THE SABBATH. 5 



values of the Hebrew letters added together make up 

 this number. 



In his woik entitled 'L'Eglise Chretienne,' Kenan 

 describes the sufferings of a group of Christians at 

 Smyrna which may be taken as typical. The victims 

 were cut up by the lash till the inner tissues of their 

 bodies were laid bare. They were dragged miked over 

 pointed shells. They were torn by lions ; and finally, 

 while still alive, were committed to the flames. But all 

 these tortures failed to extract from them a murmur or 

 a cry. A youth named Germanicus, on this occasion, 

 gave his companions in agony an example of super- 

 human courage. His conflict with the lions called forth 

 such admiration that the proconsul entreated him to 

 have mercy on his own youth. Mercy was to be obtained 

 by recanting ; but, instead of yielding, the youth pro- 

 voked and excited the beasts, anxious to be torn to 

 pieces, and thus removed from so perverse a world. 

 His heroism simply exasperated his brutal persecutors, 

 who, when he was despatched, demanded another 

 victim. The Christians were called Atheists — a name 

 then and long afterwards of terrible import. * Death 

 to the Atheists ! let us seek Polycarp ! ' shouted the 

 maddened crowd. Polycarp, the friend of St. John, 

 and the principal personage in the Churches of Asia, 

 was then resident at Smyrna. They sought, found, and 

 arrested him. Those in power tried at first to coax him 

 into apostasy, but threats and entreaties proved equally 

 vain. « Insult Christ ! ' exclaimed Statius Quadratus. 

 Polycarp replied : ' For eighty and six years have I 

 served Him, and He has never wronged me — I am a 

 Christian ! ' The grand old man felt a profound disdain 

 for the roaring crowd around him. ' Give me a day,' 

 said he to Quadratus, c and I will show you what it is 

 to be a Christian.' 'Persuade the people,' retorted 



