the story of mankind-第24章

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government　insisted　that　all　people；　Romans；　foreigners；

Greeks；　Babylonians；　Jews；　should　pay　a　certain　outward　respect

to　the　image　of　the　Emperor　which　was　supposed　to　stand

in　every　temple；　just　as　a　picture　of　the　President　of　the

United　States　is　apt　to　hang　in　an　American　Post　Office。　But

this　was　a　formality　without　any　deeper　meaning。　Generally

speaking　everybody　could　honour；　revere　and　adore　whatever

gods　he　pleased；　and　as　a　result；　Rome　was　filled　with　all

sorts　of　queer　little　temples　and　synagogues；　dedicated　to　the

worship　of　Egyptian　and　African　and　Asiatic　divinities。



When　the　first　disciples　of　Jesus　reached　Rome　and　began

to　preach　their　new　doctrine　of　a　universal　brotherhood　of　man；

nobody　objected。　The　man　in　the　street　stopped　and　listened

Rome；　the　capital　of　the　world；　had　always　been　full　of　wandering

preachers；　each　proclaiming　his　own　‘‘mystery。''　Most　of

the　self…appointed　priests　appealed　to　the　sensespromised

golden　rewards　and　endless　pleasure　to　the　followers　of　their

own　particular　god。　Soon　the　crowd　in　the　street　noticed

that　the　so…called　Christians　（the　followers　of　the　Christ　or

‘‘anointed''）　spoke　a　very　different　language。　They　did　not

appear　to　be　impressed　by　great　riches　or　a　noble　position。

They　extolled　the　beauties　of　poverty　and　humility　and　meekness。

These　were　not　exactly　the　virtues　which　had　made

Rome　the　mistress　of　the　world。　It　was　rather　interesting　to

listen　to　a　‘‘mystery''　which　told　people　in　the　hey…day　of　their

glory　that　their　worldly　success　could　not　possibly　bring　them

lasting　happiness。



Besides；　the　preachers　of　the　Christian　mystery　told　dreadful

stories　of　the　fate　that　awaited　those　who　refused　to　listen　to

the　words　of　the　true　God。　It　was　never　wise　to　take　chances。

Of　course　the　old　Roman　gods　still　existed；　but　were　they

strong　enough　to　protect　their　friends　against　the　powers　of

this　new　deity　who　had　been　brought　to　Europe　from　distant

Asia？　People　began　to　have　doubts。　They　returned　to　listen

to　further　explanations　of　the　new　creed。　After　a　while　they

began　to　meet　the　men　and　women　who　preached　the　words　of

Jesus。　They　found　them　very　different　from　the　average

Roman　priests。　They　were　all　dreadfully　poor。　They　were

kind　to　slaves　and　to　animals。　They　did　not　try　to　gain　riches；

but　gave　away　whatever　they　had。　The　example　of　their　unselfish

lives　forced　many　Romans　to　forsake　the　old　religion。

They　joined　the　small　communities　of　Christians　who　met　in

the　back　rooms　of　private　houses　or　somewhere　in　an　open　field；

and　the　temples　were　deserted。



This　went　on　year　after　year　and　the　number　of　Christians

continued　to　increase。　Presbyters　or　priests　（the　original

Greek　meant　‘‘elder''）　were　elected　to　guard　the　interests　of

the　small　churches。　A　bishop　was　made　the　head　of　all　the

communities　within　a　single　province。　Peter；　who　had　fol…

lowed　Paul　to　Rome；　was　the　first　Bishop　of　Rome。　In　due

time　his　successors　（who　were　addressed　as　Father　or　Papa）

came　to　be　known　as　Popes。



The　church　became　a　powerful　institution　within　the　Empire。

The　Christian　doctrines　appealed　to　those　who　despaired

of　this　world。　They　also　attracted　many　strong　men　who

found　it　impossible　to　make　a　career　under　the　Imperial　gov…

ernment；　but　who　could　exercise　their　gifts　of　leadership　among

the　humble　followers　of　the　Nazarene　teacher。　At　last　the

state　was　obliged　to　take　notice。　The　Roman　Empire　（I　have

said　this　before）　was　tolerant　through　indifference。　It　allowed

everybody　to　seek　salvation　after　his　or　her　own　fashion。　But

it　insisted　that　the　different　sects　keep　the　peace　among　themselves

and　obey　the　wise　rule　of　‘‘live　and　let　live。''



