Part 4

It is not fanaticism, nor delusion, nor excitement. It is the knowledge of the truth and love for the living God. What you have sought for all your life is our dearest possession. Treasured up in our hearts, it is worth far more to us than all the world can give. It gives us happiness in life, even in this place of gloom. And in death, it makes us victorious. You wish to know the Supreme Being. Our faith, Christianity, is His revelation. And through this, He makes Himself known. Infinite in greatness and power, He also is infinite in love and mercy. This faith draws us so closely to Him that He is our best friend, our guide, our comfort, our hope, our all, our Creator, our Redeemer, and our present and final Savior. You wish to know of the immortal life. Our scriptures tell us of this. They show us that believing in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and loving and serving God on earth, we shall dwell with Him in infinite, eternal blessedness in heaven. They show us how to live so as to please Him here and make us know how we shall praise Him hereafter. By them we learn that death, though our enemy, is no longer a curse to the believer, but rather a blessing, since to depart and be with Christ is far better than to remain here, for we enter into the presence of Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. "'All then,' cried Marcellus, "'if this be so, make known to me this truth. "'For this I have looked for years. "'For this I have prayed to that Supreme Being of whom I have heard. "'You are the possessor of that which I long to know. "'The end and aim of my life lies here. "'The whole night is before us. "'Do not put me off, but at once tell me all. "'Has the true God indeed made known all this, "'and have I been ignorant of it?' Tears of joy glistened in the eyes of the Christians. Honorius murmured a few words of silent thankfulness and prayer. After which he drew forth a manuscript which he handled with tender care. "'Here,' said he, beloved youth, "'is the word of life which came from God, "'which brings such peace and joy to man. "'In this we find all that the soul desires. "'In these divine words we learn that which can be found nowhere else. "'And though the mind may brood over it for a lifetime, "'yet the extent of its glorious truths can never be reached.' Then Honorius opened the book and began to tell Marcellus of Jesus. He told him of the promise in Eden of one who would bruise Satan's head, of the long succession of prophets which had heralded his coming, of the chosen people through whom God had kept alive the knowledge of the truth for so many ages, and of the marvelous works which they had witnessed. He read of the announcement of the son of God to be born of the virgin. He read of his birth, his childhood, his first appearance, his miracles, his teachings. All this he read with a few comments of his own from the sacred manuscript. Then he related the treatment which he received, the scorn, contempt and persecution which hurried him on to his betrayal and condemnation. Finally, he read the account of his death on the cross on Calvary. Upon Marcellus the effect of all this was wonderful. Light seemed to burst upon his mind. The holiness of God, which turned with abhorrence from human sin, His justice, which demanded punishment, His patience, which endured so much, His mercy, which contrived a way to save His creatures from the ruin which they had drawn on themselves, His amazing love, which gave His only begotten and beloved son, the love which brought Him down to sacrifice Himself for their salvation, all were clear. When Honorius reached the end of the mournful story of Calvary and came to the cry, My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? followed by the triumphant cry, It is finished, he was roused by a sob from Marcellus. Looking up through the tears which dimmed his own eyes, he saw the form of the strong man bowed in his frame, quivering with emotion. No more, no more now, he murmured. Let me think of Him, Him who loved us, who washed us from our sins in His own blood. And Marcellus buried his face in his hands. Honorius raised his eyes to heaven and prayed. The two were alone, for their companions had quietly departed. The light from a lamp in the niche behind Honorius dimly illuminated the scene. Thus they remained in silence for a long time. At last Marcellus raised his head. I feel, said he, that I too had a part in causing the death of the Holy One. Read on. More of that word of life for my own life hangs upon it. Then Honorius read again the account of the crucifixion and the burial of Jesus, the resurrection on the morning of the third day and the ascension to the right hand of God. He read of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, baptizing believers into one body, of His abiding presence, making the body of the believer His temple, and of His wonderful ministry, glorifying Christ and revealing Christ to repentant sinners. Nor did he end with this, but sought to bring peace to the soul of Marcellus, reading to him the words of Jesus, which invite the sinner to come to Him and assure him of eternal life as a present possession the moment he accepts Him as Lord and Savior. He read of the new birth, the new life, and the promises of Jesus to come again and catch up His blood-washed people to meet Him in the air. It is the word of God, cried Marcellus. It is a voice from heaven. My heart responds to everything I have heard, and I know that it must be eternal truth. But how can I become possessed of this salvation? My eyes seem now to be cleared of mist. I know myself at last. Before, I thought I was a just and a righteous man. But beside the Holy One, of whom I now have learned, I sink down into the dust. I see that I am a criminal before Him, guilty and lost. How can I be saved? Christ Jesus came into the world to seek and save the lost. Oh, how may I receive Him? