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He betook himself to Medina, was joined by the brave Omer, and thence commenced propagating his religion by the sword. He divided his spoil among his followers, and from all sides the roving Arabs were allured to the standard of Religion and plunder; the prophet, sanctioned the license of embracing the female captives as their wives or concubines, and the enjoyment of wealth and beauty was the type of Paradise. "The sword," says Mahomet, "is the key of Heaven and Hell: a drop of blood shed in the cause of God, a night spent in arms, is of more avail than two months' of fasting and prayer; whoever falls in battle, his sins are forgiven; at the day of judgment his wounds shall be replendent as vermillion and odoriferous as musk; and the loss of his limbs shall be supplied by the wings of angels and cherubims."

In a few years, Mahomet subdued all Arabia and a part of Syria. In the midst of his victories he died at the age of 61, A. D. 632, being poisoned, as it was supposed, by a Jewish female.His successors extended their conquests and religion till their empire was widely extended in many countries of the East. 4*

12.

THE DARK AGES.

From the seventh to the tenth century of the Christian era was a time of universal darkness ignorance and superstition among all classes of people. Pure Christianity was but little known, amidst a multitude of idle ceremonies and external show and pomp; all ranks of the clergy were characterized by ambition, voluptuousness and ignorance. The want of an acquaintance with the first rudiments of literature even among the higher clergy was so general, that it was scarcely deemed disgraceful to acknowledge it, and many bishops who attended councils, &c. could not even write their names to the acts that were passed, but were obliged to have others sign for them. This time is emphatically called the Dark Ages, especially the tenth century, which all historians, civil and ecclesiastical, agree in describing as the darkest epoch in the annals of mankind. "Every thing sacred in religion," says a celebrated historian, "was disfigured by customs the most ridiculous and extravagant. In several churches in France, a festival was celebrated in commemoration of the

Virgin Mary's flight into Egypt-it was called the feast of the Ass. A young girl richly dressed, with a child in her arms, was placed on an ass superbly decorated with trappings. The ass was led to the altar in solemn processionhigh mass was said with great pomp-the ass was taught to kneel at proper places—a hymn no less childish than impious was sung in his praise: and when the ceremony was ended, the priest. instead of the usual words with which he dismissed the people, brayed three times like an ass; and the people instead of the usual response, brayed three times in return.”*

The method of propagating Christianity during this period, partook of the Character of the age. Whole nations were compelled under pain of death, to receive Baptism, and the most cruel methods were used to compel them to submit to receive the Christian Faith.

13.

CRUSADES, OR HOLY WARS.

The Crusades were religious wars, waged by Christian Europe, chiefly against the Turks or * History of Charles 5th, vol. 1.

Mahometans, with a view to recover Palestine out of their hands. These expeditions commenced, A. D. 1096. The foundation of them was a superstitious veneration for those places where our Saviour performed his miracles, and accomplished the work of man's redemption.

Palestine having been conquered by the Turks, Jerusalem was now in their hands, which rendered it unsafe and vexatious to the pilgrims who flocked from all parts to visit the tomb of our Saviour.

Peter, the hermit, a native of France, on his return from this pilgrimage, complained in loud terms of the grievances the Christians suffered from the Turks. He conceived the project of leading all the forces of Christendom against the infidels, and driving them out of the Holy Land. Being encouraged in his project by Pope Urban 2d, Peter went from province to province and succeeded in arousing princes and people to undertake this holy warfare. All ranks of men now deeming the Crusades the only road to heaven, were impatient to open the way with their swords to the holy city. Nobles, artizans, peasants, and even priests enrolled their names, and to decline this service,

was branded with the reproach of impiety or cowardice. The infirm and aged contributed by presents and money, and many attended it in person; being determined, if possible, to breathe their last in the sight of the holy city. Even women concealing their sex under the disguise of armour, attended the camp; and the greatest criminals were forward in a service which they considered as an expiation, for all crimes.

In the first Crusade, an army of 80,000 men, a disorderly multitude led on by Peter, were destroyed; but the army which followed consisting of 700,000 men, under Godfrey, conquered Syria and Palestine, and took possession of Jerusalem, which they held for several years. The Crusaders however weakened their power by dividing their conquests into four separate states.

In this situation they found it necessary to solicit aid from Europe, and accordingly, in 1146, an army of 200,000 men under Hugh, brother to the French king, set out upon another Crusade. But these met with the same fate as the army of Peter. Another army of 300,000 soon followed, and were soon destroyed or dispersed.

Palestine having fallen into the hands of the infidels, under the great Saladin, Europe felt the

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