During the second and third centuries the Christians appear to have grown in power and influence, and their faith, made up out of many older creeds and forming a kind of eclectic religion, gradually spread throughout the Roman empire, and became a factor in political problems.  In the struggles between the opposing Roman emperors, A.D. 310-324, the weight of the Christian influence was thrown on the side of Constantine, his rivals being strongly opposed to Christianity; Maximin Galerius was a bitter persecutor, and his successor, Maximin, trod in his steps in A.D. 312, and 313, Maxentius was defeated by Constantine, and Maximin by Licinius, and in A.D. 312 Constantine and Licinius granted liberty of worship to the Christians; in the following year, according to Mosheim, or in A.D. 314 according to Eusebius, a second edict was issued from Milan, by the two emperors, which granted “to the Christians and to all, the free choice to follow that mode of worship which they may wish ... that no freedom at all shall be refused to Christians, to follow or to keep their observances or worship; but that to each one power be granted to devote his mind to that worship which he may think adapted to himself” (Eusebius, “Eccles.  Hist.” p. 431).  Licinius, however, renewed the war against Constantine, who immediately embraced Christianity, thus securing to himself the sympathy and assistance of the faith which now for the first time saw its votary on the imperial throne of the world, and Licinius, by allying himself with Paganism, and persecuting the Christians, drove them entirely over to Constantine, and was finally defeated and dethroned, A.D. 324.  From that date Christianity was supreme, and became the established religion of the State.  Dr. Draper regards the conversion of Constantine from the point of view taken above.  He says:  “It had now become evident that the Christians constituted a powerful party in the State, animated with indignation at the atrocities they had suffered, and determined to endure them no longer.  After the abdication of Diocletian (A.D. 305), Constantine, one of the competitors for the purple, perceiving the advantages that would accrue to him from such a policy, put himself forth as the head of the Christian party.  This gave him, in every part of the empire, men and women ready to encounter fire and sword in his behalf; it gave him unwavering adherents in every legion of the armies.  In a decisive battle, near the Milvian bridge, victory crowned his schemes.  The death of Maximin, and subsequently that of Licinius, removed all obstacles.  He ascended the throne of the Caesars—­the first Christian emperor.  Place, profit, power—­these were in view of whoever now joined the conquering sect.  Crowds of worldly persons, who cared nothing about its religious ideas, became its warmest supporters.  Pagans at heart, their influence was soon manifested in the Paganisation of Christianity that forthwith ensued.  The emperor, no better than they, did nothing to check their proceedings.  But he did not personally conform to the ceremonial requirements of the Church until the close of his evil life, A.D. 337” ("History of the Conflict between Religion and Science,” p. 39; ed. 1875).  Constantine, in fact, was not baptised until a few days before his death.