hast this day 
 ascended in triumph to Heaven, leave us not 
 comfortless, but send us the promise of the 
 Father, the Spirit of Truth. Alleluia." Then 
 he burst into tears, and repeated what he had 
 just said. He was about finishing his transla- 
 tion of St. John's Gospel, when the scribe, who 
 
Monastic Institutions. 161 
 
 was at his side, said, " Dear master, there is one char xv. 
 small portion still lacking, but it is too much for 
 thee." " It is no trouble/' was the reply, " take 
 thy pen and write quickly." Meanwhile he was 
 making little presents to his brethren, and begging 
 them to pray for him, when the scribe once 
 again reminded him, "There is one sentence 
 more, dear master, to be written." Aofain he 
 answered, "Write quickly." "^NTow," said the 
 scribe, "it is finished." "Well," he answered, 
 " hast thou said ' It is finished.' Support me 
 with thy hands, and I will pray in my accus- 
 tomed place to my Father." And thus, on the 
 floor of his cell, he knelt down and sang, " Glory 
 be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the 
 Holy Ghost." Then his spirit departed, and 
 passed within the gates of the heavenly city. 
 
CHAPTEE XVI. 
 
 MAHOMET. 
 
 Mahomet's While the Ancflo-Saxons were beincf opathered 
 
 birth. 
 
 o &" 
 
 State of 
 religion in 
 Arabia. 
 
 into the fold of Christ by the Mission of Augus- 
 tine and his companions, in the East a young 
 man was preparing for a most remarkable career. 
 He styled himself the Prophet and Apostle of God ; 
 and as such he has been accepted and helicvcd 
 in by many people and nations for the last 1200 
 years. This was Mahomet, born at Mecca, in* 
 Arabia — a descendant of Ishmael, the son of 
 Abraham and Hagar. He was, therefore, like 
 the whole Arab people, connected with, and 
 interested in, " the father of the faithful " and 
 " the friend of God ; " notwithstanding the Word 
 of God, " Cast out the bond-woman and her son, 
 for the son of the bond-woman shall not be heir 
 with the son of the free woman." 
 
 At the time of Mahomet's appearance, the 
 Arabs of the south of Arabia were subjects of 
 the Christian King of Abyssinia, but were them- 
 selves idolaters. Mecca was held sacred by the 
 
 163 
 
Mahomet. 163 
 
 whole Arab nation, because of the Sacred Stone, chap. xvi. 
 called the Caaba, to which annual pilgrimages 
 were made from all parts of the country. The 
 Arabs were divided into tribes, of whom the 
 Khoreish were the chief ; having charge of the 
 temple and worship of Mecca. Another influ- 
 ential tribe was the Hashem, to which Mahomet 
 belonged. He was poor, and had been early left 
 an orphan ; but he became the camel-driver of a 
 wealthy lady, whom he afterwards married, and 
 thus improved his position. He was unable to 
 read or write, but he gained by travel and 
 observation what he could not learn by books. 
 He meditated much upon the condition of 
 religion amongst his own people, amongst the 
 Christians of the Greek Empire, and amongst 
 the Jews, of whom there were several colonies 
 scattered over Arabia. 
 
 In his enthusiasm and self-confidence, he con- Mahomet 
 
 .. /^TT and the angel 
 
 eluded that he had a mission from God. In Gabriel, 
 visions, he believed he had conferences with the 
 Angel Gabriel. He had been carried up beyond 
 the seventh heaven, within two bow-shots of the 
 Throne of Glory. His mission was to purge out 
 idolatry, and to preach throughout the world the 
 simple doctrine — " There is but one God, and 
 Mahomet is the Apostle of God." In his visions, 
 communications were made to him of parts of 
 
164 Mahomet. 
 
 CHAP, XVI. the eternal law of God, written on palm leaves 
 or mutton-bones ; and these he treasured up. He 
 had seen the whole revelation, written in letters 
 of gold ; but only instalments were given him, 
 as necessity required. These were afterwards 
 collected into one book, known as the Koran. 
 It is the Mahometan Bible. The contents of this 
 book are, in a great measure, extracts from the 
 Old and New Testaments. Mahomet affirmed 
 that since the Creation six men have been dis- 
 tinguished for sacredness of character, and as 
 guides of mankind — namely, Adam, Noah, 
 Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Mahomet — of whom the 
 greatest was the last, with an authority to which 
 all others must bow. He thus connected himself 
 with Jews and Christians. His doctrine and wor- 
 ship are known by the name of Islam ; and his 
 followers by that of Moslems or Mussulmans. 
 
 Mission His leading doctrine is the unity of God, and 
 
 to his ° '' 
 
 countrymen, therein he is at one with the Word of God. He 
 was the enemy of idolatry in every form ; and 
 therefore at issue with his countrymen, and with 
 Christians of his country, in their adoration of 
 the images of the Virgin, of the Saints and 
 Martyrs ; but also in the worship of Jesus, whom 
 he held to be a prophet of extraordinary power, 
 though he denied that He was God, or the Son of 
 God equal to the Father. His mission was unwel- 
 
Mahomet. 165 
 
 come for some time, both at home and abroad, chap. xvi. 
 After several years of labour and earnest preach- 
 ing, especially in the Temple of Mecca, to as- 
 sembled pilgrims, he gained but few converts ; 
 yet the pilgrims spread his fame throughout 
 Arabia. 
 
 He made no pretence to miracles, although First 
 
 , . , 1 1 • converts. 
 
 they were afterwards attributed to him by his 
 disciples. It was said that trees met him on his 
 journeys, that stones saluted him, that water 
 issued from his fingers, and that a camel com- 
 plained to him. He was believed to have cured 
 the sick, and raised the dead. He preached 
 eternal rewards for the faithful, and eternal 
 torments for unbelievers. The rewards were 
 just such as delighted the Arab soul — a para- 
 dise of groves, rivers, and fountains ; of pearls, 
 diamonds, and robes of silk ; of palaces of marble, 
 dishes of gold, rich wines, dainties, and numerous 
 attendants ; each possessing seventy-two houris, 
 or black-eyed girls, of exquisite beauty and 
 grace ; and every capacity of enjoyment in- 
 creased a hundred-fold. Such was the hope set 
 before each believer. His first converts were his 
 faithful wife, his slave Zeid, his cousin and pupil 
 Ali, his father-in-law and successor Abubekr, and 
 ten others. These were the fruits of three years' 
 labour — from a.d. 609-612. After this, he pub- 
 
166 Mahomet. 
 
 CHAP. XVI. licly declared himself the Prophet and Apostle 
 of God. At a family gathering, where all par- 
 took of lamb and milk, he made this appeal — 
 " Friends and kinsmen, I offer, and I alone can 
 offer, you the most precious gifts — the treasures 
 of this world and of the world to come. God 
 has commanded me to call you to His service. 
 Who among you will support my brethren ? 
 Who among you will be my companion and 
 vizier ? " For a while all sat in astonishment ; 
 and no response was made. Then his cousin 
 Ali, a youth of fourteen, arose and said, " 
 Prophet, I am the man ; whosoever rises against 
 thee, I will dash out his teeth, tear out his eyes, 
 break his legs, and rip up his belly. Prophet, 
 I will be thy vizier." Mahomet was in a trans- 
 port of joy; and thus answered the remon- 
 strances of his uncle — " If they should put the 
 sun on my right hand and the moon on my left, 
 they should not turn me from my course." 
 The Hegira The city of Mccca, led by the Khoreish, who 
 Mahomet, wcrc rivals of the Hashem Arabs, disbelieved in 
 him, and threatened him with the vengeance of 
 the national deities. It was determined that he 
 should be put to death for his impiety and pre- 
 sumption. He was saved by a flight from Mecca 
 to Medina, where he found a considerable number 
 of converts to welcome him. This flight, called 
 
Mahomet. 167 
 
 the Hegira, occurred in the year 622. It is from chap, xv] 
 the beginning of this year that Mahometan 
 chronology begins. The Mahometan year is one 
 of twelve moons ; consequently less than the 
 true year by eleven days. Moslems observe their 
 Sabbath on a Friday ; pray five times in the day ; 
 fast ; give alms as far as the tenth, and, in some 
 cases, as far as the fifth of their income ; practise 
 frequent washing of hands, face, and body ; and 
 when water is wanting, the sand from the desert 
 is used. They have stated hours and forms of 
 prayer; and prayers are said with the face 
 directed towards the Sacred Stone of Mecca. 
 Mahomet discouraged voluntary fasts, such as he 
 had observed among the Christian monks of 
 Egypt, and appointed the month of Eamadan as 
 the one general annual fast. Although he pro- 
 hibited the use of wine in this world, he includes 
 it among the pleasures of paradise. He has de- 
 scribed the judgment and dissolution of the 
 world. He taught the doctrine of predestination, 
 and that one is as safe in the thickest of the 
 battle as in his bed. Hence a Mahometan enters 
 calmly upon dangers from which others would 
 shrink : so impressed is he with the destiny or 
 inevitable course and order of every man's life 
 and action. 
 
 After his flight, the Prophet entered upon a 
 
168 Maliomet 
 
 CHAP. XVI. new period in his career. Henceforth he sup- 
 suppiements plementcd preaching with the sword. He became 
 ing wfth^ti'ie a soMier as well as a prophet. Those who would 
 
 sword. . T T • J • T 1 J f» XT 
 
 not yield to persuasion must yield to lorce. He 
 had the natural disposition of every enthusiast, 
 in his impatience to see the whole world in sub- 
 mission at his feet. Reason and argument were 
 backed by the violence of fire and sword, and by 
 the terrors of the world to come, painted in their 
 darkest colours before the eyes of unbelievers. 
 inMsdis- The first object of the Prophet was to break 
 
 tress he 
 
 seeks the the powcr of his enemies at Mecca, to purge 
 Gabriel. idolatry from its temple, and to reduce the whole 
 Arab nation to his obedience. He sent in every 
 direction his summons to adopt the new faith. 
 He even went so far as to call upon the Emperor 
 Heraclius, the head of the Eastern Church and 
 of the Eastern world, to do the same. The 
 Emperor, who was at the time reducing the 
 kingdom of Persia under his dominion, treated 
 the summons with a smile of contempt. The 
 Khoreish replied by a counter demand to return 
 to the old faith, and by the siege of Medina, 
 whither he had fled for refuge. Mahomet was 
 now in great straits, called upon God for assistance 
 and for the deliverance of his friends. And thus 
 he prayed, " God, if these few are destroyed, 
 by whom wilt Thou be worshipped in the earth ? " 
 
Mahomet 169 
 
 He desired the help of Gabriel and three thou- chap. xvi. 
 sand Angels. He then mounted his horse, and 
 led the attack. Casting sand into the air, he 
 exclaimed, " Let their faces be covered with con- 
 fusion." His enemies fell back at the terror of 
 his voice. A second battle was foudit, during 
 which it was rumoured that he was slain. He 
 was seriously wounded, and many of his followers 
 had fallen. In a third encounter, his enemies 
 were hopelessly dispersed, and their tents swept 
 away by a tempest of wind, hail, and rain. 
 
 The Jews also had been summoned to embrace severity 
 Islam. Mahomet had sought to propitiate them, Jews." 
 by directing that the face should be turned in 
 prayer towards Jerusalem instead of Mecca. But 
 the obstinate refusal to follow him, and give up 
 the faith of their fathers, lost their city this 
 honour. They answered, "We shall persevere 
 in the faith and worship of our fathers, although 
 we are without arms and ignorant of their use." 
 Some were banished from Arabia, others, to the 
 number of seven hundred, were driven alive into 
 one grave, and their property wholly confiscated 
 in revenge for their assistance of the Khoreish. 
 
 At length he came to terms with the hostile Final 
 
 *& 
 
 sub- 
 
 . mission of 
 
 tribe, honoured the city of Mecca by a pilgrim- Aiabia. 
 age, and made the customary procession seven 
 times round the Caaba. By these means he 
 
1 70 Mahomet 
 
 CHAP. XVI. conciliated and won over their military leaders 
 Caled and Amron, by whose skill and prowess 
 he soon after conquered Syria and Egypt. His 
 old enemies were now prostrate at his feet, 
 begging for mercy. "What mercy," he said, 
 "can you expect from me whom you have 
 wronged?" "We confide in the generosity of 
 our kinsman," they replied. "And you shall 
 not confide in vain," he said ; " begone, you are 
 safe, you are free." Idolatry was purged from 
 city and temple, and every unbeliever was for- 
 bidden an entrance within the sacred enclosure. 
 He then proceeded to insist upon the same 
 exclusiveness for the new faith in the other 
 cities of Arabia which he had secured in Mecca. 
 One city pleaded for a truce of three years, and 
 a toleration of the ancient worship. "Not a 
 month, not an hour," was the stern reply. " At 
 least," they pleaded, "excuse us the obligation 
 to pray." "Without prayer," he answered, " re- 
 ligion is of no avail" He would have absolute 
 submission. He thus secured the obedience of 
 the whole of Arabia. 
 Expedition Mahomct had named three of his most faithful 
 Heracuus. followcrs to succecd him in case of death, but all 
 were slain in one great battle, one of them being 
 his slave Zeid. He then appointed Caled, with 
 the title of "The Sword of God," to take com- 
 
Malwmct. 171 
 
 mand of his army. In a.d. 630 he declared war chap, xvi. 
 against the Empire, and renewed his summons 
 to Heraclius. In a severe and trying summer 
 march across the desert, overcome with heat and 
 fatigue, his troops seemed inclined to desert. 
 He rallied them with a voice of thunder, warn- 
 ing them that they would iind Hell much hotter 
 than that desert march. He gave them fifty 
 days of penance as a punishment. But the 
 expedition against Heraclius could not be fol- 
 lowed up. The health of the Prophet was fast 
 declining, and he died a.d. 632. 
 
 A little before his death, he called too-ether Makes 
 
 ^ reparation. 
 
 his brethren and followers, and inquired whom 
 he had scourged unjustly, or whom he had 
 spoiled, or whom he had defrauded, and he 
 would make a full reparation. Only one made 
 any reply. He said he was entitled to three 
 drachms of silver. Mahomet paid it, and thanked 
 him for having accused him then, and not at the 
 day of judgment. 
 
 Although his successor in the Caliphate was Approaching 
 not named, he pointed to Abubekr, his old friend, 
 and father of his favourite w4fe. He requested 
 that a last and supplementary revelation might 
 be written down. He then described a further 
 and final visit of Gabriel to this lower world. 
 He also observed that the Angel of Death had 
 
172 Mahomet 
 
 CHAP. XVI. not been allowed to take him away, except by 
 his own permission first obtained. At length 
 he raised his eyes, and, with faltering voice, he 
 uttered his last words : " God, pardon my sins. 
 
 His death Yes, I comc — among my fellow-citizens on high." 
 
 and burial. 
 
 It was believed by his enthusiastic Commander, 
 Omar, that he was not dead, but, like Moses and 
 Jesus, in a trance, and would soon return to the 
 faithful. But the aged Abubekr replied, "Do 
 you worship Mahomet, or the God of Mahomet ? 
 The God of Mahomet lives for ever, but His 
 Apostle is mortal like ourselves." He was 
 devoutly buried in Medina, where his tomb is 
 still an object of great veneration to pilgrims on 
 their way to Mecca. 
 
 Thus passed away one who laid the founda- 
 tion of one of the mightiest Empires of this 
 world, and of a faith which aimed for centuries 
 at the absolute and universal dominion of man- 
 kind. 
 
CHAPTEK XVII. 
 
 MAHOMETAN CONQUESTS. 
 
 Throughout the Church, Christian worship had corruptions 
 
 ^ of the 
 
 become more or less corrupted by the multiplica- church. 
 tion of images and pictures ; by the elevation of 
 Saints and Martyrs to the position of mediators 
 after their death ; and by the introduction of 
 relics : the Divine blessing, it was believed, was 
 assured to all who placed themselves under their 
 patronage and protection. Consequently, faith 
 in our Lord Jesus Christ, as the one Mediator 
 between God and men, in Whom alone we have 
 the hope of salvation, grew fainter ; and holiness 
 of life, which is the fruit of faith, became less 
 and less conspicuous. 
 
 Idolatry had brought Divine judgments upon piviue 
 Israel in days of old. They had been destroyed 
 by siege ; they had been led into captivity ; their 
 Temple and city burnt with fire; and not one 
 stone had been left upon another. Like sins 
 brought upon the Christian Church like judg- 
 ments. As Sennacherib, Nebuchadnezzar, and 
 
 173 
 
174 Mahometan Conquests. 
 
 CH. XVII. Titus had proved a sword of Divine vengeance to 
 Israel, such now were Mahomet and his suc- 
 cessors to the Church of Christ. He and the 
 following Caliphs proved ministers of fiery- 
 judgment, by whom unfaithful and idolatrous 
 Churches were destroyed or purged. 
 Terms Duiiug his lifetime, Mahomet was occupied 
 
 oftered by . n -i • a -i 
 
 Mahometan with the suDjugatiou of his Arab countrymen. 
 It was left to his successors — Abubekr, Omar, 
 Othman, Ali, Moawiyah — to subdue the rest of 
 the world. The Caliphs deputed the conduct of 
 military expeditions to their most distinguished 
 and trusted officers — Obeidah, Caled, and Amrou, 
 for example. To every people against whom 
 their forces were directed, the simple choice 
 was offered of the Koran, the tribute, or the 
 sword. They called upon every city and coun- 
 try, whether Christian or Pagan, to embrace the 
 creed of the Prophet, or pay a stipulated sum, 
 or fight it out. 
 
 The con- They first advanced against Persia and Syria. 
 
 quest of 
 
 rersia. The powcr of Persia had been shaken by recent 
 struggles with the empire. The Persian King, 
 Chosroes, was dead ; and a youth of fifteen had 
 succeeded him on the throne. After a series of 
 disastrous engagements, they drove the young 
 King from his dominions. He was pursued into 
 the mountains of Turkestan, up to the very borders 
 
Mahometan Conquests. 175 
 
 of China, where he was overtaken and slain ; ch. xvii. 
 
 and the banner of the Prophet waved in triumph 
 over the whole East. 
 
