IN CHURCH HISTORY. 73 



annihilate all laws, religion, and social usages, 

 and establish in the fairest portions of the land, 

 their own savage beliefs and customs. 



But God had His plans with reference to them, 

 and it seemed that they were led from their homes 

 to receive the knowledge of salvation. The 

 Church became at length their conquerors, not 

 always with force of arms, but through the power of 

 more gentle measures. 



The barbarians became Christians, not all at 

 once, nor for many years ; nor did all receive the 

 truth in its purity, but by degrees they gave up 

 the worship of their false gods, and became the 

 worshippers of Christ. 



While in the West the northern tribes were oc- 

 casioning alarm, in the East another trouble grew. 

 Mohammedanism appeared as a conquering power, 

 devastating with fire and sword, and compelling 

 thousands in Arabia and elsewhere to submit to its 

 sway. It began about a. d. 620. 



The rise of the religion of Mohammed, was at a 

 time very favorable to its growth. The nations of 

 the East had not been largely, at this time, brought 

 under the power of the Church, and where Chris- 

 tianity prevailed it was usually there in some 

 distorted form, after the views promulgated by the 

 heretics. The heretical sections contended with each 

 other, and even resorted to strife and bloodshed. 

 Mohammed's religion was a mixture of truths 



