Ecclesiastical history abridged for the use of schools
None
£P CMC 5t-~: 3*fc < S mset? *^£&r HIBRm OF CONGRESS. J' # it I UNITED STATES OF AMERICA f.K V A* * ^ ** ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY ABRIDGED tor THE USE OF SCHOOLS Translated from the French BY A FRIEND OF YOUTH. ST. LOUIS: W. J. MULLIN, SECOND, NEAR MARKET ST, 1844. Copy-Right secured. ^ PREFACE. ^ <£ Ecclesiastical, next to Sacred History-, is certainly the most useful and the best calculated to inspire youth witli' a love and respect for Religion. What can be more in- ( structive and edifying, than the history of the rise, pro- gress, and wondrous duration of the Church of Jesus Christ? The mind is" elevated and the heart consoled in beholding the combats and victories of the Church throughout every age : always attacked and yet always tri- umphant. She has triumphed over persecution by the pa- tience and courage of her martyrs ; over schism and here- sy, by the learning and humility of her Doctors ; overscan- die and vice, by her virtues and heroic actions of myriads of her children ; in a word over the impiety of incredulity in the present age, by that heavenly aid which her Founder and invisible Head has promised her until the consumma- tion of ages. It is not only proper but even necessary that the youth of the present day, should be prepared to meet the daily attacks of heresy and infidelity. The striking resemblance between the ancient and modern enemies of the church should be pointed out to them, in order that they may see, in the fate of the former, what shall be the fate of the latter. The various events will themselves teach a useful lesson : they will prove that the God who founded this church, has never ceased to protect her, and that if in her infancy, he sustained her against the efforts of the powers of the earth, united to destroy her, he can at any moment raise up devoted and powerful defenders : clothe them with wisdom and power and fill them with great and noble views for the glory and utility of Religion. ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. -:o:- FIRST EPOCH— EMBRACING 312 YEARS, EROM THE BIRTH OP JeSUS ChRIST, IN THE YEAR OF THE WORLD 4004, TO THE CONVERSION OF CONSTANTINE, IN THE YEAR 312 AFTER J. C. Question. What are the principal facts in the history of the birth and private life of our Sa- viour, Jesus Christ? Answer. For four thousand years the people of God had expected the Messiah, who was promised to the world, and whose coming had been foretold by the prophets, when at last the glorious day arrived, on which the Lord began # 4 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. the great work of the Redemption and Sanctifica- tion of the human race ; for He had determined to do away with the law of Moses by establish- ing a more perfect law, and, in place of the Jew- ish people, to set up a society more holy and more faithful. Under the reign of Augustus, emperor of the Romans, and whilst Herod was king of the Jews, the angel Gabriel was sent unto Mary, the most pure and holy of all creatures, in order to obtain her consent to become the Mother of God, and, she having consented thereto, on the 25th of De- cember, the Son of God was born near the little town of Bethlehem, in a stable, where certain shepherds, directed by angels, came to worship him. When eight days old he was circumcised, and at the same time received the adorable name of Jesus. Besides the shepherds spoken of above, certain wise men, called Magi, following a miraculous Star that went before them, came from the East, also to adore the Son of God, to whom they made an offering of the gifts they had brought, which were gold, frankincense and myrrh. Forty days after his birth, Mary, according to a custom of the Jews, presented her divine infant in the temple of Jerusalem ; but shortly after- ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. O wards, being admonished by an angel, she passed over into Egypt with the child, because Herod, out of jealously at hearing them talk of a new born king, had commanded that all the male chil- dren in Bethlehem, and thereabouts, should be put to death. Mary, and her husband Joseph, and the infant Jesus, remained in Egypt until king Herod died, and then, being no longer afraid of his cruel orders, they returned, and made their home at Nazareth, in Galilee. At the age of twelve years Jesus went with his parents to Jerusalem, to celebrate the feast of the Pasch, or Passover ; there his parents lost him, but after three days of great distress at his ab- sence, they found him in the temple, sitting among the doctors, hearing them, and asking them ques- tions. Returning with his parents to Nazareth, Jesus there continued to reside, and, with Joseph, carried on the trade of an humble carpenter. How wonderful that thus God himself, under a human form, should dwell amongst his people, and even place himself under the control of his own creatures ! Ques. What does the Gospel" teach us of the public life of Jesus Ch rist ? D ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. Ans. The Saviour of the world had passed about thirty years of his life in labor and obscu- rity, when John, the Baptist, on the banks of the Jordan, began the preaching