als to the gods and
goddesses of heathenism outraged their religious convictions. [321:1] In
their estimation, the talent devoted to its maintenance was miserably
prostituted; and whilst every actor was deemed unworthy of
ecclesiastical fellowship, every church member was prohibited, by
attendance or otherwise, from giving any encouragement to the stage. The
early Christians were also forbidden to frequent the public shows, as
they were considered scenes of temptation and pollution. Every one at
his baptism was required to renounce "the devil, his pomp, and his
angels" [321:2]--a declaration which implied that he was henceforth to
absent himself from the heathen spectacles. At this time, statesmen,
poets, and philosophers were not ashamed to appear among the crowds who
assembled to witness the combats of the gladiators, though, on such
occasions, human life was recklessly sacrificed. But here the Church,
composed chiefly of the poor of this world, was continually giving
lessons in humanity to heathen legislators and literati. It protested
against cruelty, as well to the brute creation as to man; and condemned
the taste which could derive gratification from the shedding of the
blood either of lions or of gladiators. All who sanctioned by their
presence the sanguinary sports of the amphitheatre incurred a sentence
of excommunication. [322:1]

At this time, though an increasing taste for inactivity and solitude
betokened the growth of a bastard Christianity, and though various other
circumstances were indicative of tendencies to adulterate religion,
either by reducing it to a system of formalism, or by sublimating it
into a life of empty contemplation, there were still abundant proofs of
the existence of a large amount of healthy and vigorous piety. The
members of the Church, as a body, were distinguished by their exemplary
morals; and about the beginning of the third century, one of their
advocates, when pleading for their toleration, could venture to assert
that, among the numberless culprits brought under the notice of the
magistrates, none were Christians. [322:2] Wherever the gospel spread,
its social influence was most salutary. Its first teachers applied
themselves discreetly to the redress of prevalent abuses; and time
gradually demonstrated the effectiveness of their plans of reformation.
When they appeared, polygamy was common; [322:3] and had they assailed
it in terms of unmeasured severity, they would have defe