<h3>The Persecutions.</h3>
<p><b>1. The Persecutions under Nero, Decius, and Diocletian.</b>
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 <i>Nero</i>.<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</SPAN></span>
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.</p>
<p>One of the most severe persecutions occurred under
Emperor <i>Decius</i>. 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.<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>The last and most frightful of all persecutions began under
Emperor <i>Diocletian</i>. 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.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/image08.jpg" width-obs="600" height-obs="352" alt="Christians Suffering Death in the Circus." title="Christians Suffering Death in the Circus." /> <span class="caption">Christians Suffering Death in the Circus.</span></div>
<p><b>2. Ignatius.</b> 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<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</SPAN></span>
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.</p>
<p><b>3. Polycarp.</b> 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!"<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</SPAN></span>
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.</p>
<p><b>4. Perpetua.</b> 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<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</SPAN></span>
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.</p>
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<h2><SPAN name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></SPAN>CHAPTER III.</h2>
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