already mentioned should be misunderstood and exaggerated, and it was to guard against this that Christianity exhorted servants to obey their masters, not as pleasing men, but as the servants of Christ.
It had also, by its doctrines of peace, forgiveness and justice, prepared the way for the ultimate extinction of war and despotism, but the process in each and all must be necessarily gradual; and in the meantime it defined the duties of soldiers, and enjoined subjects to honor and obey their King.
It is matter of history that the first efforts of the Christian Church were directed to the mitigation of the cruel treatment of slaves and the improvement of their condition.
The canons, decrees and other documents which show the solicitude of the Church on this subject would of themselves fill a volume.
A perusal of them will refute the prevalent idea that the extinction of serfdom in Europe was accomplished by the force of interests, primarily, and not of ideas.
Christianity made
