with the Emperor, but the monks and people were full of fury and sedition.

Leo IV. succeeded to Constantine in 775, and followed the views of his father and grandfather on this subject; but his career was brought to an early close. He was married to a very beautiful, but ambitious and depraved woman, the Empress Irene, an Athenian. To escape being punished for adultery she murdered her husband; and as the guardian of her son ruled the Empire; she threw all her influence into the scale of the Iconoduli, and forming an alliance with the Roman Pontiff, she summoned the IId. Nicene Council, in which the imperial edicts were abrogated, the decrees of the Council of Constantinople reversed, the images restored, and severe punishments denounced against those who had the temerity to assert that God alone was the object of religious veneration.

The sequel of the life of Irene is worthy of notice. Having killed, after dishonoring her husband, she was banished by her son on his coming of age; but she conspired against him, and not only dethroned him, but caused him to be deprived of his sight; after which she entered Constantinople in triumph, and assumed the government. But she did not hold it long; for by a conspiracy of one of her favorites, she was exiled to the island of Lesbos, where she was obliged to earn her living by the distaff, and soon died in poverty and distress.

Controversies arose at about this period, the latter part of the eighth century, in regard to the Eucharist, and the derivation of the Holy Ghost. On the former subject the difference was whether the elements of the Lord's Supper were only sanctified, or whether they were actually converted into the body and blood of Christ. On this subject the Christian world is still divided.

In regard to the latter question, the Latins held that the Holy Ghost was derived both from the Father and the Son, while the Greeks contended that it was from the Father only. The Synod of Frejus, in 791, decided in favor of the former belief; which will be considered orthodox by those who hold to the authority of that Synod, until the matter is decided otherwise by an equally competent authority. We cannot ascertain that, in the ninth, ienth, and eleventh centuries, there arose a single new sect in Christendom. In this respect the church enjoyed a remarkable tranquillity; but it was not free from violent controversies, some of which it may be interesting to notice. THE PAULICIANS.

The PAULICIANS, a sect which arose some centuries previous, revived, in the early part of the ninth century, in Armenia. Constantine had in vain endeavored to destroy them by the most bitter persecutions.

The tenets of the Paulicians, which they maintained with such remarkable firmness,

were the distinction between the Creator of the world, and the Most High God; a refusal to adore the Cross, the holy Virgin, or to celebrate the Lord's Supper; and a rejection of the books of the Old Testament as of inferior inspiration. They interpreted the Scriptures in a highly spiritual sense, but as we rely upon their opponents for what little we know of this sect, we cannot pretend to do justice to their creed.

After centuries of persecution, the Paulicicians found themselves favored, at the beginning of the ninth century, by the Emperor Nicephorus, who restored to them freedom of religious worship, and conferred upon them several religious privileges.

But this peace and prosperity was of short duration, for under the two succeeding emperors they were hunted out, and such of them put to death as would not abjure their tenets. Whether this system of making converts arose with the Christians or Mohammedans, may be a question of some difficulty to determine; but in both cases it has proved a very effectual one.

In this case, however, it did not have its usual effect, for the Paulicians made a fight and destroyed a considerable number of their opponents; but the Empress Theodora pursued and punished them with fire and sword, and under her decree one hundred thousand of them, refusing to give up their cherished faith, were put to death with relentless cruelties.

Such as escaped fled to the Saracens for protection against their Christian brethrenwhich they obtained; and they built a city, and then joined their protectors in a war against their persecutors, in which, as may be supposed, they fought with great fury. Wherever their arms conquered, and the country had been laid waste, they planted and propagated their tenets; and they made many converts among the fierce Bulgarians. They afterwards penetrated into the south and west of Europe, and were known as the Albigenses.

CONTROVERSIES.

The Empress Theodora also entered ardently into the controversy in relation to image worship; and under her reign, it was firmly established in the East; not that people were satisfied or convinced-but the Empress had valiant troops, and strong prisons.

The controversy in regard to the real, corporeal presence of the body of Christ, in the elements of the Eucharist, and of the actual and miraculous change of the elements into his flesh and blood, was carried on with great vigor; each party denouncing the other in the most violent and opprobrious manner. party who advocated this doctrine were called cannibals, or rather, God-eaters; while their opponents were, of course, charged with heresy and infidelity.

The

Continued from p. 154.

