"They persecute, and do daily persecute, those who worship Him (the only God). . . . Of those (i.e. of the Christians) who are zealous in the pursuit of virtue, and practise a holy life, some they stone, some they put to death, and up to the present time they subject them to cruel torture."
Tertullian, CIRCA a.d. 195-211
To complete the chain of testimony supplied by contemporary writers to the perpetual state of unrest, an unrest ever passing into active persecution, which was the lot of the Christian sect from A.D. 64, the date of the first formal harrying of Nero, to A.D. 180, the date of the death of the Emperor Marcus, the period here under consideration—the important witness of Tertullian is added. The years of his literary activity stretch roughly from A.D. 195-211. But although the dates of his works range from some fifteen to twenty years after the death of Marcus, it is certain that his general view of the condition of Christians would include at least the latter years of the period we are specially dwelling on.
His treatises, which especially relate to Christian and church life and to ecclesiastical discipline, are coloured with references to this condition of persecution under which the Christian sect evidently lived. The very numerous references in question are introduced casually as though the dangerous conditions were a matter of course, were inescapable, and entered into the ordinary life of the sect.
We cite a very few of these as specimen instances of Tertullian's conception of the life so environed with deadly perils.
The whole of the short and interesting address to "Blessed Martyrs designate" in this connection should be read here.
"We are daily beset by foes, we are daily betrayed, we are oftentimes surprised in our meetings and congregations" (Tertullian, Apol. 7).
"Without ceasing for our Emperors we offer prayer . . . we ask for whatever, as man or Cæsar, an Emperor could wish. . . . With our hands thus stretched out and up to God, rend us with your iron claws, hang us up on crosses, wrap us in
