UNIV. OF

CENTURY EIGHTH.

PART I.

HISTORY OF THE OUTWARD STATE OF THE CHURCH

CHAPTER I.

THE PROSPEROUS EVENTS OF THIS CENTURY.

1. Propagation of Christianity in Hyrcania and Tartary.- 2. Conversion of the Ger mans by Boniface.- 3. Other Expeditions and Successes of Boniface.- 4. Estimate of his Apostleship.- 5. Other Apostles of Germany.- 6. Expedition of Charlemagne against the Saxons.- 7. Estimate of his Conversions.- 8. The Reputed Miracles of this Century.

1. WHILE the Mohammedans were falling upon and subjugating the fairest provinces of Asia, and diminishing every where the lustre and rep. utation of Christianity, the Nestorians of Chaldea were blessing with the knowledge of heavenly truth those barbarous nations, called Scythians by the ancients and by the moderns Tartars, living on this side Mount Imaus, and not subject to the Saracens. It is now ascertained that Timotheus the Nestorian pontiff, who attained that dignity A.D. 778, imbued with a knowledge of Christianity by the ministry of Subchal Jesu whom he created a bishop, first the Gelac and Dailamites, nations of Hyrcania; and afterwards by other missionaries, the rest of the nations of Hyrcania, Bactria, Margiana, and Sogdiana.(1) It is also certain, that Christianity

(3) Thomas Margensis, Historiae Monasticae lib. iii., in Jos. Sim. Asseman's Bibliotheca Orient. Vatic., tom. iii., pt. i., p. 491. See also the Bibliotheca, tom. iii., pt. ii., cap. ix., v., p. cccclxxviii. [Dr. Mosheim, in his Historia Tartarorum ecclesias tica, p. 13, &c., relying chiefly on the preceding authorities, states that Timothe who was patriarch of the Nestorians from A.D. 777 to A.D. 820, planned the mission to these nations inhabiting the shores of the Caspian Sea; and that he selected for its execution one Subchal Jesu, a learned monk of the Nestorian monastery of Beth-Aben in Assyria well skilled in the Syriac, Arabic, and Persian languages, ordained him bishop, and sent him forth. Subchal made numerous converts among the Gelae and Daila mites, formed them into churches, and ordained elders over them. This active missionary also travelled farther East, and spread the gospel extensively in Tartary, Cathai, and China; but on his return from his mis

sion to visit Timotheus and the monks of his convent, he was murdered by the Barbarians. Timotheus now ordained Kardagus and Jabalaha, two other monks of Beth-Aben, and sent them with fifteen assistant monks into the same countries. These also were successful missionaries; and with the consent of Timotheus, the two bishops ordained seven of their companions to be bishops of the East namely, Thomas who went into India, David metropolitan of China, and Zacchaeus, Semus, Ephraim, Simeon, and Ananias. Thomas Margensis relates, that Timotheus directed the two ordaining bishops first to ordain a third, and to supply the place of a third bishop at his ordination by placing a copy of the Gospels on the seat near the right hand. Afterwards, they would have the canonical number of three bishops, to ordain the others. These new bishops dispersed themselves widely over the countries of the East, and founded many churches in India, Cathai, and China. But after the death of

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was firinly and permanently established in those countries for severa. centuries, although it was sometimes disturbed by the Mohammedans ; and that the bishops of these countries were always subject to the author. ity of the Nestorian pontif.

§ 2. In Europe, most of the German nations were still involved in the darkness or superstition; the only exception being the tribes on the Rhine, namely, the Bavarians, who are known to have received a knowledge of Christianity under Theodoric the son of Clovis the Great, and the Eastern Franks [or Franconians], with a few others. Attempts had been often made to enlighten the Germans, both by the kings and princes for whose interest it was that those warlike tribes should become civilized, and also by some pious and holy men; but the attempts had met with little or no success. But in this century, Winifrid an English Benedictine monk of noble birth who afterwards bore the name of Boniface, attempted this object with better success. In the year '715 he left his native country, with two companions, and first attempted in vain to disseminate Christian doctrines among the Frieslanders who were subjects of king Radbod. Af. terwards in the year 719, having received a solemn commission from the Roman pontiff Gregory II., he more successfully performed the functions of a Christian teacher among the Thuringians, the Frieslanders, and the Hessians.(2)

Timotheus A.D. 820, we learn nothing more respecting these churches till A.D. 1000, when the famous Christian prince, called Presbyter John, came upon the stage.-Tr.] (2) All that could be said of this celebrated man, has been collected by Henr. Phil. Gudenius, in his Diss. de S. Bonifacio Germanorum Apostolo; Helmst., 1722, 4to. Yet we may add Jo. Alb. Fabricii Biblioth. Latina medii aevi, tom. i., p. 709. Histoire tt. de la France, tom. iv., p. 92. Jo. Ma billon, Annales Benedictini: and others. [The Church Histories of Fleury, Schroeckh, and J. E. C. Schmidt, give ample accounts of Boniface. Milner (Church Hist., cent. viii, ch. iv.) is an admirer of Boniface. The best among the original biographers of this famous man, are Willibald one of his disciples, and a German monk named Othlon, who lived in the 11th century, and collected various letters of Boniface which he has inserted in his narrative. Both these biographies, with valuable notes, are contained in Mabillonii Acta Sanctor. ord. Benedict., tom. iv., p. 1-84, ed. Venet., 1734. According to these writers, Boniface was porn at Kirton in Devonshire, about A.D. 580. When but four or five years old, he showed a strong inclination for a monastic ife, which his father first endeavoured to eradicate but afterwards favoured. He first entered a monastery at Exeter. From that Le removed after seven years to the monastery of Nuscelle in Hants, as a better place for study. Here he learned grammar, poetry, rhetoric, and bib ical interpietation ac

