CHAPTER XIV.
THE TEMPTATION.
"All this will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me."
That night Lucullus remained in the cell with his friend. He sought byevery possible argument to shake his resolution. He appealed to everymotive that commonly influences men. He left no means of persuasion unused.
All in vain. The faith of Marcellus was too firmly fixed. It was foundedon the Rock of Ages, and neither the storm of violent threats nor themore tender influences of friendship could weaken his determination.
"No," said he, "my course is taken and my choice is made. Come weal,come woe, I must follow it out to the end. I know all that is before me.I have weighed all the consequences of my action, but in spite of all Iwill continue as I have begun."
"It is but a small thing that I ask," said Lucullus. "I do not wish youto give up this religion forever, but only for the present. A terriblepersecution is now raging, and before its fury all must fall, whetheryoung or old, high or low. You have seen that no class or age isrespected. Pollio would have been saved if it had been possible. Therewas a strong sympathy in his favor. He was young, and scarcelyaccountable for his errors; he was also noble, the last of an ancientfamily. But the law was inexorable, and he suffered its penalty. Cinna,too, might have been overlooked. He was neither more nor less than amadman. But so vehement is the zeal against Christians that even hisevident madness was no security whatever for him."
"I know it well. The Prince of Darkness struggles against the Church ofGod, but it is founded on a rock, and the gates of hell cannot prevailagainst it. Have I not seen the good, the pure, the noble, the holy, andthe innocent all suffer alike? Do I not know that there is no mercy forthe Christian? I knew it well long ago. I have always been prepared forthe consequences."
"Hear me, Marcellus. I have said that I asked but a small thing. Thisreligion which you prize so highly need not be given up. Keep it, if itmust be so. But make allowance for circumstances. Since the storm israging bow before it. Take the course of a wise man, not of a fanatic."
"What is it that you would have me to do?"
"It is this. In the course of a few years a change will take place.Either the persecution will wear itself out, or a reaction will takeplace, or the emperor may die and other rulers with different feelingsmay succeed. It will then be safe to be a Christian. Then these peoplewho are now afflicted may come back from their hiding-places to occupytheir old places, and to rise to dignity and wealth. Remember this. Donot therefore throw away a life which yet may be serviceable to thestate and happy to yourself. Cherish it for your own sake. Look aboutyou now. Consider all these things. Leave aside your religion for atime, and return to that of the state. It need only be for a time. Thusyou may escape from present danger, and when happier times return youmay go back and be a Christian again."
"This is impossible, Lucullus. It is abhorrent to my soul. What, can Ithus be doubly a hypocrite? Would you ask me to perjure my immortal soulto the world and to my God? Better to die at once by the severesttortures that can be inflicted."
"You take such extreme views that I despair of saving you. Will you notlook at this subject rationally? It is not perjury, but policy; nothypocrisy, but wisdom."
"God forbid that I should do this thing and sin against him!"
"Look further also. You will not only benefit yourself but others. TheseChristians whom you love will be assisted by you far more than they arenow. In their present situation you know well that they are enabled tolive by the sympathy and assistance of those who profess the religion ofthe state but in secret prefer the religion of the Christians. Do youcall these men hypocrites and perjurers? Are they not rather yourbenefactors and friends?"
"These men have never learned the Christian's faith and hope as I have.They have never felt the new birth of the soul as I have. They have notknown the love of God springing up within their hearts to give them newfeelings and hopes and desires. For them to sympathize with theChristians and to help them is a good thing; but the Christian who couldbe base enough to abjure his faith and deny the Saviour that redeemedhim, could never have enough generosity in his traitorous soul to assisthis forsaken brethren."
