A history of the Catholic church...

Preface

The utility and importance of a Compendium of Church History for the use of Colleges, Academies and Schools, are so great and so evident, that the Compiler of the present volume deems it unnecessary to make more than a passing allusion to this subject. The knowledge of the History of the Catholic Church is essential to every Catholic youth, and in a* certain degree necessary to Protestants, whose minds are frequently poisoned with the grossest misrepresentations of ignorant and prejudiced writers, who assume to themselves the title of Historians, and who imagine that they are doing a special service to Almighty God, if they inveigh not only against the Catholic Church in general, but against every thing which belongs to it. From the study of a correct and authentic History of the Church, Catholic children will obtain information concerning their Church and themselves as Christians, as children belonging jto that- Church, which Christ has established on earth, and this knowledge will guide them in their path through life, by showing them not only the heroic examples of the martyrs, the simplicity and humility of the Saints, but also the perils to which virtue is subject, the pride, selfesteem and final downfall of so many, who might otherwise have shone as brilliant luminaries.

As the age we live in demands the greatest watchfulness on the part of parents, teachers and pastors, in regard to the moral and religious culture of youth, we have omitted nothing that can make this History a most complete and perfect text-book for students, trusting thereby to effect a great and lasting good for the present and future time.

In order to facilitate the use of this work for both teachers and scholars, we have added Questions at the end of the book.

CONTENTS PART I.

PAGE.

Preaching of the Apostles 13

Wonderful progress of the Gospel, 17

Virtues of the first Christians 20

D ath of St. James the Lesser 27

First persecution under the Emperor Nero 30

Terrible prophecy against the city

of Jerusalem 32

Destruction of Jerusalem 35

Second persecution under Domi-

tian 39

Last actions of St. John 40

Division in the Church of Corinth, 43 Third persecution under Trajan... 46 Trajan interrogates and condemns

St. Ignatius to Death 48

Letter of St. Ignatius to the faithful at Rome 51

Martyrdom of St. Ignatius 53

Apology of St. Justin... 56

Fourth persecution under Marcus

Aurelius 59

St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, is arrested and carried before the

Proconsul 61

Martyrdom of Polycarp 64

The thundering Legion 63

Persecution in Gaul 69

Torment3 endured by the Holy

* Martyrs 71

Humility of the Holy Martyrs 74

Last combat of the Holy Martyrs.. 76 Martyrdom of St. Epipodius and St.

Alexander 79

Martyrdom of St. Symphorian 81

Apology of Tertullian 84

Continuation of the Apology of

Tertullian 87

Fifth persecution under the Emperor Severus 89

Martyrdom of St. Irendens, bishop

of Lyons 91

Martyrdom of St. Perpetua and St.

Felicitas 94

Examination and condemnation

of the Holy Martyrs 96

Execution of the Martyrs 99

Beautiful qualities of Origen 102

Works of Origen 104

Continuation of the Apology of

Origen 107

Sixth persecution under the Emperor Maximin 110

Seventh persecution under che

Emperor Decius 112

Martyrdom of St. Pionius L14

Eighth persecution under the Emperor Valerian.. 117

PAGE.

St. Cyprian is arrested and banished 119

Martyrdom of St. Cyprian 122

Continuation of the persecution

in Africa 125

Admirable constancy in a Child... 127 Punishment of the persecutors —

charity of the Christians 130

Ninth persecution under the Emperor Aurelian 132

Tenth and last persecution under

Dioclesian ... 134

Martyrdom of St. Quintin 137

Martyrdom of the Theban Legion, 139 Martyrdom of St. Victor of Marseilles 142

Martyrdom of St.Vincent ot Sara-

gossa 145

Reflections on the persecutions, 148 Constantius Chlorus favors the

Christians 153

Conversion of Constantine 155

Triumph of Christianity lo8

Finding of the True Cross 160

Origin of the Hermits. St. Anthony 163

St. Hilarion establishes monasteries in Palestine 166

Life of the Hermits 169

The Arian Heresy 171

Council of Nice 174

The Emperor is deceived and exiles St. Athanasius 176

Frightful death of Arius 179

Recall and justification of Saint

Athanasius 181

Violence practiced by the Schismatics 183

The Emperor Constantius causes

trouble in the Church 186

Zeal of St. Hilary of Poitiers for

the Nicene Creed 189

St. Martin, bishop of Tours 191

The Emperor Julian wishes to

reestablish Paganism 194

Julian undertakes to rebuild the

temple of Jerusalem. His death, 197 The Emperor Jovian protects the

Catholic Faith 199

Valens renews the troubles of

Arianism 202

Fearlessness of St. Basil, bishop

of Cesarea 204

Admirable courage of a Christian

woman 206

Valens reprimanded by St. Basil, 208 Virtues of St. Gregory of Nazian-

zum 210

The Macedonian heresy 213

VI

Contents

PAGE.

