. Daily Bible illustrations : being original readings for a year, on subjects from sacred history, biography, georgaphy, antiquities, and theology : Especially designed for the family circle. thathe gave to them ; but strong nourishing food, that they mightgrow thereby. And they did grow. Dop beneath the soil of Rome, and winding off into laby-rinths of unknown extent, excavations were made before thetime of the birth of Christ for a species of earth or sand, nowcalled 2)ozzonala, from which was made the durable cement THE CATACOMBS. 441 used by the Romans. As the material ran in narrow veins,
. Daily Bible illustrations : being original readings for a year, on subjects from sacred history, biography, georgaphy, antiquities, and theology : Especially designed for the family circle. thathe gave to them ; but strong nourishing food, that they mightgrow thereby. And they did grow. Dop beneath the soil of Rome, and winding off into laby-rinths of unknown extent, excavations were made before thetime of the birth of Christ for a species of earth or sand, nowcalled 2)ozzonala, from which was made the durable cement THE CATACOMBS. 441 used by the Romans. As the material ran in narrow veins,rising, dipping, and bending irregularly, it was worked out ingalleries of only sufficient size for the operation of procuringit, and when exhausted in one place, the excavation was leftto neglect, and was forgotten. These galleries are about sixfeet in height, and three in width. They hnve been tracedfor many miles, and there are several entrances to they are not lighted by any holes or openings, and arevery devious and confused in their windings, many personshave perished in them, so that most of the entrances have beenclosed.* The principal access to them now is beneath the. Church of St. Sebastian, outside the walls. At intervals arelarger spaces, chambers originally made by the workmen fortheir own convenience; but which afterwads served for chapelsto the early Roman Christians, and for dwellings when perse- * This is the case also in the catacombs at Malta. They are sup-posed to extend as far as St. Pauls Bay, and to the sea. Many accidentsbad occurred in them ; but the one which led to the passages being builtup at certain distances from the entrance, was the loss in them of aschool-master and his pupils, who went too far into these passages,and were never found or heard of more. 442 FIFTY-SECOND WEEK SATURDAY. cutipn compelled them to worship in these retreats, or to seekin them refuge for their lives Under the name arenarice, these catacombs are mentionedby Cic
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectbible, bookyear1850
