The Persecutions.
1. THE PERSECUTIONS UNDER NERO, DECIUS, AND DIOCLETIAN. About the year
100 A. D. the apostles of the Lord had all fallen asleep. The preaching
of the Gospel, however, had not ceased, but was carried on vigorously
everywhere, and now persecutions against the Christians arose also among
the heathen. They began already under _Nero_. In 64 A. D. this cruel
tyrant set fire to Rome, the great capital of the then known world, and
amused himself with the spectacle. The conflagration raged for six days,
and reduced the greater part of the city to ashes. In order to shield
himself against the wrath of the people, who accused him of kindling the
fire, he charged the hated Christians with the crime. These were now
forced to endure the most excruciating torments and tortures. Many were
sewed into the skins of wild beasts, and then thrown to dogs who tore
them to pieces. Others were covered with wax and pitch, placed in the
imperial gardens and set afire, that as torches they might illuminate
the darkness of the night.
One of the most severe persecutions occurred under Emperor _Decius_. For
nearly half a century the Christians had lived in peace, but this peace
had made many of them secure and lukewarm. Origen, a noted teacher of
the time, complains: "Some attend church only on the high festivals, and
then, generally, only to pass away time. Some leave the church as soon
as the sermon is ended, without speaking to the teachers or asking them
questions; others do not listen to a single word, but stand in some
corner of the church and chatter with each other." From this sinful
security they were aroused by the persecution bursting over them like a
sudden storm. The emperor issued a decree that the Christians were to be
forced by threats and tortures to sacrifice to the heathen deities.
Whoever refused to do this was to suffer death. This terrible decree
caused the greatest consternation among the Christians. Many, especially
of the rich, readily ran to the altars and offered the required
sacrifices. Yes, so great was their fear of man that they denied ever
having been Christians at all. Others, in spite of tortures, remained
steadfast at first, but finally also denied their faith. However, there
were also such as remained firm in the faith and praised God who
considered them worthy to suffer death for Christ's sake.
The last and most frightful of all persecutions began under Emperor
_Diocletian_. The churches of the Christians were torn down, the
collections of Holy Scriptures were burned, and innumerable Christians
were tortured to death. They were left to starve in dungeons; they were
forced with bare feet to walk upon hot, burning coals, or sharp nails;
they were fastened to wooden machines by means of which their limbs were
torn from their bodies. The torturers tore their flesh with iron nails,
or covered them with honey, and laid them bound into the sun that they
might be stung to death by the flies. But many Christians suffered these
tortures with great firmness and could not be forced to forsake Christ.
The executioners, finally, became weary, their swords grew dull,
and--the church of the Lord remained unconquerable.
[Illustration: Christians Suffering Death in the Circus.]
2. IGNATIUS. Ignatius was a disciple of the apostles and presided over a
flourishing congregation at Antioch. Emperor Trajan demanded of him to
deny his Savior and sacrifice to the gods. But he declared that the gods
of the heathen were vanities. He said, "There is but one God, who has
made heaven and earth, and one Christ, whose kingdom is my inheritance."
Because of this confession he was taken to Rome and suffered martyrdom.
He listened to his death sentence with composure, even with joy; he
desired to depart and to be with Christ. He wrote concerning his
journey: "From Syria to Rome I fought with wild beasts who became the
more enraged the more benefits were bestowed upon them. However, let
them throw me into the fire, let them nail me to the cross, let them
tear my limbs from my body--what is all that, if I may enjoy Jesus!" How
joyfully he met death can be seen from the words he addressed to the
Romans: "I am seeking Him who died for us; He is my gain that has been
preserved for me. Let me follow the sufferings of my God; my love is
crucified; I long for the bread of God, for the flesh of Jesus Christ."
To the Christians who attempted to have him set at liberty he wrote:
"Do not trouble yourselves on my account; it is better for me to die for
Christ's sake than to rule over the kingdoms of this world. I am God's
wheat, and am to be ground by the wild beasts in order to become pure
bread. What of it if the beasts become my grave--thus I trouble no one
in my death." Upon his arrival in Rome he was delivered to the Governor.
