The story of our Christianity; an account of the struggles, persecutions, wars, and victories of Christians of all times . m, beforewhich the last remnants of republican simplic-ity gave way. He saw that the times hadchanged, and strove to fit his court and man-ners to the change. Whatever he did, he didadvisedly; but the structure he built up was not long to endure. History nowbecomes cumbrous and complicated; there are two Augusti or emperors, with twaCaesars or sub-emperors, who divide the earth between them; and these willpresently be marrying each others daughters, quarreling among themse
The story of our Christianity; an account of the struggles, persecutions, wars, and victories of Christians of all times . m, beforewhich the last remnants of republican simplic-ity gave way. He saw that the times hadchanged, and strove to fit his court and man-ners to the change. Whatever he did, he didadvisedly; but the structure he built up was not long to endure. History nowbecomes cumbrous and complicated; there are two Augusti or emperors, with twaCaesars or sub-emperors, who divide the earth between them; and these willpresently be marrying each others daughters, quarreling among themselves,putting each other down, taking one anothers places. These fashions are farfrom our sympathy, and almost as far from our understanding. Monarchyseems overgrown, the earth is weary; the day of a great change is at hand. For nearly twenty years, or almost to the end of his reign (284-305),Diocletian favored the Christians, or at least did nothing against them. Manyof them were about his court and in the army, holding positions from thelowest to almost the highest. That he held the old political theory appears (57). *5» THE STORY OF OUR CHRISTIANITY. from an edict published in 296 against the Manichees, a half Christian, halfpagan sect which arose in Persia: The immortal gods have in their providenceordained and established what is true and good. Many wise and good menagree in the opinion that this must be maintained without change. These wedare not oppose, and no new religion should venture to blame the old; for itis a great crime to pull down that which our forefathers built up, and whichhas dominion in the state. Christianity certainty meant to pull down the old religion, but that fact might not be always
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectchurchhistory, bookye
