Many of our readers, we know, have neither the time nor the opportunity for reading the voluminous works that have been written from time to time on the history of the church. Still, that which has been the dwelling-place of God for the last eighteen hundred years, must be a subject of the deepest interest to all His children. We speak not now of the church as it is often represented in history, but as it is spoken of in scripture. There it is seen in its true spiritual character, as the body of Christ, and as the "habitation of God through the Spirit." TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE CHAPTER 1 THE ROCK FOUNDATION CHAPTER 2 THE DAY OF PENTECOST FULLY COME CHAPTER 3 THE DISCIPLES PERSECUTED AND SCATTERED CHAPTER 4 THE MISSIONARIES OF THE CROSS CHAPTER 5 THE APOSTLE PAUL CHAPTER 6 PAUL'S THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY A.D. 54 CHAPTER 7 THE BURNING OF ROME CHAPTER 8 THE INTERNAL HISTORY OF THE CHURCH CHAPTER 9 FROM COMMODUS TILL THE ACCESSION OF CONSTANTINE CHAPTER 10 CONSTANTINE CHAPTER 11 THE COUNCIL OF NICE CHAPTER 12 THE INTERNAL HISTORY OF THE CHURCH CHAPTER 13 THE EPISTLE TO THE CHURCH IN THYATIRA CHAPTER 14 THE SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY OVER EUROPE CHAPTER 15 MAHOMET, THE FALSE PROPHET OF ARABIA CHAPTER 16 THE SILVER LINE OF SOVEREIGN GRACE CHAPTER 17 THE PROPAGATION OF CHRISTIANITY CHAPTER 18 THE CHURCH-BUILDING SPIRIT REVIVED CHAPTER 19 THE PONTIFICATE OF GREGORY VII CHAPTER 20 THE CRUSADES CHAPTER 21 HENRY V. AND GREGORY'S SUCCESSORS CHAPTER 22 THE ENCROACHMENTS OF ROME IN ENGLAND CHAPTER 23 THE THEOLOGY OF THE CHURCH OF ROME CHAPTER 24 INNOCENT III. AND HIS TIMES CHAPTER 25 INNOCENT AND THE SOUTH OF FRANCE CHAPTER 26 THE INQUISITION ESTABLISHED IN LANGUEDOC CHAPTER 27 THE APPROACHING DAWN OF THE REFORMATION CHAPTER 28 THE DECLINE OF PAPAL POWER CHAPTER 29 THE FORERUNNERS OF THE REFORMATION CHAPTER 30 JOHN WYCLIFFE CHAPTER 31 THE REFORMATION MOVEMENT IN BOHEMIA CHAPTER 32 THE CAPTURE OF CONSTANTINOPLE CHAPTER 33 THE REFORMATION IN GERMANY CHAPTER 34 THE FIRST PAPAL JUBILEE CHAPTER 35 LUTHER AT WARTBURG CHAPTER 36 PROTESTANTISM CHAPTER 37 THE SACRAMENTARIAN CONTROVERSY CHAPTER 38 THE COUNCIL OF BOLOGNA CHAPTER 39 THE POPISH REFUTATION CHAPTER 40 THE REFORMATION IN SWITZERLAND CHAPTER 41 THE LEADERS OF THE REFORMATION IN SWITZERLAND CHAPTER 42 THE RESULTS OF THE DISPUTATIONS CHAPTER 43 THE GENERAL PROGRESS OF REFORM CHAPTER 44 THE EXTENSION OF REFORM IN SWITZERLAND CHAPTER 45 THE REFORMATION IN GERMANY CHAPTER 46 THE OPENING OF THE COUNCIL OF TRENT CHAPTER 47 "THE INTERIM" CHAPTER 48 THE EFFECT OF THE REFORMATION IN GERMANY ON THE NATIONS OF EUROPE CHAPTER 49 THE REFORMATION IN FRENCH SWITZERLAND CHAPTER 50 THE REFORMATION IN FRANCE CHAPTER 51 THE GREAT PROGRESS OF THE REFORMATION CHAPTER 52 THE WALDENSES CHAPTER 53 THE REFORMATION IN THE BRITISH ISLES CHAPTER 54 ENGLAND CHAPTER 55 THE REIGN OF ELIZABETH

Note from the author: Some have raised objections to the title "The Brethren," as giving the idea of a sect; others as arrogating to a particular community that which is equally true of all Christians. Such thoughts never occurred to me while writing the book, and were not suggested by those to whom I spoke of it. Expressions such as "the writings of Brethren," "the meetings of Brethren," etc., are in common use among themselves; which simply mean a convenient designation, and one which cannot be misunderstood. In no other sense is it used here. To be obliged to make use of a description instead of a name would greatly encumber the style and embarrass the writer. A. M. Chapter 1 — "THE BRETHREN." Chapter 2 — READING MEETINGS. Chapter 3 — THE ORIGIN OF THE TITLE — "PLYMOUTH BRETHREN." Chapter 4 — FALSE DOCTRINE DETECTED. Chapter 5 — THE TWO CAMPS. Chapter 6 — GLEANINGS FROM THE WRITINGS OF BRETHREN. Chapter 7 — CHRISTIAN POSITION. Chapter 8 — THE CHURCH OF GOD. Chapter 9 — THE MILLENNIUM.