An Easter Disciple: The Chronicle of Quintus, the Roman Knight — John Shaqi
An Easter Disciple: The Chronicle of Quintus, the Roman KnightSanford, Arthur Benton
Religion
An Easter Disciple: The Chronicle of Quintus, the Roman Knight
Sanford, Arthur Benton
Easter stories
In the fellowship of the Roman church--already founded and rapidly
enlarging--Quintus finds his pleasure. A few are Jews from the
ghetto beyond the Tiber, till the persecution of Claudius drives
them forth. More are of the varied nationalities met in that
commercial and luxurious center. Most are of plebeian blood.
There are smiths and mechanics; there are stone cutters, workers in
mosaics, and decorators. There are slaves from the very palace of
Tiberius. There is Amon from Egypt, who sells his jewelry down in
the Nova Via. There is Polemon, the Grecian shopkeeper, in the
Clivus Victoriae. There is Onesimus, the servant of Philemon, from
Colossae. There are Amplias and Epaenetus and Stachys, the
particular friends of the Gentile apostle. There is, as well,
Pomponia Graecina, that woman of noble blood, who accepts the
Christ. An ever-increasing company it is.
In their assemblies, on the first day of the week, Quintus has his
influential place. He listens to the reading of the older
Scriptures; he celebrates with the gathered company the eucharistic
suppers and agapae; he keeps with them the Easter celebration, in
memory of Him who shall give them eternal life. In emblem of their
faith the sign of the fish is on their evening lamps. Theirs is a
sterling citizenship. The wanton metropolis of the Caesars is
blessed immeasurably by the company of these who follow the risen
Lord.
It is after the midcentury that the great Paulus, having met with
shipwreck on Melita, draws near to Rome. Quintus leads the company
that goes out southward forty miles, to welcome the Christian
traveler. At Appii Forum, that common town with its bargemen and
its tavern keepers, they give the kiss of welcome to a little bent
and gray-haired Jew, who shall go down into history as Christ's
most illustrious apostle. The faithful Luke is his companion.
Along the famous highway of the Via Appia, where emperors and
warriors, scholars and Oriental tradesmen have walked, Quintus
escorts their guest. Past the tombs of the Roman great, by
uncounted statues, past suburban villas they go, until, through the
Porta Appia, the holy prisoner, chained to a Roman guard, finds
himself in the city of the Caesars.
One rare privilege the Roman knight then envoys. In his hired
house, near the Pretorian camp, Paul speaks without interruption
his words of grace. The doctrines he had before written to the
Roman church he now explains; the wish he had made to see them face
to face now expresses itself in words of love. The flood tides of
his eloquence move resistlessly on, as he interprets the new faith
and speaks of Him who is to give them eternal life. Quintus is
enriched by his frequent association with the peerless soul. Nor
did he have a prouder thing to say, in the days to come, than to
declare, "I heard great Paulus tell of the life immortal."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account