Page:The early Christians in Rome (1911).djvu/28

I

OF THE SPECIAL TRAINING FOR MARTYRDOM

The Church conscious of the powerful effect of a public martyrdom
upon the pagan crowds—established a training for—a
preparation in view of a possible martyrdom—This
training included: (a) A public recitation in the congregations
of Christians of the "Acts," "Visions," and "Dreams" of
confessors—(b) The preparation of special manuals prepared
for the study of Christians—In these manuals our Lord's
words were dwelt on—(c) A prolonged practice of austerities,
with the view of hardening the body for the endurance
of pain 197

II

QUOTATIONS FROM TERTULLIAN, ETC.

Certain of Tertullian's references to this preparation, and to the
austerities practised with this view, are quoted. (His words,
written circa A.D. 200, indicate what was in the second
century a common practice in the Church.) S. Ignatius's
words in his letter to the Roman Church are a good example
of what was the use of the Church in the early years of the
second century—Some of the words in question are quoted 202

PART III

THE GREAT NUMBERS OF MARTYRS IN THE FIRST
TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS

INTRODUCTORY

Christian tradition by no means exaggerates the number of
martyrs—the contrary, indeed, is the case—In the first two
hundred and fifty years the general tone of the early
Christian writings (above quoted) dwells on those blood-stained
days—But the great pagan authors of the second
century, Tacitus and Pliny, are the most definite on the
question of the vast number of martyrs—Here is cited a new
piece of evidence concerning these great numbers from
notices in the "Pilgrim Itineraries" or "Guides" to the
catacombs of the sixth and following centuries—These tell
us what the pilgrims visited—The vast numbers of martyrs
in the different cemeteries again and again are dwelt upon 207

I

List of the various cemeteries and their locality, with special notice
of numbers of martyrs buried in each 210