of baptism for the remission of sins. The Son of God, not ashamed to be seen with the crowd of sinners who sought to be baptised, came also to receive this baptism, after which having fasted forty days, he com- menced the labors of his public life. His first miracle at the wedding of Cana, gained him some disciples, from amongst whom he selected the twelve Apostles. With these he went about the towns and country of Judea preaching a doctrine infinitely holy, and every where doing good by the effects of his miracles. To the blind he re- stores sight, — to the deaf, hearing, — he causes the lame to walk, and raises the dead to life ; with a single word he calms the tempest, casts out demons, and twice, with a few small loaves he feeds many thousand people. But still, all these good actions and miracles were treated only with ingratitude and unbelief. The Jewish priests, the doctors of the law, and the Pharisees, whose deceitfulness he exposed, joined themselves together against the Saviour of the world. More than once they attempted to ^ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY, / destroy him, but this they could not do, for the time for him to die had not yet come. The nearer that hour approached, the more dearly did Jesus foretell to his Apostles what he was going to suffer, and explain to them all the circumstances of his passion. At last, after preaching for three years and a half, the resurrection of Lazarus, which Jesus wrought in the sight of his enemies, instead of converting them, only increased their hatred, and made them more intent upon putting the Saviour to death. Ques. Repeat the circumstances of our Sa- viour's death and resurrection. Ans. Six days before the feast of the Passo- ver, Jesus entered with triumph into Jerusalem. On the following Thursday, the day before his death, in the evening, after having eaten the pas- chal lamb with his Apostles, he instituted the sacrament of the blessed Eucharist, and then go- ing with them into the garden of Olives, under- went a long and bloody agony. There it was that Judas, the deceitful disciple, betrayed his divine master with a kiss, and delivered him up to the Jews, who sought to kill him. Jesus, who is always the same powerful God, with a single 8 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. word, strikes all his enemies to the ground ; but as he was resolved to die for our salvation, he surrenders himself into their hands. The next day, having loaded him with chains, the Jews led him to the house of Pontius Pilate, who was at that time the Roman Governor of Ju- dea. With loud cries they demanded that he should be put to death. To all their abuse and insults, and curses, Jesus answered not a word. The brutal soldiers beat him with rods, and put a crown of thorns upon his head, and finally, our Saviour, being sentenced to undergo the death of a slave, was forced to go up to Mount Calvary, bearing on his shoulders the very cross on which he was to suffer. There, about the ninth hour of the day, he died upon that cross to which he had been nailed, and by his voluntary death, triumphed over hell, and completed the redemption of man. At sight of this most horrible crime the sun became obscured, and the earth was covered with darkness ; rocks were rent, the very graves burst open, the veil of the temple was torn in two, and all nature seemed to tremble at the death of its Creator. The Soldiers themselves, struck with fear, and overwhelmed with grief, went away confessing it was Christ indeed whom they had ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 9 crucified. The Pharisees and Jews alone remain- ed without repentance, and thought of nothing but how to destroy, if possible, the very name of Jesus. But what could they do against the pow- er of God? On the third day, according to his promise, Jesus arose victorious from the tomb, whilst his Apostles were sitting together, mourning at his death, he came amongst them to show that he was truly risen, and during the space of forty days he continued to instruct and strengthen them in the faith. But on the fortieth day, having conducted them up to the Mount of Olives, which is called Mount Olivet, and from thence, after bidding them to go and preach the Gospel to all the nations of the earth, he ascended into heaven. Ques. On what day was the Gospel first made public? Ans. It was on the day of Pentecost, that is to say, the tenth day after the ascension of the Saviour, and the fiftieth after his Resurrection. The Apostles and other disciples, with Mary, the mother of Jesus, and other pious women who had followed him, were all assembled at prayer in the Cenacle, or room in which our Saviour had eele^ 10 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. brated his last Supper, about the third hour oi the day, when suddenly they heard a great noise like the rushing of a mighty wind, and at the same moment they saw fire in the form of ton- gues, descend and sit upon their heads. Imme- diately they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and power was given them to speak very different languages ; whereupon they began at once to tell about the wonderful things that had come to pass. In Jerusalem, at that time, was a great number of Jews, who had come hither from every quar- ter of the world to celebrate the feast of Pente- cost. Hearing of these strange things they all made haste to see if they were true. Then Pe- ter, the Chief of the Apostles, began to instruct them in the Gospel, and to convince them that Jesus Christ was really crucified, and had risen from the dead. As it was the Holy Ghost who spoke by Peter's mouth, his discourse had so great an effect upon the people that three thousand of them believed in Jesus Christ, and wrere bap- tised. (This was in the thirty-third year of Jesus Christ.) Ques. What sort of life did the first Chris- tians lead? ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 11 Ans. According to the accounts of Scripture, all the Christians had but one heart and one mind — no one kept any thing to himself, but all their property was brought together, and made a com- mon stock for the equal support of all. None amongst them were rich, for those who had lands and houses, sold them, and brought the money to the Apostles to be divided according to the wants of each. They were anxious to hear the Word of God, and were constantly engaged in prayer, and in the breaking of bread, which is a partaking of the Holy Eucharist. Those who had been in- temperate, ambitious, covetous and addicted to eve- ry pleasure, before their conversion, now became new men by the grace of baptism, — men of meek and humble hearts — chaste and mortified in their way of living — they turned their backs upon the good things of this world, and were ready to give up every thing and suffer every thing for the sake of Jesus Christ. Ques. Did the Apostles meet with any oppo- sition from the Jews ? Ans. The opposition they experienced was very great. The Chief Priests, who cared noth- ing for their miracles, for the innocence of their 12 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTG&Y. lives nor the sanctity of their doctrine, had them cast into prison and beaten with rods. But the Apostles, rejoicing to suffer for the name of Jesus, seemed only to acquire more strength and greater zeal at sight of the difficulties which the powers of hell set up against the spreading of the Gos- pel. Saint Stephen, one of the seven deacons appoin- ted by the Apostles, was the first one of the faith- ful who had the honor of dying for Jesus Christ, He was stoned to death by the Jews. Some time afterwards the Apostle Saint James, brother of St. John, the Evangelist, was beheaded, and even St. Peter would have met with the same fate had not an Angel snatched him from prison the night before the day he was to die. Ques. By what miracle was St. Paul changed from a Persecutor into an Apostle ? Ans. St. Paul, who, before his conversion, had been known by the name of Saul, had assis- ted at the killing of St. Stephen. Having a false zeal for the law of Moses, he continued to per- secute the Church of God, and wherever he found a Christain, cast him into prison. One day as he was going to Damascus, full of ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 13 hatred against the people of God, he was sudden- ly surrounded by a light brighter than the sun, and he heard a voice saying to him— " Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? I am Jesus of Nazareth— in persecuting my disciples, you per- secute me." At these words, Saul, falling down, cried out with a trembling voice—" Lord what wilt thou have me do ? » And the voice replied to him— "Arise, go into the city, and there you will understand what I would have you do." Whereupon Saul arose, and as he was struck with blindness, his companions led him by the hand into Damascus, where, being miraculously restored to sight, he was baptised, and forthwith began to preach the Gospel. Those who knew how much hatred he had shewn against the Faithful, could not conceive how such a sudden change was possible. But Saul, little caring what they said or thought of his conversion, only grew the stronger in his faith. He confounded the Jews by proving to them by the Scripture, and more especially by his miracles, that Jesus was in reality the Messiah spoken of by the Prophets, and sent by God to be the Saviour of men. Ques. Who was the first among the Gentiles to embrace the Christian faith ? 14 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. Ans. It was a Roman officer of Cesarea, named Cornelius. He feared God, and gave alms freely to the poor. One day when at prayers, an angel appeared to him, and said— " Thy prayers and thy good works have ascended to the throne of divine mercy. Send to Joppa, and seek there one Simon, surnamed Peter— he will teach thee what thou must do to be saved." Forthwith Cornelius sends three of his domestics to Joppa. As they came near to that city Peter had a vision in which it was revealed to him that the Gentiles as well as the Jews, were called to a knowledge of the Gospel, and immediately he went with those who came to seek him. In the meantime Cornelius had assembled at his house all his relatives and friends. As soon as he saw Peter coming he threw himself at his feet in order to adore him ; but Peter raised him up and said—" Arise— I am nothing but a man." Then speaking to those who were assembled to hear him, he told them of the life, the doctrines, and the miracles of Jesus Christ. He was not yet done speaking when the Holy Ghost, in a vis- ible manner came down upon them, and imparted to them the gift of tongues. Peter immediately baptised them, and these new Christians were the first fruits of the conversion of the Gentiles. ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 15 Ques. Did the Apostles preach the Gospel nowhere but in Judea ? Ans. At first they were confined to Judea \ but God, who wished that his name should be known among all nations, on account of. the stub- bornness and wickedness of the Jews, obliged the preachers of the Gospel to go out into all the various countries of the earth. This was in the year of J. C. 45. Obedient to the will of heaven, they went forth to enlighten those who had lived so long in error and idolatry. St. Peter, carried the sacred doc- trine into Syria, and afterwards to Rome, St. Paul carried it into Asia-Minor, Arabia, Macedon, and Greece, from whence he went to rejoin St. Peter at Rome, the capital city of the world — St. Thomas preached in India, St. John in Asia-Mi- nor, St. Andrew among the Scythians, St. Philip in upper Asia, St. Bartholemew in Great Arme- nia, St. Mathew in Persia, St. Simon in Meso- potamia, St. Jude in Arabia and St. Mathias in Ethiopia. Thus in less than thirty years after the first publication of the Gospel, the true God was worshipped in every part of the world. 16 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. Ques. Did the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus Christ preach the Gospel as well by wri- ting as by speaking ? Ans. They have left us many writings which altogether compose what we call the New-Testa- ment. These writings are the four Gospels of St. Mathew, St. Mark, St. Luke and St. John ; the Acts of the Apostles by St. Luke ; the four- teen Epistles of St. Paul ; one of St. James ; two of St. Peter ; three of St. John ; one of St. Jude ; and lastly the Apocalypse of St. John. Ques. Who was the author of the first gen- eral persecution ? Ans. Nero, the Roman Emperor. This fool- ish and cruel prince had set the city of Rome on .fire just for the satisfaction of seeing it burn : he then accused the christians of this atrocious act, for he hated them because St. Paul had made con- versions in his very palace. Nero was hot satis- fied with inflicting upon them common punish ments. Of a great number of christians whom he put to death, some were sewed up in the skins of wild beasts, and set upon by dogs ; others, wrapt in garments that were dipt in pitch, were tied to stakes, and then set on fire that they might ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 17 serve for torches in lighting up the Circus at night. It was now that St. Peter and Paul, being shut up in the prison of Rome, converted and bap- tised their guards and forty-seven fellow prisoners. St. Peter was condemned to die upon the Cross ; but he begged that he might be placed upon it with his head downwards, thinking himself un- worthy to die in the same manner that his divine Master had done. St. Paul, being a Roman citi- zen, was beheaded. (A. D. 66.) Such was the origin of the first general persecu- tion. It is a glorious thing for the Church to have had Nero for her enemy \ it was fit that the most wicked of men should be the first of persecutors. Ques. How were the Jews punished for hav- ing crucified our Saviour ? Ans. The Jews who had always felt the hard- ship of the Roman government, revolted against their rulers, and this revolt was the cause of the destruction of their city. But the christians who were there, following the advice which our Sa- viour had given to his disciples, retired into the little village of Pella. The Jews were divided among themselves, and formed into different par- ties which committed the most wicked acts. 2 18 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. Vespasian, the Roman general, suffered tL: J-ew sthus to waste their strength, because he could ike more easily conquer them afterwards. Being then made emperor, he gave up the siege of Jeru- salem to his son Titus, who pitched his camp within a league of the city, and closed all the passages that led to it. As it was about the feast of the Passover a great multitude of Jews found themselves shut up within the place. The most of the inhabitants were obliged to eat every thin<* they could find, and they snatched from one another the meanest articles of food. The fac- tious ones, far from being moved by this distress, only seemed more furious, and more determined not to surrender. By degrees the famine became horrible. The people crowded to the common gutters, and there devoured the very filth and offal of the town. In the mean time Titus r who had already made himself master of one part of the city, caused an attack to be made upon the temple, and the gates to be set on fire, giving orders however to spare the main building. But a Roman soldier taking up a fire brandr threw it within the temple which immediately took fire, and was totally consumed, notwithstanding all the efforts of Titus to put a ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 19 stop to the flames. The Romans butchered every one they found, and every thing