IN CHURCH HISTORY. 115 



the early Ages of Christianity have been introduced, 

 and prominently among them is the doctrine of the 

 immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary ; that 

 the Virgin herself was born into the world abso- 

 lutely without sin, and also that she is entitled to 

 be called "the queen of heaven, "aiding by her pro- 

 tection her favorites on earth. The name by which 

 these grievous errors relating to the Virgin are 

 usually known, is Mariolatry. 



But it is an ungracious task to go on thus point- 

 ing out the errors of a branch of the Church of 

 Christ. Would that there were no errors to point 

 out ! Much more gratifying is it to look at the 

 good things the Roman Church has done, and the 

 patience and zeal of many who are enrolled among 

 her members. 



Prominent upon her pages since the Reformation 

 is the record of Francis Zavier, a man of most 

 sincere devotion, and of singular earnestness. He 

 was born in 1506, in France, became a Jesuit 

 in 1537, went to India in 1540, and for twelve 

 years, in India, Ceylon, China, and Japan, he 

 labored with a success scarcely seen since the times 

 of the Apostles. In some places his converts were 

 numbered by thousands ; and sometimes so many 

 were the candidates for baptism that he could 

 scarcely find the physical strength to baptize them. 



Another noted name was Charles Borromeo, the 

 Archbishop of Milan (born 1538, died 1584). 



