Emperor in 867, the Sclavonians, Arentani, and a part of Dalmatia, sent a formal embassy to Constantinople, declaring their desire to embrace Christianity; but the same emperor saw a still more extensive conversion made, in the acceptance of the Gospel by the warlike, and even then powerful nation of the Russians, who but a short time before had sent a fleet from Kiow, which struck terror into Constantinople.

"with

"It is proper to observe," says Mosheim, respect to those various conversions, that they were undertaken upon much better principles, and executed in a more pious and rational manner, than those of the preceding ages. The ministers who were now sent to instruct and convert the barbarous nations, did not, like many of their predecessors, employ the terror of penal laws, to affright men into the profession of Christianity nor, in establishing churches on the ruins of idolatry, were they principally attentive to promote the grandeur, and extend the authority of the Roman Pontiffs. Their views were more noble, and their conduct was more suitable to the genius of the religion which they professed. They had chiefly in view the happiness of mankind, endeavoured to promote the gospel of truth and peace by rational persuasion, and seconded their arguments by the victorious power of exemplary lives."-(Eccles. History, vol. ii. 253.) He admits that their doctrine often partook of the general ignorance of the

age.

But their intentions were often as pure as their zeal was inexhaustible. At the close of this period, nearly all the Pagan tribes of Europe possessed at least a general knowledge of the tenets of the Christian religion. This knowledge had hitherto been concentrated round the cities, and chief places of civilization, it now shot out its branches, through the whole barbarian border of Europe.

It might be presumed that this work of peace would be followed by the general tranquillity and prosperity of the European nations. But such was not the will of Heaven. A punishment, fully deserved, was first to be inflicted. The characteristic name of the next period was one of Divine displeasure; and the prophecy was fully borne out by the execution.

NAHOR (angry), a period of 79 years.

From A.D. 863. to 942.-This was peculiarly the age of European suffering. From the memorable division of the empire under the sons of Louis Le Debonnaire, in A.D. 840, a general decay of government had prevailed through Europe. The power of Charlemagne no longer existing to restrain either his subjects or his enemies, the barons assumed independence, and used it, to make war upon each other. While the subjects revolted, the enemies revenged. The northern nations,

whom Charlemagne had coerced only by a war of six and thirty years, recovered their vigour, and poured down upon the defenceless shores of the west and south. The Danish and Scandinavian

pirates swept the seas. The Normans ravaged the interior, and in A.D. 918, had already formed settlements in Italy, Sicily, and France. The scenes of rapine which followed the fall of the Roman Empire, seemed to be renewed by the incursions which had thus followed the division of the Empire of Charlemagne. "Those were times of great misery to the world, and perhaps the worst that Europe has ever known'." Germany, Gaul, and Britain were ravaged by them. The impetuous fury of those savages not only spread devastation through the Spanish provinces, but penetrated into the heart of Italy. An equally savage enemy, the Saracens, who had seized Sicily in 827, about the commencement of this period invaded the south of Europe. A new army of those enemies to Europe and Christianity poured from Asia into the provinces and islands of the south, and ravaged up to the walls of Rome. The scourge was heavily laid on; but it was amply deserved by the wilful ignorance, boundless profligacy, and lavish and audacious superstition, of the era. The veneration of saints, and the invention of new forms of homage to

1 Hallam. Hist. Midd. Ages. 2 Mosheim, vol. ii. 254.

relics, flourished; while, on the other hand, all public life was war and treason, and all private life licentiousness and perfidy. To man, society must have seemed on the point of ruin; but the prediction had been uttered three thousand years before, which declared it to be on the point of restoration.

TERAH (breathing), a period of 70 years. From A. D. 942 to 1012.-The preceding period was the midnight of the dark ages. The whole Christian world lay in a state of the most extraordinary desolation. The Scriptures had nearly disappeared. At long intervals, in the 9th century, some remarkable men, Claude of Turin and others, had protested against the errors of the national worship; but it was not till the tenth that the protest bore a permanent form. In the middle of that century, the Paulicians, a sect who professed to take the Bible alone as their guide, appeared in the West. Their first efforts were in Italy, from which they sent forth missionaries, preaching the Scriptures. Though stigmatized as Manichæans, a charge which they always repelled as an utter calumny, they made numerous converts. At length their progress in France attracted the eye of the Government, and persecution was let loose against them. They were found guilty of disclaiming the use of images, of denying the

right of the Papacy to temporal power, and of propagating the Scriptures. They at length began to make converts among the higher orders of the French clergy; and direct vengeance followed. "The first religious assembly which the Paulicians (openly) formed in Europe, was at Orleans, in 1017. Its principal members were twelve canons of the Cathedral, distinguished for their piety and learning; and it was composed, in general, of a number of citizens, who were far from being of the meanest condition. King Robert held a council, and striving in vain to bring back the canons, ordered them to be buried alive." Thus the purer form of Christianity in Europe was begun; the spirit which our Lord had given by breathing, the avevμa, was, during this period, especially breathed upon the West. It is remarkable that the original seat of the Paulicians was, like that of Abraham, in Chaldæa.

1 Mosheim (Eccl. Hist. v. 2. 524.)

The case is still stronger, by taking the true date of the birth of Abraham. The Septuagint gives the date of the birth of Terah's first-born. But Abraham was probably his youngest son, and must have been born in his 130th year; as is evident from the date of Terah's death, in his 205th year (Gen. xi. 32.), at which time Abraham was 75 years old (Gen. xii. 4.) This would add 60 years to the corresponding period; which would close at A. D. 1072. But the coincidence would be only strengthened by the addition; for the doctrines of the Reformers advanced continually through the 11th century.