perished by fire and the sword. (A. D. 70.) Thus was fulfilled the prophecy of Jesus Christ. Titus himself declared that the victory did not belong to him, but that he was only the instru- ment of the wrath of God. There perished during this siege one million and one hundred thousand Jews. The rest were sold and scattered throughout the world, condemned by the Most High to wander among the nations, without king without altars, and without sacrifices, until, after the lapse of ages, they should open their eyes, and acknowledge Him for God whom they had cruci- fied. Ques. Was not the first persecution followed by a second ? Ans. It was. The Christians had enjoyed some peace under the Emperors Vespasian and Titus j but Domitian, their successor, having all the vices of Nero, also entertained the same hatred against Christianity. He published a most bloody edict, and we may judge how cruelly it was executed, by the manner in which the most noble persons in the empire were treated. To- 20 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. gether with many thousand people, of every age and condition, he caused one of his nearest rela- tives to be put to death* But that which rendered the persecution of Domitian most remarkable was the martyrdom of St. John. He was plunged into a vessel of boil- ing oil, but without receiving any injury. This miracle happened at Rome near the Latin gate, in the year ninety-three. St. John having thus escaped death, was banished by the Emperor to the Island of Patmos, where he wrote his Apoca- lypse. After the death of Domitian, this holy Apostle returned to Ephesus. There he lived until the end of the first century, and died with the consoltation of seeing the seed of Faith bring forth fruit throughout the whole world. Ques. Give an account of the third persecu- tion under Trajan ? Ans. The Emperor Trajan, whose conduct in other respects was worthy of praise, contributed to the cruelties that were carried on against the Christians in the third persecution. He deter- mined that the bloody laws of his predecessors should be enforced throughout the Empire. We have a proof of this in his answer to Pliny the ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 21 younger, governor of Bithynia. Pliny had writ- ten to Trajan for advice how he should act to- wards the Christians. " All their fault,5' said he, (; consists in their singing hymns in honor of Jesus Christ. There are a great many of them, of every age and condition, in the towns and coun- try, so that the temples of our Gods are almost deserted. As to the rest, their conduct is pure and innocent." Such is the testimony, as to the number and holiness of the Christians, which was given by one of their very persecutors. Trajan answered by saying that he need not hunt out the Christians, but if any of them were ac- cused and convicted, they should be put to death. What an absurd answer was this ! For if the Christians were guilty, why not seek them out? If innocent, why should they be punished ? Two of the most illustrious martyrs in this persecution were St. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, who was sentenced to be devoured by wild beasts ; and St. Simeon, a near relative of our Saviour, Bishop of Jerusalem, who wras then an hundred and twenty years old. This latter wras condemned not only for being a Christian, but also because he was of the race of David. For this double cause they made him undergo various punish- 22 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. ments, which he bore with wonderful courage. At last Trajan condemned him to die upon the cross. Ques. What was the extent of the Church of Christ in the middle of the second century ? Ans. At that time the Church, though still young, already filled the whole earth. It was not only spread over the East, that is, over Pales- tine, Syria, Egypt, Asia-Minor, and Greece, but also over the West, Italy, France, Spain, Africa, Germany, and Great Britian. It extended into countries where the Roman armies had never been, — into Armenia, Persia, and India; among the most savage people, the Sarmatians, the Dacians, the Scythians, the Maurians, and Ge- tulians ; and even th§ unknown islands were full of Christians. Ques. What was the cause of the fourth per- secution under Aurelian ? Ans. It was owing to the false charges made against the Christian religion. Imposed upon by these false charges, the Emperor Aurelian re- newed the persecution. This was in the year 162. The first acts of violence, in such a man- ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 22 ner, under these orders, commenced at Smyrna, and they were horrible indeed. The Christians were scourged so that their veins, arteries, and very entrails were laid bare. In the midst of these torments they remained undaunted, and whilst the spectators were melted to tears, these noble sol- diers of Jesus Christ offered themselves with joy to punishment, and never opened their mouths except to bless the Lord. A young man named Ger- manicus, encouraged the others by his example. Before he was given to the wild beasts, the Judge made a last effort to change his mind ] but the Holy martyr answered that he would rather lose a thousand lives than save one at the expense of his innocence. Then advancing towards a lion that rushed at him, and seeking death inth^ teeth and claws of the furious animal, he made haste to -quit a world in which nothing is witnessed but impiety and crime. It was in this persecution that St. Poly carp, a disciple of the Apostle St. John, and Bishop ci Smyrna, wTas condemned to be burnt alive 5 and he underwent this cruelty, thus rendering a glo- rious testimony to the Divinity of Jesus Christ. Ques. By what miraculous event was this fourth persecution for a time suspended? 