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart. That is the word of faith, which we preach, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. But is there nothing I must do? By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. But is there no sacrifice I can offer? He has offered one sacrifice for sins forever and is now set down at the right hand of God. He is able to save forever all who come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. Oh, then, if I may dare approach, teach me the words, lead me to Him. In the dimness of that gloomy vault, in the solitude and solemn silence, on Aureus knelt down, and Marcellus bowed himself beside him. The venerable Christian raised his voice in prayer. Marcellus felt that his own soul was being lifted up to heaven, to the very presence of the Savior, by the power of that fervent, believing prayer. The words found echo in his own soul and spirit, and in his deep abasement he rested his knee upon his companion so that he might present it in a more suitable manner than he could for himself. But finally his own desires grew stronger. Faith reached out timidly, tremblingly, yet it was real faith, and his soul was strengthened until at last, as on Aureus ended, his tongue was loosed and uttered the cry of his heart, Lord, I believe! Oh, help thou my unbelief! The one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, had become real to his faith, and the words of Jesus, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that hears my word and believes on him that sent me has eternal life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand, were received, believed, and rejoiced in. Hours passed on, but who can fittingly describe the progress of a soul passing from death unto life? Enough that when morning dawned on the earth above, a glorious day had dawned on the soul and spirit of Marcellus in the vaults below. His longings were completely satisfied, the burden of sins was removed, and the peace of God through Jesus Christ filled him. The Christian secret was his, and he had become the willing bond-slave of Jesus Christ. One with his brethren in Christ, he could now sing with them, Unto him that loved us, to him that washed us from our sins in his own blood, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Chapter 6 The Cloud of Witnesses These all died in faith. The new converts soon learned more of the Christians. After a brief repose, he rose, and was joined by Honorius, who offered to show him the nature of the place and where they lived. Those whom he had seen at the chapel service formed but a small part of the dwellers in the catacombs. Their numbers rose to many thousands, and they were scattered throughout its wide extent in little communities, each of which had its own means of communication with the city. He walked far on, accompanied by Honorius, who was astonished at the numbers of people whom he encountered, and though he knew that the Christians were numerous, yet he did not suppose that so vast a proportion would have the fortitude to choose a life in the catacombs. Nor was he less interested in the dead than in the living. As he passed along, he read the inscriptions upon their tombs, and found in them all the same strong faith and lofty hope. These he loved to read, and the fond interest which Honorius took in these pious memorials made him a congenial guide. There, said Honorius, lies a witness for the truth. Marcellus looked where he pointed and read as follows. Prometheus, in peace after many torments, a most valiant martyr, he lived about thirty-eight years. His wife raised this to her dearest husband, the well-deserving. These men, said Honorius, show us how Christians ought to die. Yonder is another who suffered like Prometheus. Paulus was put to death in tortures in order that he might live in eternal bliss. And there, said Honorius, is the tomb of a noble lady who showed that fortitude which Christ can always bestow even to the weakest of his followers in their hour of need. Clementia, tortured, dead, sleeps, will rise. If called upon, said Honorius, to pass through the article of death, the spirit is instantly absent from the body and present with the Lord. The promised return of our Lord, which may be at any moment, is the blessed hope of the instructed Christian. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Here, continued Honorius, lies Constans, doubly constant to his God by a double trial, poison was given to him first, but it was powerless over him, and so he was put to the sword. The deadly draught dared not present to Constans the crown, which the steel was permitted to offer. Thus they walked along, reading the inscriptions which appeared on every side. New feelings came to Marcellus as he read the glorious catalogue of names. It was to him a history of the Church of Christ. Here were the acts of the martyrs portrayed before him in words that burned. The rude pictures that adorned many of the tombs carried with them a pathos that the finest works of the skillful artist could not produce. The rudely carved letters, the bad spelling and grammatical errors that characterized many of them gave a touching proof of the treasure of the gospel to the poor and lowly. Not many wise, not many mighty are called, but to the poor the gospel is preached. On many of them there was a monogram which was formed of the initial letters of a title of Christ, Christ the Lord, X and P, being joined so as to form one cipher. Some bore a palm branch, the emblem of victory and immortality. The token of that palm of glory which shall hereafter wave in the hands of the innumerable