Methods of early Christian missionary work . an be seen in the lettezs or .Bonifaceto Gregory, where he asks the pope whether he should allowa baptism to be carried on in bad Latin, rather than usetne heathen tongue.*- Turning now to an investigation of just whatit was that the missionaries preached, just the kind ofsubjects they considered, and the manner of the appealmade, it is quite necessary that we understand the characterof the teaching of the church at this time. Some fivehundred years had passed since tne disciples started outwith their story of love and peace. During this time agreat
Methods of early Christian missionary work . an be seen in the lettezs or .Bonifaceto Gregory, where he asks the pope whether he should allowa baptism to be carried on in bad Latin, rather than usetne heathen tongue.*- Turning now to an investigation of just whatit was that the missionaries preached, just the kind ofsubjects they considered, and the manner of the appealmade, it is quite necessary that we understand the characterof the teaching of the church at this time. Some fivehundred years had passed since tne disciples started outwith their story of love and peace. During this time agreat change had occured. Some insignificant things inthe teachings of the Master and his disciples, were not only made of supreme importance, but were enlarged upon by the —oooo— 1. The definite circumstance thax caused the permissionof the native language to be used in baptism, was theuse of the following phrase by a newly convertedpriest: in nomine patria et filia et Spiritus sanctizu taufen. Hauck, Kirchengeschichte Deuxschlands: v. 1, p. Christian Fathers of the early Church. These people didnot seem ready to grasp a God of lore, whose interests werein the present* They dwelt rather in the future reachingout to a God of fear. The fear that the end of the worldwas at hand, whioh was ewer in the mind of Gregory, coloredevery word in the preaching of these workers. Is it sur-prising that with this result, the superstitious insightinto life should have increased? With the superstitiouscame the miraculous which entered most of their disciples had taught by miracles,-were they any lessable to do likewise? Thus everywhere in tne teaching ofthese missionaries tne miraculous is evident, every newor unusual event was but a miracle, and every unexplainableoocurance came by the hand of God. They feared to lookinto the doings of Gods own world, to understand Ilatureherself, lest by so doing they bring upon themselves thewrath of God.^ —oooo 1. The belief in demons can be
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