24 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. Ans. The Emperor Aurelian put a stop to it on account of a remarkable favour which the Christian soldiers, belonging to his army, obtain- ed from heaven. The Roman troops, marching through the mountains of Bohemia, were sur- rounded by barbarians more numerous than themselves. It was in the heat of summer, and no water could be found. In this difficulty, the Christian soldiers knelt down and prayed to God, in sight of their enemies who were mock- ing them. But all at once the sky was covered with clouds, and a plentiful shower of rain fell among the Romans. So great was their thirst that they raised their heads and received the water in their mouths ; after which they filled their casks, and both they and their horses drank abundantly. The barba- rians thought this a favorable time to attack them ; but heaven, taking part with the Romans, sent upon their enemies a dreadful hail, accompanied with thunder and lightning, which broke their ranks, so that they were completely conquered and cut to pieces. The Christian troops who had obtained this favour from heaven, received the name of the Thundering Legion. The Emperor was so as- ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 25 tonished at this miracle, that for a time he ceased to persecute the Christians, and when he return- ed to Rome erected a monument, which is standing at this day, and on which is represented in has relief, this event so glorious to Religion. This took place in the year 174. But three years afterwards, the Emperor for- got how much he was indebted to the Christians. The persecution broke out again in Gaul. It was particularly violent at Autun, where the youth- ful St. Symphorien displayed his courage, and at Lyons, where the venerable St. Pothinus, first Bishop of that city, with a great number of others, perished for the Faith. Ques. Give an account of the -fifth persecu- tion, under Septimus Severus ? Ans. The Emperor Severus had appeared at first well disposed towards the Christians 5 but in the tenth year of his reign he issued against them the most bloody edicts, which were put in force with such severity that many believed the time of Anti-Christ was come. This persecution extended even into Gaul and raged chiefly in the city of Lyons. St. Irenaeus, then Bishop of that city, had been a disciple of 26 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. St. Polycarp. Seeing that this place had become almost entirely converted by the efforts of that holy prelate, the Emperor determined on a cruel persecution. He ordered his soldiers to sur- round the city, and to cut down every one who called himself a Christian. The massacre was frightful. St. Irenaeus was brought before the Prince, who had him put to death, and boasted that he had butchered both the Shepherd and his flock. An old inscription that may still be seen at Lyons, states that the number of martyrs, without counting the women and children, amount- ed to nineteen thousand. The date of this perse- cution is the year 203. The persecution wTas hardly less violent at Carthage, where Saints Perpetua and Felicitas, followed by a large company of other martyrs, gave up their lives with a joy which could have been inspired only by that Jesus for whom they suffered. Ques. Were not the Christians slandered at the same time that they were persecuted ? Ans. Yes, they were exposed to the most atrocious calumnies. They were looked upon as profane— as enemies of the public — as a people ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 27 stained with every species of crime ; and little pains were taken to ascertain whether these charges were true or false. But God raised up men as wise as they were holy, to defend both the worship and the morality of Christianity. St. Justin addressed to the Emperors two elo- quent apologies, which opened the eyes of a great many Pagans, and which obtained for that noble champion the crown of martyrdom. Shortly af- ter, the celebrated Tertullian a priest of Carthage, published a new apology, which gave a mortal blow to paganism. (A. D. 205.) Ques. Repeat some passages of Tertullian's Apology ? Ans. After having proved the divinity of the Christian religion, Tertullian with great force re- pelled the false accusations made against the Christians. " They accuse us," says he, " of se* dition, and disobedience to the Emperors, But wherein are we seditious? The people often pelt us with stones, burn our houses, chase us like beasts, and put us to death in the most cruel manner. What have we done to revenge our- selves ? If we desired to make open war, would we not have troops enough? We are only of 28 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. yesterday, and yet already we fill your cities, your towns, your camps, the very palace, and the Senate. We leave nothing but your temples empty. Since we are not afraid to die, we would be invincible if it were not one of our maxims rather to endure death than to inflict it. If re- venge were our object we would only have to depart from you and quit the empire, and you would be frightened at your own solitude." 