Page:Outlines of European History.djvu/560

 476 Outlines of European Histoyy Ways in which the Medieval Church dif- fered from modern churches Membership in the Medieval Church compulsory The wealth of the Church The tithe Resemblance of the Church to a State We have already had abundant proofs that the Medieval Church was very different from our modern churches, whether Catholic or Protestant. 1 . In the first place, every one was required to belong to it, just as we all must belong to some country to-day. One was not bom into the Church, it is true, but he was ordinarily bap- tized into it when he was a mere infant. All western Europe formed a single religious association, from which it was a crime to revolt. To refuse allegiance to the Church, or to question its authority or teachings, was regarded as treason against God and was punishable with death. 2. The Medieval Church did not rely for its support, as churches usually must to-day, upon the voluntary contributions of its members. It enjoyed, in addition to the revenue from its vast tracts of lands and a great variety of fees, the income from a regular tax, the tithe. Those upon whom this fell were forced to pay it, just as we all must now pay taxes imposed by the government. 3. It is clear, moreover, that the Medieval Church was not merely a religious body, as churches are to-day. Of course it maintained places of worship, conducted devotional exercises, and cultivated the religious life ; but it did far more. It was, in a way, a State^ for it had an elaborate system of law, and its own courts, in which it tried many cases which are now settled in our ordinary courts.-^ One may get some idea of the business of the church courts from the fact that the Church claimed the right to try all cases in which a clergyman was involved, or any one connected with the Church or under its special protection, such as monks, students, crusaders, widows, orphans, and the helpless. Then all cases where the rites of the Church, or its prohibitions, were involved came ordinarily before the church courts, as, for example, those concerning marriage, wills, sworn 1 The law of the Church was known as the canon law. It was taught in most of the universities and practiced by a great number of lawyers. It was based upon the " canons," or rules, enacted by the various church councils, from that of Nicasa (325 A.D.) down, and, above all, upon the decrees and decisions of the popes.