"Then, Marcellus, I have but one more offer to make, and I go. It is alast hope. I do not know whether it will be possible or not. I will tryit, however, if I can but gain your consent. It is this. You need notabjure your faith; you need not sacrifice to the gods; you need not doanything whatever of which you disapprove. Let the past be forgotten.Return again, not in heart, but in outward appearance, to what you werebefore. You were then a gay, lighthearted soldier, devoted to yourduties. You never took any part in any religious services. You wereseldom present in the temples. You passed your time in the camp, andyour devotions were in private. You gathered your instruction from thebooks of the philosophers and not from the priests. Be all this again.Return to your duties. Appear again in public in company with me; againjoin in pleasant conversation, and devote yourself to your old pursuits.This will be easy and pleasant to do, and it will not require anythingthat is base or distasteful. The authorities will overlook your absenceand your misconduct, and if they are not willing that you should berestored to all your former honors, then you can be placed in yourformer command in your old legion. All will then be well. A littlediscretion will be needed, a wise silence, an apparent return to yourformer round of duties. If you remain in Rome it will be thought thatthe tidings of your conversion to Christianity was wrong; if you goabroad it will not be known."
"I do not think, Lucullus, that the plan which you propose would bepossible for many reasons. Proclamations have been made about me,rewards have been offered for my apprehension, and above all, my lastappearance in the Coliseum before the emperor himself was sufficient totake away all hope of pardon. Yet even if it were possible I could notconsent. My Saviour cannot be worshiped in this way. His followers mustconfess him openly. 'Whosoever,' he says, 'is ashamed to confess mebefore men, of him will I be ashamed before my Father and the holyangels.' To deny him in my life or in outward appearance is preciselythe same as denying him by the formal manner which the law lays down.This I cannot do. I love him who first loved me and gave himself for me.My highest joy is to proclaim him before men; to die for him will be mynoblest act, and the martyr's crown my most glorious reward."
Lucullus said no more, for he found that all persuasion was useless. Theremainder of the time was passed in conversation about other things.Marcellus did not waste these last precious hours which he passed withhis friend. Filled with gratitude for his noble and generous affection,he sought to recompense him by making him acquainted with the highesttreasure that man can possess--the religion of Christ.
Lucullus listened to him patiently, more through friendship thaninterest. Yet some, at least, of Marcellus's words were impressed uponhis memory.
On the following day the trial took place. It was short and formal.Marcellus was immovable, and received his condemnation with a calmdemeanor.
The afternoon of the same day was the time appointed for him to suffer.He was to die, not by the wild beasts, nor by the hand of the gladiator,but by the keener torments of death by fire.
It was in that place where so many Christians had already borne theirwitness to the truth that Marcellus sealed his faith with his life. Thestake was placed in the center of the Coliseum, and the fagots wereheaped high around it.
Marcellus entered, led on by the brutal keepers, who added blows andridicule to the horrors of the approaching punishment. He looked aroundupon the vast circle of faces, hard, cruel, and pitiless; he looked uponthe arena and thought of the thousands of Christians who had precededhim in suffering, and had gone from thence to join the noble army ofmartyrs who worship forever around the throne. He thought of thechildren whose death he had witnessed, and recalled once more theirtriumphant song,
"Unto Him that loved us, To Him that washed us from our sins."
Now the keepers seized him rudely and led
him to the stake, where theybound him with strong chains so that escape was impossible.
"'I am now ready to be offered,'" murmured he, "'and the time of mydeparture is at hand. . . . Henceforth there is laid up for me a crownof righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me atthat day.'"
Now the torch was applied, and the flames rose up and dense volumes ofsmoke concealed the martyr for a while from view. When it passed away hewas seen again standing amid the fire with upturned face and clasped hands.
The flames increased around him. Nearer and nearer they came, devouringthe fagots and enveloping him in a circle of fire. Now they threw overhim a black vail of smoke, again they dashed forward and licked him withtheir forked tongues.
But the martyr stood erect, calm amid suffering, serene amid hisdreadful agony, by faith clinging to his Saviour. He was there thoughthey saw him not; his everlasting arm was round about his faithfulfollower, and his Spirit inspired him.
Nearer grew the flames and yet nearer. Life, assailed more violently,trembled in her citadel and the spirit prepared to wing its way to itsmansion of rest.
At last the sufferer gave a convulsive start, as though some sharperpang flashed resistlessly through him. But he conquered his pain with aviolent effort. Then he raised his arms on high and feebly waved them.Then, with a last effort of expiring nature, he cried out in a loudvoice "Victory!"
With the cry life seemed to depart, for he fell forward amid the rushingflames, and the soul of Marcellus had ascended to the bosom of the Father.