'After writing thus, Tertullian goes on to de- scribe what was done in the meetings of those christians who were accused of sedition. " We come together," says he, "to pray to God in com- mon. Those who preside over us are aged men of tried virtue, who have obtained that honor, not by money, but by the holiness of their lives. If there is wealth among us, it is used in the relief of the poor and the unfortunate 5 for we suffer none to be without help. As we are all of one heart and one mind, we never hesitate to assist one another. It should not appear strange if so great a friendship make us eat together — this eating together we call Agape, that is Brotherly love. The poor as well as rich are admitted there. Every thing is performed with modesty, and everyone behaves as if he were in the presence of God. The meal begins and finishes with prayer." ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 29 "Why then," continues Tertullian, " are we deserving of death? Ye magistrates, who judge criminals, say if any Christian is found %mong them? I take your own records for witnesses — that amongst all the malefactors whom you daily condemn for their crimes, not one is a Christian. For us Innocence is a duty. We derive our knowledge of it from God himself, who is a per- fect Master ; and we keep it faithfully as the com- mandment of a judge who cannot be deceived.*' Such was the life of the Christians even at the beginning of the third age of the Church ! Ques. How did Origen distinguish himself? Ans. Origen was the son of St. Leonidas, who suffered for the Faith at Alexandria, in the persecution under Septimus Severus. The holy martyr had brought him up with the greatest care, and had instructed him not only in polite literature but also in the holy Scriptures. Young Origen repaid this care by the wonderful progress he made in learning, and by his still greater advance- ment in virtue. His father frequently came to him whilst he was sleeping, and uncovering his bosom, kissed it with the greatest respect, as be- ing the temple of the Holy Gost. Origen had 30 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY, so great a desire to suffer martyrdom, that his mother, unable to stop him by her prayers and tears, was obliged to hide his clothes to prevent his going forth in quest of death. The goods of Origen having been confiscated by his persecutors, he was reduced to extreme poverty ; but shortly after, on account of his tal- ents, he was placed at the head of the celebrated School of Alexandria, where a prodigious crowd of students went to hear him. Origen was not less distinguished for his zeal than for his learning. He visited such Christians as were cast into prison for the Faith, and went with them even to the place of execution. He often exposed his own life on these occasions, and several times was on the point of being stoned. At last he was arrested and cast into a dungeon, where he had to endure hunger, and thirst, and nakedness. But the practice of an austere life had hardened him to all these trials, and neither the rigor nor the length of his sufferings, could shake his courage. He died in peace about the middle of the third century. The most valuable and celebrated of his works is an apology for the Christian religion, written to refute the calumnies of the pagan philosophers against the Christians. ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. SI Ques. Give an account of the sixth persecu- tion under Maximin, and of the seventh under Decius ? Ans. The successors of Septimus Severus did not trouble the Christians. Alexander was ever friendly towards them. He honored Jesus Christ as one of his own Gods, and had his statue placed in a sort of domestic temple. This indul- gence of Alexander towards the Christians, made his successor Maximin, only hate them more This prince, naturally cruel, commenced a perse- cution against them, which is reckoned the sixth, and which was particularly directed against the bishops and priests. The circumstances of this per- secution have not been handed down. At any rate it could not have lasted long, for the perse- cutor was slain by his own soldiers after a very short reign, in the year 237. The seventh persecution was carried on by the Emperor Decius in the year 250. At the be- ginning of his reign he published against the Christians a bloody decree that was executed with great severity. Scourges, fire, wild beasts, boil- ing pitch, red-hot pincers, and every kind of torture, were employed. The number of those who suffered for the Faith at that time, is so great 32 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. that it is impossible to count them. Many Chris- tians, to avoid the persecution, fled into the deserts* Of this number was St. Paul of Thebais. He retired very young into the