cording to the threefold sense of scripture. After a short time he was a teacher of these things. At the age of 30 he was ordained a presbyter. About A.D. 715, he undertook a voluntary mission to Friesland, with two monks for companions. But Radbod, the pagan king of the country, being at war with the Franks and hostile to the Christians, gave him no encouragement; and he returned again to his monastery. The abbacy of Nuscelle was now offered him; but he refused it, because he preferred a more active employment. Soon after, having projected a mission to the pagans in Germany, he set out for Rome to obtain the papal sanction and support to his enterprise. Daniel the bishop of Winchester, gave him a letter of introduction to the pontiff, who readily gave him a commission to preach the Gospel to the pagans wherever he could find them. He now visited Germany, preached in Bavaria and Thuringia; and learning that Radbod was dead, he went to Friesland, and for three years assisted Willibrord the aged bishop of Utrecht, in spreading the gospel and erecting churches among the neighbouring pagans. Willibrord proposed to him to become his permanent assistant and successor; but Boniface declined, on the ground that the pope had intended he should labour in the more eastern parts of Germany. He now visited Rome a second time in the year 723, was closely examined by the pope as to his faith and his adherence to the see of Rome; and upon his swearing perpetual allegiance to the pope, he was created a bishop, and had his

§ 3. In the year 723, being ordained a bishop by Gregory II. at Rome, and being supported by the authority and the aid of Charles Martel the Major Domus of the Franks, Boniface returned to his Hessians and Thuringians, and resumed his labours among them with much success. He was now greatly assisted by several learned and pious persons of both sexes, who repaired to him out of England and France. In the year 738, having gathered more Christian churches than one man could alone govern, he was advanced to the rank of an archbishop by Gregory III., and by his authority and with the aid of Carloman and Pepin, the sons of Charles Martel, he established various bishoprics in Germany; as those of Würtzburg, Buraburg [near Fritzlar, in Hesse-Cassel], Erfurt, and Eichstadt; to which he added, in the year 744, the famous monastery of Fulda. The final reward of his name changed from Winifrid to Boniface. With numerous letters of recommendation to princes, bishops, and others, and a good stock of holy relics, Boniface returned through France, where Charles Martel received him cordially and furnished him with a safe conduct throughout the empire. He first went among the Hessians, where he suppressed the remains of idolatry, and intrepidly cut down the consecrated oak of Jupiter, which broke into four equal parts in its fall. This prodigy silenced all objections; and out of the wood of this tree, a chapel was built, dedicated to St. Peter. From Hesse he went to Thuringia, where he effected a similar reform, and had contention with some who were accounted heretical. On the accession of Gregory III. to the papal chair A.D. 731, Boniface sent an embassy to Rome, giving an account of his proceedings, and proposing several questions respecting ecclesiastical law, for solution. The pope answered his inquiries, sent him a fresh supply of relics, and also the archiepis copal pallium, with instructions when and how to wear it. In the year 738, he visited Rome a third time, attended by a large ret inue of priests and monks, and was graciously received by the pope. On his return through Bavaria, as papal legate he divided that country into four bishoprics, and placed bishops over them; namely, John bishop of Saltsburg, Ehrenbert bishop of Freisingen, Gosbald of Regensburg, and Vivilo of Pas

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vacant see of Mentz to Boniface. As archbishop of Mentz, Boniface claimed jurisdiction over the bishop of Utrecht; which claim was contested by the archbishop of Cologne. Boniface, as archbishop and as papal legate, presided in several councils in France and Germany, and was very active in enforcing uniformity of rites and rigid adherence to the canons of the church of Rome. In the year 754, being far advanced in life, he left his bishopric at Mentz under the care of Lullus, whom he ordained his colleague and successor, and undertook a mission among the Frieslanders, who were but partially converted to Christianity. With the aid of several inferior clergymen and monks, he had brought many persons of both sexes to submit to baptism, and having appointed the 5th of June for a general meeting of the converts to ceive the rite of confirmation, at Dockum za the Bordne, between East and West Friesland, on the morning of the day appointed, and while the converts were expected to arrive, a party of pagan Frieslanders assaulted his camp. His young men began to prepare for battle; but Boniface forbid it, and exhorted all to resign themselves up to die as martyrs. He and his fifty-two companions were all murdered, and their camp was plundered. But the banditti afterwards quarrelled among themselves respecting the plunder, and being intoxicated with the wine they had got, they fought till several of their number were slain. The Christian converts enraged at the murderers of their teachers, collected forces, and attacking their villages, slew and dispersed the men, plundered their houses, and enslaved their wives and children. The murdered Christians were removed to Utrecht, and there interred. terwards the remains of Boniface were carried to Mentz, and thence to Fulda.-Bʊniface left behind him 42 epistles; a set of ecclesiastical rules, 36 in number; 15 discourses; and a part of a work on penance