Ecumenical Council of Constantinople 215

Clemency of Theodosius 218

PART II. Charlemagne is crowned Emperor

of the West 297

Conversion of the Danes and

Swedes 299

Conversion of the Sclavonians

and Russians 301

Conversion of the Bulgarians 303

Photius usurps the See of Constantinople 305

Infamous deceptions of Photius.. 308 Reestablishment of St. Ignatius.

Eighth General Councii 309

Reflections on the Heresies 3i2

In vasion of the Barbarians. Scandals. Tenth Century 315

Reestablishment of discipline in

England 317

Restoration of discipline in Germany 320

Reestablishment of Monastic

discipline in France 322

The work of Reformation continued by the successors of St.

Bernon 324

Reformation of the Clergy 326

Conversion of the Normans 3.9

Conversion of the Hungarians 330

Heresy of Berengarius 334

Schism of Michael Cerularius,

Patriarch of Constantinople 337

Troubles in Europe on the subject of Investitures 339

Foundation of the Carthusian Order 340

First Crusade 342

Expedition of the Crusaders 345

Establishment of the Military Orders 347

Institution of the Premonstrants, 349

St. Norbert is created Bishop of Magdeburg 351

Foundation of the O.der of Cistercians 353

St. Bernard is made Abbot of Clairvaux 356

Celebrity of St. Bernard 358

St. Bernard preaches the second Crusade. His Death 360

Foundation of the Order of the Trinitarians 362

Martyrdom of Saint Thomas, of Canterbury 305

The Third Crusade 367

The Fourth Crusade 369

The establishment of the Minor Brothers 371

The Order of Saint Francis confirmed. His Apostolic Labors, 374

Congregation of the Preaching Friars 376

St. Dominic obtains the confirmation of his Order 379

Birth and Education of St. Louis, King of France 3S1

CONTENTS.

VI 1

PAGE.

St. Louis obtain g the Crown of

Thorns for France 3S4

First Crusade of St. Louis 386

Captivity of St. Louis 3S8

Journey of St. Louis to Palestine, 390 Second Crusade of St. Louis. His

Death 393

Virtues of St. Thomas, of Aquin... 395

Virtues of St. Bonaventure 397

First reunion of the Greeks.

Second Council of Lyons 400

Western Schism. Council of Constance 402

Condemnation of Wickliff and

John Huss , 404

A new inducement for the reunion of the Greeks. Council

*of Florence 407

Capture of Constantinople by Mahomet IT 409

Establishment of the Order of

Minims 411

The heresy of Luther 414

Calvin adds to the Errors of

Luther 416

Violence of the Protestants 410

Variations of the Protestant

Churches 4*21

Schism in England 424

Conversion of the Indies 426

Continuation of the Apostolical

labors of St. Francis Xavier 430

Opening of the Council of Trent, 432 Doctrine of the Council of original Sin 435

Doctrine of the Council on the

justification of the Sinner 437

Doctrine of the Council concerning the Sacraments 439

Doctrine of the Council on the Sacrifice of the Mass 441

PAGE.

Doctrine of the Council on Penance 444

Doctrine of the Council on Confession 446

Doctrine of the Council on Satisfaction 448

Doctrine of the Council on Extreme Unction 450

Doctrine of the Council on Purgatory, Indulgences, veneration

of the Saints, etc 452

Conclusion of the Council of

Trent. St. Charles Borromeo... 454 St. Theresa. Reformation of the

Order of Mount Carmel 461

Errors of Ba'ius, Renewed violence of the heretics 465

St. Francis of Sales 469

Origin of Jansenism 478

St. Vincent of Paul 482

Progress of the Faith in China, and other countries of the earth 487

The causes of Infidelity 491

Secret Societies 494

Progress of Infidelity 497

The suppression of the Jesuits.... 501 The temporal power of the Sovereign Pontiff attacked 504

Prelude and beginning of the

French Revolution 507

Progress of the Revolution.

Death of Louis XVI 511

Pius VI arrested and carried to

France 516

Election of a new Pope. Concordat 519

Restoration of the French Monarchy 527

Reflections on the Scandals 530

Destiny of the Church 534