classification. According as we divide by various differences, so shall we have various schemes of genus and species. One could of course make the Papacy the first difference, and so begin by dividing Christendom into Catholic and non-Catholic. This is theologically, from our point of view, the vital distinction of all, of course. We should then subdivide non-Catholic Christendom into Western (Protestant) and Eastern, and each species would have many further divisions. The Catholic species might also be divided into Latins and Uniates, these last with subdivisions. But, archæologically (and this is the point of view of this book), another system suggests itself, according to what has been said. Under the genus Christian we put first two main species, the old Churches (that have so much in common, in spite of the difference about the Pope), and the Reformed bodies (different in many vital ways from all old Churches). We need not go into the subdivisions of the Protestant group. The old Churches then fall into the species Western (Latin) and Eastern. The Eastern are either Byzantine or the group of lesser Eastern Churches. The Byzantines are Orthodox or Byzantine Uniate; the others divide into the Churches here described, each again subdivided into Uniate and separated.
Summary
There is no one "Eastern Church." Eastern Christendom is divided into three main groups: (1) the Orthodox; (2) the Nestorians; (3) the Monophysites. To these we must add a second main division, consisting of the Catholics (called Uniates). The Latins in the East and the various small Protestant missions with their converts do not form Eastern Churches. They are simply foreign bodies, Westerns now dwelling in the East. Turning back to our first three groups: the first (the Orthodox), by far the largest and most important Eastern Church, has been discussed in the former volume. The second group (Nestorians) consists of one historically important Church. The third (Monophysites) has four national Churches—the Copts, Abyssinians, Jacobites, and Armenians, and now most of the Malabar people. We have, further, already noted some general points about these lesser Eastern Churches; especially that, although in no sense