In the year 741, he erected four more bishoprics in Germany; namely, those of Würtzburg, Eichstadt, Buraburg, and Erfurth; over which he placed four of his friends, Burchard, Willibald, Albinus, and Adler. Hitherto Boniface had been arch-, bishop of no particular place; but in the year 745, he procured the deposition of Gevilieb archbishop of Mentz, charging him in a provincial council with having slain in single combat the man who had slain his own father in battle, and with having kept dogs and Tr.] birds for sport. This council decreed the

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labours, decreed to him in the year 746 by the Roman pontiff Zacharias was, to be constituted archbishop of Mentz, and primate of Germany and Belgium. In his old age, he travelled once more among the Frieslanders, that his ministry might terminate with the people among whom it com. menced but in the year 755 he was murdered, with fifty clergymen who attended him, by the people of that nation.

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§ 4. On account of his vast labours in propagating Christianity among the Germans, Boniface has gained the title of the Apostle of Germany; and a candid estimate of the magnitude of his achievements, will show him to be not altogether unworthy of this title.(3) Yet as an apostle, he was widely different from that pattern which the first and genuine apostles have left us. For not to mention that the honour and majesty of the Roman pontiff, whose minister and legate he was, was equally his care-nay more so, than the glory of Christ and his religion,(4) he did not oppose super stition with the weapons which the ancient apostles used, but he often coerced the minds of the people by violence and terrors, and at other times caught them by artifices and fraud. (5)

(3) [If the man deserves the title of an apostle who goes among the heathen, preaches to them the Gospel according to his best knowledge of it, encounters many hardships, makes some inroads upon idolatry, gathers churches, erects houses of worship, founds monasteries, and spends his life in this business;-then Boniface justly merits this title. But if that man only can be called an apos tle, who is in all respects like to Peter and Paul;-who in all his efforts looks only to the honour of Christ, and the dissemination of truth and virtue; and for attaining these ends, employs no means but such as the first apostles of Christ used;-then manifestly, Boniface was wholly unworthy of this name. He was rather an apostle of the Pope than of Jesus Christ, he had but one eye directed towards Christ, the other was fixed on the pope of Rome, and on his own fame which depended on him.-Schl.]

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(4) The French Benedictine monks ingenuously acknowledge, that Boniface was a sycophant of the Roman pontiff and showed him more deference than was fit and proper. See Histoire litt. de la France, tome iv., p. "Il exprime son devouement pour le S. Siege quelquefois en des termes qui ne sont pas assé proportionés à la dignité du charactere episcopal." [We need only to read his epistles, to be satisfied on this point. He says, Ep. xci., p. 126, ed. Serrar.), that all he had done for six-and-thirty years while 'egate of the holy see, was intended for the advantage of the church at Rome; to the Judgment of which, so far as he had erred in word or deed, he submitted himself with all humility-Cringing enough for an archbishop of the German church!-In a letter lo pope Zacharias, (Ep. Bonif., cxxxii., p. 181), he writes, that he wished to main

His epistles also betray here and

ain the general faith, and union with the church of Rome, and that he would not cease to urge and persuade all his pupils in that quarter to be obedient to the see of Rome. —In another letter, addressed to Stephen III., (Ep. xcvii., p. 132), upon occasion of his contest with the bishop of Cologne respecting the bishopric of Utrecht, he represents the bishop of Cologne as wishing to make the bishop who should preach to the Frieslanders wholly independent of the sec of Rome; whereas he (Boniface) was exerting all his powers to make the bishopric of Utrecht entirely dependant on the see of Rome.-Schl.]

(5) [It is unquestionable, that this apostle of the Germans inarched into Thuringia at the head of an army; and that at the time he was murdered by the Frieslanders, he had soldiers with him as his body guard; and so in all his enterprises, he had the support of the civil arm, afforded to him by Charles Martel, Carloman, and Pepin.-His arguments also may have been not the best, if he followed the directions of Daniel bishop of Winchester, for whom, as his epistles show, he had a high respect. (See Ep. Bonif. iii., p. 5, and the Ep. of Daniel to him, Ep. lxvii., p. 79, &c.) For here Daniel advises him to ask the pagans, how they can believe that the gods reward the righteous and punish the wicked in this life, since they see the Chris tians who have destroyed their images and prostrated their worship all over the world, remain unpunished?-And how comes it to pass, that the Christians possess the fruitful countries which produce wine and oil in abundance, while the pagans inhabit the cold and barren corners of the earth? He must also represent to the pagans, that the Christians now ruled the whole world, where