PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Fox's Book of Martyrs
Foxe, John · 264,474 words · 368 reading sections
The Rise, Progress, Persecutions, And Sufferings Of The Quakers.
"This is a true copy of the court's order, as attests "EDWARD RAWSON, Sec." "_At a General Court held at Boston, the 14th of October, 1657._ "As an addition to the late order, in reference to the coming or bringing of any of the cursed sect of the Quakers into this jurisdiction, it is ordered, that whosoever shall f…
940 wordsSECTION 242The Rise, Progress, Persecutions, And Sufferings Of The Quakers.
It appears there were also laws passed in both of the then colonies of New-Plymouth and New-Haven, and in the Dutch settlement at New-Amsterdam, now New-York, prohibiting the people called Quakers, from coming into those places, under severe penalties; in consequence of which, some underwent considerable suffering. Th…
289 wordsSECTION 243"Edward Rawson"
"Boston, September 12, 1659." Though Mary Dyar and Nicholas Davis left that jurisdiction for that time, yet Robinson and Stevenson, though they departed the town of Boston, could not yet resolve (not being free in mind) to depart that jurisdiction, though their lives were at stake. And so they went to Salem, and some …
718 wordsSECTION 244"Edward Rawson"
"The prevalent opinion among most sects of christians, at that day, that toleration is sinful, ought to be remembered; nor should it be forgotten, that the first Quakers in New England, besides speaking and writing what was deemed blasphemous, reviled magistrates and ministers, and disturbed religious assemblies; and t…
458 wordsSECTION 245Chapter Xvii.
PERSECUTIONS OF THE FRENCH PROTESTANTS IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE, DURING THE YEARS 1814 AND 1820. The persecution in this protestant part of France continued with very little intermission from the revocation of the edict of Nantes, by Louis XIV. till a very short period previous to the commencement of the late French rev…
769 wordsSECTION 246Chapter Xvii.
_The History of the Silver Child._ About this time, M. Baron, counsellor of the Cour Royale of Nismes, formed the plan of dedicating to God a silver child, if the Duchess d'Angouleme would give a prince to France. This project was converted into a public religious vow, which was the subject of conversation both in pub…
713 wordsSECTION 247Chapter Xvii.
_The Catholic arms at Beaucaire._ In May, 1815, a federative association, similar to those of Lyons, Grenoble, Paris, Avignon, and Montpelier, was desired by many persons at Nismes; but this federation terminated here after an ephemeral and illusory existence of fourteen days. In the mean while a large party of cathol…
790 wordsSECTION 248Chapter Xvii.
Another party committed a dreadful murder at St. Cezaire, upon Imbert la Plume, the husband of Suzon Chivas. He was met on returning from work in the fields. The chief promised him his life, but insisted that he must be conducted to the prison at Nismes. Seeing, however, that the party was determined to kill him, he re…
707 wordsSECTION 249Chapter Xvii.
_Letters from Louvois to Marillac._ "The king rejoices to learn from your letters, that there are so many conversions in your department; and he desires that you would continue your efforts, and employ the same means that have been hitherto so successful. His majesty has ordered me to send a regiment of cavalry, the g…
800 wordsSECTION 250Chapter Xvii.
_Royal Decree in favour of the Persecuted._ At length the decree of Louis XVIII., which annulled all the extraordinary powers conferred either by the king, the princes, or subordinate agents, was received at Nismes, and the laws were now to be administered by the regular organs, and a new prefect arrived to carry them…
788 wordsSECTION 251Chapter Xvii.
Not content with these modes of torment, calumnious and inflamatory publications charged the protestants with raising the proscribed standard in the communes, and invoking the fallen Napoleon; and, of course, as unworthy the protection of the laws and the favour of the monarch. Hundreds after this were dragged to pris…
846 wordsSECTION 252Chapter Xvii.
