Do you Rusticus. Where do you assemble? Justin. Wherever any one chooses.* suppose we all meet in one place? Far from it. As the God of the Christians is without limitation, and invisibly fills the heavens and the earth, his faithful servants render him praise and worship every where. Rusticus. Tell me where you assemble, and in what place your disciples are collected. Justin. I live just above a certain man by the name of Martinus. And up to this time I know of no place of meeting but that. If any one chooses to come to me, I communicate to him the doctrine of truth. Rusticus. Are you not then, after all, a Christian? Justin. Assuredly I am a Christian. [Here other Christians present, companions of Justin, being addressed by Rusticus, avow themselves on the same side. After which he again addresses Justin as follows: -] Listen to me, wise man, you who think you know the doctrine of truth. If you are scourged from head to foot, do you suppose you shall then ascend into the heavens ? Justin. I hope to enjoy the promise, if I suffer these things; for I know that all who so live ~ * The reply was made to escape the law against Hetæriæ. will partake of the divine gift till the consummation of all things. Rusticus. Do you imagine, when you ascend into heaven, that some recompense will be awarded to you? Justin. I do not imagine, I believe; nay, I am certain of it. Rusticus. Let us return, however, to the business before us. Come, then, all of you, and offer incense to the gods with one accord. Justin. No right-minded man falls from piety into impiety Justin is here cut short by the præfect, who says, "If you do not obey, I shall punish you without mercy." To which Justin replies, — "We give thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ that we, through suffering, shall be saved; for this will bring us freedom and salvation before the dread tribunal of our Lord and Savior.” In which the other martyrs concur, saying,Do what you will with us — we are Christians, and will not offer incense to idols. Whereupon the præfect pronounces the following sentence: Those who will not offer incense to the gods, nor obey the decree of the emperor, having been scourged, shall be led away and punished capital ly, according to the tenor of the law. Such were the terrible tests to which the faith of the primitive Christians was subjected, and such their mild but triumphant firmness. "Swear," said the persecutors who had seized the venerable bishop, or pastor, of the church in Smyrna, "Swear by the genius of Cæsar; retract, and say, Away with the godless!" The old man. gazed in sorrow at the frantic multitude, and, with his eyes lifted up to heaven, said, "Away with the godless!" "Swear, and I release thee," urged the heathen magistrate; "blaspheme Christ!" "Eighty and six years have I served Christ, and he has never done me an injury; how can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?" was the touching response. The proconsul again commanded him to swear by the genius of Cæsar. Polycarp replied, that he was a Christian, and requested a day to be appointed on which he might explain, before the proconsul, the blameless tenets of Christianity. "Persuade the people to consent," replied the ruler, overawed by the calm dignity of his prisoner. "We owe respect to authority," said Polycarp; "to thee I will explain the reasons of my conduct, to the populace I will make no explanation." The good man well knew that it was useless to reason with the passions of a ferocious multitude. The proconsul then threatened to expose him to the wild beasts. "'Tis well for me to be released from this life of misery," was the only reply. He threatened to burn him alive. "I fear not the fire that burns for a moment; thou knowest not that which burns forever and ever!" His countenance was full of peace and joy, even when the executioner advanced into the midst of the assembly and thrice proclaimed, "Polycarp has professed himself a Christian." The multitude, composed of Jews and heathen, replied with an overpowering shout. They demanded that he should be cast to the wild beasts. The Asiarch excused himself, by saying that the games were over. Then a general cry arose that Polycarp should be burned alive. A hasty but capacious funeral pile was gathered of the fuel of the baths and other combustibles. He was speedily disrobed; he requested not to be stake; he was only bound to it. 66 nailed to the In a dignified and simple manner, he then offered the following prayer: "O Lord God Almighty, the Father of the well-beloved and ever-blessed Son Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the knowledge of thee, the God of angels, powers, and of every creature, and of the whole race of the righteous who live before thee, I thank thee that thou hast graciously thought me worthy of this day and this hour, that I may receive a portion in the number of thy martyrs, and drink of Christ's cup, for the resurrection to eternal life, both of the body and the soul, in the incorruptibleness of the Holy Spirit; among whom may I be admitted as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, as thou, O true and faithful God, hast prepared, and foreshown, and accomplished. Wherefore I praise thee for all thy mercies; I bless thee; I glorify thee, with the eternal and heavenly Jesus Christ, thy beloved Son, to whom, with thee and the Holy Spirit, be glory now and forever." The fire was kindled in vain, probably from some natural cause, though the early Christians deemed it supernatural." Though the fire was kindled again, an executioner was sent to despatch the victim, and the blood which flowed from his side served to extinguish the flame. His body was subsequently reduced to ashes. "Such was the death of the blessed Polycarp," says the Letter of the Church of Smyrna, "who, though he was the twelfth of those in Smyrna who, together with those from Philadelphia, suffered martyrdom, is yet chiefly celebrated by all men; insomuch that he is spoken of by the very Gentiles themselves, in every place, as having been not only an eminent teacher, but also a glorious martyr; whose death all desire to imitate, as having been every way conformable to the gospel of Christ." + *Patres Apos., (ed. Hefele,) p. 216. |