The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1840-06-23
Mis- elan e o " $.
THE BAPTISM OF FIRE.

Inc more you NOW us down Inc hicker we
rise the Christian blood you spill is like The
seed you SOW, it springs from the earth again
and again and !ructifes the more -Ieriutiian.
As the day was drawing to a close and the
rays Of the setting sun climbed slowly up the
dungeon wall the prisoner snt and read in tome
with silver clasps. He was man in the vigor
~of his days with pale and noble countenance,
That wore less the marks o. worldly care than Of
high and holy thought His temples were al
ready bald !; hut thick and curly beard bespoke
%she strength of manhood, and his eye, dark, full
and eloquent, beamed with all the enthusiasm of
"A martyr.
The book before him n volume of the ear
ly Christian Fathers. He reading the Apo-
'ogetic of the eloquent Terulian, the oldest and
ablest writer of the Latin church. AT times he
paused and raised his eyes TO heaven as if in
prayer, and then read or again in silence. At
length passage seemed to touch his inmost
soul. He read aloud
sci i've us then what mes you please form
the instruments Of cruelty you torture us by,
call US Sarnenticians and SemaXians, because
you fasten to the trunks Of trees, and stick lis
about with faggots to set us on fire; yet let me
tell you, when are thus begirt about with
Sire we are then in most ustrous appare J..
These are our victorious palms ami robes of glo-
nv; and mounted our funeral pile, we look
anon ourselves in our triumphal chariot. No
wonder then, such passive heroes please those
they vanquist with such conquering sufferings.
And therefore we pass for men Of despair, and
violently bent our own destruction. How
ever, that which you are pleased TO call madness
and despair in us, are the very actions which,
spder virtue standard lift up your of fame
and glory, and embazon them to future ages"
He arose and paced the dungeon TO and fro,
with folded arms and firm step. His thoughts
held commun ion with eternity.
-G Father which art in heaven !" he exclaimed,
go give me strength to die like those holy men OF
old , who scorped 10 purchase life mt the expense
of truth. That truth has made me free; and
though condemned on earth, 1 know l am alb.
solved in heavenn
He again seated himself at his table, and read
in that tome with silver clasps
This solitary prisoner was NJ. A. Du Bourg, a
man who feared not mans once a merciful Judge
in that august tribunal upon whose voice hung
the life and death of those who were prosecuted
for conscience sake, he was now himself an &C
cused-n convicted hereto, condemned to the
baptism of FIRE, because he would not upright.
eotsIy condemn Others. He had dared to plead
the cause of suffering humanity before that
.lread tribunal, and in the presence of the king
himself to declare that 1t was nm offence to the
majesty of God to shed mans blood in his name
Six weary months-from June to December
he had lain prisoner in that dungeon, from
which death by fire soon to set him fee.
Such was the clenency Of Henry the second
As the prisoner read, his eyes were filled win
tears. He still gazed upon the printed page, pnI
liz was blank before his eyes. His thoughts were
far away amid the scenes of his childhood, amid
the green valleys of Riom and the golden noun.
tains Of Auvergne. Some simple word had
called up the vision OF the past He was child
again. He was playing with the pebbles OF t Inc
brook-he was shouting TO the echo OF the hills
he was praying at his mothers knee, with his
little hands clasped in hers.
This dream Of childhood was broken by the
grating of bolts and bars, as the jaier opened
his prison door. moment afterwards, his tor
mer colleague De Harley stood at his side.
har ovctairtat the prisoner -
prised at the visit. "Thou in the dungeon OF q
heretic On what Grand hast thou come ?"
"On an errand of mercy" replied De Harley
/ come 10 tell tbee''- go
" That the hour of my death draws near -
"That thou mayest still be saved.'
r@Yes; if / will bear false witness against my
s4sod-barter heaven for earth-an eternity for a
few brief days of worldly existence. Lost thou
sshouldst say-lost, not saved !"
No, saved !" cried De Harley with warmth,
saved from death of shame and an eternity OF
ovo Renounce this false doc trine-ths abon1'
Unable heresy-and return TO the bosom OF inc
church which thou dost rend with strife ana dis-
senson."
"God Judge between thee and me, which has
embraced the truth"
".His hand already smltes thee"
1T has fallen more heavily upon those VINO SO
uniustly prosecute me. Where is the KING ne
who said that with his own eyes he would pe'
hold me perish at the stake he 10 whom the
undaunted Du Faur crled, IKE E!nlah ~ 1A",
81 1t is thou who tronblest Israel !" Where Is
the king Called through sudden and violent
death to the Judgment seat OF heaven Where
is Minard the prosecutor of the just? Slain by
the hand of an assassin! 1t was not without
reason that said to him, when standing before
my accusers, Trembe believe the word OF one
who is about to appear before God /; thou IKE.
wise shalt stand there soon-thon that sheddes'
the blood of the children of peace. He has
gone to his account before me-.
"And that menace has fastened thine own
condemnation. Minard was slain by Inc Hu'
gunots, and it is whispered that thou vert pr''y
TO his DEATH"
"This, at least, might have been spared dy
ing mani" replied the prisoner much ag'taten oy
SO unjust and so unexpected an accusation. ~. as
hope for mercy hereafter, nm innocent OF the
blood of this man, and of all knowledge OF 80
foul crime. But tell me, hast thou come mere