The Bloody Theatre, or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians: who baptized only upon confession of faith, and who suffered and died for the testimony of Jesus, their savior, from the time of Christ to the year A.D. 1660Braght, Thieleman J. van (Thieleman Janszoon)
History
The Bloody Theatre, or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians: who baptized only upon confession of faith, and who suffered and died for the testimony of Jesus, their savior, from the time of Christ to the year A.D. 1660
Braght, Thieleman J. van (Thieleman Janszoon)
Anabaptists -- Europe -- Biography; Christian martyrs -- Biography; Persecution
“Under the reign of the aforementioned cruel and tyrannical Emperors,”
he writes a little further on, “many Christians had to wander and
roam about in foreign countries, in secluded places, along shores,
in caverns, on mountains, in caves, amidst want and poverty; leaving
comfort, honor, prosperity, peace, friends, money, and property.” Among
many others, there is an account given in the _Keyser’s Chronijk_,
of a youth of sixteen years, called Paul, well versed in different
languages, and the son of a rich man, who, in order to escape the
persecution, went out into a village to live with his sister. But his
brother-in-law was moved by avarice to betray him, that thus he might
obtain possession of his property. His sister having warned him of his
danger, he fled into the mountains, gladly leaving behind him all his
possessions. However, God prepared him there a secret cave, where he
could quench his thirst with pure water, and satisfy his hunger with
roots, herbs, and the fruits of the trees. _Idem. Ibidem_, from _Euseb.
Fasc. Temp., fol. 94. Chron. Mich., fol. 161. Chron. Seb. Franc., fol.
18, Hist. Andr., fol. 177, 178, 2d part, fol. 174. Paul Merula, fol.
217, 218, 221. Jan. Crespin, fol. 65._
DIONYSIUS, BISHOP OF THE CHURCH AT ALEXANDRIA, WITH TWO OF HIS
FELLOW-BELIEVERS, GAIUS AND PETER, AFTER MUCH SUFFERING, EXILED INTO
A DESERT PLACE OF LYBIA, THREE DAYS JOURNEY FROM PARAETONIUM, FOR THE
TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, ABOUT THE YEAR 260.
After different letters of Dionysius, bishop at Alexandria (recorded by
Abr. Mellinus from Eusebius), concerning the persecution he suffered,
there follows one which Dionysius wrote to Domitius and Didymus,
about the oppression of the Christians under Valerian, as well as how
he himself was oppressed at that time. Among other statements, it
contains these words: “It is not necessary to mention all the names
of the Christian martyrs, because their number is very great, and you
do not know them; but know ye of this persecution, in general, that
innumerably many men and women, old and young people, old women and
young girls, of every state and condition, were, some scourged, some
burned, some beheaded, or made martyrs in some other manner; and still
the proconsul continues in his cruelty; putting to death those that
were made known to him, causing some to be rent asunder by divers
torments, holding others in bonds and severe confinement, and letting
them perish through hunger and thirst, forbidding all to come to them,
yea closely watching those who but endeavor to get near them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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