The Martyr of the Catacombs / A Tale of Ancient Rome

ll died

a brief repose he rose and was joined by Honorius, who of

catacombs. Their numbers rose to many thousands, and they were scattered throughout its wide

m he encountered; and though he knew that the Christians were numerous, yet he did not su

ons upon their tombs, and found in them all the same strong faith and lofty hope. These he loved to

rius, "lies a witn

here he pointed, a

NT MARTYR. HE LIVED ABOUT THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS. HIS WIFE

how Christians ought to die. Yonder i

TORTURES, IN ORDER THAT HE

who showed that fortitude which Christ can always bestow

URED, DEAD, SLE

be forever with the Lord. Here," he continued, "lies Constans, doubly constant to his God by a doub

SENT TO CONSTANS THE CROWN WHICH

he martyrs portrayed before him in words that burned. The rude pictures that adorned many of the tombs carried with them a pathos that the finest works of the skillful artist could not produce. The rudely carved letters, the b

so as to form one cypher. Some bore a palm branch, the emblem of victory and immortality, the token of that palm of glory wh

Marcellus, pointing t

d spirit has sailed from e

g of this fish that I s

f the Christian. 'iota' stands for 'Jesus,' 'chi' for 'Christ,' 'theta' and 'gamma' for 'the Son of God,' and 'sigma' for 'Sa

that I see so often--a sh

is glorious hope of the resurrection is an unspeakable comfort," said he, "and we love to bring it to our thoughts by different symbols. There, too, is another symbol of the same blessed truth--the dove carrying an olive branch to Noah." He rel

hope, by which the Christian, while tossing amid the

innocence and gentleness, which also brings to our mind the Lamb of God, who bore our sins, and by whose sacrifice we receive pardo

ich reminds of that crown of immortality which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give us. Thus we love to surround ourselves with all that c

to my condition. It sounds prophetic. Perhaps I too may be called

ARY OFFICER, WHO LIVED LONG ENOUGH, AS HE SHED HIS BLOOD FOR CHRIST

me the world.' Thus Christ assures us; but while he warns us of evil, he conso

for Christ like him. May I die as faithfully! To lie here among my brethren with such

ked on a

rror has fled. To him it is a blessed sleep, and death, instead of

ING PLACE

AID HERE

LEEPS IN

IA IN

THE PEACE

ET SOUL, IN THE P

the characters of the departed breth

TWENTY-THREE YEARS

OF NOVEMBER, SLEPT GORGONIUS,

others which tell of their privat

OF EXCELLETT MEMORY, WITH WHOM I LIVED TEN YEARS WITHOU

OF AUGUST, AGED TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AND EIGHT MONTHS. SHE LIVED WITH HE

MONTHS AND NINE DAYS: WITH WHOM, I WAS NOT ABLE TO LIVE, ON ACCOUNT OF MY TRAVELING, MORE THAN SIX MONTHS, DURING WHICH

AFFECTIONATE, WHO LOVED ME. HE LIV

oving father," said Marcellu

EVERUS. BORNE AWAY BY ANGELS O

re of a

peace, Lea e

re of man, and while it awakens within him love to God, it makes him

itaphs which exhibited this te

BILITY, WHO LIVED EIGHTEEN YEARS SIX MON

IVED TWENTY-THREE YEARS AND FORTY-THREE DAY

INCOMPARABLE, WHO LIVED SEVENTEEN YEARS SIX MONTHS

AND BELOVED BY ALL: WHO LIVED TWENTY-THR

A, SWEETER THAN HON

INNOCENS, WHO LIVE

INNOCENT SOUL,

e lived viii years, vii

live swee

EIANUS THE INNOCENT, WHO LIVED SIX YEARS NINE MON

E THIS: HE LIVED FIVE YEARS, EIGHT MONTHS AND TEN D

of peace and of glory." He pointed to a child's tomb, upon the slab of which

IVE YEARS AND EIGHT MO

Marcellus, "has a palm bra

d, 'Suffer little children to come unto me

NDURING IS SUCH A LIFE TO YOU. HOW GLADLY WILL YOUR MOTHER, THE CHUCH OF GOD, RECEI

epitaphs over the graves of women who

Y DISPOSITION, VENERABLE AND FAITHFUL. AT LENGTH DISAPPOINTED

SBYTER AND HIS FELICITAS.

ESBYTER GABINUS, HERE LIES SUSANN

A LECTOR, AND CLAUDIA

cellus, "a larger tomb

' and two occupy that cel

R HIMSELF DURING HIS LIFETIME IN THE

when persecution rages it is not always possible to pay to each individual the separate attention that is required. Yonder is a tablet that marks

HUNDRED AND FIFTY

words may well find an echo in the hearts of all

RENDERED UNTO HIM HATRED INSTEAD OF FAVOR. FOR WHILE ON HIS KNEES, AND ABOUT TO SACRIFICE UNTO THE TRUE GOD, HE WAS LED AWAY TO EXECUTION. O SAD TIMES! IN WHICH EVEN AMONG SACRED RITES AND PRAYERS, NOT EVEN IN CAVERNS COULD WE B

d the 'Agape' upon the anniversary of his birthday. At this feast the barriers of different classes and ranks, of different kindreds and tribes and tong

e. The Jewish priest, released from the fetters of bigotry and stubborn pride, walked hand in hand with the once hated Gentile. The Greek had beheld the foolishness of the Gospel transformed into infinite wisdom, and the contempt which he had once felt for the followers of Jesus had given place to tender affection. Selfishness and ambition, haughtiness and envy, all the baser passions of human life, seemed to have fled before the almighty power of Chris

sacrifice once for all. Every one of his followers can now approach God for himself, for each one is made, through Jesus, a king and a priest unto God. To us, then, it is a matter of no moment, as far as worship is concerned, whether our chapels

he passage ways was about eight feet, but in many places it rose to twelve or fifteen feet. Then the frequent chapels and rooms which had been formed by widening the arches gave greater space to the inhabitants, and made it possible for them to live and move in greater freedom. In some places, also, there we

tion to the passage way, but other paths branched off and encircled them an

he place and carried on their excavation around it. It was not from the fear of disturbing the tomb, but because in death, n

id Marcellus. "How long shall the people of God b

Throughout the empire they have gone on for many generations protected by the laws and unmolested. True, we have had ter

aith. He knows what is best for us. We are in his hands, and he will give us no more than we can bear. Let us be sober and wa

hour about the doctrines of God's truth and the experiences of his people. The sight

sire to unite himself with the faith and fortunes of the people of God. Accordingly, before the

nd affecting ceremony by which the Christians showed forth the death of Jesus. Honorius offered up the prayer for blessing on the re

had sung a hymn