Nevertheless, during the progress of these horrors and obscenities, so disgraceful to France and the catholic religion, the agents of government had a powerful force under their command, and by honestly employing it they might have restored tranquility. Murder and robbery, however, continued, and were winked at, by the…
761 wordsSECTION 253Chapter Xvii.
Still disorders kept pace with the proclamations that made a show of suppressing them, and the force of the catholic faction also continued to increase. The catholic populace, notwithstanding the decrees of the magistrates, were allowed to retain the arms they had illegally seized, whilst the protestants in the departm…
817 wordsSECTION 254Suval De Laine."
"_January 2, 1816._ "I deeply lament the prejudices of the catholics against the _protestants_, who they pretend do not love the king. Continue to act as you have hitherto done, and time and your conduct will convince the catholics to the contrary: should any tumult occur similar to that of Saturday last inform m…
666 wordsSECTION 255Suval De Laine."
_Satellite._ "If all the protestants, without one exception, are to be killed, I will cheerfully join; but as you have so often deceived me, unless they are all to go I will not stir." _Trestaillon._ "Come along, then, for this time not a single man shall escape." This horrid purpose would have been executed had it no…
673 wordsSECTION 256Suval De Laine."
_Attack upon the Protestant Churches._ Some time before the death of general La Garde, the duke d'Angouleme had visited Nismes, and other cities in the south, and at the former place honoured the members of the protestant consistory with an interview, promising them protection, and encouraging them to reopen their tem…
828 wordsSECTION 257Suval De Laine."
_Murder of General La Garde._ At length a check was put to these excesses by the report of the murder of Count La Garde, who, receiving an account of this tumult, mounted his horse, and entered one of the streets, to disperse a crowd. A villain seized his bridle; another presented the muzzle of a pistol close to his b…
730 wordsSECTION 258Suval De Laine."
Perhaps the virtuous indignation expressed by some of the more enlightened catholics against these abominable proceedings, had no small share in restraining them. Many innocent protestants had been condemned to the galleys and otherwise punished, for supposed crimes, upon the oaths of wretches the most unprincipled and…
1,291 wordsSECTION 259Suval De Laine."
But, even when the French government was resolved to bring the factions of the department of the Gard, under the laws, the same men continued to exercise the public functions. The society, called _Royale_, and its secret committee, maintained a power superior to the laws. It was impossible to procure the condemnation o…
646 wordsSECTION 260Asaad Shidiak.
NARRATIVE OF THE CONVERSION, IMPRISONMENT, AND SUFFERINGS OF ASAAD SHIDIAK, A NATIVE OF PALESTINE, WHO HAS BEEN CONFINED FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN THE CONVENT OF MT. LEBANON. The following narrative illustrates two points. 1st. The usefulness of Christian Missions. 2d. The unchanging persecuting spirit of the papal church.…
682 wordsSECTION 261Asaad Shidiak.
When Mr. King was about to leave Syria, he wrote the farewell letter to his friends in that country. The letter was designed, by the writer, to show the reasons which prevented his becoming a member of the Roman catholic church. This letter Asaad attempted to answer but his answer, so far from being satisfactory to him…
732 wordsSECTION 262Asaad Shidiak.
_Jan. 1, 1826._ Twelve or fourteen individuals were present at the Arabic service at Mr. Goodell's. After this service, we questioned Asaad closely with regard to the state of his heart, and were rather disappointed at the readiness, with which he replied, that he thought he was born again. For ourselves, we chose rath…
698 wordsSECTION 263Asaad Shidiak.
It was not altogether unpleasant to hear these professions of diffidence in himself, and I endeavoured to turn off his attention from all other sources of consolation than that of the "Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost." Asaad observed, that whatever might be said, and whatever might be true, of our _object_, in comi…
691 wordsSECTION 264Asaad Shidiak.