The　Christian　communities　however；　refused　to　practice　any

sort　of　tolerance。　They　publicly　declared　that　their　God；　and

their　God　alone；　was　the　true　ruler　of　Heaven　and　Earth；

and　that　all　other　gods　were　imposters。　This　seemed　unfair

to　the　other　sects　and　the　police　discouraged　such　utterances。

The　Christians　persisted。



Soon　there　were　further　difficulties。　The　Christians　refused

to　go　through　the　formalities　of　paying　homage　to　the　emperor。

They　refused　to　appear　when　they　were　called　upon

to　join　the　army。　The　Roman　magistrates　threatened　to

punish　them。　The　Christians　answered　that　this　miserable

world　was　only　the　ante…room　to　a　very　pleasant　Heaven　and

that　they　were　more　than　willing　to　suffer　death　for　their

principles。　The　Romans；　puzzled　by　such　conduct；　sometimes

killed　the　offenders；　but　more　often　they　did　not。　There　was

a　certain　amount　of　lynching　during　the　earliest　years　of　the

church；　but　this　was　the　work　of　that　part　of　the　mob　which

accused　their　meek　Christian　neighbours　of　every　conceivable

crime；　（such　as　slaughtering　and　eating　babies；　bringing　about

sickness　and　pestilence；　betraying　the　country　in　times　of　danger）

because　it　was　a　harmless　sport　and　devoid　of　danger；　as

the　Christians　refused　to　fight　back。



Meanwhile；　Rome　continued　to　be　invaded　by　the　Barbarians

and　when　her　armies　failed；　Christian　missionaries　went

forth　to　preach　their　gospel　of　peace　to　the　wild　Teutons。

They　were　strong　men　without　fear　of　death。　They　spoke　a

language　which　left　no　doubt　as　to　the　future　of　unrepentant

sinners。　The　Teutons　were　deeply　impressed。　They　still

had　a　deep　respect　for　the　wisdom　of　the　ancient　city　of　Rome。

Those　men　were　Romans。　They　probably　spoke　the　truth。

Soon　the　Christian　missionary　became　a　power　in　the　savage

regions　of　the　Teutons　and　the　Franks。　Half　a　dozen　missionaries

were　as　valuable　as　a　whole　regiment　of　soldiers。

The　Emperors　began　to　understand　that　the　Christian　might

be　of　great　use　to　them。　In　some　of　the　provinces　they　were

given　equal　rights　with　those　who　remained　faithful　to　the　old

gods。　The　great　change　however　came　during　the　last　half

of　the　fourth　century。



Constantine；　sometimes　（Heaven　knows　why）　called　Constantine

the　Great；　was　emperor。　He　was　a　terrible　ruffian；

but　people　of　tender　qualities　could　hardly　hope　to　survive

in　that　hard…fighting　age。　During　a　long　and　checkered　career；

Constantine　had　experienced　many　ups　and　downs。　Once；

when　almost　defeated　by　his　enemies；　he　thought　that　he　would

try　the　power　of　this　new　Asiatic　deity　of　whom　everybody　was

talking。　He　promised　that　he　too　would　become　a　Christian

if　he　were　successful　in　the　coming　battle。　He　won　the　victory

and　thereafter　he　was　convinced　of　the　power　of　the　Christian

God　and　allowed　himself　to　be　baptised。



From　that　moment　on；　the　Christian　church　was　officially

recognised　and　this　greatly　strengthened　the　position　of　the

new　faith。



But　the　Christians　still　formed　a　very　small　minority　of

all　the　people；　（not　more　than　five　or　six　percent；）　and　in　order

to　win；　they　were　forced　to　refuse　all　compromise。　The　old

gods　must　be　destroyed。　For　a　short　spell　the　emperor　Julian；

a　lover　of　Greek　wisdom；　managed　to　save　the　pagan　Gods

from　further　destruction。　But　Julian　died　of　his　wounds　during

a　campaign　in　Persia　and　his　successor　Jovian　re…established

the　church　in　all　its　glory。　One　after　the　other　the　doors　of　the

ancient　temples　were　then　closed。　Then　came　the　emperor

Justinian　（who　built　the　church　of　Saint　Sophia　in　Constantinople）；

who　discontinued　the　school　of　philosophy　at　Athens

which　had　been　founded　by　Plato。



That　was　the　end　of　the　old　Greek　world；　in　which　man

had　been　allowed　to　think　his　own　thoughts　and　dream　his　own

dreams　according　to　his　desires。　The　somewhat　vague　rules

of　conduct　of　the　philosophers　had　proved　a　poor　compass

by　which　to　steer　the　ship　of　life　after　a　deluge　of　savagery

and　ignorance　had　swept　away　the　established　order　of　things。

There　was　need　of　something　more　positive　and　more　definite。

This　the　Church　provided。



During　an　age　when　nothing　was　certain；　the　church　stood

like　a　rock　and　never　receded　from　those　principles