 Then followed the conquests of the Christian The policy 
 
 of the 
 
 States of Syria, Egypt, North Africa, and Spain, caiiphs. 
 The policy of the Caliphs is best described in the 
 words of Abubekr, who succeeded Mahomet, 
 A.D. 632. By a circular letter, he summoned the 
 Arab tribes to his standard at Medina. " This is 
 to acquaint you that I intend to send the true 
 believers (Moslems) into Syria, to take it out of 
 the hands of the infidels (Christians)." To his 
 Generals he gave these instructions : — " Eemem- 
 ber, you are always in the presence of God, on 
 the verge of death, in the assurance of judgment, 
 and the hope of paradise. When you make a 
 covenant, stand to it, and be as good as your 
 word. When you fight the battles of the Lord, 
 acquit yourselves like men, without turning your 
 backs. As you go, you will find some who live 
 in monasteries (the monks of Syria and Egypt) ; 
 and to this class, which belongs to the synagogue 
 of Satan, with shaven crowns, give no quarter 
 until they turn Mahometan or pay the tribute. 
 On this condition let them be spared and pro- 
 tected in the exercise of their own faith." In 
 accordance with this policy, at the present day, 
 bodies of Christians are found in Moslem States, 
 
176 Mahometan Conquests. 
 
 CH. XVII. enjoying an uncertain and capricious security. 
 The tribute, however, frequently became oppres- 
 sive beyond endurance, and was demanded with 
 insolence and severity, which not seldom led to 
 tumults and rebellion. Provincial Governors 
 varied much in their character and disposition. 
 Sometimes they were violent and rapacious ; 
 and then the lives of their Christian subjects 
 were utterly wretched. In many respects their 
 trials were a counterpart of those which had 
 befallen the Jewish people. 
 
 other God's judgments fall without respect of persons 
 
 conquests i-i-i 
 
 of Islam. upon all such as abuse their high position and 
 privileges. The Eastern Christians were de- 
 graded from the position of rulers to one of 
 hard bondage. Their sacred cities fell one after 
 another. Damascus, where the light of Christi- 
 anity had first penetrated the mind of the 
 Apostle Paul, and where he began the defence 
 of that faith which before he had destroyed; 
 Antioch, where believers in Christ had first re- 
 ceived the name of Christians, the centre of 
 Gentile Christianity, whence the Apostle of the 
 Gentiles had started on his missionary journeys 
 into Asia Minor and Europe, and long a favourite 
 residence of the Eastern Emperors ; Jerusalem, 
 the great centre of all true religious life and 
 worship, dear alike to Jews and Christians, 
 
Maliometan Conquests. 177 
 
 whose gates the Lord loveth more than all the ch. xvti. 
 dwellings of Jacob ; these, with the whole of 
 Palestine, fell, and still remain, tinder the yoke 
 of Mahomet. Syria, Asia Minor, and Eastern 
 Europe, which had been blessed with the feet of 
 Apostles; the whole of Egypt, which had been 
 the granary of the world from the days of the 
 Patriarchs, the refuge of Jesus in His infancy, 
 the home of learning and religion, and of great 
 Christian luminaries ; the north of Africa, which 
 had been honoured and blest by the labours of 
 Cyprian and Augustine ; the whole of Spain, 
 which early received the Gospel, and which 
 the Apostle Paul had proposed to visit, yielded 
 in rapid succession. The Caliphs in a.d. 718 
 were the absolute masters over an empire extend- 
 ing from India to the Atlantic, and held together 
 by the sword and the Koran. 
 
 The Mahometan conquests were mainly the checked 
 
 ^ . , -^ by Charles 
 
 work of one hundred years, beginning with A.D. Martei. 
 632. The first ten of this period witnessed the 
 most decisive and rapid advances. At the end 
 of the year 640, Syria and Egypt were at the 
 feet of the Moslems. Their victorious career 
 proceeded unchecked along the north of Africa 
 to the Straits of Gibraltar ; which still keeps in 
 memory the name of Tarik, the Arab com- 
 mander ; signifying, as it does, the Mount of 
 
 M 
 
178 
 
 Mahometan Conquests. 
 
 CH. XVII. Tarik. They marched onward through Spain 
 into the south of France. There their course 
 was effectually arrested at Tours, A.D. 732, by 
 the great victory of Charles Martel, or "The 
 Hammer," " Mayor of the Palace " of the Mero- 
 vingian King. 
 Government The cast of Jordan was the scene of the first 
 
 of the 
 
 memorable conflicts. Here Mahometans made 
 
 Empire. 
 
 Capture of 
 Bozrah. 
 
 their first assault upon the great Christian 
 Empire. The Emperor was not only Christian, 
 but absolute ruler and dictator, in all matters 
 spiritual and temporal ; and required the un- 
 questioning obedience of all his subjects to his 
 Governors or Viceroys. These were placed over 
 the several provinces, and had their residences 
 in the chief centres of population. They were 
 not always faithful to their master ; but in some 
 instances raised successful rebellions, and seated 
 themselves on the Imperial throne. 
 
 The province east of the Jordan had for its 
 Viceroy Eomanus, who resided at Bozrah. He 
 betrayed his trust on the approach of the Sara- 
 cens, and avowed his treason and apostasy in 
 these words : — " I renounce Him that was 
 crucified, and whosoever worships Him. I choose 
 God for my Lord, Islam for my faith, Mecca for 
 my temple, Moslems for my brethren, Mahomet 
 for my prophet." This pervert and traitor 
 
Mahometan Conquests. 179 
 
 pointed out to the enemy a secret underground ch. xvii. 
 passage, by which they might enter the city. 
 We are told that the ramparts were crowded 
 with holy crosses and consecrated banners ; 
 whereby Divine assistance, it was believed, 
 might be propitiated. 
 
 After the capture of Bozrah, the Christian Battle of 
 
 Aiznaddin. 
 
 armies were severely beaten at Aiznaddm, near 
 Damascus (a.d. 633) by the united forces of the 
 Moslems, under Caled and Amrou. Such was 
 the daring spirit of the Arabs, that one Derar 
 rode up to the Christian lines alone, and kept 
 at bay as he returned, with his single lance, 
 no fewer than thirty, seventeen of whom he 
 unhorsed. 
 
 The broken armies of the Christians fled to Refugees 
 
 flee to 
 
 the walls of Damascus. This most ancient Damascus. 
 city, through which Abraham had passed to the 
 Land of Promise, remains to this day, large and 
 populous, pleasantly situated among fragrant 
 groves, upon the banks of the bright and spark- 
 ling river Abana ; of which Naaman, the , Syrian 
 captain, said, " Are not Abana and Pharpar, 
 rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters 
 of Israel?" 
 
 The Governor of Damascus was Thomas, son- The 
 
 Governor 
 
 in-law of the Emperor — as faithful as Eomanus Thomas. 
 of Bozrah was unfaithful. The city would have 
 
180 Mahometan Conquests. 
 
 CH. XVII. surrendered, had not the Governor, with great 
 spirit and promptitude, opened the gates, and led 
 out his troops to give the besiegers battle. Over 
 the principal gate was erected a lofty crucifix. 
 The Bishop and clergy marched out with the 
 army. A copy of the ISTew Testament was borne 
 in front of an image of the Saviour. 
 Th9 Thomas was an excellent archer, and, with an 
 
 Sf the Arab arrow, laid low one of the bravest of the Saracens, 
 
 commander 
 
 obeidah. named Aban; whose wife, after embracing her 
 dying husband, seized his weapons, and, with 
 her first arrow, pierced the Governor's standard- 
 bearer, and with her second the eye of the Gover- 
 nor himself. Though wounded, Thomas refused 
 to leave his post, and in the silence of the night 
 renewed his attack on the besiegers. After the 
 siege had lasted nearly seventy days, terms were 
 asked from the generous Abu Obeidah, the Arab 
 leader. He allowed all who wished to emigrate, 
 and take with them as much of their property 
 as they were able ; and those who remained 
 might, upon payment of a specified tribute, keep 
 possession of their houses, and have the use of 
 seven of their churches. 
 The Jnst as this arrangement was being concluded, 
 
 ^raeity?f^^ the ficrcc Moslem captain, Caled, entered the 
 eastern gate of the city, opposite to that by which 
 his colleague Abu Obeidah had been admitted, 
 
 Caled. 
 
Mahometan Conquests. ■ 181 
 
 crying that no quarter should be given. The ch. xvii. 
 streets flowed with Christian blood. The two 
 Commanders met in the Church of St. Mary ; 
 and Abu Obeidah restrained the sword of Caled 
 from shedding further blood. But the savage 
 warrior, having been informed that certain of the 
 inhabitants had obtained the favour of a safe 
 departure, followed after them, under the guid- 
 ance of a renegade Christian ; and not one 
 escaped, save the widow of the Governor Thomas. 
 An immense fair was held in the town of Abila, 
 a little distance from Damascus, attended by 
 Christians from all parts of Syria. This was 
 attacked, and left a solitary scene of desolation 
 and blood. 
 
 After the conquest of Damascus (a.d. 634), capture of 
 
 Damascus. 
 
 Heliopolis or Baalbek, the ruins of which are 
 still the wonder of travellers, was assaulted and 
 taken. Fresh forces of Christian soldiers arrived 
 from the Asiatic and European provinces of the 
 empire, and gathered upon the banks of the 
 river Yermuk, which flows from the southern 
 slopes of Mount Hermon. Here, again, thou- 
 sands of Syrian, Greek, and Eoman Christians 
 fell by the sword of the Moslems. Many were 
 pursued into mountains and forests, and there 
 ruthlessly slaughtered. Many, missing the fords 
 of the river, were drowned in crossing. The 
 
182 Mahometan Conquests. 
 
 CH. XVII. Christians themselves confessed that these ter- 
 rible disasters v^^ere a Divine punishment for 
 their sins. 
 
 Surrender of Then the hand of judgment fell upon the holy 
 
 Jerusalem. . 
 
 city of Jerusalem — a city revered by Jev^ and 
 Christian, and by the Moslems held in reverence 
 next to Mecca and Medina. An attempt was 
 made by the Saracens to surprise it, but in vain. 
 It was then regularly invested, and summoned to 
 surrender. It was defended on all sides by deep 
 valleys and steep ascents. After a four months' 
 siege, during an inclement winter, the Patriarch 
 Sophronius called from the walls for a confer- 
 ence. Articles of surrender were drawn up ; 
 but Sophronius refused to open the gates until 
 the articles had been signed in his presence by 
 the Caliph Omar himself. Omar agreed to take 
 the journey from Medina to Jerusalem. He 
 mounted his red camel, provided with a bag of 
 corn, a bag of dates, a wooden dish, and a leathern 
 bottle of water. When he arrived in sight of 
 Jerusalem he uttered the usual cry of all Moslem 
 armies, " God is victorious ! " He entered the 
 city without fear, and discoursed pleasantly with 
 the Christian Patriarch. They proceeded together 
 to the Church of the Eesurrection. Sophronius 
 invited him to enter, but Omar declined, and 
 offered up his prayer at the door ; saying that. 
 
Mahometan Conquests. 183 
 
 had he entered, it might have led to a violation ch. xvii. 
 of the treaty, and the forcible entrance of his 
 followers. Orders were given for the building 
 of a mosque, known as the Mosque of Omar, on 
 the site of Solomon's Temple ; where Mahometans 
 have offered their solemn worship from that time 
 to the present. 
 
 Then Aleppo was taken. The castle was capture of 
 obstinately held, until an Arab slave of gigantic 
 size and strength boldly declared that with thirty 
 stout men he would open its gates. Placing him- 
 self against the wall, he bore on his shoulders 
 the weight of seven of the strongest, the upper- 
 most of whom stealthily struck down the sen- 
 tinels, mounted the wall, and drew up his 
 companions one after another. The gates were 
 opened, and the castle taken. 
 
 Antioch was spared by paying a ransom of surrender 
 300,000 pieces of gold; but she was deprived of and cssarea, 
 her position, as the seat of Government, and 
 reduced to a secondary city. The Emperor now 
 withdrew from Syria, and left his son to defend 
 Csesarea, the last Syrian stronghold. But no 
 defence was made. Csesarea was delivered up to 
 the enemy. All the remaining cities and towns 
 followed the example, and the banners of the 
 Prophet waved over the whole of that land, 
 which had been hallowed by so many sacred 
 
184 
 
 Mahometan Conquests 
 
 Capture of 
 Memphis. 
 
 CH. xvii. memories. The Emperor, before his final de- 
 parture, acknowledged and bewailed the sins of 
 both prince and people in the Cathedral of 
 Antioch. 
 
 The conquest of Egypt followed that of Syria. 
 Amrou was intrusted with the Egyptian expedi- 
 tion. The division of the Egyptian Christians 
 into Melchites and Jacobites — orthodox Greeks 
 and Monophysite followers of Jacob — had long 
 caused scandal and misery in the Church. The 
 Divine anger, therefore, might well visit these 
 enemies of Christ's law of love, peace, and right- 
 eousness. The first city captured was the ancient 
 capital of Memphis, near the Pyramids. On the 
 opposite bank of the Nile, afterwards rose the 
 city of Old Cairo ; followed later on, and at some 
 little distance, by New Cairo, the present capital. 
 The Arabs then proceeded to Alexandria, to 
 which they laid siege. It was considered the 
 most difficult of all their enterprises. Once 
 Amrou was betrayed, and brought into the pre- 
 sence of the Imperial Governor, who was de- 
 ceived as to the rank and dignity of his captive, 
 by the slave of Amrou striking his master on 
 the face, and bidding him show due respect to 
 the Governor. The Governor dismissed both 
 master and slave ; and bade them bring him 
 more worthy ambassadors. After a siege of 
 
 Alexandria 
 taken, and 
 her library 
 destroyed. 
 
Mahometan Conquests. 185 
 
 fourteen months, the Moslems prevailed, and ch. xvii. 
 took the city. The famous library, which con- 
 tained innumerable writings, sacred and profane, 
 collected during many generations, was destroyed 
 by the order of the Caliph Omar. " If these 
 writings," he said, " agree with the Book of 
 God (the Koran), they are useless ; if they 
 disagree, they ought to be destroyed." The 
 Churches of Africa were almost annihilated, and 
 the light of the Gospel all but extinguished. 
 The door into Spain was opened by treachery. 
 Through this whole coarse of Arab conquest, the 
 labours of Christians for six centuries were buried 
 in an impenetrable darkness of spiritual night ; 
 but the beams of the Sun of Eighteousness shall 
 yet again pierce those benighted lands ; and 
 when " the knowledge of the glory of the Lord 
 shall cover the earth as the waters cover the 
 sea," "the Morians' land shall then stretch out 
 her hands unto God." 
 
CHAPTEE XYIII. 
 
 IMAGE-WOESHIP. 
 
 Images 
 condemned 
 by Holy 
 Scripture. 
 
 The reverence of the human heart may be ex- 
 cited by visible representations of the Divine 
 Being. But God is a Spirit, "Whom therefore no 
 man hath seen, or can see, or can represent by 
 image or picture, by the likeness of anything in 
 heaven, in the earth, or in the sea. God is a 
 Spirit, Whom we must worship in spirit and in 
 truth. All images and representations of the 
 Deity are prohibited by the Second Command- 
 ment, which says, " Thou shalt not make to thy- 
 self any graven image, nor the likeness of any 
 thing. Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor 
 worship them, for I, the Lord thy God, am a 
 jealous God." This Commandment the Eoman 
 Church has suppressed, because it is a condem- 
 nation of her Image-Worship.^ 
 
 1 "It is a very probable supposition that the Command- 
 ments were inserted in 1552 to ensure the constant reading 
 of the Second Commandment ; they were also given at full 
 length, instead of the curtailed Roman form, in which also 
 186 
 
Image - Worship. 187 
 
 Eeason tells us that no figure could possibly ch. xviii. 
 express the infinite majesty and love, the eternal J'j;f|^^j^^j^g^^ 
 justice and mercy of God. The Greeks endea- ^y"'^^"'«»-' 
 voured to express the greatness of the Deity 
 by the Olympian Jove, Nebuchadnezzar by 
 the image of gold of immense height, the 
 Assyrians and Egyptians by gigantic figures cut 
 from the solid rock. Christians have so far kept 
 the Commandment as to limit their image-mak- 
 ing and image-worship to the Second Person of 
 the Blessed Trinity, and to His human nature. 
 But no image can convey blessing, or receive the 
 homage and allegiance which we owe and should 
 pay directly to Him Who is at the Father's right 
 hand. Can it be pleasing to the Son of God to 
 be represented by a figure of wood and precious 
 stone, silver and gold ? — by a figure diverting and 
 alienating our thoughts from His eternal glory 
 and His Divine nature, and also from the full 
 benefits of His humiliation, His infancy. His 
 agony, and death on the Cross. 
 
 The only true likeness of Christ is that which The Gospel 
 
 the only true 
 
 has been written in the Gospel, by the pen of }i}^enes.s of 
 inspiration, and transcribed by the Holy Spirit 
 
 a clause of the Second is joined to the First." — Procter On 
 the Booh of Common Prayer, p. 341 note. 
 
 " Then followed " (in King Alfred's Code of Laws) " the 
 Ten Commandments, omitting the Second." — De. Pauli's 
 Alfred the Great. 
 
188 Image- Worship. 
 
 CH. XVIII. upon the hearts of believers. Shall we leave the 
 contemplation of the Gospel for that of an image, 
 or worship the creature rather than the Creator ? 
 
 No images Maliomet felt that no true likeness of God 
 
 in Church 
 
 centuS could be formed except in the mind, and that by 
 a Divine inspiration and revelation. He there- 
 fore provided what he declared to be a revelation 
 in the Koran. The heathen themselves felt this 
 when they declared that the image of Diana, 
 worshipped by the Ephesians, had fallen down 
 from Jupiter. This was also felt by the early 
 Christians. There is no authority for any re- 
 presentation of Christ by an image either in the 
 New Testament or in the writings of Christians 
 of the first three centuries. The advocates of 
 images are reduced to the authority of a fable. 
 
 Images of Abgarus, King of Edessa, is reported by Euse- 
 
 Christ : their . . 
 
 origin. bius to havc rcccived a special message trom the 
 Saviour, in reply to a letter, offering him a refuge 
 from the malice of the Jews. It was afterwards 
 reported that with this letter Jesus had sent a 
 likeness of Himself impressed on linen. But, 
 after being lost five hundred years, it was dis- 
 covered in a niche of a wall. It was believed 
 to have been the deliverer of Edessa from the 
 arms of Chosroes, King of Persia. The inhabitants 
 were assured by it that their city never could be 
 taken by any foreign foe. A hymn was composed 
 
Image- Worship. 189 
 
 in its praise : " How can we with mortal eyes con- ch. xviii. 
 template this image, Whose celestial splendour 
 the hosts of Heaven presume not to behold ! He 
 Who dwells in Heaven condescended this day to 
 visit us by His venerable image. He Who is 
 seated on the cherubim visits us this day by His 
 picture, which the Father hath delineated by His 
 immaculate hand, which He has formed in an 
 ineffable manner, and which we sanctify by 
 adoration, fear, and love." 
 
 By the end of the sixth century copies had images of 
 
 tli6 Viri^in 
 
 been multiplied and circulated everywhere in saiuts, and 
 
 Martyrs. 
 
 public and in private. Some of these copies were 
 brought that they might have contact with the 
 original, and thus acquire the power of healing, 
 and of giving victory in battle. From images and 
 pictures of Jesus, their devotees proceeded to the 
 discovery of the likenesses of the Virgin, and of 
 the Saints and Martyrs, which also multiplied 
 and came into general use. The features of the 
 Virgin had been discovered deeply cut in a marble 
 column of the Church of Diospolis, in Palestine. 
 