A few days thereafter he was thrown to the wild beasts, who fell upon
him and tore him to pieces, while the assembled heathen witnessed the
frightful spectacle with fiendish delight. His remaining bones were
gathered by his faithful servants and laid to rest in Antioch.
3. POLYCARP. He was a disciple of St. John, and, later on, became bishop
of Smyrna, in Asia Minor. Under Marcus Aurelius he suffered martyrdom at
the stake. Polycarp, listening to the entreaties of his congregation,
who would gladly have saved him from his persecutors, fled to a country
seat. His abode was soon betrayed, and he was delivered to his captors
who found him engaged in prayer with several friends. Noticing that the
house was surrounded, he said, "The Lord's will be done!" Thereupon he
invited his enemies in, received them in the most hospitable manner, and
asked them to grant him one hour for prayer. With so much earnestness he
prayed to his Savior that even the heathen were touched by his devotion.
He was led back to the city on an ass. There he was at first kindly
urged to sacrifice to the gods, but he replied, "I will not follow your
advice." At sight of the aged man (he was ninety years old) the Governor
was touched and said to him, "Consider your great age. Swear by the
emperor, deny Christ, and I will release you!" Polycarp exclaimed: "For
eighty-six years I have served Him, and He has done me no ill; how can I
now denounce my King and my Savior?" The Governor said, "I will throw
you to the wild beasts, or I will force you by fire, if you do not
change your mind!" Polycarp replied, "You threaten me with the fire
that burns for a short time and is soon extinguished, because you do not
know the fire of the coming judgment which is in store for the wicked.
Why do you hesitate?" When hereupon the herald in the arena announced,
"Polycarp confesses himself to be a Christian," the entire multitude
cried, "To the lions with Polycarp!" But he was condemned to die at the
stake, and at once the enraged people on all sides gathered fagots for
the burning. Polycarp now took off his own clothes, loosed his own
girdle, and even tried to take off his own shoes. His prayer, not to
nail him to the stake, was granted. Firm and immovable he stood against
the erected pole and praised God with a loud voice. The pile was
kindled. But it is reported that the fire would not touch this faithful
witness of the Lord. The flames surrounded him, as sails caught by the
wind, and his body shone like gold and silver that is being refined in
the oven. As his body was not consumed the executioner thrust his sword
into his breast, and the corpse fell into the fire. The members of his
sorrowing congregation piously gathered his remains and interred them.
4. PERPETUA. In the beginning of the third century the Christians were
fiercely persecuted in Northern Africa. Among the prisoners at Carthage
there was a young woman of noble birth, Perpetua. She was the mother of
a nursing child. Her heathen father took the greatest pains to persuade
his daughter to forsake Christ. In pleading accents he begged her, "My
daughter, have pity upon my gray hairs. Oh, pity your father, if I have
ever been worthy of this name! Take pity on your child which cannot
survive you. Can nothing move you, my daughter? If you perish we will be
disgraced before all men!" In saying this her father kissed her hands
and fell down at her feet. But Perpetua did not deny the Lord; she
remained firm and resisted all temptations in the strength of Him whom
we are to love more than father or mother. On the day before her
execution she celebrated the customary love feast with her fellow
prisoners, and to the gazing heathen she declared, "Look straight into
our faces, that you may know us on the day of judgment!" Filled with
consternation and shame, many of the heathen walked away and were
converted.--The day of her deliverance approached; the fights with the
wild beasts began. Perpetua, together with her maid Felicitas, was
thrown to a wild cow, which at once tossed them to the ground. To her
brother who stood near she cried, "Abide in the faith, love one another,
and do not let my sufferings frighten you!" Finally, she received the
death blow at the hands of a gladiator. Thus she entered into glory, and
received the crown of life at His hands to whom she proved faithful unto
death.