Against such a formidable innovator, the patriarch and his bishops rose up in wrath, and Asaad was threatened with imprisonment and death. Two days after his departure, he thus wrote to Mr. Bird. "I am now at Der Alma, (convent of Alma,) and thanks to God, I arrived in good health. But as yet I have not seen the patr…
659 wordsSECTION 265Asaad Shidiak.
He replied, "He is with the patriarch." "And is he contented there?" "Not very well contented. But what should he do, poor fellow, necessity is laid upon him." This remark proves to us, that it is not a secret among the priests and emirs, that Asaad is detained against his will. _March 1._ A youth called this morni…
745 wordsSECTION 266Asaad Shidiak.
Others, especially the great ones, pitied the poor maniac, (as they called him,) and sent in quest of him to every direction, lest peradventure, he might be found starving in some cavern, or floating in the sea, or dashed in pieces at the bottom of a precipice. On learning of Asaad all that had passed during his absen…
709 wordsSECTION 267Asaad Shidiak.
On finding this testimony, my heart rejoiced, and was exceeding glad, for it removed many dark doubts from my _own_ mind also. From that time, my desire to read the New Testament, that I might discover the best means of acting according to the doctrines of Jesus, was greatly increased. I endeavoured to divest myself of…
725 wordsSECTION 268Asaad Shidiak.
Now if my object were money, as some seemed to think, I had then a fair opportunity to tell him a falsehood, and say, "I indeed received from the English that sum, but I have expended so and so, and cannot leave them unless I restore the whole." In this way I might have contrived to take what I wished. Yet I did not so…
795 wordsSECTION 269Asaad Shidiak.
When, after some days, came bishop Abdalla Blabul and Padre Bernardus of Gzir, the patriarch one day called me to them in his chamber, and asked me what I wished, whether money or office, or whatever it might be, promising to gratify me, speaking of his love to me and of his great interest in my welfare. These professi…
741 wordsSECTION 270Asaad Shidiak.
About this time, I heard that a certain individual wished to converse with me on the subject of religion, which rejoiced me exceedingly, and I was impatient for an interview. He came on a Sabbath day to Ain Warka, for the study of the Arabic grammar, according to his custom, and we had a short conversation together on …
997 wordsSECTION 271Asaad Shidiak.
Here I found one of my friends of whom I had heard that he had been very much astonished at my connexion with the Bible men. After I had seen him, and had conversed with him a little on some points, he would no longer hear me, fearing among other things lest he should be crazed. When we touched on the subject of the gr…
682 wordsSECTION 272Asaad Shidiak.
One of my friends told me, that he had suggested to the patriarch the grand reason why I did not believe in the pope, which was, that among other doctrines of his, he taught, that he could not commit an error, and that now, though a pope should see any one of his predecessors had erred, he could not say this, for fear …
854 wordsSECTION 273Asaad Shidiak.
After I had given them this answer, they brought no evidence to prove any error in it, and moreover afterwards never put to me any question to writing. Once, as I was walking with the bishop of Beyroot, he began to tell me how much they all felt for me; and how unwilling they should be to put me in chains to die a lin…
921 wordsSECTION 274Asaad Shidiak.
I asked the bishop his reasons for wishing to kill me. What evil had I done? He was filled with high and bitter indignation, saying, "What, miscreant! Shall we let you go forth to corrupt my flock for me? Is not what has passed enough?" I rose and said to them, "God at least is with me," and left them. The patriarch se…
1,369 wordsSECTION 275Asaad Shidiak.
Here then I remain at present, not that I may take my views from the English, or from the Bible men, nor that I may receive my religion from them. No, by no means; for I hold to the word of God. This is beyond all danger of error. In this I believe; in this is my faith; and according to it I desire to regulate my life,…
1,001 wordsSECTION 276Asaad Shidiak.
I would only add, if there is any one, whoever he may be, that will shew me to be under a mistake, and that there is no salvation for me unless I submit to the pope, or at least shew me that it is lawful to do so, I am ready to give up all my peculiar views and submit in the Lord. But without evidence that my views are…
675 wordsSECTION 277Asaad Shidiak.