 This prevalence of image-worship not only pro- Revolt 
 voked the mission of Mahomet, but a fierce contest images. 
 arose within the Church itself. It was strongly 
 felt in the more remote and less luxurious pro- 
 vinces of the Empire, and especially in the 
 neighbourhood of Mahomet's first enterprises 
 
190 Image- Worship. 
 
 CH. XVIII. against idolatry in the mountains of Asia Minor, 
 that Christianity was sorely compromised by a 
 worship and service akin to that of heathen 
 idolatry, from which Christianity was the special 
 deliverance. A grievous departure had been 
 made. The old evils had revived. Christianity 
 had been polluted and trampled down in the mire. 
 What was to be done ? Did not Hezekiah take 
 and destroy the brazen serpent, when it had 
 become the object of worship ? Did not the 
 reforming Kings of Judah destroy the idolatrous 
 altars ? Had not the prophet said, " The idols ye 
 shall utterly abolish " ? Had not the Lord said, 
 " I will not give My glory to another, nor My 
 praise to graven images " ? And ought not these 
 pollutions of Christianity to be destroyed, and 
 Christian worship reformed ? 
 
 Leo, the The Emperor Leo ill. put himself at the head 
 
 Isaui'ian, 
 
 of a movement for the accomplishment of this 
 object. He had raised himself to the throne of 
 Constantinople, a.d. 718. He had marched in 
 triumph at the head of a body of Eoman troops 
 from the mountains of Asia Minor. His followers 
 were animated by a violent indignation against 
 the images, whether they were found inside or 
 outside the churches. They were named Icono- 
 clasts — that is, image-breakers. A story was 
 circulated to discredit Leo. It was said that he 
 
Image- Worship. 191 
 
 had been an itinerant pedlar, who drove an ass to ch. xviii. 
 the country fairs with his paltry merchandise, and 
 on one occasion he had met some Jewish fortune- 
 tellers, who had promised him the Eoman Empire 
 if he would abolish idolatry. 
 
 For some time after his accession Leo the 
 Isaurian, as he was named, from the country of 
 his birth, showed some outward reverence towards 
 images. He first ordered them to be elevated 
 beyond the reach of the worshippers ; opposition 
 to this order drove him to the complete removal of 
 every object of adoration, the destruction of every 
 picture, the demolition of every image, the plas- 
 tering of every wall on which a sacred figure had 
 been or might be cut. He next sought to make 
 the condemnation and destruction of images an 
 article of the faith. For this purpose, what has iconociasm 
 
 •^ ^ made an 
 
 sometimes been termed the Seventh General f^^^^ ^^ 
 Council was summoned by Constantine v., the ^•^' ^^*" 
 son of Leo, who was actuated by the same 
 iconoclastic spirit. The Council numbered 338 
 Bishops, from Europe and Asia Minor. It was 
 decreed that all visible symbols of Christ, except 
 in the Eucharist, were blasphemous ; that image- 
 worship was a corruption of Christianity, and a 
 revival of Paganism ; that all monuments of 
 idolatry should be broken ; that all who refused 
 to give them up should be deemed guilty of dis- 
 
192 Image- Worship. 
 
 CH. XVIII. obedience to the Church and the Emperor. The 
 Emperor was charged with the execution of these 
 decrees. 
 
 The rising in The first assault was made on a lofty image of 
 
 defence of^, . 
 
 the Images, bhrist abovc the gate of the palace. A ladder 
 was placed, the ministers of destruction mounted, 
 but the infuriated crowd overturned it, and the 
 sacrilegious invaders were dashed to the ground. 
 The defenders of the image were put to death, 
 and by their friends were accounted martyrs. 
 Tumults were caused by the Iconoclasts every- 
 where. They proceeded to the islands of the 
 Archipelago, which were crowded with images of 
 the Saviour. The inhabitants at first made a 
 show of yielding; but soon after raised a fleet, 
 and sailed to Constantinople, for the purpose of 
 dethroning the Emperor. They failed, and their 
 fleet was destroyed by Greek fire. 
 
 St. John of During the absence of the Emperor, who was on 
 
 Damascus 
 
 'jjdthe an expedition against the Saracens, the images 
 were restored. The most distinguished advocate 
 for their restoration, and the most bitter anta- 
 gonist of the Emperor and the Iconoclasts, was 
 St. John of Damascus. The monks generally 
 were most zealous in the defence of image- worship, 
 and the determined opponents of Constantine. 
 He decreed the abolition of their order. He con- 
 verted the monastic buildings into barracks or 
 
Imcujc- Worship. 193 
 
 magazines, confiscated their lands, and dissolved ch. xviit. 
 all religious communities. The Visitor-General, 
 charged with this work, was named " the Dragon." 
 There was much destruction that was purely 
 wanton and malicious. All image-worship, public 
 or private, was proscribed, and a solemn oath was 
 required of the clergy to renounce idolatry. 
 
 His Iconoclasm brought the Emperor into con- The Bishop 
 flict with the Bishop of Kome. The circumstances opportunity. 
 of the time were specially favourable to the 
 increase of Papal power. The Emperor was still 
 sole ruler of the East and West, and Italy formed 
 part of his dominions. He had his Viceroy, called 
 Exarch, at Eavenna. Here was the seat of 
 government for all Italy, the city of Eome in- 
 cluded. A very considerable portion of the 
 Imperial dominions had been lost by the Maho- 
 metan conquests, and the remainder was torn by 
 internal strife. In this condition of Imperial 
 weakness, it was hoped that the ancient pre- 
 eminence of Eome, the old capital, might be 
 re-established, under the shadow of St. Peter and 
 his successors. It seemed an inviting opportunity 
 for throwing off the Imperial yoke altogether, 
 and establishing the position of the Pope as a 
 temporal sovereign. 
 
 This marks a new era in the history of Chris- 
 tianity. Hitherto Greek influence had prepon- 
 
 N 
 
194 Image- Worship. 
 
 CH. xviiT. derated in the Church. The period which now 
 
 The ecciesi- besjins is to witness the prevalence of Latin influ- 
 
 astical and ° 
 
 temporal gj^gg While the Church was in this transition 
 
 power trans- 
 
 ^''"'*''^^- state, the civil power was passing from Latin to 
 Teutonic or German control. The new powers 
 in Church and State strengthened each other's 
 hands — the Latin Church, under the Popes, sup- 
 ported the Teutonic rulers, Charles Martel, his 
 son Pepin, and his grandson Charlemagne. The 
 last of these was made a Eoman patrician, and 
 then crowned " Emperor of the Eomans," a.d. 800, 
 by the Pope. On the other hand, these rulers 
 guaranteed the privileges and possessions of the 
 See of Eome, did homage to the Chair of St. Peter, 
 and received a commission to march against all 
 the enemies of the Church, but especially the 
 Lombards, who then overran Italy. 
 Letter of In the ycar 727 Pope Gregory ii. wrote to the 
 
 Gregory ii. Empcror Leo III. as follows — " During ten pure 
 and fortunate years we have tasted the annual 
 comfort of your royal letters, the sacred pledge 
 of your attachment to the orthodox creed of our 
 fathers. How deplorable is the change ! You 
 now accuse the Catholics of idolatry, and by the 
 accusation you betray your own impiety and 
 ignorance. Were you to enter a Grammar School, 
 the simple and pious children would be provoked 
 to cast the inkhorn at your head. You declare, 
 
Image- Worship. 195 
 
 with foolish arrogance, ' I will despatch my orders ch. xyiii. 
 to Eome, I will break in pieces the image of 
 St. Peter.' Are you aware that the Popes are the 
 bond of union, the mediators between the East 
 and the West ? The eyes of the nations are fixed 
 on our humility, and they revere, as a god upon 
 earth, the Apostle St. Peter, whose image you 
 threaten to destroy. Abandon your rash and 
 fatal enterprise. Pieflect, tremble, and repent." 
 He goes on to defend the images, as being genuine 
 representations, as having been adored from the 
 beginning of Christianity. He asserts that the 
 Christian world until now had been unanimous 
 on this point — a fact of more weight than the 
 decrees of a Council, even when summoned by 
 an orthodox prince. He lays down the re- 
 spective bounds of civil and ecclesiastical power. 
 The one possesses and controls the body, the 
 other the soul; the one holds the sword of 
 justice, the other the weapons of excommunica- 
 tion. 
 
 The success of the Iconoclasts was, on account Failure of 
 
 the Icono- 
 
 of the growing influence of the Popes, by whom J}JJ*^ ^" 
 images and image-worship were defended, not so 
 great in Italy as in the East. The Greeks who 
 came into Italy for the destruction of images were 
 for the most part overthrown in battle, and mas- 
 sacred. The Exarch of Kavenna was slain in a 
 
196 Image- Worship. 
 
 CH. XVIII. tumult of the opposing parties. The Pope him- 
 self took up arms, and met the invaders. The 
 Emperor's own statues were destroyed in re- 
 taliation. The Greeks were swept out of the 
 Peninsula. Their blood mingled with the waters 
 of the Hadriatic. The Emperor's authority had 
 all but vanished in the midst of the ana.rchy that 
 prevailed. A Synod was called, and presided 
 over by the Pope, in which the heresy of the 
 Iconoclasts was condemned, and all who, by word 
 or deed, attacked the images of the Saints were 
 ordered to be executed. While Italy was de- 
 clared to be free, Italians were exhorted to retain 
 their union with the Empire, and to allow the 
 Exarch his residence at Eavenna, until, in the 
 end, the Pope transferred the Empire to Charle- 
 magne, and crowned him in the imperial city of 
 Eome. 
 
 Image- Upou the death of Constantine v., Leo iv., 
 
 his son and successor, carried on the war 
 with the images, but with less vigour. A 
 powerful influence was exercised in their favour 
 by his wife, Irene. She caused every office 
 in the Church, as it became vacant, to be 
 filled with her adherents. She called a Synod 
 at Nice, where the Iconoclasts appeared as 
 criminals on their defence. It was decreed 
 that the worship of images is agreeable to 
 
 Worship 
 establislied 
 in the West. 
 
Image-Worship. 197 
 
 Scripture and reason, to the Fathers and Coun- ch. xviii. 
 cils of the Church. In Eome the Pope accepted 
 and published these decrees throughout his 
 diocese. The Churches of France, Germany, and 
 England took a middle course between adoration 
 and destruction, admitting them into the Churches 
 as memorials of the faith, and illustrations of 
 sacred history. The Council of Frankfort, A.D. 
 794, blamed the fury of the Iconoclasts, and, 
 at the same time, censured the superstition of 
 image-worship ; still, in the West generally, 
 image-worship made steady but silent progress. 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 IRISH MISSIONARIES. 
 
 The Gospel The Spread of the Gospel has been compared 
 
 spreads over ^ ^ ^ 
 
 th^Emmre ^Y ^^® Saviour to that of leaven, which a woman 
 took and hid in three measures of meal. The 
 ancient world consisted of three parts — Europe, 
 Asia, Africa. The Eoman Empire embraced some 
 portion of each; and, within the limits of the 
 Empire, the Gospel first exercised its leavening 
 influence. At the end of the fourth century of 
 the Christian era, began those numerous and 
 desolatiog invasions from the north-east of 
 Europe, opening new fields for Christian effort. 
 The conquerors who subdued the provinces of 
 the Empire, needed themselves to be subdued to 
 Christ. This was the work of the next four 
 centuries, which ended with the coronation of 
 Charlemagne. 
 
 Church The proQjress of Christ's Kingdom is gradual 
 
 herself . . 
 
 imperfectly and imperceptible, as the leaven in its operation 
 
 leavened. r r ' r 
 
 and influence. Its conquests are not sudden and 
 startling; its victories are not all at once com- 
 
Irish Missionaries. 199 
 
 plete ; the corruptions of the age and of the chap. xix. 
 natural heart are overcome by degrees. The 
 light of truth does not immediately or entirely 
 dispel the darkness of superstition, ignorance, and 
 error. Heresies are the fruit of an imperfect con- 
 quest. They may imply a too rapid progress. 
 The image-worship which prevailed in the Church 
 for a time indicated that the meal was too 
 much for the leaven ; that the world of idolatry 
 and superstition was too strong for the Church 
 fully to restrain, with her present gifts and 
 graces. When the Church herself was so im- 
 perfectly influenced by the leaven of Divine 
 truth, no wonder that her influence over the 
 spirit and character of the heathen was im- 
 perfect. 
 
 The progress of Christianity was not always siieut pro- 
 due to great names which have been conspicuous Christianity. 
 on the pages of history. Great names rise above 
 the general mass of mankind, rather as signs 
 and tokens of the work that is going on around, 
 than as the doers of it. The grace of the 
 Holy Spirit is hidden from the eye of the world, 
 and works by numberless weak and feeble instru- 
 ments and by insignificant channels, of which the 
 world takes no account. But th&^ record is in 
 Heaven. Churches have been planted and have 
 prospered in many spots, of which history can 
 
200 Irish Missionaries. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. tell us nothing as to their origin. It is the pride 
 of some Churches to be able to trace their origin 
 to the labours of some distinguished Apostle, 
 Saint, or Martyr. But those which have been 
 so manifestly honoured are few. Even at Eome 
 there was a Christian Church before it was visited 
 by an Apostle. A Church existed there before St. 
 Paul wrote his Epistle to the Eomans ; organised 
 Christians found their way to Damascus and other 
 cities of the East before the Apostles left the 
 neighbourhood of Jerusalem. Whence came 
 they ? — and who guided them thither ? "We are 
 apt to attribute too much to visible means and 
 instruments, and too little to the silent influence 
 of the Holy Spirit, working in unknown and un- 
 noticed channels. The ascended Saviour, at His 
 own time and in His own way, which is not 
 always, nor exclusively, by the instrumentality 
 of organised Churches, works secretly and mys- 
 teriously, yet efficaciously, in the hearts and 
 minds of mankind. 
 
 There is one Church, outside the limits of the 
 Eoman Empire, whose origin is lost in obscurity 
 — the ancient Church of Ireland. It is said that 
 Pope Celestine, at the beginning of the fifth cen- 
 tury, sent Palladius to win the Irish to the Chris- 
 tian faith, but that his mission was a failure. 
 And he was not sent to a heathen people, wholly 
 
 Mission of 
 Palladius. 
 
Irish Missionaries. 201 
 
 ignorant of the faith, but to the Scots (this was chap. xix. 
 the original name of the Irish) believing in 
 Christ. He landed with twelve companions in 
 Wicklow, baptized a few converts, and built 
 tliree wooden churches ; but from the opposition 
 of the chiefs, he was obliged to leave Ireland. 
 He retired to Scotland, and died there. 
 
 In the following year, a.d. 432, came Patrick, captivity uf 
 
 ^ "^ ' ' Patrick. 
 
 the Apostle of Ireland. His life has been so 
 much involved in fable, that his very existence 
 has been doubted. The principal authority for 
 his life and work is his Confession, and a letter 
 written by him to a chief named Coroticus. His 
 father was a Christian deacon, and his grand- 
 father a priest. His birthplace was probably 
 Kirkpatrick, between Dumbarton and Glasgow. 
 At that time the west coast of Scotland was 
 frequently disturbed by predatory incursions 
 from Ireland. Many Christians were carried 
 off, and became the slaves of Irish chiefs. This 
 was the lot of Patrick and his two sisters. They 
 were conveyed into the county of Antrim. Patrick 
 was set to tend the flocks of his master, and ex- 
 posed to many hardships. He was sixteen years 
 old, and served six years, during which he learnt 
 the native language, laws, and customs. By one 
 of their laws all Irish slaves were free at the end 
 of six years' service. Patrick, therefore, escaped 
 
Irish. 
 
 202 Irish Missionaries. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. from Ireland, and returned home, but was again 
 carried off, and again escaped. 
 
 Hi^s^cau to [But now he heard voices calling upon him to 
 leave his country and his father's house. He 
 had often thought in his captivity how blessed 
 he would be if, knowing the true God and His 
 Son Jesus Christ, he could deliver the good news 
 to his old master and his people. He had a 
 dream, in which he beheld a man coming from 
 Ireland with letters. One of the letters was de- 
 livered to Patrick, in which he read the words, 
 " The voice of the Irish." He thought he heard 
 the people calling across the sea, and saying, 
 " We entreat thee, holy youth, to come and walk 
 
 Consecrated 
 Bishop and 
 labours 
 in Ireland. 
 
 He left his father's house in Scotland, and re- 
 paired to the monastery of St. Martin of Tours 
 for his training. He also spent some time in the 
 seminaries in which Germanus, Lupus, and Hilary 
 of Aries had studied. Patrick is said to have 
 returned to Britain, a.d. 429, in the company of 
 Germanus and Lupus, who had come to refute 
 the Pelagian heresy. He was probably conse- 
 crated Bishop in Gaul. He proceeded on his way 
 to Ireland, with a few fellow-labourers. There 
 was considerable opposition to his landing, but he 
 succeeded in getting ashore at Holmpatrick ; and 
 after some few conversions he sailed for Dundrum 
 
Irish Missionaries. 203 
 
 Bay. There the chief mistook him for a pirate, chap. xix. 
 and was on the point of putting him to death ; 
 but, struck with his reverend demeanour and 
 aspect, and the absence of armour, he received 
 him with hospitality. He also gave him a piece 
 of ground on which stood a barn, which after- 
 ward became the famous church, called the Barn 
 of St. Patrick. Some ruins of it are still to be 
 seen near the village of Saul, in the county of 
 Down. 
 
 The missionary was determined, if possible, to The Druids 
 win his old master, but failed. He then visited 
 the celebrated Hill of Tara. It was Easter, and a 
 great festival was about to be held by the Druids. 
 When he was near he erected a tent, and kindled 
 a fire. The curling smoke was observed by the 
 Druids with the greatest consternation. To light 
 a fire before the King had lighted the sacred fire 
 in the palace of Tara was a heinous sin. The 
 King was warned that if the strange fire was not 
 extinguished that night, he to whom it belonged 
 Avould be sovereign of Ireland for ever. The 
 Druids had in all probability heard of the Gospel 
 messengers, and of the success of their message 
 in other lands, and felt the impending doom of 
 their old superstition. 
 
