CHAPTER I

PREFACE TO THE ENTIRE WORK

EUSEBIUS, surnamed Pamphilus, (i. e. universally beloved) has composed a History of the Church in ten books, brought down to the time of the emperor Constantine, when the persecution ceased which Diocletian had commenced against the Christians. But, in writing the life of Constantine, this author has very slightly treated of the Arian controversy, being evidently more intent on a highly wrought eulogium of the emperor, than an accurate statement of facts. We therefore propose to write at large the details of what has taken place in the Churches, beginning with a relation of those particulars which he has passed over, and bringing down subsequent events to our own times: nor shall we be very solicitous to display an empty parade of words, but to lay faithfully before the reader what we have been able to collect from the best authenticated records, and such information as has been communicated to us by those who were themselves identified with the transactions to which they bear testimony. And since it has an important bearing on the matter in hand, it will be proper to enter into some account of Constantine’s conversion to Christianity.