Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

356 THE FORMATION OF CHRISTENDOMthought; nor has the human mind ever reached ahigher o decree o of excellence than in some of those whohave exercised its powers in this development, as, forinstance, St. Augustine among the Fathers, and St.Thomas among scientific theologians.The main work of propagating this truth is doneby word of mouth. The word thus originally pouredforth is often indeed gathered up and stereotypedafterwards, but in its propagating power it is essentiallyfluent and oral. It is the work of persons uponpersons, and therefore of speakers upon hearers ; for thewhole life of the speaker, his bodily presence, his moralcharacter, impregnate the truth which he delivers forthe reception of the hearer.The oral delivery of the truth divides itself intotwo main branches, orderly exposition by discourse,and instruction by question and answer. To conceivearight and adequately the force and grandeur of theinstitution which produced an order of men dedicatedto this work we must recall the sight as it met theeyes of Constantino, and regard it from his point ofview. In every city of his empire he saw this workof preaching and catechising carried on simultaneouslyby a body which had arisen in spite of many activepersecutions by the imperial government, of invariableand long-continued discouragement, calumny, and ill-will on the part of the influential classes in society, offrequent violence by the people. He saw the heathenpriests in attendance upon countless temples rich instatues and works of art, and endowed with costlyrevenues. He saw them, perfunctory ministers, as theyperformed a solemn service of sacrifice daily at thealtars of their various deities, declaring no religioustruth, unvisited by any anxious conscience. Again,