Revolution K '- in Culhis. The change in the legal and social position of Christianity with reference to the temporal power, produced a mightj effect npon its cultiis. Hitherto the Christian worship had been confined to a comparatively small number of upright confessors, most of whom belonged to the poorer classes of society. !Now it came forth from its secrecy in private houses, deserts, and catacombs, to the light of day, and must adapt itself to the higher classes and to the great mass of the people, who had been bred in the traditions of heathenism. The development of the hierarchy and the enrichment of public worship go hand in hand. A republican and democratic con- stitution demands simple manners and customs ; aristocracy and monarchy surround themselves with a formal etiquette and a brilliant court-life. The universal priesthood is closely connected with a simple cultus ; the episcopal hierai'chy, with a ricli, imposing ceremonial. In the Xicene age the church laid aside her lowly servant- form, and j)ut on a splendid imperial garb. She exchanged the primitive simplicity of her cultus for a richly colored Sfe THIRD PERIOD. A.D. 311-590. multiplicity. She drew all the fine arts into the service of the sanctuary, and began her sublime creations of Christian architecture, sculpture, painting, poetry, and music. In place of the pagan temple and altar arose everywhere the stately church and the chapel in honor of Christ, of the Virgin Mary, of martyrs and saints. Tlie kindred ideas of priesthood, sacrifice, and altar became more fully developed and more firmly fixed, as the outward hierarchy grew. The mass, or daily repetition of the atoning sacrifice of Christ by the hand of the priest, became the mysterious centre of the whole system of worship. The number of church festivals was increased ; processions, and pilgrimages, and a multitude of significant and supersti- tious customs and ceremonies were introduced. The public worship of God assumed, if we may so speak, a dramatic, theatrical character, which made it attractive and imposing to the mass of the people, who were as yet incapable, for the most part, of worshipping God in spirit and in truth. It was addressed rather to the eye and the ear, to feeling and imagi- nation, than to intelligence and will. In short, we already find in the J^icene age almost all the essential features of the sacer- dotal, mysterious, ceremonial, symbolical cultus of the Greek and Roman churches of the present day. This enrichment and embellishment of the cultus was, on one hand, a real advance, and unquestionably had a discipli- nary and educational power, like the hierarchical organization, for the training of the popular masses. But the gain in out- ward appearance and splendor was balanced by many a loss in simplicity and spiritualit}". While the senses and the imagi- nation were entertained and charmed, the heart not rarely returned cold and hungry. Not a few pagan habits and cere- monies, concealed under new names, crept into the