CHAPTER XVI. TRIBULATION AT SMYRNA. "And the secret of their conquest Let Thy kingdom's records tell; REV. W. BRIGHT. THOSE Eastern Churches, to which the letters from Lyons had been written, had a trial coming on them that needed that their faith should be strengthened by every example that could nerve them to endurance. After the time of Severus, indeed, the very weakness of the emperors gave the Christians an interval of rest for fifty years, since the men who were raised to supreme power, and then pulled down again, by their own guards, were far too short-lived and insecure to attempt to exercise any authority as governors. One of these, Alexander Severus, so far tolerated Christianity that he tried to rank our Blessed Lord with philosophers and teachers, and placed a statue of Him in his private temple. Another, named Philip, an Idumean by birth, is said to have been a Christian, so far as his belief went, though he waived his profession for the sake of the splendours of the purple; and, indeed, had been hitherto restrained from no crime. He poisoned his master, Gordian, in order to obtain the empire, while on a march from the Persian frontier; and he also put to death a poor young prince, who had been entrusted to him as a hostage. Easter Eve had come, and the Christians of Antioch were gathered in the building which they had of late ventured openly to devote to the worship of their God. There, watching, as did St. John and the Maries of old, they knelt in the dark Church, and blessed Him who had lain in the grave for their sakes, and prayed that they might in time come to a joyful resurrection, all in waiting for midnight, when, with a shout that "Christ is risen!" each man should light his lamp, and rejoice with Easter blessedness. Even was drawing on, when steps and sounds came near, and a whisper ran through the congregation that the Emperor was coming—the Emperor arriving as a worshipper; and for the first time would the purple robes and laurelled head enter within a Christian Church. Was not this the time so much longed and prayed for, when edicts of peace would be obtained, and when the "sons of them that had afflicted the Church would come bending unto her?" Granting that Philip was a blood-stained murderer, was not the gain for the Church so infinite, that it might be possible to wink at the errors of a convert who held the lives of thousands of Christians in his hand? Hitherto the assembly of the faithful had never fully received persons living in open sin. There was a spot set apart for them, where, if repentant, they might join in prayer and listen to exhortation; but like the still unbaptized who were under instruction, they were placed behind the full members of the Church, and were bidden to depart before the celebration of the Holy Communion. There would have been the place of one who had denied his faith in torture or terror, of a man who had slain another, or of any person grieving over a deep-dyed sin. And as the proud head of the soldierly Emperor appeared within the door of the Church, he was there met by Babylas, the Bishop of Antioch, and no respecter of persons in the house of his God. Pointing to the space set apart for penitents, he stood before Philip, and told him that the Church closed her doors against 'none who desired pardon and forgiveness, but that if he entered, it must be only in the place of the penitent, and that he could not be received to Communion till he had gone through the discipline appointed for those who had lapsed from the faith.* * This is the story as told by Eusebius. That which ensues is on the authority of St. John Chrysostom, himself a native of Antioch. It may be thought another version of the same story, but on the whole there is no reason that both should not have taken place, since where Philip had penetrated, his successor would think it incumbent on his honour to enter, as a mere assertion of his right, as Pompey had entered the Holy of Holies; and Chrysostom makes the bishop's refusal the cause of his death. The Decian persecution was not till after the expedition to the East. Philip obeyed the bishop, and submitted to accept the penitent's position. But it may be feared that he still halted between two opinions, fearing to offend the Romans; for on his arrival at Rome, the secular games by which each century of the State was inaugurated were celebrated with extraordinary splendour. It was the 1,000th year of Rome-the augury of Romulus' twelve vultures was almost fulfilled; but the very sense that the commonwealth was tottering inspired the more enthusiasm in her old ceremonies, and Philip took his share, afraid no doubt to betray any shrinking that might offend those on whom his throne and life depended. But before the end of the year, the army in Mosia revolted, and on his way home from subduing it, another rebellion broke out under his rival Decius, and Philip was defeated and slain at Verona in 249. His wife and his son, a grave, thoughtful lad, who was slain at the same time with him, are said to have been Christians. Before long, Decius was again on the frontier, called thither to repel the Persians. He, like Philip, returned to Antioch, and like Philip is said to have presented himself at the door of the Church and demanded entrance, perhaps to spy out their proceedings. But Decius was soiled with crimes of as deep a dye as those of Philip, and he was not, as Philip may have been, a Christian. Therefore Babylas, fearless as ever in his resolution to maintain the virgin purity of his Church, withstood Decius at the door, and even on his persistence told him that nothing should induce him, the shepherd, to admit a wolf into the sheepfold. The result was not what it had been with Philip. Decius caused the bishop to be seized and thrown into prison, while three young boys, whom he had been bringing up in his house, were placed under a heathen tutor, and every threat and promise employed to turn them from the faith. he had taught them. Babylas was brought before the Emperor, and told that he could only purchase his life by sacrificing to the gods of Rome. He answered, that, as a shepherd, he could only do what was good for his flock, and therefore to sacrifice to false gods was impossible. After being again imprisoned, he was brought out to hear his sentence of execution, and, to his great joy, the three young brothers, all constant to their faith, were brought out to share his fate. "Return again then unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath rewarded thee," he began to chant aloud; and then the bishop and the three boys went along those colonnaded streets of Antioch singing their psalm of joy, till they came to the place of execution. Behold, O Lord, I and the children Thou hast given me," said Babylas, putting the children first, lest the sight of his death should shake them, and begging the friends who had followed to let his chains be buried with him. 66 Decius found his empire in a miserable, disorganised plight; and, like some of his predecessors, seems to have thought he could bring back the old Roman temper by exterminating the new doctrine that he could so little understand. The resistance of Babylas |