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Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

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THE FIRST AGE OF THE MARTYR CHURCH. 211it was which they were confessing, I had no doubtthat stubbornness and inflexible obstinacy deservedpunishment. <strong>The</strong>re were others <strong>of</strong> a like infatuation,but as being Roman citizens I directed themto be sent to the city. Presently the crime spreading.' from being1 O under prosecution, i ' as is usual , iseveral incidents happened. An anonymous delationwas sent in to me, containing the names <strong>of</strong>many who say that they are not Christians, norever were. As at my instance they invoked m thegods, and made supplication with frankincense andwine to your image, which I had ordered for thatpurpose to be brought, together with the statues<strong>of</strong> the gods, and as moreover they reviled Christ,none <strong>of</strong> which things, it is said, real Christians canbe induced to do, I thought they might be let go.Others, being accused by a witness, admitted thatthey were Christians, and presently said "that theyhad been, some three years before, some manyyears, and some even twenty, but were no longer.All venerated your image and the statues <strong>of</strong> thegods, and reviled Christ. But they alleged thatthe utmost <strong>of</strong> their fault or error was this : <strong>The</strong>ywere accustomed to meet before dawn on a statedday, and addressed themselves in a certain formwith the bearing <strong>of</strong> his friend Trajan to S. Ignatius below. As soon asthe saint's confession <strong>of</strong> " bearing the Crucified in his heart" is specific,Trajan without a word <strong>of</strong> remark orders his execution. <strong>The</strong> " ducinn"and bear witness to each other's authenticity. So later the like tone"^ *^^"MJustin Mkrtyr, as will be seen further on.

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