The Second general persecution was under Domitian in the year 95, when 40,000 were supposed to have suffered martyrdom.

The Third began in the third year of Trajan in the year 100, and was carried on with violence for several years.

The Fourth was under Antoninus when the Christians were banished from their houses, forbidden to show their heads, reproached, beaten, hurried from place to place, plundered, imprisoned, and stoned.

The Fifth began in the year 127, under Severus when great cruelties were committed. In this reign happened the martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas and their companions. These two beautiful and amiable young women, mothers of infant children, after suffering much in prison were exposed before an insulting multitude, to a wild cow, who mangled their bodies in a horrid manner; after which they were carried to a conspicuous place, and put to death by the sword.

The Sixth began with the reign of the emperor Maximinus in 235. F

The Seventh which was the most dreadful ever known, began in 250, under the emperor

Decius, when the christians were in all places driven from their habitations, stripped of their estates, tormented with racks, &c.

The Eighth began under Valerian. Both men and women suffered death, some by scourging, some by the sword, and some by fire.

The Ninth was under Aurelian, in 274, but this was inconsiderable, compared with others before mentioned.

The Tenth began in the nineteenth year of Diodecian, 303. In this dreadful persecution, which lasted ten years, houses which were filled with Christians were set on fire, and whole droves were tied together with ropes, and thrown into the sea. It is related that 17,000 were slain in one month's time; and that during the continuance of this persecution, in the province of Egypt alone, no less than 144,000 Christians died by the violence of their persecutors; besides 700,000 that died through the fatigues of banishment, or the public works to which they were condemned.-Buck's Theological Dictionary.

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6.

MARTYRDOM OF THE THEBAN LEGION.

During the reign of the emperor Maximian, A. D. 286, a legion of soldiers, consisting of 6666 men, contained none but christians. This legion was called the Theban legion, because the men had been raised in Thebais: they were quartered in the East till the emperor Maximian ordered them to march for Gaul, to assist him against the rebels in Burgundy; when passing the Alps into Gaul, under the command of Mauritius Candiaso and Experuis, their commanders, and at length joined the emperor. About this time, Maximian ordered a general sacrifice, at which the whole army were to assist; and he commanded, that they should take the oaths of allegiance, and swear, at the same time to assist him in the extirpation of Christianity in Gaul.

Terrified at these orders, each individual of the Theban legion absolutely refused either to sacrifice, or to take the oath prescribed. This so enraged Maximian, that he ordered the legion to be decimated, that is, every tenth man to be selected from the rest and put to the

sword. This cruel order having been put into execution, those who remained alive were still inflexible, when a second decimation took place, and every tenth man of those living were again put to the sword. But this second severity made no more impression than the first had done; the soldiers preserved their fortitude and principles; but by the advice of their officers, drew up a remonstrance to the emperor, in which they told him "that they were his subjects and his soldiers, but could not at the same time forget the Almighty; that they received their pay from him, and their existence from God.

"While your commands (say they) are not contradictory to those of our common master, we shall always be ready to obey, as we have been hitherto; but when the orders of our prince and the Almighty differ, we must always obey the latter. Our arms are devoted to the emperor's use, and shall be directed against his enemies; but we cannot submit to stain our hands with the effusion of Christian blood; and how indeed, could you, O emperor, be sure of our allegiance and fidelity, should we violate our obligations to our God, in whose service we were solemnly engaged before we entered into

the army? You command us to search out and destroy the Christians; it is not necessary to look any further for persons of that denomination; we ourselves are such, and we glory in the name. We saw our companions fall without the least opposition or murmuring, and thought them happy for dying for the sake of Christ. Nothing shall make us lift up our hands against our sovereign; we had rather die wrongfully, and by that means preserve our innocence, than live under a load of guilt; whatever you command we are ready to suffer; we confess ourselves to be Christians, and therefore cannot persecute Christians, nor sacrifice to idols."

Such a declaration it might be presumed would have affected the emperor, but it had a contrary effect; for enraged at their perseverance and unanimity, he commanded that the whole legion should be put to death, which was accordingly executed by the other troops, who cut them to pieces with their swords.-Milner's History of Christian martyrdom.