Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-04-21

leu away into open and manifest sin, were ad-
mltted to rartake of the Lords Supper. Pos
sioly upon some occasions these chapels NAV
have been filed with the sounds of exhortation
ana iamentatiOn. In the legends of the Ro-
man Church we read of large numbers of
Christians being buried alive, in time of per-
secutlon, in these underground chambers
where they had assembled for worship and for
counsel. But we are not aware of any proof
OF the truth of these stories having been dis
covered in recent times. This, and many 9TH
er questionable points in the history AID in
the uses of the catacombs, may be solved by
the Investigations which are now proceeding.
Few of the chapels that are to be seen now
IN the catacombs are in their original condi-
ton. As time went on, and Christianity be-
came corrupt and imperial religion, the sim
pic truths which had sufficed tor the first Chris
tians were succeeded by doctrines less plain,
but more adapted to touch cold and material
lzed lmag ginationS, and TO inflame dull hearts.
The worship of saints began, and was promo
ted by the heads Of the Church, who soon saw
how 1T might he diverted to the purposes of
personal and ecclesiastical ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
Consequently the martyrs were made into a
hierarchy of sanity protectors of the strayed
flock OF Christ. and round their graves in the
catdcombs sprang up harvest of tales. of vi
sIons, of miracles, and of superStitions. AS
the Church sank lower and lower, rs the need
of heavenly advocate with God was more
and more impressed upon the minds of the
Christians of those days, the idea seems to
have arisen that neighborhood Of burial to the
grave of some martyr might be efiectual
way to secure the felicity of the soul. Con-
sequentiy we find in these chapels that the la
ter Christians, those perhaps of the fifth and
sixth centuries, diSregarding the original ar
rangements, and having lost all respect for the
Art, and all reverence for the memorial pic
lures which made the walls precious, were of
10 in hn yal lie
above and around the martyrs tomb, and as
near as possible to il. The instances are nu-
merouS in which pictures of the highest inter-
est have been thus ruthlesSly defaced. No
SacrcdneSs of subject couid resist the force of
the superstition; and we remember one in
stance where, in a picture CT which the part
that remains is of peculiar interest, the body
of the Good Shepherd has been cut through
for the grave ofa chIld,-so that only the feet
and part Of the head of the figure remain.
There is little reason for suppesing, has
frequently been done, that the catacombs, even
in times of persecution, afforded shelter to
any large body of the faithful Single, spe-
cially obnoxious, or timid individuals, un-
doubtedly, from time to time, took refuge in
them, and may have remained within them for
a considerable period. Such at least is the
story, which we see reason to question, in
regard to several of the early Popes. But no
large number of persons could have existed
within thcm- The ctOSeneSS of the air would
very soon have rendered life iDsupp0rtable ;
and supposing any considerable number had
collected near the outlet. where a supply Of
fresh air could have reached them, the diff
Guilty of obtaining food and of concealing their
place of retreat would have been in most in
stances inSurmountable. The catacombs were
always places for the few, not for the many !;
for the few who followed body TO the grave
for the few who dug the narrow, dark passages
in which not many could work; for the few
who came to supply the needs of some hunted
and hidden friend; for the few who in better
times assembled to join in the service COM
memOrating the last supper of their Lord.
1t is difficult, as we have said before, to clear
away the ObScuring fctions of the Roman
Church from the entrance of the catacombS
but doing this so far as with our present knowl-
edge may be done, we find ourselves entering
upon paths that bring rs into near connection
and neghborhood with the first followers of the
founders of our faith at Rome. The reality
which is given to the lives of the Christians
OF the first centuries by acquaintance with the
memorials that they have left themselves here
guickens our feeling for them into one almost
of personal sympathy. ssYour obedience is
come abroad unto all men, wrote st. Paul to
the first Christians of Rome. The record Of
that obedience is in the catacombs. And in
the vast labyrinth of obscure galleries one be-
holds and enters into the spirit of the first fol-
lowers OF the Apostle to the Gentiles.