wilderness, where he led a most holy life, entirely separated from the world, and closely united with God. Ques. . What was the cause of the eighth per- secution under Valerian? Ans. It was the superstition of that Emperor. He suffered the priests of the false gods to per- suade him, that in order to succeed in a war which he had undertaken, it was necessary to destroy Christianity. He consequently published a new edict of persecution, A. D. 257, which like the former ones, afforded the glory of martyrdom to a great number of Christians. Amongst the most illustrious of these was St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, and St. Laurence, first deacon in tlje Roman Church. It was during this persecution that at Cesarea, in Cappadocia, a young child named Cyrille dis- played extraordinary courage. His father who was an idolater, could not make him worship the false gods, and having ill treated him, drove him from his house. The Judge being informed of it ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 3 o sent soldiers to bring young Cyrille before him, and when he was brought, said to him mildly : u My child, I would very willingly pardon you in consideration of your age ; be wise and give up your superstitions." The child replied : "I am very ready to suffer for what I have done ; if I am driven from the house of my father I shall dwell in another larger and more beautiful ; I am not afraid of death, because a better life comes af- ter it." At these words the Judge looking more sternly, ordered him to be bound, as if he were going to be punished ; a pile of wood was then pre- pared, and kindled with fire. But this noble child did not appear to be the least frightened— he suffered himself to be conducted without shedding a tear. As they approached the fire, they threat- ened to throw him into it, but his courage still re- mained unshaken. They then brought him back to the Judge, who said to him — "Well, you have seen the sword and you have seen the fire — will you be wise now ?" Young Cyrille replied — " You have done wrong to call me back. I fear neither the sword nor the fire. I sigh for treas- ures more solid than those of my father. It is God who will give me a recompense — make haste 3 i ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY-. and let me die, that I may go- to him more quick- ly." The bystanders wept to hear him talk in this manner, but he said to them — " You ought rather to rejoice with me instead of seeking to weaken my courage by your tears. Ah! you do not know what glory is prepared for me, Let me end this earthly life." In these senti- ments he was taken back to the place of punish- ment, and received the crown of a martyr. Ques. Describe the ninth persecution under Aurelian. Ans. The Emperor Aurelian, who was not opposed to the Christians in the first years of his reign, all at once changed his conduct towards them. He was just about to sign a terrible decree against them, when he was stopped by a thunder bolt that fell at his feet. His alarm, made him give up his design for the present, but some time afterwards he put it in execution. He died how- ever in the year 275, before his decree had been carried into the distant provinces. Notwithstanding the hatred which this empe- ror bore the Christians before his death, there were not a great many martyrs under his reign. Amongst the few was St. Denis, the first bishop ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 35 of Paris. His zeal to extend the Faith in that capital and in the neighboring provinces, entitled him to the name of Apostle of France. He was taken with a priest and a deacon. After suffer- ing many kinds of punishment all three had their heads struck off upon a hill near Paris, since call- ed on account of the event, the mount of martyrs, or vulgarly, Montmartre. Ques. What was the particular character of the tenth persecution under Diocletian and Max- imilian ? Ans. This tenth persecution, in the year 303, was the last, as it was also the longest and most cruel of all. Cruelties never heard of before, were now practised against the Christians. Some were hung up with their heads downwards, and roasted by a slow fire, or broiled upon grid irons ; others were tortured with red-hot pincers, and torn with pieces of broken glass ; others were pierced with sharp reeds under the nails, and then had melted lead poured over them. In Phrygia, a whole town, wrhose inhabitants were ail Christians, was invested by soldiers, who set it on fire, and men, women, and children all perished in the flames, calling upon the name of Jesus Christ. " The 36 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. whole land, says an author of that time, from East to West was deluged with blood." It was in the very palace of the Emperors that this persecution began. Many of the principal persons about the court were Christians. They were required to sacrifice to idols, but they pre- ferred to lose their offices, their goods, their lib- erty, and to suffer the most cruel tortures, rather than fail in their fidelity to God. The Theban legion, encouraged by St. Maurice as their chief, were seen to throw down their arms, and permit themselves to be slaughtered, to the number of six thousand men. 