Christianity; distinctions between the pagan and Christian conceptions of death, i. 208. The importance of Christianity not recognised by pagan writers, 336. Causes of this, 338. Examination of the theory which ascribes part of the teaching of the later pagan moralists to Christian influence, 340. Theory which attributes the conversion of Rome to evidences of miracles, 346. Opinion of the pagans about the credulity of the Christians, 347. Incapacity of the Christians of the third century for judging historic miracles, 375. And for judging prophecies, 376. Contemporary miracles represented as existing among them, 377. Christian miracles had probably little weight with the pagans, 385. Progress of Christianity to what due, 386, 387. Singular adaptation of it to the wants of the time, 387. Heroism it inspired, 390. Explanation of the conversion of the Roman Empire, 393. Account of the persecutions of the Christians, 395. Reasons why the Christians were more persecuted than the Jews, 403, 406, 407. The first cause of the persecution of the Christians, 406. Charges of immorality brought against them, 414. Due in a great measure to Jews and heretics, 416, 417. The disturbance of domestic life caused by female conversions, 418. Antipathy of the Romans to every system which employed religious terrorism, 421. Christian intolerance of pagan worship, 423. And of diversity of belief, 424-427. History of the persecutions, 429. Nero’s, 429. Domitian’s, 431. Condition of the Christians under the Antonines, 434. Become profoundly obnoxious to the people, 436. Marcus Aurelius, 439, 440. Introduction of Christianity into France, 442, and _note_. Attitude of the rulers towards it from M. Aurelius to Decius, 451, _et seq._ Condition of the Church on the eve of the Decian persecution, 448. Gallus, 454. Valerian, 454. Gallienus, 455. Erection of churches in the Empire, 457. Persecutions of Diocletian and Galerius, 458. End of the persecutions, 463. Massacre of Christians in Phrygia, 464. Moral efficacy of the Christian sense of sin, ii. 3. Dark views of human nature not common in the early Church, 5. The penitential system, 6. Empire Christianity attained in eliciting disinterested enthusiasm, 8. Great purity of the early Christians, 10, 11. The promise of the Church for many centuries falsified, 12. The first consequence of Christianity a new sense of the sanctity of human life, 17. Influence in the protection of infant life, 20-32. In the suppression of gladiatorial shows, 34. Its effect upon persecutions, 40, _et seq._ The penal code not lightened by it, 42. Condemnation of suicide, 43. Second consequence of Christianity Teaches universal brotherhood, 61. Slavery, 61-66. Ransom of captives, 72. Charity, 73.