Peter's Rock
In
Mohammed's Flood
From St. Gregory The Great to St. Leo III.
Being the Seventh Volume of
The Formation of Christendom
By
Thomas W. Allies, K.C.S.G.
London: Burns & Oats, Ld.
New York: Catholic Publication Society Co.
1890
This work being from the beginning one in idea, I placehere together the titles of the fifty-six chapters composingit. For each of these was intended to be completein itself, so far as its special subject reached; buteach was likewise to form a distinct link in a chain.The Church of God comes before the thoughtful mindas the vast mass of a kingdom. Its greatest deeds arebut parts of something immeasurably greater. Themost striking evidence of its doctrines and of its worksis cumulative. Those who do not wish to let it so comebefore them often confine their interest in very narrowbounds of time and space. Thus I have known one, whothought himself a bishop, accept Wycliffe as the answerof a child to his question, Who first preached the Gospelin England? And not only this. They also seize upon aparticular incident, or person, and so invest with extraordinaryimportance facts which they suppose, andwhich so conceived are convenient for their purpose, butin historical truth are anything but undisputed. In thistone of mind, or shortness of vision, that which isgigantic becomes puny, that which is unending becomestransient. The sequel and coherence of nations, themighty roll of the ages spoken of by St. Augustine, are[pg vi]lost sight of. Again, in English-speaking countries alonemore than two hundred sects call themselves Christian.Their enjoyment of