The third century dawns upon us, black with clouds and storms. Apocalyptic vials of woe are emptied upon the world. There is dread among the nations. Death on the pale horse stalks through Europe. The fetlocks of the horse are red with blood. Rome, the Babylon of that day, drunk with sensuality and oppression, falls in convulsions,――shrieks and struggles and dies. It was needful that such a Rome, the tyrant and oppressor of humanity, should die. In prophetic vision we can see this Babylon descending to the realms of woe:―― “Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: It stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; It hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they shall speak, and say unto thee, ‘Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: The worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!’”[179] During this century, Christianity made rapid progress. It is alike the testimony of pagan and Christian writers that this progress is mainly to be attributed to the zeal of the Christians, their kindness to the poor, their sympathy with the afflicted, their purity of morals, and their fortitude under the severest pangs of martyrdom. Notwithstanding the fiery persecutions with which paganism with all its energies had assailed Christianity, it continued steadily to multiply its converts and to extend its peaceful conquests. CHAPTER XV. CONSTANTINE.――THE BANNER OF THE CROSS UNFURLED. Helena, the Christian Empress.――Constantine, her Son, favors the Christians.――Crumbling of the Empire.――Constantine the Christian, and Maxentius the Pagan.――Vision of Constantine.――The Unfurled Cross.――Christianity favored by the Court.――Licinius in the East defends the Christians.――Writings of Eusebius.――Apostasy of Licinius.――Cruel Persecution. AT the commencement of the fourth century, Christianity had made such rapid progress, that there were flourishing churches in all parts of the Roman world, and spacious temples of worship in all the principal cities. Indeed, in about one century after the death of Jesus Christ, Justin Martyr wrote,―― “There exists not a people, whether Greek or Barbarian, or any other race of men, by whatever appellation or manners they may be distinguished, however ignorant of arts or agriculture, whether they dwell under tents or wander about in covered wagons, among which prayers are not offered up in the name of a crucified Jesus to the Father and Creator of all things.”