The country of the Indians, as it is called, is vast and populous,
lying far beyond Egypt. On the side of Egypt it is washed by seas and
navigable gulphs, but on the mainland it marcheth with the borders of
Persia, a land formerly darkened with the gloom of idolatry, barbarous
to the last degree, and wholly given up to unlawful practices. But
when "the only-begotten Son of God, which is in the bosom of the
Father," being grieved to see his own handiwork in bondage unto sin,
was moved with compassion for the same, and shewed himself amongst us
without sin, and, without leaving his Father's throne, dwelt for a
season in the Virgin's womb for our sakes, that we might dwell in
heaven, and be re-claimed from the ancient fall, and freed from sin by
receiving again the adoption of sons; when he had fulfilled every stage
of his life in the flesh for our sake, and endured the death of the
Cross, and marvellously united earth and heaven; when he had risen
again from the dead, and had been received up into heaven, and was
seated at the right hand of the majesty of the Father, whence,
according to his promise, he sent down the Comforter, the Holy Ghost,
unto his eyewitnesses and disciples, in the shape of fiery tongues, and
despatched them unto all nations, for to give light to them that sat in
the darkness of ignorance, and to baptize them in the Name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, whereby it fell to the
lot of some of the Apostles to travel to the far-off East and to some
to journey to the West-ward, while others traversed the regions North
and South, fulfilling their appointed tasks then it was, I say, that
one of the company of Christ's Twelve Apostles, most holy Thomas, was
sent out to the land of the Indians, preaching the Gospel of Salvation.
"The Lord working with him and confirming the word with signs
following," the darkness of superstition was banished; and men were
delivered from idolatrous sacrifices and abominations, and added to the
true Faith, and being thus transformed by the hands of the Apostle,
were made members of Christ's household by Baptism, and, waxing ever
with fresh increase, made advancement in the blameless Faith and built
churches in all their lands.
Now when monasteries began to be formed in Egypt, and numbers of monks
banded themselves together, and when the fame of their virtues and
Angelic conversation "was gone out into all the ends of the world" and
came to the Indians, it stirred them up also to the like zeal, insomuch
that many of them forsook everything and withdrew to the deserts; and,
though but men in mortal bodies, adopted the spiritual life of Angels.
While matters were thus prospering and many were soaring upward to
heaven on wings of gold, as the saying is, there arose in that country
a king named Abenner, mighty in riches and power, and in victory over
his enemies, brave in warfare, vain of his splendid stature and
comeliness of face, and boastful of all worldly honours, that pass so
soon away. But his soul was utterly crushed by poverty, and choked
with many vices, for he was of the Greek way, and sore distraught by
the superstitious error of his idol-worship. But, although he lived in
luxury, and in the enjoyment of the sweet and pleasant things of life,
and was never baulked of any of his wishes and desires, yet one thing
there was that marred his happiness, and pierced his soul with care,
the curse of childlessness. For being without issue, he took ceaseless
thought how he might be rid of this hobble, and be called the father of
children, a name greatly coveted by most people. Such was the king,
and such his mind.
Meanwhile the glorious band of Christians and the companies of monks,
paying no regard to the king's majesty, and in no wise terrified by his
threats, advanced in the grace of Christ, and grew in number beyond
measure, making short account of the king's words, but cleaving closely
to everything that led to the service of God. For this reason many,
who had adopted the monastic rule, abhorred alike all the sweets of
this world, and were enamoured of one thing only, namely godliness,
thirsting to lay down their lives for Christ his sake, and yearning for
the happiness beyond. Wherefore they preached, not with fear and
trembling, but rather even with excess of boldness, the saving Name of
God, and naught but Christ was on their lips, as they plainly
proclaimed to all men the transitory and fading nature of this present
time, and the fixedness and incorruptibility of the life to come, and
sowed in men the first seeds, as it were, towards their becoming of the
household of God, and winning that life which is hid in Christ.
Wherefore many, profiting by this most pleasant teaching, turned away
from the bitter darkness of error, and approached the sweet light of
Truth; insomuch that certain of their noblemen and senators laid aside
all the burthens of life, and thenceforth became monks.
But when the king heard thereof, he was filled with wrath, and, boiling
over with indignation, passed a decree forthwith, compelling all
Christians to renounce their religion. Thereupon he planned and
practised new kinds of torture against them, and threatened new forms
of death. So throughout all his dominions he sent letters to his
rulers and governors ordering penalties against the righteous, and
unlawful massacres. But chiefly was his displeasure turned against the
ranks of the monastic orders, and against them he waged a truceless and
unrelenting warfare. Hence, of a truth, many of the Faithful were
shaken in spirit, and others, unable to endure torture, yielded to his
ungodly decrees. But of the chiefs and rulers of the monastic order
some in rebuking his wickedness ended their lives by suffering
martyrdom, and thus attained to everlasting felicity; while others hid
themselves in deserts and mountains, not from dread of the threatened
tortures, but by a more divine dispensation.