80 MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION 



was worshipped, the same loving trust and godly 

 sincerity which have been in the world ever since the 

 Church was planted. We know too that there was 

 much zeal for the extension of the faith, for it was 

 spread during this period to regions which had not 

 before received it. These four centuries constituted 

 a period in which much of the world seemed to 

 be slumbering. Not that it was an entirely deep 

 sleep, but the old empire, with its vigorous life, was 

 crumbling away, the east was sealed by the spread 

 of the Saracens, and for a long while the feudal 

 system laid its icy hand upon all general progress. 

 The four most notable points for our conside- 

 ration are : the conflicts with the Saracens ; the ex- 

 tension of the papal power ; the rise of monastic 

 orders ; and the rise of the feudal system. 



The Saracens. — The Saracens were the believers 

 in Mohammedanism. They became a mighty war- 

 like power, and aimed at a subjugation of the world 

 to their faith, through the force of their arms. 

 They were enthusiastic, and relentless. One vic- 

 tory paved the way for another. To crush and to 

 destroy was the passion of their lives. They could 

 not be softened. Nothing but superior force could 

 turn them aside from their purpose. 



Pushing on from the west eastward they planted 

 their victorious standards upon the ruins of cities 

 and towns, and at last, in a. d. 672, came in front 