While in this attitude his next younger brother, Galed, knocked at the door. I called to Asaad to inform him of the fact; but he gave me no answer. I then invited Galed to another room, where Asaad soon joined us with a full and heavy heart. The two brothers saluted each other with embarrassment. Asaad evidently wished…
648 wordsSECTION 278Galed."
To this letter, Asaad sat down, and instantly wrote the following reply: "To our much honoured and very dear brother Galed: God preserve him.--Your note has reached us, in which you speak of our coming home to-night, and say, that if we do not come, we trouble you all. "Now if we were in some distant land, your longi…
655 wordsSECTION 279Galed."
The youngest brother, Phares, who accompanied his mother, conversed freely and in good temper, and listened with attention to all Asaad's arguments, by which he endeavoured to justify his views and determinations. But no argument or evidence could convince the disconsolate mother. Asaad had repeated the name of Christ,…
727 wordsSECTION 280Galed."
16. A youth from Der el Kamer called to see Asaad. He remarked, that he once saw a priest at his village tear in pieces five of these books of ours, but he could not tell for what reasons. He had, apparently, never seen the ten commandments before, and was very much surprised to find image-worship so expressly condemne…
692 wordsSECTION 281Asaad."
"You must know, that if you fail to come home, you will give us great pain, and this, you know, would be inconsistent with love. Jesus says, 'By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.' You well know how much joy and consolation it would give us to see you; do not then deny us …
653 wordsSECTION 282Asaad."
28. Having heard nothing particular directly from Asaad since he left, especially since the affair of the books, I yesterday sent him a line, and to-day received the following reply: _Letter from Asaad to Mr. Bird._ "Dear Sir,--After expressing imperfectly the love I bear you, and the desire I have to see you in all…
651 wordsSECTION 283Asaad."
"All my concerns I commit into the hands of God, who created me. Through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, I hope that all my distresses will be for the best. "I accept with pleasure all your kind wishes, and send you many salutations in the Lord, and pray for you length of days. "Yours, &c. ASAAD." "March 27…
794 wordsSECTION 284Asaad."
Phares wrote a letter this evening to Asaad, in a hand that had been agreed on between them, saying, that if he would come to Beyroot, he need not fear, and that it might be a matter for further consideration whether he should leave the country. 5. The letter of Phares was sent off by a moslem, who returned at evening…
744 wordsSECTION 285Asaad."
I had written a letter of mere salutation to Shidiak by my messenger, which letter he enclosed in one from himself, and sent it on by his brother, returning himself with the messenger from Asaad. This brother of his, he is much afraid, may be ill-treated by the patriarch. 28. J., the messenger, called, and said, that …
329 wordsSECTION 286"Asaad Esh Shidiak."
This letter is certainly genuine, and is a full proof of what nature the insanity is, under which he labours. It has greatly relieved the anxiety we felt from the report of yesterday. From the verbal account, given by the lad who brought the letter, the following are selected as the most important particulars. He ente…
659 wordsSECTION 287"Asaad Esh Shidiak."
J. says, that his brother has told him in addition, that Asaad himself, on the whole, wished not to have the consul interfere, but that some one might, for the present, be sent every week or two, to see how he got along, and in the mean time, he hoped to make his own escape, for that only a few days before, he had loos…
844 wordsSECTION 288"Asaad Esh Shidiak."
JOSEPH, _Patriarch of Antioch._" 27. A youth from Ain Warka informed us, that he had seen a letter in Asaad's own hand-writing, saying, that he had yielded obedience to the patriarch, and professed again the faith of the Roman catholic church. This report, excited great joy, he says, at the college. We are rather pain…
898 wordsSECTION 289"Asaad Esh Shidiak."
So talks a Lebanon mountaineer, of more sense, information and truth, than most others, respecting the moral character and godly fear of his patriarch and prince. _His family attempt his liberation._ 19. Phares brought us a letter, which had just been received by the family at Hadet, from the patriarch, wishing them …
653 wordsSECTION 290"Asaad Esh Shidiak."