 The offenders were summoned before the King. 
 Their fearlessness commanded his respectful atten- 
 
204 Irish Missionaries. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. tion, and that of his nobles, to their message. 
 Great Permission was also given them to preach where 
 
 success. 
 
 they pleased within his dominions, if they did not 
 disturb the peace. Missionary tours were made 
 into West Meath, Connaught, Mayo, and Ulster. 
 The Druids threatened, but were prevented from 
 putting Patrick to death by the favour of the 
 King. The great idol Crom Cruach was de- 
 stroyed. The seven sons of the King of Mayo 
 were baptized. Patrick was joined, a.d. 439, by 
 three friends, all of them raised to the episcopal 
 office in Britain or Gaul. He was thus en- 
 abled to extend the work of preaching, baptiz- 
 ing, building churches, founding monasteries and 
 schools. 
 The Letter It was during his labours in Munster that he 
 
 to Coroticus 
 
 and the wrotc the letter which contains the leading events 
 
 Apology. _ ^ ^ 
 
 of his life. Descents were made upon the southern 
 coasts of Ireland from Wales and Cornwall. On 
 one occasion some converts, whom Patrick had 
 recently baptized, were carried off, and, as was 
 customary, sold into slavery, a practice which 
 continued for several centuries later. A letter 
 was written by Patrick to the pirate chief Coro- 
 ticus, begging that he would restore them to their 
 home. His Confession, which was written to- 
 wards the close of his life, is an apology for having 
 chosen missionary work, wherein he pleads his 
 
Irish Missionaries. 205 
 
 success as his chief justification. Ireland he chap. xix. 
 studded with monasteries, in which the Scriptures 
 were read, books collected and copied, mission- 
 aries trained, who went forth to evangelise 
 the still barbarous and idolatrous nations of 
 Europe. 
 
 Patrick ended his days in peace at the villafre "The 
 
 •^ -^ ° Island of 
 
 of Saul, the scene of his first successes. He left samts." 
 a Church which was the glory of Ireland, and the 
 light of the West ; a Church protected by the 
 native chiefs, and presided over by a numerous 
 and well-informed clergy. The work was so far 
 blessed, that during the next hundred years Ire- 
 land was called " the Garden of Eden," " the Island 
 of Saints." The Irish Church had in it the true 
 missionary spirit. 
 
 Those countries of Europe which formed the i"«i^ 
 
 missionary 
 
 fringe of the Empire often witnessed the restora- coinmiian. 
 tion of idolatry, instead of the triumphant and 
 unchecked progress of the Gospel. Many tribes 
 of Southern Germany, on the Ehine, in Switzer- 
 land and Lombardy,had fallen into their old super- 
 stitions, through the laxity and indifference of 
 converts to the advantages and blessings of true 
 and pure Christianity. It was to some of these 
 countries that the Irish Missionaries directed 
 their energies. The principal figure in the noble 
 band was Columban, a native of Leinster, born a.d. 
 
206 Irifih Misdonaries. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 543, educated in a monastery on Loch Erne, and 
 
 in that also of Banchor, on the coast of Ulster. 
 The mission ^t the as'e of thirty years he set out with his 
 
 to Luxeuil. o -^ "^ 
 
 twelve companions for the neighbourhood of the 
 Ehine, where he was welcomed by a grandson of 
 Clovis, King of the Franks. Clovis had led the 
 Franks to the conquest of Gaul, afterwards named 
 France, and the expulsion of Eoman power. 
 Monasteries were a necessity in those troubled 
 times, as a home for religion and new converts ; 
 as a refuge from violence and rapine ; as a retreat 
 from the manifold dangers and temptations of 
 the world. Columban's first object was to obtain 
 a site for such an institution. He settled first at 
 Annegray, then at Luxeuil, near the foot of the 
 Vosges ; a spot which had witnessed many an act 
 of cruel devastation and barbarism. It was now 
 the haunt of the wolf and the bear. The Mission 
 party were reduced to the greatest want, even to 
 feeding on the bark of trees and wild herbs. 
 The Monas- The monastery was erected on the plan of those 
 
 t6rv of 
 
 Luxeuil. of his uativc island, with cells of thatch and 
 wattles, with a church and its round tower. The 
 fields were sown with corn. People flocked by 
 hundreds to hear from their lips the word of 
 life — for instruction in temporal as well as eternal 
 things ; in the cultivation of their land as well as 
 their hearts and minds. The inmates of the 
 
Irish Missionaries. 207 
 
 monastery were placed under the strictest discip- chap, xix 
 line. Their employment was carefully arranged 
 between the field, the monastery, and the church. 
 All offences against the rules were punished by 
 a period of enforced silence, by taking some 
 humiliating position, or even by corporal punish- 
 ment. Six blows were inflicted if one failed to 
 join in the " Amen " after the grace or the Bishop's 
 blessing ; or for neglect in signing his cup with 
 a cross, or for talking too loud, or for coughing 
 during the singing of the psalms, or for staring 
 about during Divine service. Insubordination was 
 visited by a heavier punishment. The number 
 of blows might amount to 200; but not more 
 than twenty-five could be administered at one 
 time. 
 
 Columban's principles were, " Whoever over- coiumban's 
 comes himself, treads the world under his feet." 
 " If we have conquered ourselves, we have con- 
 quered all things." " Let us live in Christ, that 
 Christ may live in us." He frequently rebuked 
 the vices of the Frankish clergy, and held his own 
 against the Frankish Bishop upon many contro- 
 verted questions. His great desire was to live 
 in peace, although his eyes would flash like 
 lightning upon the vicious, and his words would 
 peal on their ears like thunder. " Let us not 
 quarrel," he would say, " lest our enemies, the 
 
208 Irish Missionaries. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. heretics and Pagans, rejoice over our contention. 
 Let lis deliofht in the faith and revelation of the 
 Son of God, and let us strive earnestly together 
 to attain unto a perfect man, unto the measure 
 of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Let us 
 learn in holy communion with one another to 
 love one another, to praise one another, to correct 
 one another, and to pray for one another, that 
 with Him we may reign together for evermore." 
 
 Persecution He did uot shriuk from censuring the grievous 
 
 of Brune- 
 
 haut. licentiousness of the Court, at the head of which 
 
 was the unscrupulous Brunehaut. She had fled 
 for refuge to her grandson, the King of Burgundy, 
 Theodoric ii. His vices she encouraged. She 
 prevented him from taking a lawful queen, lest 
 she might be deprived of her authority and influ- 
 ence. Columban refused his blessing upon the 
 four illegitimate sons of Theodoric, which she 
 sought. She had already put to death the Bishop 
 of Vienne, and now she persecuted Columban, by 
 cutting off the supplies of his monastery. He again 
 visited the Court to remonstrate. A sumptuous 
 feast was prepared, but he would not taste it. It 
 is said his thunderings were followed by a mira- 
 culous destruction of the dishes, and of the meat 
 and wine, with which the table was laden. His 
 life was now • in extreme danger, and he was 
 forcibly removed from city to city, then placed 
 
Irish Missionaries. 209 
 
 on board a boat sailing to Ireland. But a storm chap. xix. 
 drove him back upon the coast of Neustria. 
 
 Columban now turned his thoughts to Helvetia, coiumban 
 and thither he was accompanied by his friend labour in 
 
 ^ '' Helvetia. 
 
 Gallus, better known as St. Gall. At Zug, 
 on the lake of Zurich, they interrupted a 
 heathen festival, which almost caused their ex- 
 pulsion from the country. From Zurich they 
 proceeded to Lake Constance. Bregenz was 
 pointed out by the good Bishop as a suitable 
 site for a monastery. Here they discovered that 
 one of the churches had been converted into a 
 heathen temple. The three images which they 
 found in it were destroyed and thrown into the 
 lake. 
 
 It is also related of St. Gall that, as he was The spirit of 
 fishino- one nioht on the lake, he heard the Spirit tain and of 
 
 ^ ° ' ^ the deep. 
 
 of the mountain calling to the Spirit of the waters, 
 " Arise, and come to my assistance. Behold, 
 strangers have driven me from my temple. 
 Haste to the rescue, and help me to expel them 
 from the land." The Spirit of the waters replied, 
 " Lo ! one of them is busied on my surface, but 
 injure him I cannot. Often have I tried to break 
 his nets, but as often have I been baffled ; for 
 the invocation of an all-prevailing name never 
 fails to cross his lips." Gallus trembled ; but he 
 thus addressed the Spirits : " I adjure you, in the 
 
 
 
210 Irish Missionaries. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you depart 
 from this place, and never more injure any one." 
 He then hastened to the monastery, where he 
 reported all that he had heard ; and his brethren 
 rejoiced that the spirits were subject unto them. 
 
 coiumban Columban went still farther into Lombardy, 
 
 dies in 
 
 Lombardy. and, after founding the monastery of Bobbio, died 
 at the age of seventy-two. Gallus laboured on, 
 and founded the monastery of St. Gall, famous 
 for many ages as a seat of learning. His deacon, 
 John, became the Bishop of Constance. St. 
 Magnus and St. Kilian belonged to this noble 
 band of Irish missionaries. The Kingdom of 
 Heaven was thus extended, while earthly king- 
 doms and empires were declining; and nations, 
 which had never been included within the 
 Eoman Empire, now laid down their arms at 
 the feet of Jesus. 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 CHARLEMAGNE. 
 
 The Bishops of Rome at the end of the increasing 
 
 power of 
 
 eighth century had obtained a powerful in- the Pope^. 
 fluence over Kings, as well as over all other 
 Bishops. Their counsel and sanction were sought 
 in every important crisis of Church and State. 
 Their most zealous sons went forth as mission- 
 aries in every direction. Kings, princes, nobles, 
 bishops, abbots, lent their authority and influence, 
 by direction of the Popes, in the propagation of 
 the faith, in the foundation of abbeys and 
 churches. Conquering princes were charged to 
 give no option to the people whom they subdued, 
 except Christianity or expulsion from their homes. 
 To this policy Pepin and Charlemagne especially 
 dedicated their power and influence. They were 
 the princes who established the Carlovingian line of 
 French kings upon the wreck of the Merovingian. 
 
 The Franks were a German tribe from the invasion of 
 
 Gaul by the 
 
 country between the Rhine and Elbe. They first Franks. 
 invaded Gaul, when the Saxons and Angles 
 
 211 
 
212 Gharhmagne. 
 
 CHAP. XX. began their invasions of Britain. The limbs of 
 the Eoman Empire now in a rapid decay, were 
 the prey of the gathering eagles. The Franks 
 were led by Clovis, who was a Pagan, but had 
 married a Christian wife named Clotilda. Gaul 
 had been added to the Empire by the con- 
 quests of Julius Csesar. It had been Christian 
 from the earliest days of Christianity. It had 
 its long lines of noble Bishops in the chief 
 cities. It had its martyrs and apologists and 
 defenders of the faith, — Pothinus, Irenaeus, 
 Hilary of Aries, Hilary of Poitiers, Germanus, 
 and Lupus. 
 
 Conversion Clovis, by oue sjrcat victory at Soissons, A.D. 
 
 and baptism ' ./ o J 
 
 of Clovis. 486, brought this rich province under the 
 dominion of the Franks. He believed that his 
 success was due to the God of the Christians. 
 He therefore accepted the faith of Christ, and 
 was baptized with great solemnity in the Cathedral 
 of Rheims. He had been convinced by the Bishop 
 Remigius, known as St. Remy, of the temporal 
 as well as the spiritual advantages of his conver- 
 sion. Three thousand of his followers imme- 
 diately followed his example, and were baptized. 
 On one occasion, upon hearing the narrative of 
 Christ's sufferings, crucifixion, and death, he is 
 said to have been so deeply moved as to ex- 
 claim, " Had I been present at the head of 
 
Charhmagm. 213 
 
 my valiant Franks, I would have revenged His chap. xx. 
 wrongs." 
 
 By his great victory over the Eomau Governor conquest of 
 Syagrius, Clovis became master of that part of 
 France lying between the Khine and Seine. His 
 next aim was the conquest of Burgundy, in the 
 south-east. It was ruled by his wife's uncle, and 
 the murderer of his wife's father. The Burgun- 
 dian King was an Arian, whilst Clovis was a 
 Catholic. The Burgundians were thus divided 
 on religious grounds in their allegiance. The 
 Catholic section, friendly to Clovis, prevailed, 
 and Burgundy came under the dominion of the 
 Franks. Clovis then directed his attention to 
 the central parts of Gaul. There the Arian 
 Goths had for some time been intermingled with 
 the older population. It grieved the soul of 
 Clovis to see these Arian Goths in possession of 
 the richest parts of the country. His soldiers 
 urged him on against them, and to conquer or 
 die. He hurled his battle-axe upon the ground. 
 " There," said he, " will I erect a home in honour 
 of the holy Apostles." 
 
 He marched from Paris to Tours, and there victory over 
 
 . . T P *^^ Goths a 
 
 visited the tomb of St. Martin. The ashes of Poitiers. 
 St. Martin of Tours had become noted for their 
 miraculous healing power. The messengers, who 
 were sent on before the King, were told to listen, 
 
214 Charlemagne. 
 
 CHAP. XX. as they entered the Church of Tours, to the par- 
 ticular words that were being chanted. They 
 happened to be those which recount the glorious 
 exploits of Old Testament warriors. This was 
 regarded as a good omen, and he was encouraged 
 to make an attack upon the Goths. The decisive 
 battle was fought and won at Poitiers, A.D. 508. 
 The victors continued their march south, as far 
 as the Ebro in Spain. He was honoured by the 
 Eoman Emperor, as the conqueror of Gaul, with 
 the title of Consul, and was crowned at Tours as 
 the monarch of Gaul. It was thus that the 
 kingdom of the Franks was first established in 
 Gaul. 
 
 The Vase of The Fraukisli Kings found it necessary to share 
 with their nobles not only the toils, but also the 
 trophies of war. When, on one occasion, the 
 spoils were laid out for distribution, and Clovis 
 begged for himself a vase belonging to the Church 
 of Eheims, the army assented; but one of his 
 chiefs, striking it with his battle-axe, exclaimed, 
 " You shall have nothing here but what falls to 
 your share by lot." Nevertheless Clovis quietly 
 appropriated the coveted vase. 
 
 The Pope ;. The fauiilv of Clovis ruled in France under the 
 
 temporal "^ 
 
 sovereign, name of Merovingians, from Meroveus, the grand- 
 father of Clovis, for two hundred years ; but they 
 rapidly declined in power, which fell into the 
 
Charlemagne. 215 
 
 hands of leading nobles or mayors, called Mayors chap. xx. 
 of the Palace, who usurped all regal authority, and 
 finally the regal title. The most powerful were 
 Charles Martel, Pepin, and Charlemagne. Charles 
 Martel had conquered the Frisians of Holland, 
 and had turned the tide of Mahometan conquest 
 in the south. His son Pepin obtained the power, 
 and assumed the title of King of the Franks. 
 He checked in Italy the conquests of the Lom- 
 bards, who were threatening another sack of 
 Eome. At the earnest solicitation of the Pope, 
 Pepin warded off the danger, drove back the 
 Lombards, and confined them to northern Italy, 
 known as Lombardy. The provinces thus de- 
 livered belonged to the Exarch of Eavenna, who 
 was the Viceroy of the Emperor at Constantinople. 
 These provinces were now bestowed by Pepin 
 upon the Pope, who for the first time became a 
 temporal sovereign. 
 
 Pepin, who had rendered this great service to The Pope 
 
 •*■ ^ confers the 
 
 the Pope, was by him served in return. The p^°Y" °° 
 house of Clovis still ruled in name the territories 
 won by the Franks; but all power was in the 
 hands of Pepin. With the Pope's sanction, the 
 feeble representative of that house was dethroned 
 and sent into a monastery ; while Pepin was 
 crowned King of the Franks, first by Boniface, 
 the Apostle of Germany, and a missionary from 
 
216 Charlemagne. 
 
 CHAP. XX. England, then by Pope Stephen iii. Thus the 
 Bishops of Eome claimed and exercised the 
 power of dethroning princes, and of absolving 
 subjects from their oaths. The Franks, now 
 released from their old masters of the Merovin- 
 gian house, raised Pepin on a buckler, as the 
 sovereign of a free people. 
 
 The forged After Pcpiu, bv his victories over the Lombards 
 
 will of ^ '^ 
 
 constantine. ^j^d liis Spoliation of the Empire, had formed a 
 temporal dominion for the Pope, the Pope him- 
 self studiously denied that he was under any 
 obligation to Pepin, and asserted that his terri- 
 tory had been bequeathed to him by the will of 
 Constantine the Great. A will had been forged, 
 and was now produced, to prove a grant, not only 
 of the city of Eome and the Exarchate of Eavenna, 
 but of the whole western half of the Empire. 
 
 The story told said that Constantine had been 
 healed of a leprosy in the water of his baptism, 
 and, in gratitude, had retired from Eome, and 
 made the new city of Constantinople his capital ; 
 moreover, he had resigned to the Popes the per- 
 petual sovereignty of Eome, Italy, and the West 
 of Europe. The Greek Emperors who had after- 
 wards ruled in the West were therefore usurpers, 
 and the gifts of Pepin of what were named the 
 Papal States were but acts of just restitution. 
 The Bishops of Eome had now established not 
 
 Bishops of 
 Rome the 
 alleged suc- 
 cessors of 
 Constantine. 
 
Charlemagne. 217 
 
 only their successorship of St. Peter in spiritual chap. xx. 
 authority, but of Constantine in their temporal 
 sovereignty. 
 
 Italy was thus torn from the Lombards by the chariemagne 
 
 asserts his 
 
 superior arms of Pepin : and also from the Icono- authority 
 
 -^ ^ over Rome 
 
 clast Emperors, with whom the Pope was at war ^^'^^ "^^y- 
 on the question of images, and conferred on the 
 Pope. But the connection of Eome with the 
 Empire was not wholly severed. The Bishop of 
 Eome wished to have in reserve a power which, 
 if necessary, he might use against the master 
 spirit of the Prankish kings. On the other hand, 
 after the victories over the Lombards, Charle- 
 magne refused to make an absolute surrender of 
 the rights or prerogatives in Eome and Italy which 
 he and his father had acquired by the success of 
 their arms. He therefore counted Eome amongst 
 his capital cities, and maintained his imperial 
 title over the west. 
 
