ccessor of Constantius, has described some of the
theological calamities which afflicted the empire, and more especially
in the East, in the reign of a prince who was the slave of his own
passions, and of those of his eunuchs: "Many were imprisoned, and
persecuted, and driven into exile. Whole troops of those who are styled
_heretics_ were massacred, particularly at Cyzicus, and at Samosata. In
Paphlagonia, Bithynia, Gallatia, and in many other provinces, towns and
villages were laid waste, and utterly destroyed."[449:1]

Persecutions in the name of Christ Jesus were inflicted on the heathen
in most every part of the then known world. Even among the Norwegians,
the Christian sword was unsheathed. They clung tenaciously to the
worship of their forefathers, and numbers of them died real martyrs for
their faith, after suffering the most cruel torments from their
persecutors. It was by sheer compulsion that the Norwegians embraced
Christianity. The reign of Olaf Tryggvason, a Christian king of Norway,
was in fact entirely devoted to the propagation of the new faith, by
means the most revolting to humanity. His general practice was to enter
a district at the head of a formidable force, summon a _Thing_,[449:2]
and give the people the alternative of fighting with him, or of being
baptized. Most of them, of course, preferred baptism to the risk of a
battle with an adversary so well prepared for combat; and the recusants
were tortured to death with fiend-like ferocity, and their estates
confiscated.[449:3]

These are some of the reasons "why Christianity prospered."

* * * * *

NOTE.--The learned Christian historian Pagi endeavors to smoothe over
the crimes of Constantine. He says: "As for those few murders (which
Eusebius says nothing about), had he thought it worth his while to refer
to them, he would perhaps, with Baronius himself have said, that the
young Licinius (his infant nephew), although the fact might not
generally have been known, had most likely been an accomplice in the
treason of his father. That as to the murder of his son, the Emperor is
rather to be considered as unfortunate than as criminal. And with
respect to his putting his wife to death, he ought to be pronounced
rather a just and righteous judge. As for his numerous friends, whom
Eutropius informs us he put to death one after another, we are bound to
believe that most of them deserved it, and they were found out to have