The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1888, Page 27

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

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Diotima, the Martyr.

The Roman Empire was in its decline. The
cause of this was ascribed to the progress of
Christianity. Diocletian the Emperor believed
that he was called to renew the glory of the
Empire, and to preserve the Roman State Re-
Jigion. The Christians, as the enemies of the
Roman gods, were to be destroyed, soldiers and
all persons employed in the public service were
the first to suffer. The persecution raged
through the provinces before it was felt in
Rome. When it reached this city the prisons
were soon filled with Christians. Men and
women, youths and maidens, were summoned
to appear, and if they refused to deny their
faith, and make offerings to the ‘heathen
gods, they were either cast into prison or
immediately, condemned to death. At this
time, in the year of our Lord 303, there
lived in Rome a Christian lady of German
extraction, Diormra by name. For refus-
ing to sacrifice to the gods, she was con-
demned to be torn to pieces by the lions in
the Amphitheatre. The fatal day came.
She was alone in her chamber and had
just spent some time in prayer. There
were voices of. soldiers in the streets, but
she scarcely heard them. It was about
3 o'clock in the afternoon, when an officer,
with two attendants, came to bring her
immediately to the court. It was her
birthday. She had just completed her
19th year, and, clad in the white garments
which marked the day as a festival, she at
once obeyed the order and went before the
Praetor like a virgin from that heavenly
choir which follows the Lamb whithersoever
He goeth. The judge sat in an open forum,
and a great crowd of people surrounded
the sad place which few, except Christians
could enter. With Diotima were a few
freed slaves and Rufinus who had instructed
her in the way of salvation. Their eyes
met and said unspeakably, more than words
could express. The judge passed sentence
on Rufinus aud the freed men who had “become
Christians through him.

He then turned to Diotima. Quiet and firm
stood this young Jady before the judge, answer-
ing all his questions. The Praetor, evidently
fascinated with the charm of her gracefulness
and beauty, said in a mild, friendly tone,
“Think of thy youth. Choose life instead of
death.’? ‘My life is Christ,’’ Diotima answered,
“trusting in Him I do not fear death.”

‘«Gladly would I save thee,’’ the judge added

after a pause.‘ Think again. Obey the royal.
edict and sacrifice to the gods.”’ Many persons

in the crowd besought her, some even with
tears, to take the advice of the judge.

“My resolution cannot be shaken,’’ Diotima
answered with a firm voice. ‘‘ How can I turn
to your false gods and forsake the true and
living God who made heaven and earth?’’

The people gnashed their teeth with fury.
The Praetor frowned upon her, and with a dark

shadow passing over his face he said, ‘‘Thy
folly brings thee destruction. Renounce the
false principles of the Christian religion and
save thy life.’ ‘Sooner will I die a thousand
deaths than renounce my faith,’ answered
Diotima.

By this time the impatient judge had lost
all pity. Enraged, he turned away from her,
and while the excited multitude shouted ‘To
the lions!’’ he dictated to the secretary this
sentence: ‘‘Because of her contempt of the
imperial edict we condemn Diotima to the
lions in the amphitheatre.”

All were then led to the prison.

About 4 o'clock there was a great crowd
pressing through the streets of the city. The

chariots of the rich rolled over the pavements,
and the dense mass gathering from all sides
rushed towards the Colosseum. A hundred
thousand seats were soon occupied. The very
walls seemed to move with the restless ocean
of human faces. For two hours there was 8
fight of gladiators, many of whom lay dead or
wounded on the floor of the amphitheatre. This
sharpened the appetite of the spectators for
more blood. ‘They cried out impatiently for
the Christians. When they were brought out
of the prison and placed in the middle of the
arena, a solemn stillness possessed the great
assembly. All eyes were fixed on the beautiful
Diotima. ‘‘The lions!’’ cried at once. many
powerful voices from the lowest circle of seats,
and thousands answered the call: in a terrible
chorus. Out of.caves below the earth sprang
two young lions, enraged with darkness, im-
prisonment and hunger.. Diotima committing
her soul to Jesus, fell to the ground wounded

unto death. At last the people, satiated with
blood, rushed through the doors of the amphi-
theatre and moved into the city, leaving the
dark pines which stood in the neighborhood,
to sigh over the martyrs, and the sun to sink
in night as if dyed with their blood.

——s.-++<5>e-- a> -

The Father’s Will.

Lauterbach relates, that on April 8, 1538,
Dr. Luther told the following: :

A monk visited a baron who was dying. The
first thing the monk did was to ask the dying
man how much of his property he would give
to the cloister. ‘‘Sir,’’ said the monk, ‘‘ will
you give this to the cloister? Will you
give that to the cloister?”’

The poor baron was so near his end that
he could not speak, and therefore every
time a question was asked he nodded with
his head. ‘‘There,’’ said the monk to the
son of the dying man, ‘“‘you see that this
is the last will of your father. He wants
to give the greater portion of his property
to the cloister.”

‘*Yes,’”’ said the son. ‘But now will
you please let me ask a question?’’ And
he approached the bed, saying, ‘‘ Father,
do you want me to throw this monk down
the doorsteps and into the streets?’’

As before, the man nodded. ‘‘There,’
said the son to the monk, ‘‘ You see it is
my fathers’ last will to have me kick you
out of the house.’”? And in a moment he
had the door opened and the “last will and
testament’? was duly administered. The
monk was kicked out, but the cloister re-
ceived no money.

If all sons were as shrewd as this young
baron, the fine palaces now occupied by
monks and nuns would be less numerous,
and the Papists would not be able to build
so many expensive churches.—Lutheraner.

—s +o or

A Beautiful Incident.

A naval officer being at sea in a dreadful
storm, his wife sitting in the cabin near him,
filled with alarm for the safety of the vessel,
was so surprised at his serenity and composure
that she cried out:

“My dear, are you not afraid? How is it pos-
sible youcan besocalm insuch adreadful storm?”

He rose from his chair, dashed it to the deck,
drew his sword, and pointing it at the breast
of his wife, exclaimed: =

«Are you not afraid ?”’

She immediately answered: ‘‘No.””

“‘Why?” said the officer.

‘ Because,” replied his wife, ‘I know that
the sword is in the hands of my husband, and ~
he loves me too well to hurt me.””

“Then,” said he, ‘‘I know in whom I be-
lieve; and that He who holds the wind in His
hand is my Father.” sict Be 3