 The Popes had all the advantages of hereditary Advantage 
 princes in a steady and continuous policy, com- o^^r other 
 
 ^ «' r J ' sovereigns. 
 
 bined with those of a free and popular election. 
 They were generally men of great ability and 
 popularity, of ripe age and experience. Every 
 new Pope, at his election, was reminded that he 
 would not reach the twenty-five years' reign of 
 St. Peter. It was the boast of Hadrian i. that 
 he had saved Eome, secured the patrimony of 
 
218 Charlemagne. 
 
 CHAP. XX. St. Peter, ruined the Lombards, and made a friend 
 
 of Charlemagne. 
 The pilgrim- And vet the election of a Pope was occasionally 
 
 age to Rome. '' . '' 
 
 stained with the darkest crimes. Leo ill., the 
 successor of Hadrian, was assailed by a band of 
 conspirators, the friends of a rival candidate. He 
 is said to have lost, by the knife of an assassin, 
 both eyes and tongue, which he miraculously 
 recovered. Charlemagne sympathised with him, 
 invited him to his Court, promised to visit him in 
 return at Eome, in the following year. This pil- 
 grimage of Charlemagne, as it was termed, was 
 made a.d. 800. It was the feast of Christmas 
 when he appeared in the Church of St. Peter, and 
 exchanged the simple dress of his own nation for 
 that of a Pioman patrician. After Mass had been 
 sung, Leo placed on his head a rich crown. The 
 voice of the congregation at the same time rose 
 in acclamation, " Long life and victory to Charles 
 Augustus, crowned by God, the great and pacific 
 Emperor of the Eomans." 
 charK''*" "^^ "^^^ reign of Charlemagne over the Franks 
 dominiun. rcachcd from a.d. 768 to 814. It was during the 
 latter half of this reign, from the time that he was 
 crowned Emperor of the West, that he extended 
 his dominion over the whole of Germany, as far 
 as the Vistula, and along the Danube as far as 
 its junction with the Save. His position had been 
 
Charlemagne. 219 
 
 well established by the victories of his father and chap, xx . 
 grandfather. He was able to leave the territories 
 which he had received from them in the care of 
 his faithful vassals, and break up fresh ground. 
 His victories over the German tribes were so 
 many victories for Christianity. Wherever he 
 planted his standard he extirpated idolatry, and 
 established Christianity. Eight new Bishoprics 
 were founded in different parts of Germany. After 
 many sanguinary battles, Bohemia was added to 
 his crown. The Huns were subjugated to his 
 rule, and Pannonia became a province of the 
 West. 
 
 It may have been that he spared the Greek The pirates 
 
 •^ ^ of the North. 
 
 Empire out of regard for the sovereign, who for 
 the first time was a female, whom it was said 
 Charlemagne proposed to marry. ]\Iany of the 
 Saxons and Northmen, who would not submit 
 to the Franks, nor embrace Christianity, fled 
 back to Denmark or Scandinavia, or betook them- 
 selves to piracy. Their fleets scoured the sea 
 around the coasts of Europe and Britain, and 
 filled the next two centuries with the tales of 
 their ravages. 
 
 It was a principle with the Erankish Kings to 
 divide their territory amongst their children, and, 
 as far as possible, make a settlement before their 
 death. For this purpose, Charlemagne required 
 
220 Charlemagne. 
 
 CHAP. XX. his eldest son, Lewis, to take the crown from the 
 The division altar, and place it upon his own head. The sons 
 
 of the king- ^ ^ 
 
 dom. of Lewis were required to do the same, each 
 
 crown representing the portion of the Empire which 
 the father had assigned to them. Their corona- 
 tions were afterwards sanctioned and repeated by 
 the Pope. This division of the Empire divided 
 the family, and soon caused its decay ; while the 
 influence of the Bishops of Eome rose higher and 
 higher, so that they deposed almost at will the 
 heirs of the great prince. 
 
 The cruel Great conQucrors are seldom free from the dark 
 
 barbarism of 
 
 the age. stains of cruelty and barbarism. Notwithstand- 
 ing his zeal for Christianity, Charlemagne had 
 nine wives; he murdered the infant children 
 of his brother, Carloman, with whom he had 
 shared his father's inheritance; he slew some 
 remaining princes of the Merovingian race; 
 he beheaded more than 4500 Saxons on one 
 spot. But it was too much a habit of the time 
 to adopt Christianity in name, and remain in 
 ignorance of its spirit and principles. Christ's 
 religion had spread widely, but superficially. 
 There had not been time for the seed to take any 
 deep root, nor was the soil of much depth. 
 
 Charlemagne did much for its extension, and 
 with the best intention. Hallam says : " Of his 
 Capitularies, only one is said to have been made 
 
of Charle- 
 magne. 
 
 Charlemagne. 221 
 
 in the General Assembly of the people ; the rest chap. xx. 
 are enacted in Synods of Bishops, and all, without The 
 exception, relate to merely ecclesiastical affairs.' 
 These Capitularies, or laws, tended greatly to in- 
 crease the power of the clergy, for whose piety 
 and knowledge the Emperor had great respect. 
 They prohibited temporal magistrates from enter- 
 taining complaints against the children of the 
 Church. The exemption of the clergy from civil 
 process and judgment had begun under the 
 Emperor Justinian. The Kings of the Franks 
 extended the jurisdiction of Bishops over all 
 causes in which the clergy were concerned. The 
 Bishops themselves were absolutely exempt from 
 secular jurisdiction, and the exemption was ex- 
 tended by Charlemagne to the whole body of the 
 clergy. He, however, reserved for himself the 
 supremacy in all matters civil and ecclesiastical. 
 It was by his own exclusive order that nothing 
 was to be read in churches of doubtful authority. 
 After his vigorous reign ended, there was a violent 
 reaction under his eldest son and successor, Lewis, 
 who tried to walk in the steps of his father, but 
 ended his days in a monastery. 
 
 Towards the end of the eighth century there 
 appeared, under the name of Isidore, what have The False 
 
 ^^ ' ' Decretals. 
 
 been long known as the False Decretals. They 
 purported to be the Decrees of the Popes from the 
 
222 Clmrhmagne. 
 
 CHAP. XX. time of the Apostles. They take away the power 
 of Metropolitans over Suffragan Bishops, and 
 direct that their appeals be made to the Bishops 
 of Eome. They allow no erection of new sees, no 
 translation of Bishops until they have been first 
 submitted to, and sanctioned by, the Popes. But 
 there were Metropolitans, and notably Hincmar, 
 Archbishop of Kheims, who boldly resisted these 
 encroachments of Papal power. 
 Schools for To Charlemagne is due the legalising, by civil 
 the Arts. statutc, of the collection of tithes for the mainten- 
 ance of the clergy, the relief of the poor, and the 
 repair of churches. He was the great founder of 
 schools for the study of grammar and logic, music 
 and astronomy; and for their management he 
 invited the assistance of the most famous scholars, 
 and amongst them was the learned Alcuin from 
 England. In the words of Gibbon, " The dignity 
 of his person, the length of his reign, the pro- 
 sperity of his arms, the vigour of his government, 
 and the reverence of distant ages, distinguish him 
 from the royal crowd ; and Europe dates a new 
 era from his restoration of the Western Empire." 
 
CHEONOLOGICAL INDEX. 
 
 B.C. 
 
 
 1058 
 
 Samuel the Prophet died. 
 
 838 
 
 Elisha the Prophet died. 
 
 760-698 
 
 Isaiah the Prophet. 
 
 606-536 
 
 Daniel the Prophet and Babylonian Empire. 
 
 536-333 
 
 Persian Empire. 
 
 336-323 
 
 Alexander the Great. 
 
 333-31 
 
 Greek Empire. 
 
 333 
 
 Battle of Issus. 
 
 332 
 
 Siege and capture of Tyre ; submission of Jerusalem 
 
 
 and Jews. 
 
 55-54 
 
 Julius Ceesar's Invasions of Britain. 
 
 44 
 
 Assassination of Julius Csesar, who is succeeded 
 
 
 by Augustus. 
 
 31 
 
 Battle of Actium ; Roman Empire begins. 
 
 4 
 
 Birth of Jesus Christ. 
 
 A.D. 
 
 14-37-41 
 
 Tiberius and Caligula, Roman Emperors ; Apostolic 
 
 
 Labours and Travels. 
 
 29 
 
 Death, Resurrection, Ascension of Jesus Christ; 
 
 
 Descent of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 41-54 
 
 Claudius, Roman Emperor ; Apostolic Labours and 
 
 
 Travels. 
 
 54-68 
 
 Nero, Roman Emperor; Apostolic Labours and 
 
 
 Travels. 
 
 68 
 
 Martyrdom of St. Peter aud St. Paul. 
 
 •i23 
 
224 
 
 Chronological Index. 
 
 A.D. 
 
 
 69-79-81-96 
 
 Vespasian, Titus, Domitian, Roman Emperors ; 
 
 
 Labours of St. John. 
 
 70 
 
 Destruction of Jerusalem. 
 
 98-117 
 
 Trajan, Roman Emperor. 
 
 99 
 
 St. Jolm died. 
 
 135 
 
 Revolt of Barcocliebas. 
 
 138-161-180 
 
 Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius, Roman 
 
 
 Emperors. 
 
 165 
 
 Justin Martyr's Martyrdom. 
 
 177-200 
 
 Irenseus, Bishop of Lyons. 
 
 185-197 
 
 Victor, Bishop of Rome. 
 
 193-211 
 
 Severus, Roman Emperor. 
 
 220 
 
 TertuUian, Presbyter and Apologist. 
 
 248-258 
 
 Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage. 
 
 249-251 
 
 Decius, Roman Emperor, 
 
 253 
 
 Death of Origen. 
 
 253-257 
 
 Stephanus i., Bishop of Rome. 
 
 269 
 
 Anatolius, Bishop of Laodicea. 
 
 286-306 
 
 Diocletian and Maximian, Roman Emperors. 
 
 287-291 
 
 Carausius, Emperor of Britain. 
 
 292-306 
 
 Constantius i., Roman Emperor. 
 
 303 
 
 Martyrdom of St. Alban. 
 
 305-311 
 
 Galerius, Roman Emperor. 
 
 306-312 
 
 Maxentius, Roman Emperor. 
 
 306-337 
 
 Constantine the Great, Roman Emperor, 
 
 312-323 
 
 Licinius, Roman Emperor. 
 
 314 
 
 Council of Aries. 
 
 315-340 
 
 Eusebius, Bishop of CaBsarea. 
 
 323 
 
 Battle of Adrianople. 
 
 325 
 
 First General Council. 
 
 326-373 
 
 Athanasius, Patriarch of Alexandria. 
 
 329 
 
 Transfer of Roman Capital from Rome to Constan- 
 
 
 tinople. 
 
 337-340 
 
 Constantine ii., Roman Emperor of Central Pro- 
 
 
 vinces. 
 
 337-350 
 
 Constans, Roman Emperor of the West. 
 
 337-361 
 
 Constantius ii., Roman Emperor of the East. 
 
 337-342 
 
 Eusebius, Bishop of Nicomedia. 
 
Chronological Index. 
 
 225 
 
 A.D. 
 
 348-374 
 350-367 
 351-360 
 361-363 
 364-378 
 374-397 
 375-392 
 
 379 
 379-395 
 
 381 
 385-412 
 
 390 
 395-408 
 395-423 
 396-430 
 397-407 
 399-450 
 
 402-417 
 410 
 
 412-444 
 418-448 
 419-451 
 
 420 
 422-432 
 425-455 
 428-431 
 429-449 
 
 430 
 
 431 
 432-465 
 434-453 
 440-461 
 
 451 
 
 452 
 481-511 
 
 486 
 
 Ulpliilas, Bishop and Apostle of the Goths. 
 
 Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers. 
 
 Macedonius, Patriarch of Constantinople. 
 
 Julian the Apostate, Roman Emperor. 
 
 Valens, Roman Emperor. 
 
 ximbrose. Bishop of Milan. 
 
 Valentinian ii., Roman Emperor. 
 
 Gregory Nazianzen, Patriarch of Constantinople. 
 
 Theodosius the Great, Roman Emperor. 
 
 Second General Council. 
 
 Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria. 
 
 Massacre at Thessalonica. 
 
 Arcadius, Roman Emperor of the East. 
 
 Honorius, Roman Emperor of the West. 
 
 Augustine, Bishop of Hippo. 
 
 Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople. 
 
 Theodosius the Younger, Roman Emperor of the 
 
 East. 
 Innocent i.. Bishop of Rome. 
 Sack of Rome and Death of Alaric, King of the 
 
 Goths. 
 Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria. 
 Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre. 
 Theodoric, King of the Visigoths. 
 Death of Jerome. 
 Celestine i. , Bishop of Rome. 
 Valentinian iii., Roman Emperor of the West. 
 Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople. 
 Hilary, Bishop of Aries. 
 Theodore, Bishop of Mopsuestia. 
 Third General Council and Mission of Palladius. 
 Patrick, Bishop, and Apostle of Ireland. 
 Attila, King of the Huns. 
 Leo I., Bishop of Rome. 
 Fourth General Council ; Battle of Chalons. 
 Destruction of Aquileia. 
 Clovis, King of the Franks. 
 Battle of Soissons. 
 
226 
 
 Chronological Index. 
 
 A.D. 
 
 
 492-496 
 
 Gelasius, Bishop of Kome. 
 
 507 
 
 Clovis visits the Shrine of St. Martin. 
 
 508 
 
 Battle of Poitiers. 
 
 527-565 
 
 Justinian, Roman Emperor of the East. 
 
 533 
 
 Death of Kemigius, Bishop of Rheims. 
 
 553 
 
 Fifth General Council. 
 
 563-597 
 
 Columba, first Abbot of lona. 
 
 590-604 
 
 Gregory i. , Bishop of Rome. 
 
 590-615 
 
 Columban, Apostle of Burgundy, Helvetia, and 
 
 
 Lombardy. 
 
 597-604 
 
 Augustine, first Archbishop of Canterbury. 
 
 601 
 
 Death of David, first Bishop of St. David's. 
 
 604-619 
 
 Laurentius, Archbishop of Canterbury. 
 
 609-632 
 
 Mahomet, the False Prophet ; Conquest of Arabia. 
 
 610-641 
 
 Heraclius, Roman Emperor of the East. 
 
 616 
 
 Death of Ethelbert, King of Kent. 
 
 613-616-633 
 
 Edwin an Exile, and King of Northumbria. 
 
 622 
 
 Hegira. 
 
 625-638 
 
 Honorius i., Bishop of Rome. 
 
 625-644 
 
 Paulinus, first Archbishop of York. 
 
 632-634 
 
 Abu-bekr, Caliph, succeeds Mahomet. 
 
 633-639 
 
 Mahometan Conquest of Syria. 
 
 634-644 
 
 Omar, Caliph. 
 
 634-642 
 
 Oswald, King of Northumbria. 
 
 638-647-709 
 
 Mahometan Conquest of Egypt and North Africa. 
 
 646 
 
 Felix, Bishop of East Anglia, died. 
 
 634-651-661-664 
 
 Aidan, Finan, Colman, Bishops of Lindisfarne. 
 
 654 
 
 Penda, King of Mercia, slain. 
 
 655-661 
 
 Ali, Caliph. 
 
 657-672 
 
 Vitalian, Bishop of Rome. 
 
 664-709 
 
 Wilfrid, Archbishop of York. 
 
 664 
 
 Synod of Streneshalc. 
 
 668-685 
 
 Constantine iv. , Roman Emperor. 
 
 668-690 
 
 Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury. 
 
 642-670 
 
 Oswy, King of Northumbria 
 
 673 
 
 Synod of Hertford. 
 
 674 
 
 Biscop Benedict builds Monastery of Jarrow. 
 
 680 
 
 Synod of Hatfield. 
 
Chronological Index, 
 
 227 
 
 A.D. 
 
 681 
 
 Sixth General Council. 
 
 685-687 
 
 Cuthbert, successor of Boisil, Abbot of Melrose. 
 
 688-716 
 
 Ceolfrith, Abbot of Jarrow. 
 
 690 
 
 Death of Biscop Benedict. 
 
 696 
 
 Willibrod, first Archbishop of Utrecht. 
 
 709-714 
 
 Mahometan Conquest of Spain. 
 
 714 
 
 Death of Pepin Heristal. 
 
 715-731 
 
 Gregory ii., Bishop of Rome. 
 
 715-765 
 
 Boniface, Bishop, and Apostle of Germany. 
 
 717-741 
 
 Leo III., Roman Emperor of the East. 
 
 732 
 
 Defeat of the Saracens at Tours. 
 
 735 
 
 Death of Venerable Bede. 
 
 741-775 
 
 Constantine v., Roman Emperor of the East. 
 
 750-768 
 
 Pepin, King of the Franks. 
 
 752-757 
 
 Stephen iii. , Bishop of Rome. 
 
 754 
 
 A so-called Seventh General Council (Iconoclast). 
 
 771-800 
 
 Charlemagne, King of the Franks. 
 
 772-775 
 
 Hadrian i. , Bishop of Rome. 
 
 787 
 
 Another so-called Seventh General Council. 
 
 788-803 
 
 Irene, Roman Empress. 
 
 794 
 
 Council at Frankfort. 
 
 795-816 
 
 Leo III., Bishop of Rome. 
 
 800-814 
 
 Charlemagne, Roman Emperor of the West, 
 
 814-840 
 
 Lewis the Pious, Roman Emperor of the West. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Abgarus, Christ's alleged reply to the 
 
 epistle of, 188. 
 Abila, Christians defeated at, 181. 
 Abu-bokr, succeeded Mahomet, 165, 
 
 171, 172, 175. 
 Abu Obeidah took Damascus, ISO. 
 Abyssinians, defeated in Arabia, 162. 
 Adrianople, battle of, 46. 
 ^tius, defeats Attila, 146. 
 Africa, North, Christians of, subdued 
 
 by Saracens, 175. 
 Aidan, St., life and labours of, 114- 
 
 121. 
 Aizneddin, Christians defeated at, 
 
 179. 
 Alaric, King of Goths, 77 ; sack of 
 
 Kome, 86-88, 144. 
 Alban, St., martyrdom of, 29, 30, 68 ; 
 
 miracles of, 97 ; as a departed 
 
 saint his assistance sought, 102. 
 Alchfrid, obtains land for monastery 
 
 at Ripon, 121, 122. 
 Aleppo, taken by Saracens, 183. | 
 
 Alexander the Great, capture of Tyre j 
 
 and Jerusalem, 141-143. j 
 
 Alexandria, a seat of learning, 54, 55 ; 
 
 Athanasius, Bishop of, perse- | 
 
 cuted, 61 ; its importance, 65 ; 
 
 its capture by Saracens, 184, ! 
 
 185. 1 
 
 Ali, vizier of Mahomet, 165, 166. ' 
 
 Ambrose, St., chosen Bishop of Milan, 
 
 79 ; resists the Arians, 80, 81 ; 
 
 excommunicates Emperor Theo- 
 
 dosius, 82, 83 ; supposed author 
 
 of hymn " Te Deum," 84, 85. 
 Amrou, conquests of, 170, 179, 184, 
 
 185. 
 Anastasia, Gregory Nazianzen 
 
 preaches in the, 78. 
 Anatolius, Paschal canons of, 125. 
 Andrew, relics of, 100. 
 Angles and Saxons invited to Britain, 
 
 68 ; Mission of Augustine to, 69 ; 
 
 form a Heptarchy, 118. 
 
 Q 
 
 Antinous, divine honours to, 32, 33. 
 
 Antoninus Pius, received favourably 
 Justin Martyr's Apology, 32-35. 
 
 Antrim, St. Patrick's labours in, 
 201. 
 
 Apologies of Justin Martyr and Ter- 
 tullian, 32, 33. 
 
