tian, which he had not before known, ordered him to be tortured, and then behead from her, and she was put to the rack, and Young Cyricus cried bitterly to get at HERMOLAUS, a venerable and pious Christian of a great age, and an intimate acquaintance of Pantaleon's, suffered martyrdom for his faith on the same day, and in the same manner as Pantaleon. EUSTRATIUS, Secretary to the governor of Armenia, was thrown into a fiery furnace, for exhorting some Christians, who had been apprehended, to persevere in their faith. AUXEUTIUS, and EUGENIUS, two of Eustratius's adherents, were burnt at Nicopolis; MARDARIUS, another friend of his, expired under the hands of his tormentors; and ORESTES, a military officer, was, for wearing a golden cross at his breast, The mother, who from the rack beheld the whole transaction, thanked the Al-broiled to death on a gridiron. mighty that her child was gone before her; THEODORE, a Syrian by birth, a soldier and she should be without any anxiety con- by profession, and a Christian by faith, set cerning his future welfare, and certain that fire to the temple of Cybele, in Amasia, now no advantage could be taken of his through an honest indignation at the idoltender years, to pervert his principles, and {atrous worship practised therein: for which being apprehended, he was severely scourged and then burnt, February 18, A. D. 306. defraud him of his salvation. To complete the execution, Julitta had boiling pitch poured on her feet, her sides torn with hooks, and received the conclusion of her martyrdom by being beheaded, April 16, A. D. 305. (See engraving.) PANTALEON, a native of Nicomedia, was taught most branches of human learning by his father, who was a pagan, and the precepts of the gospel by his mother, who was a Christian. DOROTHY, a Christian of Cappadocia, was, by the governor's order, placed under the care of two women, who had become apostates to the faith, with a view that she might be induced to follow their example.< Her discourses, however, had such an effect upon the two apostates, that they became reconverted, and were put to death for not succeeding. Soon after which Dorothy herself was tortured, and then be Applying to the study of medicine, he PANCRATIUS, or PANCRASS, was a na His name in Greek signifies humane, and tive of Phrygia, but being made a Christhe appellation well suited his nature, for he {tian, and brought to Rome by his uncle, was one of the most benevolent men living. {he there suffered martyrdom, being beHe assisted the poor to the utmost, with his headed soon after the decease of his uncle, fortune; and, by the help of God, his skill who died a natural death. in physic was attended with the most astonishing success. BASILIDES, NABOR, NAZARIUS, and CrRINUS, four worthy Christian officers at His reputation roused the jealousy of the Rome, were thrown into prison for their pagan physicians, who accused him to the faith, and being condemned were scourged emperor. Galerius finding him a Chris- with rods of wire and then beheaded. { PERSECUTIONS AGAINST THE CHRISTIANS IN PERSIA. HE gospel having spread itself in Persia, the pagan priests were greatly alarmed, and dreaded the loss of that influence which they had hitherto maintained over the people's minds and properties. Hence they thought it expedient to complain to the emperor that the Christians were enemies to the state, and held a treasonable correspondence with the Romans, the great enemies of Persia. The emperor, being naturally averse to Christianity, easily believed what was said against the Christians, and gave orders to persecute them in all parts of his empire. On account of this mandate many fell martyrs to the ignorance and ferocity of the pagans, the sufferings of the most eminent of whom we shall enumerate. SIMEON, archbishop of Selencia, with many other ecclesiastics, to the number of a hundred and twenty-eight, were apprehended and accused of having betrayed the affairs of Persia to the Romans The emperor then told him that if he did not kneel, he, and all the Christians in his dominions, should be put to death; but Simeon rejected with disdain the proposal to kneel, and told him that he would abide the consequences. On this reply the emperor ordered him to be sent to prison, till he had considered in what manner to punish him. A short time after, Simeon with his fellow-prisoners, was again examined, and commanded to worship the sun, agreeably to the Persian custom; but this they all unanimously refused. The emperor then sentenced them to be beheaded, and they were executed accordingly. USTHAZARES, an aged eunuch, who had been tutor to the emperor, and was in great estimation at court, on observing Simeon, the foregoing martyr, leading to prison, saluted him. Simeon, however (as Ustha zares had formerly been a Christian, and turned apostate from the faith to oblige the emperor), would not return his salute, but sharply reproved him for his apostacy. The emperor being