8. Pagan Rites Introduced into the Christian Worship--Fourth Century.--The Christian bishops introduced, with but slight alterations, into the Christian worship, those rites and institutions by which formerly the Greeks and Romans, and other nations had manifested their piety and reverence towards their imaginary deities; supposing that the people would more readily embrace Christianity, if they saw that the rites handed down to them from their fathers still existed unchanged among the Christians, and perceived that Christ and the martyrs were worshiped in the same manner as formerly their gods were. There was, of course, little difference in these times, between the public worship of the Christians and that of the Greeks and Romans. In both alike there were splendid robes, mitres, tiaras, wax tapers, crosiers, processions, illustrations, images, golden and silver vases, and numberless other things.--Mosheim. 9. Superstitious Observances Connected with the Eucharist--Eighth Century.--As evidence of the superstition which was associated with the eucharist, note the following: "If any one through negligence, shall destroy the eucharist, i. e. the sacrifice, let him do penance one year. * * * If he lets it fall on the ground, carelessly, he must sing fifty Psalms. Whoever neglects to take care of the sacrifice, so that worms get into it, or it lose its color or taste, must do penance thirty or twenty days; and the sacrifice must be burned in the fire. Whoever turns up the cup at the close of the solemnity of the mass must do penance forty days. If a drop from the cup should fall on the altar, the minister must suck up the drop and do penance three days; and the linen cloth which the drop touched, must be washed three times, {138} over the cup, and the water in which it was washed be cast into the fire."--Decisions of Pope Gregory III. (Harduin's Concilia.) REVIEW. 1. What reproach did the simplicity of the Christian religion lead to? 2. What effect did the endeavor to get rid of that reproach have on the Christian religion? 3. Enumerate the outward ordinances of the gospel. 4. What can you say of Christian fasts? 5. On what day did the Christians meet for worship? 6. What reasons do the early church fathers give for holding public worship on that day? (Note 1). 7. Describe the meetings of the early Christians. (Note 2.) 8. How was baptism administered in the early church? 9. What does baptism represent? (Note 3). 10. Tell how the simplicity of this ordinance was changed. 11. What additions were made to the ceremony of baptism in the third century? 12. When was the form of baptism changed? 13. Relate the first known case of baptism by sprinkling. 14. In what way was the ordinance of baptism misapplied? 15. Was infant baptism ordained of the apostles? (Note 5). 16. About when was infant baptism introduced into the church? 17. Does the antiquity of infant baptism prove it to be a correct doctrine? 18. What does it prove?