 Apostles, the labours and travels of, 
 4 ; their writings, 19. 
 
 Aquilcia, siege and destruction of, 
 147, 148. 
 
 Arabia, Mahomet's conquest and con- 
 version of, 162, 163. 
 
 Arianism, opposed by St. Athanasius, 
 55-60 ; imposed on Ulphilas by 
 Emperor Valens, 76-80 ; of Bur- 
 gundy, 213. 
 
 Arius, Presbyter of Alexandria, 54 ; 
 his teaching and condemnation, 
 129. 
 
 Aries, Council at, 68 ; Bishop of, 
 receives Augustine, consecrates 
 him, 70, 73. 
 
 Ai-my, Roman, distribution of, 7 ; its 
 relief of Orleans, 146. 
 
 Articles of Religion, vi., 20 ; xxii., 99 ; 
 xi., 102. 
 
 Athanasius, St., at the Council of 
 Nicea, 56, 57 ; Bishop of Alex- 
 andria, 58 ; conflicts with Arians, 
 and banishments by the Emperor, 
 58-62. 
 
 Attila, King of the Huns, 145 ; de- 
 manded Honoria, 145 ; ravp.ged 
 Gaul and Italy, 146-148 ; treaty 
 of Leo I., 149. 
 
 Augustine, St., opponent of Pelagians, 
 23 ; baptized by Ambrose, 84 ; 
 his warning from the sack of 
 Rome, 89 ; belief in relics, 100. 
 
 Augustine, his mission to Britain, 
 70 ; reception by King Ethelbert, 
 71, 72 ; instructions from Gregory 
 I., 73, 74. 
 
 Aurelius, Marcus, persecution of. 25 ; 
 apology addressed to, 32 ; his 
 letter to the Senate, 37. 
 
230 
 
 Index. 
 
 B. 
 
 Bamborough, capital of Northum- 
 brian kings, 121. 
 
 Barcocliebas, sedition of, 33. 
 
 Baptism of King Edwin, 109. 
 
 Bede, the Venerable, relates miracles 
 in Britain, 97 ; referred to in sup- 
 port of relics, 100 ; relates pre- 
 diction of Aidan, 120 ; lived and 
 died in monastery of Jarrow, 
 160. 
 
 Beruicia, northern division of North- 
 umbria, 112. 
 
 Bertha, Christian Queen of Kent, 71 ; 
 worships in the Church of St, 
 Martin, 72. 
 
 Biscop Benedict, minister of Oswy, 
 157 ; builds Monastery of Jarrow, 
 158. 
 
 Bishops, chief officers of every 
 church, 63; canons respecting, 
 138. 
 
 Blandina, martyrdom of, 25-27. 
 
 Bohemia, conquered by Charlemagne, 
 219. 
 
 Boisil, Abbot of Melrose, 154. 
 
 Boniface, St., Apostle of Germany, 
 216. 
 
 Bozrah, siege and capture of, 178. 
 
 Bregeuz, labours of St. Columban at, 
 209. 
 
 Britain, Carausius, Emperor of, 44, 
 45. 
 
 Britons, ancient, description of, 5. 
 
 Brunehaut, persecutions of Columban 
 by, 208. 
 
 Burgundy, conquest of by Clevis, 
 213. 
 
 Byzantium, taken by Constantine, 46. 
 
 c. 
 
 Caaba, 163. 
 
 Cadwalla, slays Edmn, 110 ; is slain 
 by Oswald, 112. 
 
 Cjesar, Julius, invasions of Britain 
 by, 2, 3. 
 
 Caesarea, capture of, 183. 
 
 Cairo, capture of, 184. 
 
 Canons of Council at Hertford, 137. 
 
 Canterbury, Augustine first Arch- 
 bishop of, 73. 
 
 Capitularies of Charlemagne, 220, 
 221. ^ ' 
 
 Carausius, Emperor of Britain, as- 
 sassinated, 44. 
 
 Cassivellaunus, defeat of, 3. 
 
 Catholics, 213. 
 
 Celestine i. sends Palladius to Ire- 
 land, 200. 
 
 Celibacy of Clergy, 113. 
 
 Ceolfrith, Abbot of Jarrow, 160. 
 
 Cerinthus, heresy of, 16. 
 
 Chad, St., at Council of Streneshalc, 
 122; as Bishop of Lichfield, 
 adopts Roman custom of Easter, 
 127. 
 
 Chalcedon, Council at, 131, 134. 
 
 Chalons, battle at, 147. 
 
 Charlemagne, coronation by the Pope, 
 194, 218 ; supports the Papacy, 
 211 ; asserts his supremacy, 217 ; 
 extends his dominion towards the 
 East, 220; legislation of, 221. 
 222. 
 
 Charles Martel, defeats the Saracens, 
 150, 178, 215 ; extends missions 
 in Frisia, 151 ; friend of Papacy, 
 193. 
 
 Christ, controversies respecting, 129- 
 133. 
 
 Christianity, confusion of with Juda- 
 ism, 10-14 ; opposition of Pagan- 
 ism, 23, 24 ; its existence threat- 
 ened, 150 ; its conquests in Ire- 
 land, 199, 200. 
 
 Christians, persecution of, 47 ; under 
 Moslem rule, 175, 176. 
 
 Chrysostom, St., Bishop of Constan- 
 tinople, 90 ; Libanius, his tutor, 
 91 ; opposition to, 93 ; banish- 
 ment, exile, and death, 93-95. 
 
 Church, in Rome, 4 ; constitution of, 
 8, 9 ; establishment of, 42 ; pro- 
 sperity of, 48-52; always trium- 
 phant in the end, 140; God is 
 with her, 149; in Ireland, 198- 
 200. 
 
 Church, Roman, modelled from the 
 Empire, 64. 
 
 Churches, British and Anglo-Saxon, 
 conflicts between, 111. 
 
 Clovis, King of Franks, 150; victories 
 of, 212-214. 
 
 Coifi, priest of Edwin, 107 ; destroys 
 idolatry, 108. 
 
 Constans, Athanasius at the Court of, 
 59, 60. 
 
 Constantine the Great, establishes 
 Christianity, 17 ; becomes sole 
 master of Empire, 45, 46, 47 ; 
 brings joy to the Church, 48, 49 ; 
 overthrow of Maxentius, 50, 51 ; 
 calls a Council, 129 ; forged will 
 of, 216. 
 
 Constantine ii., short reign of, 59, 
 60. 
 
 Constantine iv. (Pogonatus), calls a 
 Council, 129. 
 
 Constantine v., calls a Council, 191, 
 196. 
 
Index. 
 
 231 
 
 Constantinople, opposed to Rome, 
 65 ; Council at, 78 ; Gregory 
 Nazianzen, Bishop of, 78 ; Chry- 
 sostom, Bishop of, 90 ; relics re- 
 moved to, 100; Councils at, 134; 
 assaulted by Iconoclasts, 192. 
 
 Constantius, opponent of Athanasius, 
 and friend of Arians, 59-61. 
 
 Colman, at Streneshalc, 122 ; resigns 
 his see, 127. 
 
 Columba, founds monastery of lona, 
 
 114 ; Apostle of Northern Picts, 
 
 115 ; his custom of Easter, 125. 
 Columban, founds monastery of Lux- 
 
 euil, 207 ; persecuted by Brune- 
 haut, 208 ; labours in Helvetia 
 and Italy, 209-212. 
 
 Cornelius, the Centurion, 12. 
 
 Coroticus, piracy of, 201. 
 
 Coriiiptions in the Church, 173. 
 
 Councils at Jerusalem, 12; General, 
 23, 66, 129 ; at Hatfield, 133 ; a 
 Seventh (so-called) 191. 
 
 Crisces, accuser of Justin Martyr, 35. 
 
 Crosses, at Bozrah, 179. 
 
 Custom, British and Roman respect- 
 ing Easter, 126. 
 
 Cuthbert, Abbot of Melrose, 154; 
 Bishop of Lindisfarne, 155. 
 
 Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, appeal 
 to, 66. 
 
 Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria, pre- 
 sides at Council, 131, 135. 
 
 D. 
 
 Damascus, capture of, 176, 179 ; St. 
 
 John of, 192. 
 Danai, settle in Denmark, 150. 
 Daniel, the Prophet, 143. 
 Darius iii., Codoniannus, King of 
 
 Persia, overthrown, 141. 
 David, St., fir.st Bishop of St. David's 
 
 opposes Pelagianism, 23. 
 Decius, persecution of, 25. 
 Deira, southern division of North- 
 
 umbria, 112. 
 Diocletian, persecution of, 25 ; his 
 
 birth and government, 42. 
 Docetse, heresy of, 16. 
 Donatists, schism of, 54. 
 Druids, religious rites of, 5 ; of Ire- 
 land, 203. 
 Dundrum Bay, barn of St. Patrick, 
 
 near to, 203. 
 
 E. 
 
 Eanfleda, becomes wife of Oswy, 
 
 120. 
 Eanfrid, succeeds Edwin in Bernicia, 
 
 112. 
 
 Easter, controversy, 'o^, 122-127, 137. 
 
 Edwin, finds a refuge with Redwald, 
 103 ; his vision, 104 ; council, 
 107 ; is baptized, 109 ; spreads 
 Christianity by help of Paidinus, 
 110. 
 
 Egypt, conquest of, 175, 184. 
 
 Elisha, the Prophet, 99. 
 
 Empire, Roman, a preparation for 
 Christianity, 6, 10 ; Christianity 
 established in, 42. 
 
 Ephesus, Council at, 131, 134. 
 
 Essex, Bishop of, 137. 
 
 Ethelbert, King of Kent, 71 ; receives 
 Augustine's mission, 72 ; the 
 letter and presents of Gregory i. 
 to, 74. 
 
 Eudoxia, reproved by Chrysostom, 
 92, 93. 
 
 Eusebius of Ceesarea, History of, 41, 
 42. 
 
 Eusebius, of Nicomedia, consecrated 
 Ulphilas, 76. 
 
 Eutropius invited Chrysostom to Con- 
 stantinople, 91. 
 
 Eutyches, heresy of, 129-132. 
 
 F. 
 
 False Decretals, 222. 
 Felix, Bishop of East Angles, 109. 
 Finan, Bishop of Lindisfarne, 121. 
 Frankfort, Council at, 197. 
 Prankish kings, a principle of, 219. 
 Franks, settlement in Gaul, 149. 
 Frisians, settlement in Holland, 150 ; 
 their conversion, 151. 
 
 G. 
 
 Gabriel, the Angel, said to have ap- 
 peared to Mahomet, 163, 169, 171. 
 
 Galerius, persecution of, 43 ; over- 
 thrown by Constantiue, 45, 46. 
 
 Gall, St., companion of Columban, 
 209, 210. 
 
 Gaza, capture of, 141. 
 
 Gelasius, Papal claims by, 67. 
 
 Germanus, opposes Pelagianism, 23, 
 68 ; miracles of, 97, 98; Patrick, 
 companion of, 202. 
 
 Gerizzim, Samaritan temple built on, 
 142. 
 
 Gibbon, admires Athanasius, 61 ; 
 Gregory Nazianzen, 79 ; Ambrose, 
 83. 
 
 Gnostics, heresy of, 17, 18. 
 
 Goths, defeat Valens, 75-77 ; overrun 
 Italy, 86-90 ; in alliance with 
 Romans, 144, 146 ; Arianism of, 
 213. 
 
232 
 
 Index. 
 
 Greeks, overthrow Persian empire, 
 143 ; power of, passes to Latins, 
 193, 195. 
 
 Gregory i., sends mission to Britain, 
 68-74; instituted Gregorian Cliant, 
 158. 
 
 Gregory ii., letter of, to Emperor Leo 
 in., 194. 
 
 Gregory Nazianzen, Patriarch of Con- 
 stantinople, 78. 
 
 H. 
 
 Hadrian, Emperor, his treatment of 
 Christians, 33, 34, 38. 
 
 Hadrian, Abbot of St. Peter's, Canter- 
 bury, 136. 
 
 Hadrian i., Pope, the boast of, 217. 
 
 Hallam, description of Leo the Great 
 by, 67. 
 
 Hashem, family of Mahomet, 163. 
 
 Hatfield, Synod at, 133, 134. 
 
 Hegira, 166. 
 
 Helena, mother of Constantine, 44. 
 
 Heliopolis, capture of, 181. 
 
 Heptarchy, 118. 
 
 Heraclius, contests of, 168, 171. 
 
 Herebert, visits Cuthbert, 156. 
 
 Heresies, of Simon, 14 ; Merander, 
 15 ; Cerinthus, Docetae, Ebion- 
 ites, 16 ; Manicheans, Valentini- 
 ans. Gnostics, 17 ; Pelagians, 21. 
 
 Hertford, Synod at, 137. 
 
 Hewald, missionaries to Old Saxons, 
 151. 
 
 Hexham, battle at, 112. 
 
 Hilary of Aries, deposition threat- 
 ened, 67. 
 
 Hilda, Abbess of Streneshalc, at Coun- 
 cil of Streneshalc, 122; adopts 
 Roman custom, 127. 
 
 Holmpatrick, first converts of Pat- 
 rick here, 202. 
 
 Honoria, demanded in marriage by 
 Attila, 145, 147. 
 
 Honorius, succeeds Theodosius, 86 ; 
 resides at Ravenna, 87. 
 
 Honorius, Bishop of Rome, a Mono- 
 thelite, 132. 
 
 Huns, an Asiatic tribe led by Attila, 
 75, 76 ; ravages of, in Gaul and 
 Italy, 144-160. 
 
 I. 
 
 Iconoclasts, led by Emperor Leo the 
 
 Isaurian, 190 ; Council of, 191 ; 
 
 success of, 195, 196. 
 Images, forbidden by Holy Scripture, 
 
 186 ; origin of, 188 ; destruction 
 
 of, 190. 
 
 Innocent t., demands to be consulted 
 on all Church matters, 67. 
 
 lona, Monastery of, founded, 114, 115; 
 its supply of missionaries, 154. 
 
 Ireland, introduction of Christianity 
 into, 200. 
 
 Irenfeus, Bishop of Lyons, a writer 
 against heresy, 39; opposed to 
 Victor, Bishop of Rome, 66. 
 
 Irene, favours image-worship, 196. 
 
 Islam, doctrine and discipline of, 164. 
 
 Issus, battle at, 142. 
 
 J. 
 
 Jaddua, meets Alexander, 141. 
 
 James the Deacon, 110 ; at the Coun- 
 cil of Streneshalc, 122. 
 
 Jarrow, Monastery of, founded by 
 Biscop, 157-160. 
 
 Jerome, the Monastery of, at Beth- 
 lehem, 8(>. 
 
 Jerusalem, Christianity begins at, 1, 
 10 ; destruction of, 12-14 ; relics 
 brought to, 101 ; visit of Alexan- 
 der, 142. 
 
 Jews, mingled with Christians, 13, 
 14 ; favoured by Alexander, 142 ; 
 persecution of, 169. 
 
 John, St., meets Cerinthus, 16 ; his 
 Easter custom, 124. 
 
 Julian, the Apostate, 61, 78. 
 
 Justin Martyr, Apologies of, 32, 33, 
 35. 
 
 Justinian, summons Fifth General 
 Council, 129. 
 
 K. 
 
 Kent, Anglo-Saxon Church spreads 
 
 thence, 118. 
 Khoreish, Arab tribe of Mecca, 163, 
 
 168, 169. 
 Kirkpatrick, 201. 
 Koran, 164. 
 
 L. 
 
 Latins, increasing power of, 193, 195. 
 
 Laurentius, vision of, 102. 
 
 Leo the Great, influence of, 66, 67 ; 
 meets Attila, 148,149. 
 
 Leo in., Emperor, an Iconoclast, re- 
 ceives letter of Gregory ii., 194. 
 
 Leo IV., Emperor, an Iconoclast, 195. 
 
 Leo III., Bishop of Rome, conspiracy 
 against, 218. 
 
 Lewis, succeeded Charlemagne, 220. 
 
 Libanius, 91. 
 
 Licinius, defeat of, 46. 
 
 Lincoln, Cathedral of, 110. 
 
Index. 
 
 233 
 
 Lindisfarne, Aidan, Bishop of, 114; 
 Finan, 121 ; Cuthbert. 154. 
 
 Lombards, 215. 
 
 Lombardy, Columban and his com- 
 panions labour in, 210. 
 
 Luke, St., relics of. 100. 
 
 Lupus, companion of Germanus, 23, 
 68, 202. 
 
 Luxeuil, Monastery of, 20S. 
 
 Lyons, Church of, 25. 
 
 M. 
 
 Macedonius, heresy of, 129, 134. 
 Mahomet, his mission to the Ai-ab 
 
 nation, 162-174 ; and to the world, 
 
 187, 189. 
 Manasseh, High Priest of Samaritan 
 
 Temple, 141. 
 Manuscripts of Holy Scripture, 19. 
 Marcian, summons Fourth General 
 
 Council, 129. 
 Maser field, battle at, 118. 
 Maxentius, Emperor, 45 ; overthrown 
 
 by Coustantine, 50, 51. 
 Maximian, colleague of Diocletian, 43. 
 Mayo, 204. 
 
 Mayors of the Palace, 215. 
 Mecca, Mahomet born and labovu"s at, 
 
 162, 166. 
 Medina, Mahomet labours and buried 
 
 there, 172. 
 Melrose, Abbey of, 154, 
 Melchites, 184. 
 Memphis, capture of, 184. 
 Menander, heresy of, 15. 
 Mercia, 118 ; Bishop of, 137. 
 Meroveus, 214. 
 Metz, capture of, 146. 
 Milan, Edict of, 53 ; residence of 
 
 Valentinian in., SO. 
 Miracles of the Gospels, 96 ; of Bede's 
 
 History, 97. 
 Missions of Gregory i., 68. 
 Monasteries, description of, 113 ; lona, 
 
 152-154 ; Irish, 205, 206. 
 Monks, rule respecting, 138 ; de- 
 fenders of images, 192. 
 Monophysites, heresy of, 130, 132. 
 Monothelites, heresy of, 130, 132. 
 Moslems, 167, 176, 177. 
 Mosque, 183. 
 Munster, 204. 
 Mystery of Christ, 129. 
 
 N. 
 
 Nero, persecution of, 25, 37. 
 Nestorians, heresy of, 131. 
 
 Nestorius, Patriarch of Constanti- 
 nople, 129-134. 
 
 Nicea, Councils at, 49, 57, 134, 196. 
 
 Ninian, St., Apostle of Southern 
 Picts, 115. 
 
 Northmen, 219. 
 
 Northumbria, labours of Paulinus in, 
 109 ; division of, 112 ; kingdom 
 of Heptarchy, 118; Wilfrid, 
 Bishop of, 137. 
 
 0. 
 