greatly exasperated This so affected the eunuch, that he burst against them, ordered Simeon to be brought into tears, and exclaimed: "Ah! wo is before him. The worthy archbishop com- me! how shall I hereafter look upon my ing into his presence, boldly acknowledged God, whom I have denied, when Simeon, his faith, and nobly defended the cause of my old companion, and familiar acquaintChristianity. The emperor, being offend-ance, disdains to give me a gentle word, ed at his freedom, not only reproved him for it, but ordered him to kneel before him, as he had always done heretofore. Simeon answered, that "before, having the free admittance to his presence, he did not scruple to conform to the customary salutation of the country; but being now brought before him a prisoner, for the truth of his religion, and the sake of his God, it was not lawful for him to kneel, lest he should be thought to worship and to betray his faith, which he was fully resolved to defend with his last breath." or to return my salute!" The emperor, being told that his ancient tutor was greatly afflicted, sent for him, and asked whether he desired or wanted anything which could be conferred upon, or procured for him. To which the eunuch replied that there was nothing that he wanted which this earth could afford; but that his grief was of another kind, and for which he justly mourned, namely, that to oblige him he had denied his God, and had dissemblingly worshipped the sun, against his own conscience; "for which," contin ued he, "I am deserving of a double death, first, for denying of Christ, and secondly for dissembling with my king; at the same time solemnly protesting that he would nevermore forsake the Creator of the world, to worship the creatures which he had made. SUENES, a Christian nobleman, refusing to deny Christ, had his wife taken from him, and given to one of the meanest of the emperor's slaves; and what added to his mortification was, that he was ordered to wait upon his wife and the slave, which at length broke his heart. the gospel of Christ; for which being seized upon, he was miserably tormented, by having sharp reeds thrust under his nails; and then a knotted branch of a tree was forced up his body, and he expired in the greatest agonies. The emperor being greatly offended at THEODORET, a deacon, was imprisoned the explanation of the cause of his grief, for the space of two years, and being reordered Usthazares to be beheaded. While leased, was ordered not to preach the doche was going to the place of execution, hetrine of Christ. Disregarding, however, desired that a messenger might be sent to the order, he did his utmost to propagate the emperor, to request the favor that it might be proclaimed, that "Usthazares did not die a traitor for any crime against the king or the state: but only that being a Christian, he would not deny his God." This petition, we are informed, was granted, and accordingly performed; which BADEMUS, a Christian of Mesopotamia, was a great satisfaction to Usthazares, gave away his fortune to the poor, and dewhose chief reason for desiring it was, be-termined to devote his life to a religious cause his falling off from Christ had caused retirement; being filled with the humble many others to follow his example, who sentiments thus finely described by the now hearing that he died for no crime but poet :his religion, they might learn, like him, to return to Christ, and become fervent and constant in the faith. Usthazares, being thus satisfied, cheerfully yielded his neck to the stroke of the executioner, and joyfully received his crown of martyrdom. On the Good Friday, after the above execution, an edict was published, to put to death all who confessed themselves Christians, on which occasion great multitudes suffered. About this time the empress of Persia falling sick, the sisters of Simeon, the archbishop, were accused by some of the magi, of being the occasion. This absurdity being believed, they were, by the emperor's order, sawed in quarters, and their quarters fixed upon poles, between which the empress passed as a charm to recover her. (See engraving.) ACEPSIMUS, and many other clergymen, were seized upon, and ordered to adore the sun; which refusing, they were scourged, and then tormented to death, or suffered to remain in prison till they perished. "Blessed be his name, whose matchless goodness A fund of blessings and a choice of friends: This inoffensive Christian, together with seven others, were seized upon and cruelly tortured for being Christians. The seven Christians, who were apprehended with Bademus, received the crown of martyrdom, though the particular manner is not recorded: and Bademus himself, after having been four months in prison, was brought to the place of execution, and beheaded by Narses, an apostate Christian, who was ordered to act as the executioner of this worthy man, in order to convince the emperor that he was sincere in the renunciation of his faith. |