The same doctrines, or those of a similar character, were also taught at this period in Flanders and Italy; and Arnold of Brescia, a bold and prominent sectary, also taught that ecclesiastics should have no property or revenues, but such as they derived directly from the free will offerings of the people. The author of so offensive a doctrine as this was not likely to escape punishment, and he was seized and put to a cruel death in 1155.

THE WALDENSES

Arose, according to a majority of ecclesiastical writers, about 1180, from the preaching of one Peter Waldus, a merchant of Lyons. Others contend that the name comes from Vaudois, a name given to the inhabitants of the valleys of Piedmont. It is also contended that this sect goes back to the age of the Apostles; the pretence of every Christian sect in the world, and of no more foundation, that we can see, in this case than in so many others. All alike claim Christ as the author of their faith and consequently each believes his own the original orthodox sect. We cannot trace the Waldenses, as such, beyond the period we have mentioned, though there may have been in earlier times, and for an indefinite period, persons holding similar sentiments.

The doctrines of the Waldenses were professed to be drawn directly from the Bible, and were similar to those of the Puritans, who settled in New England. They rejected traditions, the Fathers, the authority of the church, images, crosses, relics, auricular confessions, absolutions, clerical celibacy, orders, titles, vestments, masses, prayers for the dead, purgatory, &c., and appear to have led simple harmless lives. Following literally the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount, they abstained from all warfare, just or unjust, public or private; from all resistance of injury, from law suits, oaths, and the pursuit of riches.

THE SOCINIANS.

51

FAUSTUS SOCINUS, the founder of a sect termed SOCINIANS, is worthy of particular notice. He was the son of Alexander Socinus, a professor of law, and was born in Sienna, in 1539. Though bred to the law, he became engaged in theological discussions, at the court of the Duke of Tuscany, and retired for three years to Basil, where he became confirmed in the doctrines of Unitarianism, which at that period prevailed widely in Europe, particularly in Transylvania and Poland.

Socinus is not to be considered as the founder of a creed, so much as the regulator of one. He travelled and preached and wrote, to reconcile the differences that existed among those who believed generally in his doctrines. After great difficulties, and persecutions, this work was accomplished, and a creed or confession of faith was agreed upon, and published under the name of the "Cracovian Catechism." Shortly after this Socinus died, in 1604.

The private character of Socinus is spoken of with uniform encomium. No one can question the sincerity of his faith or the ardor of his piety, which supported him under all his afflictions. He was pure in his morals, mild and conciliating in his manners, upright and disinterested in all his affairs.

Socinianism has one chief characteristic, which is the trial of religious doctrines by reason, and the rejection of all which do not coincide with a right judgment. The Socinians, therefore, rejected all the mysteries of the Christian faith, as held by other denominations; they did not endeavor to believe in any thing inconsistent or incomprehensible, and considered the mission of Christ as intended only to introduce a new moral law, distinguished by its superior sanctity and perfec

tion.

Socinus held that in Jesus dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily; that he enjoys universal power over the church in heaven and on earth; that he may therefore with propriety be called God; that religious adoration ought to be paid to him, as one appointed by the Supreme Being to be our Lord and God; that his aid may be implored as if he was really God, while the aid must come from God, through him; and that he obtained the power of expiating our sins by the offering which he made of himself to God by his death.

Great efforts were made, at different times, to convert the Waldenses to the Church of Rome; but generally with indifferent success. Some fifteen thousand perished at one time, and they were burnt and executed in various ways for several centuries, with but little advantage to the church. In fact, the means of conversion used successfully for more than a thousand years appear to have failed at this period, though, as may naturally be supposed, people were a long time in discovering it. The Baptists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists and what are called the evangelical denominations. claim to be descended in doctrine from the Waldenses; but the Baptists appear to partake rather more of their character and belief, than any sect with which we are acquainted, unless it be the Non-resistants.

The Crusades were followed by what Catholics call the Great Heresy of the Church, and Protestants the Great Protestant Reformation. We shall give hereafter an account of its most prominent leaders and doctrines.

It is obvious that the Socinians of the 17th century differed widely from the Unitarians of the present day; as, indeed, do these from each other.

While the right of Christ to the title of God, from his elevation as the head of the church, is recognized by the Socinian creed; it is held that the Father above is the Only, Real, and One God; and that the Holy Spirit is but a modified personification of divine energy. But we shall have occasion to go more

fully into the doctrines of Unitarianism, as at present believed; remarking here, that similar doctrines were held by powerful sects in the earliest centuries of the Christian faith.