 Omar, third Caliph. 172, 182. 
 Ordinances of Religion restored, 49, 
 
 50. 
 Origen, 39. 
 
 Orleans, siege of, 146. 
 Ostrogoths, march on Constantinople, 
 
 90. 
 Oswald, victory of, 112 ; sends for a 
 
 Bishop, 114 ; receives Aidan, 115 ; 
 
 sanctity of, 119, 120. 
 Oswy, succeeds Oswald, 120 ; presides 
 
 at Council, 122. 
 
 P. 
 
 Paganism, decline of, 42. 
 
 Palladius, mission of, 200. 
 
 Pannonia, conquest of, 219. 
 
 Pantheon becomes a Christian Church, 
 24. 
 
 Passover begins the Easter of St. 
 John, 124. 
 
 Patrick, St., life and labours of, 
 201-205. 
 
 Paul, St., at Rome, ,65 ; Epistle of, 66 ; 
 miracles of, 97 ; appears in a 
 vision, 102; circumcision of Tim- 
 othy, 124; teaches Godhead of 
 Christ, 130. 
 
 Paulinus, Bishop of York and Ro- 
 chester, 105 - 110 ; introduces 
 Gregorian music, 158. 
 
 Pelagius, heresy of, 21, 22, 68. 
 
 Pella, refuge of Christians, 13. 
 
 Penda, slays Edwin, 110; Eanfrid, 
 112 ; Oswald, 118. 
 
 Pepin d'Heristal, 150. 
 
 Pepin the Short, crowned King of the 
 Franks, 194, 210. 
 
 Persecutions, at Lyons, 25 ; failure of, 
 27 ; benefit of, 28 ; in Britain, 29, 
 30. 
 
 Persia, 174. 
 
 Persian Empire overthrown, 143. 
 
 Peter, St., martyrdom of, 4; vision 
 of, 11 ; alleged first Bishop of 
 Rome, 65, 66; appears in a vi- 
 sion, 102 ; custom of Easter, 124. 
 
234 
 
 Inde'x. 
 
 Picts, conversion of, 112 ; receive 
 Oswald, 112 ; receive Columba, 
 114. 
 
 Pliny the Younger, 38. 
 
 Poitiers, battle at, 214. 
 
 Popes, assume title of Universal 
 Bishop, 63-65 ; their defence of 
 images, 193, 194; favourable cir- 
 cumstances of, 217. 
 
 Proconsuls, 46. 
 
 Prophecy of Isaiah, 1, 2 ; of Aidan 
 121. 
 
 R. 
 
 Radbod, 151. 
 
 Ravenna, residence of Honorius, 87 ; 
 of Greek Exarchs, 193, 195, 196. 
 
 Redwald, receives Edwin, 103 ; rein- 
 states him, 105 ; half Christian, 
 half Pagan, 109. 
 
 Regular, 113. 
 
 Relics, virtue attributed to, 99, 119, 
 120. 
 
 Remy, St., baptized Clovis, 212. 
 
 Ripon, Monastery of, 122. 
 
 Rochester, Bishop of, 137. 
 
 Romanus, 178. 
 
 Rome, sack of, 86-89 ; tombs of, 100. 
 
 s. 
 
 Saints, relics of, 101, 102. 
 
 Samaritans, 142. 
 
 Samuel, relics of, 100. 
 
 Sanballat, 141. 
 
 Scots, 201. 
 
 Scriptures, Holy, copies of, 18-20; 
 
 Councils bound by, 133, 135. 
 Sebert, succeeds Redwald, 109. 
 Secular, 113. 
 See, Roman, daughter Churches of, 
 
 135. 
 Senate, Roman, 46. 
 Severus, persecution of, 25. 
 Simon Magus, arch-heretic, 15. 
 Sophia, St., Cathedral of, 92. 
 Sophronius, delivers up Jerusalem, 
 
 182. 
 Spain, Mahometan conquest of, 175, 
 
 185. 
 Stephanus i. , appealed to, ^^. 
 Stephen, St., relics of, 101. 
 Stephen in., crowns Pepin, 216. 
 Streneshalc, Synod at, 122. 
 Syagrius, defeat of, 213. 
 Synods required, 138. 
 Syria, capture of, 174, 175. 
 
 Tara, 203. 
 
 Tarik, conquests of, 178. 
 
 Te Deum, origin of, 84, 85. 
 
 Tertullian, apology of, 32, 36, 39. 
 
 Theodore, presides at Hatfield, 183 ; 
 his primacy, 136 ; presides at 
 Hertford, 137. 
 
 Theodoric, King of Goths, in alliance 
 with Romans, 147. 
 
 Theodorus of Mopsuestia, heresy of, 
 130, 132. 
 
 Theodosius the Great, Government of, 
 77-83; summoned Second Gene- 
 ral Council, 129. 
 
 Theodosius the Younger, 95 ; sum- 
 mons the Third General Council 
 129. 
 
 Theophilus, opposition to Chryso- 
 stom, 92, 93. 
 
 Thessalonica, massacre at, 82. 
 
 Thomas, Governor of Damascus, 179- 
 181. 
 
 Thurificati, 44. 
 
 Thuringian Forest, 147. 
 
 Tiberius, reference to the Senate, 37. 
 
 Timothy, relics of, 100. 
 
 Tonsure, 113. 
 
 Tom-s, shrine of, 202, 213. 
 
 Traditores, 44. 
 
 Trajan, tolerance of, 38. 
 
 Tyre, capture of, 141. 
 
 u. 
 
 Ulphilas, Apostle and Bishop of the 
 
 Goths, 75, 76. 
 Union of Christians, 36 ; of Church, 
 
 139. 
 Unitarians, 53. 
 Utrecht. 151. 
 
 Valens, banishes Athanasius, 61. 
 
 Valentinian ii., opponent of Ambrose, 
 80, 81. 
 
 Valentinian in., friend of Leo i., 66 ; 
 brother of Honoria, 145. 
 
 Vase of Soissons, 214. 
 
 Vespasian, tolerance of, 38. 
 
 Victor I., his threat of excommunica- 
 tion of all Churches, 66. 
 
 Vienne, Church of, 25. 
 
 Visigoths, 89. 
 
 Visions of Laurentius, 102 ; of Edwin, 
 103, 104. 
 
 Vitalian, appoints Archbishop Theo- 
 dore and Abbot Hadrian, 136. 
 
Index. 
 
 235 
 
 W. 
 
 Wessex, 118. 
 
 Wilfrid, tutor of Alchfrid, 121 ; at 
 
 Strenesbalc, 122 ; at Hatfield, 
 
 133 ; at Rome, 133 ; Bishop of 
 
 Northumbria, 137. 
 Willibrod, Apostle and Bishop of the 
 
 Frisians, 151. 
 Woden, 77. 
 
 y. 
 
 Yermuk, battle at, 181. 
 
 York, an archbishopric, 73 ; Paulinus, 
 
 first Bishop of, 105 ; Cathedral of 
 
 109, 117. 
 
 Zeid, 165, 170. 
 Zug, 209. 
 
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 Queen of Sheba — The Widow of Zarephath — Jezebel — The Shunammite — 
 Esther — Elisabeth — Anna — The Woman of Samaria — Joanna — The Woman 
 with the Issue of Blood — The Woman of Canaan — ^^Martha — Mary — Salome 
 —The Wife of Pilate— Dorcas— The Blessed Virgin. 
 
 Blunt's Dictionary of Sects. 
 
 Imperial 8vo. 3dy. ; or in half-morocco, 48^. 
 
 Dictionary of Sects, Heresies, Ecclesiastical Parties, and 
 Schools of Religious Thought. By Various Writers. 
 
 Edited by the Rev. John Henry Blunt, D.D., 
 
 Editor of the 'Dictionary ofTTleology,' 'Annotated Book of Common Prayer,' etc., etc. 
 
 Body's Life of Temptation. 
 
 Sixth Edition. Cro^vn 8vo. 4s. 6d. 
 
 The Life of Temptation. A Course of Lectures delivered in sub- 
 stance at St. Peter's, Eaton Square ; also at All Saints', Margaret 
 Street. 
 
 By the Eev. George Body, M.A., 
 
 Canon of Vur/iam. 
 
 CContmts. 
 The Leading into Temptation — The Rationale of Temptation— Why we are 
 Tempted— Safety in Temptation— With Jesus in Temptation— The End of 
 Temptation. 
 
 Wintetloa place, Hottnon. 
 
OF RECENT PUBLIC A TIONS. 
 
 Knox Little's Manchester Sermons. 
 
 Seco7id Edition. Crown Zvo. -js. 6d. 
 
 Sermons Preached for the most part in Manchester. 
 By the Rev. W. J. Knox Little, M.A., 
 
 Canon Residentiary of Worcester, and Vicar of Hoar Cross. 
 
 dontmts. 
 The Soul instructed by God — The Claim of God upon the Soul- -The Super- 
 natural Powers of the Soul — The Soul in its Inner Life — The Soul in the World 
 and at the Judgment — The Law of Preparation — The Principle of Preparation 
 — The Temper of Preparation — The Energy of Preparation — The Soul's Need 
 and God's Nature — The Martyr of Jesus — The Secret of Prophetic Power — The 
 Law of Sacrifice — The Comfort of God — The Symbolism of the Cross — The 
 Beatitude of Mary, the Mother of the Lord. 
 
 Knox Little's Christian Life. 
 
 Third Edition. Crown Zvo. 3J. 6d. 
 
 Characteristics and Motives of the Christian Life. Ten 
 Sermons preached in Manchester Cathedral in Lent and Advent 
 1877. 
 
 By the Rev. W. J. Knox Little, M.A., 
 
 Canon Residentiary of Worcester, a7td Vicar of Hoar Cross. 
 
 (Contents. 
 Christian Work— Christian Advance— Christian Watching— Christian Battle- 
 Christian Suffering— Christian Joy — For the Love of Man — For the sake of 
 Jesus— For the Glory of God — The Claims of Christ. 
 
 Knox Little's Witness of the Passion. 
 
 Crown 8vo. 3^. 6d. 
 
 The Witness of the Passion of our Most Holy Redeemer. 
 By the Rev. W. J. Knox Little, M.A., 
 
 Canon Residentiary of IVorcester, and Vicar of Hoar Cross. 
 
 WrUtttioQ jpiace, Honlion. 
 
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 Williams's Devotional Commentary. 
 
 New Editio7i. Eight Vols. Crozmi ^vo. ^s. each. Sold separately. 
 
 A Devotional Commentary on the Gospel Narrative. 
 By the Rev. Isaac Williams, B.D., 
 
 Fortnerly Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford. 
 
 THOUGHTS ON THE STUDY OF THE HOLY GOSPELS. 
 
 A HARMONY OF THE FOUR EVANGELISTS. 
 
 OUR LORD'S NATIVITY. 
 
 OUR LORD'S MINISTRY (Second Year). 
 
 OUR LORD'S MINISTRY (Third Year). 
 
 THE HOLY WEEK. 
 
 OUR LORD'S PASSION. 
 
 OUR LORD'S RESURRECTION. 
 
 Voices of Comfort. 
 
 Sixth Edition. Crown Zvo. -js. 6d. 
 
 Voices of Comfort. 
 Edited by the Rev. Thomas Vincent Posbery, M.A., 
 
 Sometime Vicar of St. Giles's, Oxford. 
 
 This Volume of prose and poetry, original and selected, aims at revealing 
 the fountains of hope and joy which underlie the griefs and sorrows of life. 
 It is so divided as to afford readings for a month. The keynote of each day is 
 given to the title prefixed to it, such as : ' The Power of the Cross of Christ, 
 Day 6. Conflicts of the Soul, Day 17. The Communion of Saints, Day 20. 
 The Comforter, Day 22. The Light of Hope, Day 25. The Coming of Christ, 
 Day 28.' Each day begins with passages of Holy Scripture. These are fol- 
 lowed by articles in prose, which are succeeded by one or more short prayers. 
 After these are poems or passages of poetry, and then very brief extracts in 
 prose or verse close the section. The book is meant to meet, not merely cases 
 of bereavement or physical suffering, but ' to minister specially to the hidden 
 troubles of the heart, as they are silently weaving their dark threads into the 
 Web of the seemingly brightest life.' 
 
 Also a Cheap Edition.. Small Svo. 35. 6d. 
 
 caiamloo place, iLonaon. 
 
OF RECENT PUBLIC A TIONS. 19 
 
 The Star of Childhood. 
 
 Fourth Edition. Royal i6fno. ^s. 6d. 
 
 The Star of Childhood : a First Book of Prayers and Instruction 
 
 for Children. 
 
 Compiled by a Priest. 
 Edited by the Rev. T. T. Carter, M.A. 
 
 IVitk Ilhistrations after Fra A 7igelico. 
 
 The Guide to Heaven. 
 
 New Editiofi. i^ino. is. 6d. ; Cloth Hjii^, is. 
 
 The Guide to Heaven : a Book of Prayers for every Want. For 
 
 the Working Classes. 
 
 Compiled by a Priest. 
 Edited by the Rev. T. T. Carter, M.A. 
 
 Aft Edition in Large Type. Crown Zvo. is. 6d. ; Cloth limp, is. 
 
 H. L. Sidney Lear's For Days and Years. 
 
 New Edition. i6mo. 2s. 6d. 
 
 For Days and Years. A Book containing a Text, Short Reading 
 
 and Hymn for Every Day in the Church's Year. 
 
 Selected by H. L. Sidney Lear. 
 
 Also a Cheap Edition. I'zmo, ts. : or Cloth gilt, is. 6d. 
 
 WilHams on the Epistles and Gospels. 
 
 New Edition. Two Vols. Ct-own Svo. 5s. each. 
 Sold separately. 
 
 Sermons on the Epistles and Gospels for the Sundays 
 AND Holy Days throughout the Year. 
 
 By the Rev. Isaac Williams, B.D., 
 
 Author of a ' Devotional Commentary on the Gospel Ncu-iative.' 
 
 oaaterloci place, JLontion. 
 
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 Moberly's Parochial Sermons. 
 
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 Parochial Sermons, chiefly preached at Brighstone, Isle of Wight. 
 By George Moberly, D.C.L., 
 
 Late Bishop of Salisbury. 
 / 
 
 Contents. 
 
 The Night is far spent, the Day is at hand— Elijah, the Warner of the 
 Second Advent of the Lord— Christmas— Epiphany— The Rich Man and 
 Lazarus— The Seventh Day Rest— I will arise and go to my Father— Con- 
 firm^ation, a Revival — Korah — The Law of Liberty — Buried with Him in 
 Baptism— The Waiting Church of the Hundred and Twenty— Whitsun Day. 
 I will not leave you comfortless— Whitsun Day. Walking after the Spirit 
 — The Barren Fig Tree — Depart from me ; for I am a sinful man, O Lord — 
 Feeding the Four Thousand— We are debtors— He that thinketh he standeth 
 — The Strength of Working Prayer — Elijah's Sacrifice — If thou hadst known, 
 even thou — Harvest Thanksgiving — Jonadab, the Son of Rechab — The Trans- 
 figuration ; Death and Glory— Welcome to Everlasting Habitations— The 
 Question of the Sadducees. 
 
 Moberly's Plain Sermons. 
 
 New Edition. Crown Zvo. 55. 
 
 Plain Sermons, Preached at Brighstone. 
 By George Moberly, D.C.L., 
 
 Late Bishop 0/ Salisbury. 
 
 GTontrats. 
 
 Except a man be born again— The Lord with the Doctors— The Draw-Net— I 
 will lay me down in peace — Ye have not so learned Christ — Trinity Sunday — 
 My Flesh is Meat indeed— The Corn of Wheat dying and multiplied— The Seed 
 Corn springing to new life — I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life — The Ruler 
 of the Sea— Stewards of the Mysteries of God— Ephphatha— The Widow of 
 Nain— Josiah's discovery of the Law— The Invisible World : Angels— Prayers, 
 especially Daily Prayers — They all with one consent began to make excuse — 
 Ascension Day — The Comforter — The Tokens of the Spirit — Elijah's Warning, 
 Fathers and Children — Thou shalt see them no more for ever — Baskets full of 
 fragments— Harvest— The Marriage Supper of the Lamb— The Last Judgment. 
 
 WiuziUa Place, iLonDon. 
 
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 Luckock's Footprints of the Son of Man. 
 
 Third Edition. Two Vols. CrownZvo. 12s. 
 
 Footprints of the Son of Man as traced by Saint Mark : 
 being Eighty Portions for Private Study, Family Reading, and 
 Instructions in Church. 
 
 By Herbert Mortimer Luckock, D.D., 
 
 Canon o/Ely ; Examining Chaplain to the Bishop of Ely ; 
 and Principal of the Theological College. 
 
 With an Introduction by the late Bishop of Ely. 
 
 Goulburn's Thoughts on Personal Reh'gion. 
 
 Nctv Edition. S77taU %vo. 6y. 6^. 
 
 Thoughts on Personal Religion : being a Treatise on the 
 Christian Life in its two Chief Elements — Devotion and Practice. 
 
 By Edward Meyrick Goulbum, D.D., D.C.L., 
 
 Dean of Nortuich. 
 
 Also a Cheap Edition. 35. dd. 
 
 Presentation Edition, elegantly printed 07t Totted Paper. 
 
 Two Vols. Small Zvo. xos. 6d. 
 
 Goulburn 's Pursuit of Holiness. 
 
 Seventh Edition. Small 8vo. 55. 
 
 The Pursuit of Holiness: a Sequel to 'Thoughts on Personal 
 Religion,' intended to carry the Reader somewhat farther onward 
 in the Spiritual Life. 
 
 By Edward Meyrick Goulbum, D.D., D.C.L., 
 
 Dean of Nor-wich. 
 Also a Cheap Edition. 3 J. 6d. 
 
 SEaterloo place, JLonHon. 
 
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 Goulburn on the Lord's Supper. 
 
 Sixth Edition. Small 8zfo. 6s. 
 
 A Commentary, Expository and Devotional, on the Order of the 
 Administration of the Lord's Supper, according to the Use of the 
 Church of England ; to which is added an Appendix on Fasting 
 Communion, Non-communicating Attendance, Auricular Confes- 
 sion, the Doctrine of Sacrifice, and the Eucharistic Sacrifice. 
 
 By Edward Meyrick Goulburn, D.D., D.C.L., 
 
 Dean of Norwich. 
 
 Also o Cheap Edition, uniform with ' Thoughts ott Personal Religion' 
 and ' The Pursuit of Holiness.' 3J. 6d. 
 
 Goulburn's Holy Catholic Church. 
 
 Second Edition. Crown 2>vo. 6s. 6d. 
 
 The Holy Catholic Church : its Divine Ideal, Ministry, and 
 Institutions, A short Treatise. With a Catechism on each 
 Chapter, forming a Course of Methodical Instruction on the 
 subject. 
 
