The story of our Christianity; an account of the struggles, persecutions, wars, and victories of Christians of all times . orethe governor, Heraclius, whosaid, I suppose you are aChristian. You must haveescaped our notice, for thereare but few followers of thissect here. The youth re-plied, I am: I pray to the true God, who rules in heaven. But I cannotpray to idols: nay, if I could, I would dash them* down. He was adjudgedguilty of crimes against the laws and religion of the state, and sentenced tolose his head. As he was led to execution, his mother called out, My son,keep the living God in
The story of our Christianity; an account of the struggles, persecutions, wars, and victories of Christians of all times . orethe governor, Heraclius, whosaid, I suppose you are aChristian. You must haveescaped our notice, for thereare but few followers of thissect here. The youth re-plied, I am: I pray to the true God, who rules in heaven. But I cannotpray to idols: nay, if I could, I would dash them* down. He was adjudgedguilty of crimes against the laws and religion of the state, and sentenced tolose his head. As he was led to execution, his mother called out, My son,keep the living God in thy heart. Fear not death, which leads direct to up thy heart, and look to Him who rules on high. Thy life is not takenfrom thee to-day, but thou art conducted to a better. By a blessed exchangethou wilt pass this day to heaven. Though the experience of Lyons may have been exceptional in , we are not to suppose that it was unique. On the contrary, asEusebius says, from the details in the letter that has been cited we mayjudge of the fierceness of persecution in other parts of the empire. For one. t;s^3^?r~gsg| EtAGABALUS. THE STORY OF OUR CHRISTIANITY. 119 martyr whose record has come down to us, there may have been hundreds,or perhaps thousands, whose names, though written in heaven, are forgotten onearth. Commodus, the son of Marcus, like him in face and form, but his oppo-site in every trait of character, reigned from 180 to 192. He had a mistress,Marcia, who, from whatever reason, favored the Christians: to this ignoblecause they owed comparative security. A senator, Apollonius, was accusedby a slave, avowed himself a believer, and was executed by a decree of theSenate, as was also his accuser: and Arrius, the proconsul of Asia Minor,began a persecution on his own account, but was deterred by the multitudeof Christians who flocked to his tribunal for that purpose, and invited them tohang themselves. With these events Commodus had little or no connectio
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