Fronde's Short Studies.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3861, 14 May 1881, Page 1

Fronde's Short Studies.

" Christianity becomes the religion of he Roman Empire, * * * makes its

way into the hearts of the conquerors, penetrates the German forests, and opens a path into Britain and Ireland. By the noble Gothic nations it is welcomed with enthusiasm. The warriors of I'din are transformed into a Christian ctnralry, and the wild Valhalla into a Christian Heaven.

* *•_*. Kings when their day ot toil was over, laid down crown and sword, and retired into cloisters* to pass what ' remained of life to them in prayer-* and meditations on eternity. The supreme object of reverence was no longer the hero of the battle field, but the baro footed missionary who was carrying the Gospel among the tribes who were still untaught. So beautiful in their conception of Himwas the character of one of these wander, ing priests that their stories formed a new mythology. So rasfe were the real miracles which they were wbrlcihtf on mens souls, that wonders of a more ordinary sort were assigned to them as a matter of course. They raised the dead, they healed the.sick, they cast out deVils —with*the sign of the cross. Plain facts were too poor for the enthusiasm of: German piety ; and noble human figures were exhibited, as it were, in the resplendent light of a painted window in their effort to do them exaggerated honour. "It was pity—lor truth only smells sweet for ever, and illusions however innocent, are deadly as the canker • worm Lone cycles had to pass bdfore the fruit 0! the poison- seeds would ripen. * * * " At length, •• Christianity and the v,- ,ha? ,tO, come to te"»» after established fashion, the world to be let ■lone mi ill pleasures and sins: the Church delegated to opinion with free liberty to split doctrinal hairs to the end of time. The work of ChritVs degradation ftbtgun, even before it accepted the tainted hand of Cmstantme. Already in the third century speculative Christianity had become the fashionable creed of Alex> andna. ♦ * * St . clement detail, contemptuously, the inventory of the boudoir^*foe lady of his flock, tW IWt ot essences on her toilet table, the slioeT^ sandals, and slippers, with which her dabty feet were decorated in endless mietj, He desnbes her as she •scendi" t?i steps of BasiliU to wkich .he nt going for what she called her pr»W with her page lifting up her ttaE. JIS paints her as she wtllw along the atreS. her petticoats proj^Hm w °^ JjJ^

il-" it • \Z~hvA habits was left Sud in spinoiog^nd^ss cobwebs of mJJSphysiwl «hc olpg7-