THE QUIETISTS

Were a sect which arose in the very bosom of the Catholic Church in the 17th century, and were the disciples of a Spanish priest, one Michael de Molines. He wrote a book entitled" The Spiritual Guide," and had followers in Spain, France, Italy and the Netherlands.

The name of this sect indicates its chief doctrine. This is, in brief, their argument, "The apostle tells us, that the Spirit maketh intercession for or in us.' Now, if the Spirit pray in us, we must resign ourselves to his impulses, by remaining in a state of absolute rest or quietude, till we attain the perfection of unitive life"-a life of union with an absorption in the Deity. This doctrine is to be found in the creed of Boodhism, and partially in that of the Quakers, who, however, act under the movings of the Spirit. This lazy creed gave the Popes much trouble, and all the more because its opposition to the church was of so passive and negative a character.

THE ANABAPTISTS

Were believers in baptism by immersion, and derived their name from their practice of baptizing again those who had, according to the forms of other sects, been baptized or sprinkled in infancy. They arose as a denomination in the 16th century. They believed in the purity and spirituality to be attained in their church, and in its freedom from all human institutions and governments.

This sect was soon joined by great numbers, and in a short time their discourses, visions, and predictions, created great commotions over various parts of Europe. One faction pretended to be armed against all opposition by the power of working miracles. They taught that to Christians, who were guided by the Spirit of God, magistracy and government were quite unnecessary; that there should be no distinction of person or property; and as they found polygamy authorized in the Bible, they either kept as many wives as they could maintain, like the Mormons of the present day, or threw them into the common stock with their worldly possessions.

Having failed to propagate these doctrines against the powerful opposition of both Catholics and Lutherans, as well as the governments and police; they concluded to do by force, what they could not effect by persuasion, nor yet by the avowal of direct revelations from Heaven. So, in 1525, Munzer, one of their leaders, armed his followers, and declared war against all laws, governments and magistrates of every kind, giving out that Christ was coming to take the management of affairs into his own hands. The Elector of

Saxony, however, routed and dispersed this army, and put Munzer to death.

This did by no means put a stop to the fanaticism of this sect; for eight years afterwards they took forcible possession of the city of Munster, deposed the magistrates, confiscated the wealth of all who did not join their party, put all property into a public treasury, and made all their arrangements according to the peculiar doctrines already mention. Munster, they called Mount Zion, to which they invited their brethren to assemble, and prepare for the conquest of the world. One of their leaders was cut off, and the other was crowned King of Zion, and made chief ruler, with powers similar to those enjoyed by Moses. The city stood a long siege, but was finally taken and the King of Zion put to death.

It may be questioned whether some accounts of the Anabaptists of Holland and Germany have not been too highly colored. However that may be, it will not do.to reproach any sect at present, with the fanaticisms or errors of the past; as it is very difficult to find any one which would be free of censure.

FLAGGELLANTS.

As in the richest soil, weeds spring up most luxuriantly, so in Italy, the garden of the Church, have arisen the most extraordinary of Christian heresies.

One of the strangest fanaticisms ever known even in Italy, sprung up in about the year 1260-the sect, or order of the Flaggellants. The faith and practice of this sect were based upon the idea that men by the voluntary infliction of pain upon themselves, could atone for their sins. This notion is not peculiar to Christianity. Nearly all religions include the ideas of fasting, humiliation, mortification, penance and purgation.

Some religionists, in the expectation of making their peace with Heaven, simply refrain from all the pleasures of earth. They never indulge in mirth or cheerful music, or the exhilarating dance, nor enjoy the elegant arts and embellishments of life. They make this beautiful world a vale of tears, they strew their paths with briars and thorns instead of violets and roses, and of two roads leading in the same direction, they voluntarily and piously choose the roughest and in every way least attractive. Others proceed to acts of positive suffering. They keep long fasts, they wear coarse garments, in summer they endure the heat, in winter they bear the cold. Others torture themselves by floggings, cutting with knives, lying upon pointed spikes, swinging by hooks thrust through the flesh, and even proceed to the extremity of self-sacrifice, and to make sure of eternal felicity, consent to die by the most horrible agonies. There is scarcely any form of religious faith, whose disciples have not sealed the sincerity of their faith by martrydom.

The practice of people beating themselves