IV INTENSE ANTIPATHY OF THE ANTONINES TO CHRISTIANITY Reason of the Antonines’ marked hostility to the Christian sect--The Christians stood resolutely aloof from the ancient religion which these two great sovereigns believed was indissolubly bound up with the greatness of Rome--With such views of the sources of Roman power and prosperity, only a stern policy of persecution was possible--This policy, pursued in days of Pius, was intensified by his yet greater successor Marcus--The common idea that the Christians were tolerated in the days of the Antonines must be abandoned--Their sufferings under the rule of these great Emperors, especially in the days of Marcus, can scarcely be exaggerated 91 BOOK II THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE FAITH INTRODUCTORY 101 I NUMBERS OF CHRISTIANS IN THE EARLY DAYS Certain reasons to which the rapid acceptance of Christianity was owing--The great numbers of the early converts is borne witness to by pagan authors, such as Tacitus and Pliny, and by Christian contemporary writers such as Clement of Rome, Hermas, Irenæus, and others--The testimony of the Roman catacombs described in detail in Fourth Book is also referred to 102 II THE ASSEMBLIES OF CHRISTIANS These “assemblies” constituted a powerful factor in the acceptance and organization of the religion of Jesus--Their high importance is recognized by the great teachers of the first days--Quotations from these are given 107 III OF WHOM THESE PRIMITIVE “ASSEMBLIES” WERE COMPOSED Information respecting these early meetings of Believers is supplied by leading Christian teachers--Quotations from these are given 110 IV WHAT WAS TAUGHT AND DONE IN THESE “ASSEMBLIES”