THE CONVERSION OF EUROPE BY CHARLES HENRY ROBINSON, D.D. HON. CANON OF RIPON AND EDITORIAL SECRETARY OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION PREFACE THE books dealing with missionary work outside the continent of Europe that have been published during the present generation are sufficient in number to fill a large library; but during this period not a single volume has appeared in England, America or Germany, which gives a detailed account of the work done by the missionaries who first preached the Christian faith in the various countries of Europe. In view of this fact, no apology is needed for the publication of a book which attempts to cover this longneglected ground. In collecting materials for the present volume I have tried to go back in every case to the earliest existing authorities, and in the footnotes and the bibliography provided I have indicated whence the information given in the text has been obtained. I have not found it possible to arrange the chapters in a completely satisfactory chronological order. The missionary work in Europe began in the Balkan Peninsula and in Italy; but, as the whole of these countries did not become nominally Christian until Ireland and a large part of Great Britain had been evangelized, it seemed best to place the countries in the order in which Christianity became generally established as the religion of its peoples. For the opportunity of consulting some of the books to which reference is made, and of which few copies V exist, I have been indebted to the collection of books in various continental languages bequeathed by the late Lord Acton to the Cambridge University Library. I desire to express my gratitude to the Rev. Dr. Lawlor, Professor of Ecclesiastical History in the University of Dublin, and to the Rev. C. T. Wood, Fellow and Dean of Queen's College, Cambridge, for their kindness in reading the proofs of this book and for many helpful suggestions. The substance of several of the chapters has appeared in the pages of The East and The West, quarterly review. C. H. R. |