The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1840-06-23


" I came 10 offer thee life freedom and hap
piness."
" Life--free,lom- happiness at The price thou
hast set upon them / scorn them all Had the
apostle and martyrs ofrhe early Christian chnicb
listened to suc palry brides as these, where
were now the faith in which we trust These
holy men of old shall answer for me. Hear
what Justin Martyr says in his earnest appeal to
Antonine the Pious, in behalf of the Christians,
who in his day were urjustly loaded with odiiim
and oppression"
Ie opened the volume before him and real.
could wish you would take this also into
consideration, that what say is really for your
own good for il is in our power at uny time to
escape yonr tornents by denying the iath, when
you q uestion lis about il but we scorn 10 pur.
chase life at the expense of n lie for our souls
are winged with desire OF a life OF eternal du-
ration and purity, of an immediate conversation
with God the father and Maker of all things
We are in haste to he ccntessing and finishing
our faith ing fully persuaded that we should
arrive at this blessed state, if we approve our.
selves to God Ivy Our works. and by our obedi.
ence express our passion for that divine life
which is mover interrupted by any clashing evil"
The Catholic and the Huguenot reasoned long
and earnestly together but they reasoned in vain.
Each was firm in belief; and they parted TO
meet no more earth
On the following day Du Bourg was sum.
moned before his judges to receive his final
sentence. He heard it unmoved, and with II
prayer 10 God that he would pardon those who
had condemned him according TO their con.
science. He then addressed his judges in an
Grafton full of power and eoHuence. 1t closed
with these words:
And now, we Judges, if indeed, you hold
the sword Of God as ministers of his wrath, to
take vengeance upon those who do evil, beware
how you condemn US. Consider what evil We
have done and before all things, decide wheth
er il he Just that we should listen unto you rath.
err than unto God Are you drunken with
the wine cup Of the great sorceress that you
drink poison for nourishmen? Are you not
chose who make the people SIN by turning them
away from the service of God And if you re-
gard more the opinion of men than that of
heaven, in what esteem are you held ny other
nations, and principalities and powers, for the
'nartyrdoms you have caused in obedience to
this blood stained Phaaris? God grant, thou
cruel tyrant, that by thy miserable death thou
,nayest put end to our gronns
HWhy weep We What mean this delay p
Your hearts are heavy within you-your con-
sciences are haunted by the Judgment of God.
And thus il is that the condemned rejoice IN the
fires Won have kindled, and think they never
live better Than in the midst of consuming
flames. Tormen,s alright them not-nsults
enfeebie them not .; their honor IL redeemed ny
death-he that dies is the conqueror, and the
conquered he that mourns.
4" No. Whatever SnareS are spIeuu Ior U.s.
Whatever suffernys we endure, you cannot sep
arate us from the love of Christ. Strike, then,
sIay. grind us to powder Those that die in the
Lord shall live again ; we shall all live again +;
we shall all be raised together. Condemn me
as YOU will, am Christian; yes ann chris
tan, and am ready to die for the glory OF our
LorI-for the ruth OF the Evangelsts.
"Quench then your fires. Let the wicked
abandon his way, and return unto the Lord, and
he will have compassion on him. Lve-be
happy, and mediate on God, ye judges As
for me, go rejoicing to my death. What wait
We for Lead me to the scaffold !"
They bound the prisoners hands, ana iending
HIM forth from the council chamber, placed him
upon The cart that was to bear him to The Place
de Greye. Before and behind marched guard
of five hundred soldiers; for Du Bourg was be-
loved by the people, and n popular tumult was
apprehended The day was overcast and sad !,
and ever and anon the sound of the toIiing bell
mingled it's dismal clang with the solemn notes
of the funeral march. They soon reached the
place of execution, which was already filled
with dense and silent crowd in the centre
stood the galows with pile Of faggots beneath
il. and the hangman with burning torch in
his hand. But this funeral apparel inspired no
terror in the heart of Du Bourg. A look OF 'r.
urnph beamed from his eye,and his countenance
shone like that of an angel. with his own hahds
he divested himself of his outer garments, and
pazing round upon the breathless and synpa'
lhizing crowd, exclaimed:
"My friends, come not hithera as thief or
robber but i t is for the gospels stke /"
A cord was then fastened about his waist ANA
he was drawn up into the air. AT The same mo.
ment the torch of the executioner was applied
to the taggots beneath and the thick volumes OF
smoke concealed the martyr from the horror'
stricken crowd. One single groan arose from
all The vast multitude, like the moan OF the sea,
and all was hushed again save the cracking OF
the faggots, and at intervals the funeral knell,
that smote The very soul. The quivering flames
darted upward and around an agonizlng cry
broke from the murky cloud,-
aMy God my God forsake me not, that
forsake not thee" -,
The wind lifted the reddening smoke like a
veil and the form of the martyr was seen 10 iali
into the fire beneath that glowed ike furnace
seven times heated. In a moment 1t rose again,
its garment all in flames and again the faint'
half smothered cry of agony was heard, !,
"My God my God forsake me not, that
forsake not thee!"
Once more the quivering body descended m
to the flames and once more it was .i'teu 'i'1
indie