throng that are to stand around the throne. Others bore other devices. What is this? said Marcellus, pointing to a picture of a ship. It shows that the redeemed spirit has sailed from the earth to the haven of rest. And what is the meaning of this fish that I see represented so often? The fish is used because the letters that form its name in Greek are the initials of words that express the glory and hope of the Christian. Iota stands for Jesus, Ki for Christ, Theta and Upsilon for the Son of God and Sigma for Savior. So that the fish symbolizes under its name, Ixus, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior. What means this picture that I see so often? A ship and a huge sea monster. That is Jonah, the prophet of God of whom you are as yet ignorant. Honorius then related the account of Jonah and showed him how the escape from the bowels of the fish reminded the Christian of his deliverance from the darkness of the tomb. This glorious hope of the resurrection is an unspeakable comfort, said he, and we love to bring it to our thoughts by different symbols. There too is another symbol of this same blessed truth, the dove carrying an olive branch to Noah. He related to his companion the account of the flood so that Marcellus might see the meaning of the representation. But of all the symbols which are used, said he, none is so clear as this, and he pointed to a picture of the resurrection of Lazarus. There too, said Honorius, is an anchor, the sign of hope, by which the Christian, while tossing amid the stormy billows of life, holds on to his heavenly home. There you see the cock, the symbol for watchfulness, for our Lord has said, Watch and pray. There also is the lamb, the type of innocence and gentleness, which also brings to our mind the Lamb of God who bore our sins and by whose sacrifice we receive eternal life and forgiveness. There again is the dove, which like the lamb represents innocence, and yet again you see it bearing the olive branch of peace. There are the letters Alpha and Omega, the first and the last of the Greek alphabet, which represents our Lord, for you now know that He said, I am Alpha and Omega. And there is the crown, which reminds us of that incorruptible crown which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give us. Thus we love to surround ourselves with all that can remind us of the joy that lies before us. Taught by these, we look up from the surrounding gloom and by faith see above us the light of eternal glory. Here, said Marcellus, pausing, is something that seems adapted to my condition. It sounds prophetic. Perhaps I too may be called upon to give my testimony for Christ. May I then be found faithful. In Christ, in the time of the Emperor Adrian, Marius, a young military officer who lived long enough, as he shed his blood for Christ and died in peace, his friends set up this with tears and in fear. In this world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. Thus Christ assures us, but while He warns us of evil, He consoles us with His promise of support. In Him we can find grace sufficient for us. May the example of this young officer be for me, said Marcellus. I may shed my blood for Christ like him. May I die as faithfully. To lie here among my brethren with such an epitaph would be higher honor for me than a mausoleum like that of Cecilia Mattella. They walked on as before. How sweet, said Marcellus, is the death of the Christian. Its horror has fled. To him it is a blessed sleep, while the spirit is with the Lord awaiting the resurrection, and death, instead of awakening terror, is associated with thoughts of victory and of rest. The sleeping place of Elpis. Zoticus laid here to sleep. Assilis sleeps in Christ. Martyria, in peace. Vidalia, in the peace of Christ. Nicephorus, a sweet soul in a place of refreshment. Some of those inscriptions tell of the characters of the departed brethren, said Honorius. Look at these. Maximus, who lived twenty-three years, friend of all men. In Christ, on the fifth calends of November, slept Gorgonius, friend of all and enemy to none. And here too, he continued, are others which tell of their private lives and domestic experiences. Cecilius, the husband, to Cecilia Placinda, my wife of excellent memory, with whom I lived ten years without any quarrel, in Jesus Christ, Son of God, the Savior. Sacred to Christ, the Supreme God, the talus buried on Saturday, calends of August, aged twenty-five years and eight months. She lived with her husband ten years and thirty days. In Christ, the first and last. To Domnina, my sweetest and most innocent wife, who lived sixteen years and four months, and was married two years, four months and nine days, with whom I was not able to live, on account of my traveling, more than six months, during which time I showed her my love as I felt it. None else so loved each other, buried on the fifteenth before the calends of June. To Claudius, the well-deserving and affectionate, who loved me, he lived about twenty-five years in Christ. There is a tribute of a loving father, said Marcellus, as he read the following. Lawrence, to his sweetest son, Severus, born away by angels on the seventh Ides of January. And here of a wife. Domitius, in peace, Leah erected this. Yes, said Honorius, by the faith of Jesus Christ, or, as you would say, the religion, the believer receives a new and divine nature imparted by the Holy Spirit, who also implants in him the love of God, which makes him susceptible to more tender affection to friends and relatives. The old Adam nature remains, however, but is never improved, nor can be. Passing on, they found many epitaphs which exhibited this tender love of departed relatives. Constantia, of wonderful beauty and amiability, who lived eighteen years in Christ.