_Brief history of Asaad Esh Shidiak, from the time of his being betrayed into the hands of the Maronite Patriarch, in the spring of 1826._ =Translated from the Arabic of Naami Latoof.= When the relatives of Asaad brought him to the convent of Alma in the district of Kesroan, and gave him up to the patriarch, the latt…
769 wordsSECTION 291"Asaad Esh Shidiak."
From this state of debasement he soon began to meditate his escape. Accordingly, one evening, just as the sun had set, and while his keeper's eye was off him, he fled. An immediate and diligent search was made for him, but he could not be found until the second day, when he was discovered still hiding in a grove near b…
863 wordsSECTION 292"Asaad Esh Shidiak."
In process of time, certain individuals, possessed of a little humanity, became interested in his situation, sympathized in his sufferings, interceded for him, and procured liberty to open the prison door, so that any one who chose could go in and see him without restraint. Again he began to meditate an attempt to esca…
717 wordsSECTION 293"Asaad Esh Shidiak."
Upon this, the patriarch ordered him to be put in chains, and the door to be barred upon him, as formerly, and his food to be given him in short allowance. In this condition he remained till he was much reduced, and began to entreat them to have pity on him and take off the irons from his feet, and open the door of his…
661 wordsSECTION 294"Asaad Esh Shidiak."
Now when the others saw the care and attention of the priest, they said, "You have become a convert to his heretical opinions." But he replied, "God has said, 'Blessed are the merciful;'" and continued firm in his purpose. His assiduity was such, that whenever he left the convent for any time, he would give money to th…
795 wordsSECTION 295Footnotes:
After six days of additional confinement, the friendly priest again procured his release from his prison, and obtained the favour of taking the entire oversight of him. In this condition the persecuted man remains. May the Most High grant him speedy deliverance. Feb. 15th, 1827. * * * * * The latest accounts from Pa…
320 wordsSECTION 296Persecutions Of The Baptist Missionaries In India, During The Year 1824.
_Account of the Scenes at Ava during the War._ Mr. and Mrs. Judson were among the number of the first missionaries who left this country for India. After labouring for some time in Hindostan they finally established themselves at Rangoon in the Burman Empire, in 1813. In 1824 war broke out between the British East Ind…
711 wordsSECTION 297Persecutions Of The Baptist Missionaries In India, During The Year 1824.
"I dare not attempt a description of that splendid day, when majesty with all its attendant glory entered the gates of the golden city, and amid the acclamations of millions, I may say, took possession of the palace. The saupwars of the provinces bordering on China, all the Viceroys and high officers of the kingdom, we…
739 wordsSECTION 298Persecutions Of The Baptist Missionaries In India, During The Year 1824.
"At length Mr. Judson and Dr. Price were summoned to a court of examination, where strict inquiry was made relative to all they knew. The great point seemed to be whether they had been in the habit of making communications to foreigners, of the state of the country, &c. They answered, they had always written to their f…
684 wordsSECTION 299Persecutions Of The Baptist Missionaries In India, During The Year 1824.
"It was now dark. I retired to an inner room with my four little Burman girls, and barred the doors. The guard instantly ordered me to unbar the doors and come out, or they would break the house down. I obstinately refused to obey, and endeavoured to intimidate them by threatening to complain of their conduct to higher…
786 wordsSECTION 300Persecutions Of The Baptist Missionaries In India, During The Year 1824.
"I then procured an order from the governor, for my admittance into prison; but the sensations, produced by meeting your brother in that _wretched, horrid_ situation, and the affecting scene which ensued, I will not attempt to describe. Mr. Judson crawled to the door of the prison--for I was never allowed to enter--gav…
1,053 wordsSource & rights
Public domain in the USA; original historical text digitized by Project Gutenberg.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.