Читать книгу Mennonites in the World War - Jonas Smucker Hartzler - Страница 8

But even a corrupt Christianity has some ad vantages over a pagan religion. The number of adherents increased until the State courted alliance with the Church. Just before going into battle with Maxentius, also one of the rivals for the Roman throne, Constantine declared himself in favor of Christianity, won a signal victory, and made Christianity the religion of State. That was a sad day for the Church.

Persecutions, hard as they were to bear, were a blessing" in keeping out those who were not true. But since Christianity had been made the religion of State, it had also become popular to "belong to Church." Many became Christians in name for personal gain. A form of piety was all that was necessary for office whether in government or in religious work. Church ordinances became a means of salvation in the minds of people baptism to wash away sin; the communion to eat the literal flesh of Christ and to drink His literal blood as a means of purification, and in itself a great virtue; alms-giving a means of placing accounts on the credit side of the ledger in heaven.