MARTYR, 'witness;' martyrdom, 'testimony.' The early christian community at first gave the name of martyrs' to those who announced new truths to mankind, who gave testimony to Jesus, who confessed Jesus; in the same manner as they gave the name of saints' to the presbyters, to the supervisors of the community, and to their female benefactors; this is the reason why St. Jerome, in his letters, often calls his initiated Paul, Saint Paul. All the first bishops were called saints. Subsequently, the name of martyrs was given only to deceased christians, or to those who had been tortured for punishment; and the little chapels that were erected to them, received afterwards the name of martyrion.' It is a great question, why the Roman empire always tolerated in its bosom the Jewish sect, even after the two horrible wars of Titus and Adrian; why it tolerated the worship of Isis at several times; and why it frequently persecuted christianity. It is evident, that the Jews, who paid dearly for their synagogues, denounced the christians as mortal foes, and excited the people against them. It is moreover evident, that the Jews VOL. V. B occupied with the trade of brokers and usury, did not preach against the ancient religion of the empire, and that the christians, who were all busy in controversy, preached against the public worship, sought to destroy it, often burned the temples, and broke the consecrated statutes, as St. Theodosius did at Amasia, and St. Polyeuctus in Mitylene. The orthodox christians, sure that their religion was the only true one, did not tolerate any other. In consequence, they themselves were hardly tolerated. Some of them were punished and died for the faithand these were the martyrs. This name is so respectable, that it ought not to be prodigally bestowed: it is not right to assume the name and arms of a family to which one does not belong. Very heavy penalties have been established against those who have the audacity to decorate themselves with the cross of Malta or of St. Louis, without being chevaliers of those orders. The learned Dodwell, the dextrous Middleton, the judicious Blondel, the exact Tillemont, the scrutinizing Launoy, and many others, all zealous for the glory of the true martyrs, have excluded from their catalogue an obscure multitude on whom this great title had been lavished. We have remarked, that these learned men were sanctioned by the direct acknowledgment of Origen, who, in his "Refutation of Celsus," confesses that there are very few martyrs, and those at a great distance of time, and that it is easy to reckon them. Nevertheless, the benedictine Ruinart-who calls himself Don Ruinart, although he was no Spaniard→ has contradicted all these learned persons! He has candidly given us many stories of martyrs which have appeared to the critics very suspicious. Many sensible persons have doubted various anecdotes relating to the legends recounted by Don Ruinart, from beginning to end. 1. Of Saint Symphorosia and her Seven Children. Their scruples commence with St. Symphorosia and her seven children who suffered martyrdom with her ; |