Persecution of the intractable Franciscans Dispute as to the property of Christ and his Apostles Division of the Franciscans into two sects The apostolic clerks, or Jesuates CENTURY SIXTH. PART I. THE EXTERNAL HISTORY OF THE CHURCH. CHAPTER I. THE PROSPEROUS EVENTS OF THE CHURCH. § 1. Progress of christianity in the East-§ 2. and in the West. § 3. Jews converted in several places.-§ 4. The miracles of this century. § 1. Ir appears evident from the historical records of the Greek empire, that several barbarous tribes, especially among those resident near the Black Sea, were converted to christianity by the efforts of the Greek emperors and the bishops of Constantinople. Among these were the Abasgi, a barbarous nation inhabiting the country between the coasts of the Euxine sea and mount Caucasus, who embraced christianity under the emperor Justinian'. The Heruli, who dwelt along the other 1 Procopius, de Bello Gothico, lib. iv. c. 3. Le Quien, Oriens Christianus, tom. i. p. 1351, &c. [Their adoration (like that of the ancient Germans) had been previously given to forests and lofty trees. The emperor Justinian sent priests among them, and erected a church for them dedicated to the virgin Mary: and he rendered the people more inclined to become christians, by prohibiting their king from carrying on a shameful traffic in eunuchs. See the authors referred to by Dr. Mosheim. Tr.] |