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Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

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300 THE SECOND AGE OF THE MARTYR CHURCH.efore the raging multitude in. the theatre, anduttered his last prayer : " I thank thee, 0 God<strong>of</strong> angels and powers, and all the generation <strong>of</strong>the just who live before thee, that thou hastthought me worthy <strong>of</strong> this day and hour to receivea portion in the number <strong>of</strong> thy martyrs, inthe chalice <strong>of</strong> thy Christ." Ten years later, in thegreat city <strong>of</strong> Lyons a similar spectacle was <strong>of</strong>feredon a far larger scale. <strong>The</strong> Bishop Pothinus, morethan ninety years old, is carried before the tribunal,uthe magistrates <strong>of</strong> the city following him,and all the multitude pursuing him with cries asif he were Christ.'7 But the triumph <strong>of</strong> the bishopis accompanied by that <strong>of</strong> many among his flock,<strong>of</strong> whom while all were admirable, yet the slaveBlandina, poor and contemptible in appearance,surpassed the rest. " She was exposed to thebeasts raised as it were upon a cross, and sopraying most contentedly to God, she inspiredthe utmost ardour in her fellow combatants, whowith the eyes <strong>of</strong> the body saw in this their sister'sHim ho had been crucified for them into persuade those who should beHim that whoever suffers for the < olory J "/ <strong>of</strong> Christshall obtain companionship with the living God."64Since the wild beasts refused to tonch her, Blan-dina and the survivors among her fellow-suffererswere remanded to prison, in order that the pleasure<strong>of</strong> the emperor might be taken, one <strong>of</strong> themc4 Ruinart. p. G7.

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