PREFACE. 
From the earliest ages onward, the Christian Church at 
large has ever bestowed the warmest sympathy and the 
most grateful attention on the history of her martyrs. 
And well she may do so, for have they not acted as the 
pioneers of Clirist's advancing kingdom, presenting in 
their example a standing embodiment of the victory of 
Christian faith and patience over the world ? 
Nor has the Protestant Church, for her part, been 
without the witness of numerous martyrs from the era 
of her first struggles for existence, down to the history 
of her missions in modern times. And though we do 
not idolize these martyrs, lest we should detract from 
the glory of the only Mediator and incomparable Martyr 
of Golgotha ; yet we honour their memory, and we 
look upon their sufferings and conquests as pledges for 
that universal triumph of the gospel, which shall even- 
tually be brought about. True, a Church whose founda- 
tion was laid by the Crucified, must ever remain a 
cross-bearing Church : amidst much of strife and tribula- 
tion, under the pressure of constant trial, her members 
must grow and increase, till the day arrive when the first 
holy cross-bearer, Jesus Christ her Lord and Head, shall ap- 
pear in glory and deliver His suffering Bride from all evil. 
