The story of our Christianity; an account of the struggles, persecutions, wars, and victories of Christians of all times . We permit them freely to profess their opinions, and to assemble intheir conventicles without fear or hindrance, provided they keep a due respect tothe laws and government. We shall declare our intentions to the magistrates byanother letter ; and we hope that our indulgence will engage the Christians tooffer up their prayers to the Deity whom they worship, for our safety and pros-perity, for their own, and for that of the commonwealth. Here was a strange thing—a persecutor
The story of our Christianity; an account of the struggles, persecutions, wars, and victories of Christians of all times . We permit them freely to profess their opinions, and to assemble intheir conventicles without fear or hindrance, provided they keep a due respect tothe laws and government. We shall declare our intentions to the magistrates byanother letter ; and we hope that our indulgence will engage the Christians tooffer up their prayers to the Deity whom they worship, for our safety and pros-perity, for their own, and for that of the commonwealth. Here was a strange thing—a persecutor asking the prayers of those hehad striven to exterminate for what he still called their impious folly. ButGalerius was soon past praying for: he died in 311, leaving four emperors con-tending which should rule the world; and of these the worthless Maxentius wasdrowned a year after. Constantine and Licinius were glad to protect the Christians ; but Maximin,whose name had not been added to the edict of toleration, was of another bigoted pagan and a ruthless despot, he planned new attacks while he seemed to. THE STORY OF OUR CHRISTIANITY. 183 obey the edict of his uncle. The prison doors were thrown open, the minesrendered up their condemned laborers. Everywhere long trains of Christianswere seen hastening to the ruins of their churches, and visiting the places sanc-tified by their former devotion. The public roads, the streets and market-places ofthe towns, were crowded with long processions, singing psalms of thanksgivingfor their deliverance. Those who had maintained their faith under their severetrials passed triumphant in conscious, even if lowly pride, amid the flatteringcongratulations of their brethren : those who had failed in the hour of afflic-tion hastened to reunite themselves with their God, and to obtain readmissioninto the flourishing and reunited fold. The heathen themselves were astonished,it is said, at this signal mark of the power of the Christians
Size: 1383px × 1807px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectchurchhistory, bookye
