TENTH CENTURY.

CHAPTER I.

Extent of the nominal Church-Internal State.

So many sovereign princes during the last three or four centuries having embraced the Christian name, it now became almost a thing of course to espouse the church. Hence the spread of religion, now corrupted by the spirit of the world, was easily effected by the labours of monks and missionaries, whose chief object appears evidently in procuring for themselves a name in the hierarchy, and a living on the spoils of the people.

In the course of this period Christianity was established in Hungary, Poland, Prussia, Russia, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, with contiguous countries. Among the people of these nations the church gained by various methods-by the art of persuasion, by the sword of princes-and princes themselves were converted by the still more powerful engine of female intreaty and intrigue. The missionaries likewise failed not to exhibit their lying wonders, with the alluring terms of forgiveness and all the parade of external worship; things so cal culated to meet the requisitions of the carnal mind, and to gratify the soul that can live without God in the world.

The principal ministers of the church, both in East and West, exhibit a sad character; pomp and power

Chap. 4.

Pope Sylvester.

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luxury, idleness, and love of the world, are the most predominant features. The popedom, aiming at universal dominion both in temporals and spirituals, availing itself of every circumstance likely to advance the holy chair. Monks were sent out in every direction to assert the supremacy of St. Peter, and even to propagate and to maintain that all the kings of the earth were, in point of office and character, his inferiors and his subjects.

In order to enrich the church, its ministers gave out that as Christianity had attained to its tenth century, the day of judgment was at hand, and that Christ was about to make his second appearance, according to the prophetic description in the book of Revelation. Multitudes of the people, panic-struck at such a rumour, deserted their estates and employments, and gave their property to the church, in order to render the descending Judge the more propitious; and some were even so infatuated as to set off for Palestine, where they expected Christ would make his first appearance.

Learning and science in this age found few friends in the Christian pale. Pope Sylvester the Second was an exception from the general ease, but his attempts to revive the latent spark exposed him to the most fearful imputations. Sylvester, in his youth, had been a pupil in the Arabian school,* where he had learned, among other branches of science, the principles of the mathematies. Wishing to facilitate the study of this useful knowledge, he published a little treatise on geometry; but the mathematical figures of curves, and lines, and

At this period the love of science was patronized by the Mahometan caliphs; public schools were erected, and great en-couragement given to the best masters.

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State of Religion.

Cent. 10.

angles, which necessarily accompanied that work, raised a suspicion in the minds of the people that he dealt with the devil; and though he was a pope, he was considered as a magician, and of course failed in his attempt to awaken the love of learning and science.

At the conclusion of this century, the mad project of rescuing the holy land from the infidels, by the crusades, was first thought of by Sylvester the Second. The European powers were called upon to engage in this most solemn, sacred, and Christian-like campaign; but the pontifical law was not at that time sufficiently attended to, and the scheme was reserved for the attempts of a future age.

CHAPTER II.

State of Religion—Arnulph of Orleans.

In the nominal church, the features of primitive Christianity could scarcely be traced. The doctrines of Christ were either quite laid aside for the commandments of men, or were so over-run and disfigured by human inventions, that it was difficult to distinguish the one from the other. Worship, if worship it may be called, was the most disgusting to a serious mind that could have been invented. To worship God alone was heresy; hence the saints got into high repute. and above all, the Virgin Mary, to whom were said, by the best Christians, a most devout round of fifteen repetitions of the Lord's Prayer, and one hundred and fifty repetitions of the salutation of the Virgin. This, with more of the same sort, was formed into a service called the Rosary

Chap. 2.

Arnulph.

235

and Crown. And in order to help the memory of the pious souls thus employed, a string of beads was formed, containing a number equal to the repetitions of the pater-noster and ave-maria. Such was the piety and such the devotion of the catholic church.

But God preserved some few witnesses to protest against these superstitions. An extract from a discourse of Arnulph bishop of Orleans will discover to us that the spirit of truth, though chastened, was not killed; though east down, was not destroyed. "O, deplorable Rome! who, in the days of our fore-fathers didst produce so many burning and shining lights, thou hast brought forth in our times only dismal darkness, worthy of the detestation of posterity. What shall we do, or what counsel shall we take? The gospel tells of a barren figtree, and of the divine patience exercised toward it. Let us bear with our primates as long as we can, and in the mean time seek for spiritual food where it is to be found. Certainly there are some in this holy assembly who can testify that in Belgium and Germany, both which are near us, there may be found real pastors and eminent men in religion. Far better would it be, if the animosities of kings did not prevent, that we should seek in those parts for the judgment of bishops, than in that venal city which weighs all decrees by the quantity.· of money. What think you reverend fathers, of this man, the pope, placed on a lofty throne, shining in purple and gold? Whom do you account him? If destitute of love, and puffed up with the pride of knowledge only, HE IS ANTICHRIST SITTING IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD." This discourse of the godly bishop affords a strong evidence that the church of Rome in those days was considered to be the antichrist spoken of by St. Paul, and it likewise gives us a cheering view of real pastors in Bel

236

Arnulph.

Cent. 10.

gium and Germany, in addition to Orleans. Where such pastors were to be found, doubtless we may reckon upon some real Christians under their care.

In search of true religion, during this century, we have only found Arnulph and his flock, with some few unnamed, of a like cast, in Belgium and Germany; these we must add to those discovered in former centuries, Paulicians and Valdenses, and among these we leave our hope of a future, brighter, better day.