The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

90 PROGRESS OF THE TEMPORAL SUPREMACY.iiificence of Dom, the fragrance of incense, and the glitterof mitres, holy men of God fed the flock of Christ with thepure Word of Life. Ages of peace passed over thera. Thestorms that shook the world, the errors that darkened it,did not approach their retreat. Like the traveller, amidtheir own mountains they could mark the clouds gatherand hear the thunders roll far below, while they enjoyed theuninterrupted sunshine of a pure gospel. An overrulingProvidence made the same events which brought troublethe world to minister peace to them. Rome was entirelyengrossed with her battles with the empire, and had no timeto think of those who were bearing a testimony againsttohererrors by the purity of their faith and the holiness of theirlives. Besides, she could see danger only in the materialpower of the empire, and never dreamt the while that aspiritual power was springing up among the Alps, beforewhich she was destined at last to fall. By and by theseprofessors of primitive Christianity began to increase, andto spread themselves over the surrounding regions, to anextent that is but little known. Manufactures were establishedin the valley of the Rhone, and in those provinces ofFrance which border on the Mediterranean or lie contio-uousto the Pyrenees ; as also in Lombardy and the towns ofnorthern Italy. Li fact, this region of Europe became inthose ages the depot of the western world as regards artsand manufactures of all kinds. Villages grew into cities,new towns sprung up, and the population of the surroundingdistricts were insufficient to supply thelooms and forges ofthese industrial hives. The pious mountaineers descendedfrom their native Alps to find employment in the workshopsof the plains, just as at this day we see the population ofthe Highlands crowding to Glasgow and Manchester, andother great manufacturing centres ; and, as they broughttheir intelligence and steadiness along with thera, they madeadmirable workmen. The workshop became a school, conversionswent on, and the pure faith of the mountains extendeditself over the plains, like the dawn, first seen on the