5. Of the burning of Rome, the punishment of the Christians and this celebrated passage in the writings of the famous Roman annalist, Gibbon, from whom I quote the phrase above, says: "The most sceptical criticism is obliged to respect the truth of this extraordinary fact and the integrity of this celebrated passage of Tacitus. The former [the burning of Rome and the punishment of the Christians] is confirmed by the diligent and accurate Suetonius, who mentions the punishment which Nero inflicted on the Christians, a sect of men who had embraced a new and criminal superstition. The latter may be proved by the consent of the most ancient manuscripts, by the imimitable character of the style of Tacitus, by his reputation, which guarded his text from the interpolation of pious fraud." "Decline and Fall," Vol. i., p. 448. 6. "Tacitus Annl.," lib, XV., ch. 44. 7. See Milman's Note in "Decline and Fall," Vol. I., p. 450. 8. I have taken Milner's translation of the Epistle. See "Ch. Hist.," Vol I., p. 145. 9. "Milner's Ch. Hist.," Vol. I., p. 148. 10. "Decline and Fall," Vol. I., p. 453. 11. An account of these persecutions at great length will be found in the letters of the survivors sent to the churches of Asia and Phrygia. "Eusebius," Book V., ch. i. 12. That is, they were executed. Eusebius, Bk. vi., Ch. xli. 13. See Murdock's note in Mosheim's Eccl. Hist., Bk. i, Cent. iii, Ch. ii. 14. Mosheim, (Murdock) Bk. i, Cent. iii, Ch. ii. 15. "Decline and Fall," Vol i., Ch. xvi. 16. Milner's Church Hist., Vol. i, Cent. iii, Ch. viii. 17. The situation was this: A year after his elevation to the imperial throne, Diocletian, believing the government of the vast empire of Rome a task too great for a single mind, chose Maximianus Herculius, commonly called Maximian, to be his colleague and to share with him the title of Augustus. After a few years each of the emperors chose a colleague in order to still further divide the labor of administration. These were Constantius Chlorus and Galerius Maximianus, usually called by his first name. Constantius and Galerius occupied an inferior position to that of Diocletian and Maximian, and were honored only with the title of "Caesar." 18. Eusebius Eccl. Hist., Bk. viii, Ch. ii. 19. Eusebius Eccl. Hist., Bk. viii, Ch. vi. 20. Eusebius Eccl. Hist., Bk. viii, Ch. vi. 21. Mosheim's Eccl. Hist., Cent, iv, Part i, Ch. i. 22. This torture was raking the flesh from the body by means of an iron-toothed instrument. 23. Eusebius Eccl. Hist., Bk. viii, Ch. viii. 24. Eusebius Eccl. Hist., Bk. viii, Ch. ix. 25. "Decline and Fall," Vol. i, p. 481. Gibbon claims, however, that "notwithstanding the severity of this law, the virtuous courage of many of the pagans in concealing their friends or relatives, affords an honorable proof, that the rage of superstition had not extinguished in their minds the sentiments of nature and humanity."--_Ibid_.