Chapter 21

FALSE BRETHREN AND FALSE PRINCIPLES IN THE CHURCH; SPIRIT AND CHARACTER OF THE CHRISTIANS.

Piety of the early Christians not superior to that of all succeeding ages, 312 Covetous and immoral pastors in the ancient Church, 313 Asceticism and its pagan origin, 314 The unmarried clergy and the virgins, 315 Paul and Antony the first hermits, ib. Origin of the use of the sign of the cross, 316 Opposition of the Christians to image-worship, 319 Image-makers condemned, 320 Objections of the Christians to the theatre, the gladiatorial shows, and other public spectacles, 321 Superior morality of the mass of the early Christians, 322 How they treated the question of polygamy, ib. Condemned intermarriages with heathens, 323 How they dealt with the question of slavery, 324 Influence of Christianity on the condition of the slave, 325 Brotherly love of the Christians, 326 Their kindness to distressed heathens, 327 Christianity fitted for all mankind, 328