associating it with the praise of the angelic ministrants, "ten thousand times ten thousand," beheld by Daniel (_Dan. 7:10_). The same hymn had been heard in the apocalyptic mysteries of the _Book of Revelation_. Very early it was incorporated in the liturgy of the eucharist, continuing an ageless form of the praise of God from the old dispensation into the new. The evolution of the Great Doxology from the words of the angelic song, Glory to God in the highest, to the _Gloria in excelsis_ illustrates the expanding thought of the Church, corresponding to the growth of the Christian body within the culture of the Roman Empire. Again, the _Gloria_ illustrates Hellenistic features of poetic style, bespeaking the oriental influences which had entered into Greek literature.[36] Note the repetition of the clauses, We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, of the invocation, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father almighty, O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, of the relative clause, That takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us, of the pronoun, For thou only art holy; thou only art the Lord; thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father. It is quite superfluous to analyze further the values of a poetic form which has helped to make the _Gloria_ one of the truly magnificent Christian hymns of all ages.[37] Postponing for the present a more detailed inquiry into stylistic origins, we may regard the group of liturgical hymns here presented as a source collection of the utmost importance. It reveals not only the continuity of the Old and New Testament hymnology but also the evolution of worship in song into the early Christian era. The fact that worship was chiefly liturgical in this period and hymns were therefore liturgical appears an inevitable conclusion. V. Contemporary Pagan and Heretical Hymns Christianity expanded, as we have seen, in the environment of eastern Mediterranean culture. Its original heritage was that of Judaism, but within the first century it had entered upon the conquest of the Gentile world. As that conquest proceeded and the penetration of new ideas into pagan thought continued, a corresponding reaction of paganism upon the new faith took place. With the general aspects of this phenomenon all are familiar. It is significant here only in the field of lyrical expression. The period of pagan influence in the sense of an imprint from Greek and Roman literature is also the period of impact with pagan heretical ideas derived either from current philosophies or the practices of mystery religions.