Manual of Universal Church History (Volume 1 ) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1907 Excerpt: ... HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION. THE ANCIENT WORLD AND ITS RELATIONS TO CHRISTIANITY, FOR WHICH IT WAS THE PREPARATION. To fully understand the development of the Church of Christ from the time of her establishment, and to present a clear idea of her progress, it is necessary to take a view of the state and peculiar circumstances of the world at the date of her entrance into it. The religion of Christ, supernatural in origin, and including in its wide charity mankind in every age and country, necessarily came in conflict with all pre-existing popular creeds. Still, there existed among these ideas common to both, which served as connecting links between the t wo, and prepared the way for the coming of Christianity into the world "in the fulness of time." This is manifest in the case of the Jews. They were in possession of tl i true religion, and had received the law and the promise of the Messiah. These truths and promises were preserved among them, either by direct interposition of God, or by ordinances given through the prophets and the priesthood of the law. Even in Paganism were to be found links which connected it more or less directly with Christianity. In the philosophical systems and in the popular creeds, which professed a belief in the gods, lay hidden the germs of certain truths, just as in the moral code of every nation some virtues are recognised and held in honour. This morality is more pure and sensitive, and the germs of truth more definite and prominent, the further back we go, till finally traces of Monotheism may be met with almost everywhere. For this reason, Christ solemnly proclaimed that He "came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it."1 and said that He might be likened to a master of a house who bringeth forth out of his treasures new thin...