The Lives of the Saints, Volume 03 (of 16): MarchBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Religion
The Lives of the Saints, Volume 03 (of 16): March
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Christian saints
Then Arian, leaning back in his seat, said to his officers, "Send for
Philemon the piper; perchance his sweet melodies will drive away the
fancies of this fool, and allure him to the worship of our gods." But
Philemon was not to be found; then his brother Theonas was brought in,
and Arian asked him where was the piper Philemon. Theonas, looking
intently at the prisoner, said, "That is he." Then the hood was plucked
off the face of Philemon, and the cloak drawn from his shoulders, and
it was the merry piper shod with his gay buskins, and with the tuneful
reeds in his hands. Arian laughed heartily, and exclaimed that this
was a rare joke. "We make no account of all this, man!" said he, "for
to this thou wast born, and to this bred, that thou shouldst shake our
sides with laughter. Now sacrifice, and end the farce."
But Philemon steadfastly refused, and Arian saw that no jest was
meant, but that this was sober earnest. So putting on an angry look,
he said, "It is foolery for thee to pass thyself off as a Christian,
piper! for thou art not baptized." Then the poor man was filled with
tribulation, and in his doubt and grief he cried to the Lord Jesus
Christ to accept and baptize him. And as he prayed, there came down a
soft sparkling spring shower, and the piper, stretching his hands to
heaven, cried joyously, "He has heard me, and has baptized me in the
cloud!"[34] And he took his pipes and broke them up, and cast them
away. Now the officer had taken the deacon Apollonius, and they brought
him before Arian, who reproached him for his cowardice; the deacon in
shame admitted that he had done wrong. "But now," said he, in a firm
voice, "know that I will not sacrifice." Then the judge ordered him and
Philemon to be executed with the sword.
[34] There are several versions of this event. According to one, the
judge and assistants were blinded whilst Philemon was carried to the
river and baptized by a priest. But his prayer afterwards, "Thou hast
baptized me in the cloud," proves this to have been an interpolation.
So far the Acts seem to be trustworthy, but what follows is fabulous;
some of these incidents shall however be given. Philemon before his
execution, bade the officers bring a brass pot, and put a baby in
it, cover it, and take aim at it with their arrows. The pot was soon
transfixed; but when it was opened, the child within was found unhurt.
Then Philemon said, "Like that vessel is a Christian's body, riddled
with wounds, but the soul within, like that infant, is unharmed." And
when the governor ordered a flight of arrows to be discharged at him,
he raised his hand, and the arrows remained stationary in the air, but
one returning put out the eye of Arian. Then Philemon said, "When I am
dead, go to my grave, and make clay of the dust there, and anoint thine
eye, and it will be restored whole."
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