 By Edward Meyrick Goulburn, D.D., D.C.L., 
 
 Dean ofNorivich. 
 
 QTontpnts. 
 
 What the Church is, and when and how it was founded— Duty of the Church 
 towards those who hold to the Apostles' Doctrine, in separation from the Apostles' 
 fellowship — The Unity of the Church and its Disruption — The Survey of Zion's 
 towers, bulwarks, and palaces — The Institution of the Ministry, and its relation 
 to the Church — The Holy Eucharist at its successive^ Stages — On the Powers of 
 the Church in Council — The Church presenting, exhibiting, and defending the 
 Truth — The Church guiding into and illustra^ng the Truth — On the Prayer 
 Book as a Commentary on the Bible — Index. 
 
 ^Haterloo Jplace, JLotttJon. 
 
OF RECENT PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 Goulburn's Collects of the Day. 
 
 Third Edition. Two Vols. CrozvnZvo. Zs. each. Sold sepai-ately. 
 
 The Collects of the Day : an Exposition, Critical and Devotional, 
 of the Collects appointed at the Communion. With Preliminary 
 Essays on their Structure, Sources, and General Character, and 
 Appendices containing Expositions of the Discarded Collects of 
 the First Prayer Book of 1549, and of the Collects of Morning 
 and Evening Prayer. 
 
 By Edward Meyrick Goulburn, D.D., D.C.L., 
 
 Dean of Norwich. 
 
 Contentg. 
 Volume I. Book I. Introductory.— On the Excellencies of the Collects— On 
 the Origin of the word Collect— On the Structure of a Collect, as illustrated by 
 the Collect in the Burial Service — Of the Sources of the Collects : Of the Sacra- 
 mentary of Leo, of the Sacramentary of Gelasius, of Gregory the Great and his 
 Sacramentary, of the Use of Sarum, and of S. Osmund its Compiler — On the 
 Collects of Archbishop Cianmer — Of the Restoration Collects, and of John 
 Cosin, Prince-Bishop of Durham — Of the Collects, as representing the Genius of 
 the English Church. Book II. Part I.— The Constant Collect. Part U.— Col- 
 lects varying with the Ecclesiastical Season — Advent to Whitsunday. 
 Volume II. Book II. contd.—lrim^y Sunday to All Saints' Day. Book III. 
 — On the Collects after the Offertory. Appendix A. — Collects in the First 
 Reformed Prayer Book of 1549 which were suppressed in 1552 — The Collect 
 for the First Communion on Christmas Day — The Collect for S. Mary Mag- 
 dalene's Day (July 22). Appendix B. — Exposition 0/ the Collects 0/ AI orating 
 and Evening Prayer — The Second at Morning Prayer, for Peace — The Third 
 at Morning Prayer, for Grace — The Second at Evening Prayer, for Peace — 
 The Third at Evening Prayer, for Aid against all Perils. 
 
 Knox Little's Good Friday Addresses. 
 
 New Edition, Small Zvo. "is. ; or i^t Paper Cover, is. 
 
 The Three Hours' Agony of Our Blessed Redeemer : being 
 Addresses in the form of Meditations delivered in S. Alban's 
 Church, Manchester, on Good Friday 1877. 
 
 By the Rev. W. J. Knox Little, M.A., 
 
 Canon Residentiary of Worcester, and Vicar of Hoar Cross. 
 
 OETatcrloo Place, EonDon. 
 
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 Luckock's After Death. 
 
 Fifth Edition. Crown Svo. 6s. 
 After Death. An Examination of the Testimony of Primitive 
 Times respecting the State of the Faithful Dead, and their rela- 
 tionship to the Living. 
 
 By Herbert Mortimer Luckock, D.D., 
 
 Ojnon of Ely, etc. 
 
 (ZTontents. 
 
 Part I.— The Test of Catholicity— The Value of the Testimony of the Primi- 
 tive Fathers — The Intermediate State — Change in the Intermediate State — 
 Prayers for the Dead : Reasons for Our Lord's Silence on the Subject — The 
 Testimony of Holy Scripture — The Testimony of the Catacombs— The Testi- 
 mony of the Early Fathers — The Testimony of the Primitive Liturgies — 
 Prayers for the Pardon of Sins of Infirmity, and the Effacement of Sinful 
 Stains — The Ineflficacy of Prayer for those who died in wilful unrepented Sin. 
 
 Part II. — Primitive Testimony to the Intercession of the Saints — Primitive 
 Testimony to the Invocation of the Saints — The Trustworthiness of the Patristic 
 Evidence for Invocation tested — The Primitive Liturgies and the Roman Cata- 
 combs — Patristic Opinions on the Extent of the Knowledge possessed by the 
 Saints— ^The Testimony of Holy Scripture upon the same Subject — The Beatific 
 Vision not yet attained by any of the Saints — Conclusions drawn from the fore- 
 going Testimony. 
 
 Supplementary Chapters. — (a.) Is a fuller Recognition of the Practice of 
 Praying for the Dead desirable or not?— (3.) Is it lawful or desirable to practise 
 Invocation of Saints in any form or not? — Table of Fathers, Councils, etc.— 
 Passages of Scripture explained or quoted — General Index, 
 
 S. Bonaventure's Life of Christ. 
 
 Crown Zvo. 75. 6d. 
 
 The Life of Christ. 
 
 By S. Bonaventure. 
 Translated and Edited by tlie Rev. W. H. Hutchings, 
 
 Rector of Kirkby Misperton, Yorkshire. 
 
 • The whole volume Is full of ffems and seek food for their daily meditations, we can 
 rich veins of thought, and whether as a cpm- scarcely imagine a more acceptable book.' 
 panion to the preacher or to those who — Literary Churchman. 
 
 CKaterloo 3^Iace, JLontion. 
 
OF RECENT P UBLICA TIONS. 25 
 
 Newman's Selection from Sermons. 
 
 TMrd Edition. Crozvn Svo. 5s. 
 
 Selection, adapted to the Seasons of the Ecclesiastical Year, from 
 the ' Parochial and Plain Sermons ' of John Henry Newman, 
 B.D., sometime Vicar of S. Mary's, Oxford. 
 
 Edited by the Rev. W. J. Copeland, B.D., 
 
 Late Rector 0/ Fartihain, Essex. 
 
 CEontcntg. 
 
 ..4 aTwwjf:— Self-denial the Test of Religious Earnestness— Divine Calls— The 
 Ventures of Faith— Watching. Christmas Day ;— Religious Joy. New Year's 
 Sunday: — The Lapse of Time. Epiphany: — Remembrance of Past Mercies — 
 Equanimity — The Immortality of the Soul — Christian Manhood — Sincerity and 
 Hypocrisy— Christian Sympathy. Septuagesima:—'?xt%^TitWit.i,s\n%%. Sexa- 
 gesimal — Endurance, the Christian's Portion. Quinquagesima : — Love, the One 
 Thing Needful. Lent: — The Individuality of the Soul — Life the Season of 
 Repentance — Bodily Suffering — Tears of Christ at the Grave of Lazarus — 
 Christ's Privations a Meditation for Christians — The Cross of Christ the Measure 
 of the World. Good Friday:— The Crucifixion. Easter Day ;— Keeping Fast 
 and Festival. Easter-Tide: — Witnesses of the Resurrection — A Particular 
 Providence as Revealed in the Gospel — Christ Manifested in Remembrance — 
 The Invisible World — Waiting for Christ. Ascension: — Warfare the Condition 
 of Victory. Sunday after Ascensionl — Rising with Christ. Whitsunday: — 
 The Weapons of Saints. Trinity Sunday : — The Mysteriousness of our Pre- 
 sent Being. Sundays after Trinity: — Holiness Necessary for Future Blessed- 
 ness — The Religious Use of Excited Feelings — The Self-wise Inquirer — Scrip- 
 ture a Record of Human Sorrow — The Danger of Riches — Obedience without 
 Love as instanced in the Character of Balaam — Moral Consequences of Single 
 Sins — The Greatness and Littleness of Human Life — Moral Effects of Com- 
 munion with God— The Thought of God the Stay of the Soul— The Power of 
 the Will — The Gospel Palaces — Religion a Weariness to the Natural Man — The 
 World our Enemy — The Praise of Men — Religion Pleasant to the Religious — 
 Mental Prayer — Curiosity a Temptation to Sin — Miracles no Remedy for Un- 
 belief^Jeremiah, a Lesson for the Disappointed — The Shepherd of our Souls 
 —Doing Glory to God in Pursuits of the World. 
 
 OUatcrloo place, JLonoon. 
 
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 Early Influences. 
 
 Crown Zvo. IS. 6d. 
 
 Early Influences. New Edition. 
 
 With a Preface by Mrs. Gladstone. 
 
 Chapter I.— Infancy. Chapter II.— Watchfulness and Affection. Chapter I H. 
 —The Faults of Childhood and the Influence of Religious Instruction. Chapter 
 IV.— Good Impulses and Moral Influence. Chapter V.— Manner and Accom- 
 plishments. Chapter VI.— The Mental Powers of Childhood— Instruction in 
 General. Chapter VII.— Home— The Influence of Domestic Life upon the 
 Country in General. Chapter VIII.— The Difficulty and the Reward. 
 
 The School of Life. 
 
 Cro7vn 8z>o. 4s. 6d. 
 The School of Life. Seven Addresses delivered during the London 
 Mission, 1885, in St. Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, to Public 
 School Men, by late and present Head Masters. 
 
 Witli an Introduction by C. J. Vaughan, D.D., 
 
 Deati of Llandaff and Master of the Temple. Formerly Head Master 
 of Harrow School. 
 
 H. L. Sidney Lear's Precious Stones. 
 
 Three Vols. -^ivto. is. each ; or in Paper Covers, 6d. each. 
 
 Precious Stones, collected by H. L. Sidney Lear. 
 
 I. PEARLS-GRACE. 
 II. RUBIES— NATURE. 
 III. DIAMONDS— ART. 
 
 Also a Superior Edition, \6vio, with Red Borders, 2s. each. 
 
 'Diamonds contains extracts having re- Kempis, Bisliop Jeremy Taylor. Faber, 
 
 ference to Art. Many will appreciate the Newman, Emerson, while one or two reflec- 
 
 beautiful passages from Ruskin ; and the tions fraught with practical wisdom have 
 
 carefully chosen thoughts from the writings been gathered from Lord Chesterfield. The 
 
 of Newman, Faber, and Sir Joshua Rev- collection called Rubies contains reflections 
 
 nolds will give pleasure. An undercu'r- on Nature from S. Augustine, S. Francis 
 
 rent of devotional feeling has guided the de Sales, and S. Gregory, besides extracts 
 
 choice of these extracts. In Pearls the from Ruskin, Neale, Hugh Macmillan, and 
 
 compiler has taken a wider range. We Charles K.mgs\ty.'— Times. 
 find valuable meditations from Thomas ^ 
 
 An Edition complete in One Volume, iSvto, with Red Borders, 3J. 6d. 
 
 CHaterloo place, JLonnou. 
 
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 Jennings' Ecclesia Anglicana. 
 
 Croivn Bz'o. js. 6d. 
 
 Ecclesia Anglicana. A History of the Church of Christ in 
 England, extending from the Earliest to the Present Times. 
 
 By the Rev. Arthur Charles Jennings, M.A., 
 
 j^siis College, Cambridge, sometime Tyr-whiti Scholar, Crosse Scholar, Hebrew 
 
 University Prizeman, Fry Scholar ofS. John's College, Carus and 
 
 Scholejield Prizeman, and Rector of King's Stanley, 
 
 Bickersteth's The Lord's Table. 
 
 Second Edition. i6vio. xs. ; or Cloth extra, ■zs. 
 
 The Lord's Table ; or, Meditations on the Holy Communion Office 
 in the Book of Common Prayer. 
 
 By B. H. Bickersteth, D.D., 
 
 Bis/tofi of Exeter. 
 
 ' We must draw our review to an end, and sincere thanks to Mr. Bickersteth for 
 without using any more of our own words, this goodly and profitable "Companion to 
 except one parting expression of cordial the Communion Service." '—Record. 
 
 Manuals of Religious Instruction. 
 
 Neiv and Revised Editions. Small Zvo. is. dd. each. Sold separately. 
 
 Manuals of Religious Instruction. 
 Edited by John Pilkington Norris, D.D., 
 
 Archdeacon of Bristol and Canon Residentiary of Bristol Cathedral. 
 
 I. The Catechism and Prayer Book. 
 n. The Old Testament. 
 III. The New Testament. 
 
 CBamloo Place, JLonnon. 
 
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 Aids to the Inner Life. 
 
 Five Vols, yimo. Cloth limp, 6d. each : or Cloth extra, is. each. 
 Sold separately. 
 
 These Five Volumes, Cloth extra, may be had in a Box, price ts. 
 A Iso an Edition zvith Red Borders, is. each. 
 
 Aids to the Inner Life. 
 Edited by the Rev. W. H. Hutchings, M. A., 
 
 Rector of Kirkby Misperton, Yorkshire. 
 
 These books form a series of works provided for the use of members of the 
 English Church. The process of adaptation is not left to the reader, but has 
 been undertaken with the view of bringing every expression, as far as possible, 
 into harmony with the Book of Common Prayer and Anglican Divinity. 
 
 OF THE IMITATION OF CHRIST. In Four Books. By Thomas A 
 
 Kempis. 
 THE CHRISTIAN YEAR. Thoughts in Verse for the Sundays and Holy 
 
 Days throughout the Year. 
 
 INTRODUCTION TO THE DEVOUT LIFE. From the French of S. 
 Francis de Sales, Bishop and Prince of Geneva. 
 
 THE HIDDEN LIFE OF THE SOUL. From the French of Jean Nicolas 
 Grou. 
 
 THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT. Together with the Supplement and the Path 
 of Paradise. By Laurence Scupoli. 
 
 'We he?rtily wish success to this im- venient for common use. The price at 
 portant series, and trust it may command an which the volumes are produced is marvel- 
 extensive sale. We are much struck, not lously low. It may be hoped that a large 
 only by the excellent manner in which the circulation will secure from loss those who 
 design has been carried out in the Transla- have undertaken this scheme for diffusing 
 tions themselves, but also by the way in far and wide such valuable means of 
 which Messrs. Rivington have done their advancing and deepening, after so high a 
 part. The type and size of the volumes are standard, the spiritual life.' — Literary 
 precisely what will be found most con- Churchman. 
 
 Blunt's Theological Dictionary. 
 
 Second Edition. Imperial Zvo. 42s.; or in half-ffiorocco, 52s. 6d. 
 
 Dictionary of Doctrinal and Historical Theology. 
 
 By Various Writers. 
 
 Edited by the Rev. Jotin Henry Blunt, D.D., 
 
 Editor of the 'Annotated Book of Common Prayer,' etc., etc. 
 
 CSIatetloo place, HonOon. 
 
OF RECENT PUBLIC A TIONS. 29 
 
 N orris's Rudiments of Theology. 
 
 Second Edition, revised. Crozun Zvo. -js. 6d. 
 
 Rudiments of Theology. A First Book for Students. 
 By John Pilkington Norris, D.D., 
 
 Archdeacon 0/ Bristol, and Canon Residentiary of Bristol Cathedral. 
 
 Contents. 
 
 Part I. — Fundamental Doctrines: — The Doctrine of God's Existence — The 
 Doctrine of the Second Person of the Trinity — The Doctrine of the Atonement 
 — The Doctrine of the Third Person of the Trinity — The Doctrine of The Church 
 — The Doctrine of the Sacraments. 
 
 Part II. — The Soteriology of the Bible: — The Teaching of the Old 
 Testament— The Teaching of the Four Gospels— The Teaching of S. Paul— 
 The Teaching of the Epistle to the Hebrews, of S. Peter and S. John — Soterio- 
 logy of the Bible (concluded). 
 
 Appendix— Illustrations of Part I. from the Early Fathers:— On the 
 Evidence of God's Existence — On the Divinity of Christ — On the Doctrine of 
 the Atonement — On the Procession of the Holy Spirit — On The Church — On the 
 Doctrine of the Eucharist — Greek and Latin Fathers quoted or referred to in 
 this volume, in their chronological order — Glossarial Index. 
 
 Medd's Bampton Lectures. 
 
 Zvo. 1 6 J. 
 
 The One Mediator. The Operation of the Son of God in Nature 
 and in Grace. Eight Lectures dehvered before the University of 
 Oxford in the year 1882, on the Foundation of the late Rev. John 
 Bampton, M.A., Canon of SaUsbury. 
 
 By Peter Goldsmith Medd, M.A., 
 
 Rector 0/ North Cerney; Hon. Canon ofS. Albati's, atid Examining 
 
 Chaplain to the Bishop; late Rector of Bar ties ; Formerly 
 
 Fellow and Tutor of University College, Oxford. 
 
 Olaterloo Place, £onDon. 
 
30 RIVINGTON'S SELECT LIST 
 
 H. L. Sidney Lear's Christian Biographies. 
 
 Eight Vols. Crown Svo. 3-s. 6d. each. Sold separately. 
 
 Christian Biographies. 
 By H. L. Sidney Lear. 
 
 MADAME LOUISE DE FRANCE, Daughter of Louis xv., known also 
 
 as the Mother Terese de S. Augustin. 
 A DOMINICAN ARTIST: a Sketch of the Life of the Rev. Pere Besson, of 
 
 the Order of S. Dominic. 
 HENRI PERREYVE. By A. Gkatry. Translated by special permission. 
 
 With Portrait. 
 S. FRANCIS DE SALES, Bishop and Prince of Geneva. 
 THE REVIVAL OF PRIESTLY LIFE IN THE SEVENTEENTH 
 
 CENTURY IN FRANCE. Charles de Condren— S. Philip Neri and 
 
 Cardinal de Berulle — S. Vincent de Paul — Saint Sulpice and Jean Jacques 
 
 Olier. 
 A CHRISTIAN PAINTER OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY: 
 
 being the Life of Hippolyte Flandrin. 
 BOSSUET AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES. 
 F^NELON, ARCHBISHOP OF CAMBRAL 
 
 H. L. Sidney Lear's Five Minutes. 
 
 Third Editio7t. \6mo. ■^s.6d. 
 
 Five Minutes. Daily Readings of Poetry. 
 
 Selected by H. L. Sidney Lear. 
 
 Pusey's Private Prayers. 
 
 Second Edition. Royal I'^nto. -zs. 6d. 
 
 Private Prayers. 
 
 By the Rev. E. B. Pusey, D.D. 
 Edited, with a Preface, by H. P. Liddon, D.D., D.C.L. 
 
 Chaficellor and Canon of St. Paul's. 
 
 CilXatetloo place, S^onoon. 
 
OF RECENT PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 Half-a-Crown Editions of Devotional 
 Works. 
 
 New and Uniform Editions. 
 Seven Vols. i6mo. 2S. 6d. each. Sold separately. 
 
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