[217:2] Schaff, iii., 173. [218:1] The vast amount of legislation on this point is very indicative. [218:2] Gregory, _Letter_ v., 1; i, 42. [218:3] This right was prohibited in the 11th and 12th centuries, but Innocent III. granted the permission in certain cases. [219:1] Cod. Theodos., xii., 1, 63. [219:2] See the works of Sulpicius Severus for attacks on the monks in Gaul and Spain. [220:1] _Against Jovinian_ (392). [220:2] The attack is found in two works, _Against Helvidius_ (383) and his _Apology_. [220:3] Gilly, _Vigilantius and His Times_, Lond., 1844. See Jerome's writings. [220:4] _Against Vigilantius_ (406). [220:5] Epiphanius, _Heresies_, 75. [221:1] Harnack, _Monasticism_, 65. CHAPTER XII SPREAD OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH OVER EUROPE OUTLINE: I.--Extent of Christianity under Gregory the Great. II.--Character of missionary work from the sixth to the tenth century. III.--Conversion of the British Isles. IV.--Conversion of the Franks. V.--Conversion of the Germans. VI.--Conversion of Scandinavia. VII.--Planting of the Church among the Slavs. VIII.--Efforts to convert the Mohammedans. IX.--Sources. From the outset the Christian Church was imbued with a most intense and burning general missionary zeal. The command came in very distinct terms from the Master himself.[229:1] But there was no recognised principle of propagandism and no special organisations to carry on the work. Each Christian felt the individual obligation to win his fellows to the new faith. Separate churches no doubt naturally felt the necessity of some corporate action to convert the heathen in the neighbourhood. Prayers, indeed, for the conversion of the heathen were early made an integral part of the liturgies of the Church, East and West.[229:2] The actual diffusion of Christianity, however, proceeded in a special sense from the evangelical labours of the individual bishops[229:3] and the clergy. In fact missionary work was regarded as one of their specific duties handed down from the Apostles. With the development of the organisation of the Church and the appearance of patriarchs arose the thought that it was the duty of these powerful centres to carry on missionary activity in foreign fields. Monasticism was early utilised for this important work. It must never be forgotten that the aggressive evangelising efforts of the early Church were mainly those of the West, and here is seen another powerful factor in the rise of the mediæval Church.