The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-11-01

OUS tUtS.
Atticus, thy spirit is in bliss, pray
for thy parents"
In that of Cyriaca, we have an in
scription in much the same terms -
JoUtunc yiodS IN Dec
etr0g.
"Juvianus, may you live in God and
pray"
an that of Pricilla, we have another,
very touching and beautiful in the orig.
inal:
Anatolinus .f;Iio Jcncme
remit tecit qui 0i.rit annis WI
spriritus mus 5ene regimes
cat in Dec Pctds pro
sOrOrc tud.
Auatohnus made this monument
to his well deserving son who
lived seven years. May
thy spirit rest well
in God, and thou
pray for thy
sister"
Marine gives US another old Christian
inscription to this effect,:-
.pogcs pro "oJis quta
tScimuS te IN
sChristo,
pray;for us, because we
know that thou art in
Christ"
These are most of them inscriptions
on the tombs OF niartyrs, whose bodies
were deposited therein during the very
first centuries Of Christianity,a when
men we're ready to die for the faith of
Christ. They. were inscribed by those
who saw them suffer, and who were, per
haps, themselves to be the next to lay
down their lives; and yetdid not think,
that by entreating their prayers, they
we're derogating from the glory Of God,
or :he meGiatorship of Christ" Let us
now, from the monuments, which are of
the greatest interest, because they exist
now as they did when first erected, and
have never been subject to change, de-
scend to the writings of their Fathers,
and we ind the same testimony await
ing us, only much more strongly and
emphatically expressed. And We will
liud in this testimony that they euter-
tained exactly the same belief, upon
this subject, as is held by the Catholic
church to day, and which she has held
over siuce her foundation. We will
find, also that they not ouly ask the
saints to imterccle for them, that they
do not simply say "pray for US" help
us" but " deliver us" "grant us" not
because they believed that the saints
could, of themselves, grant them favors,
or because they wished to ignore Al
mighty God but because, in speaking
to an intercessor, it is frequently the
case that the same language is used
20 him as would he used directly to
the eraHtor Catholics, at the pre-
:ent day, are, charged with using TO
the Blessed Virgin aud the saints, Ian
guago which is due only to God, but
we fud that the Fathers Of the Church
u-ei not only the same, but even strong
er. St. Irenaeus, who lived in the sec
ond century, tells us, that, " as Eve was
seduced to fy from God, so was the
Virgin Mary induced to obey him, that
she might become the advocate Of her
that had ialleu. Origen, one Of the
Fathers of the Greek Church, who liv-
ed in the third century, speaking on
this subject, says -" And Of all the
holy men who have quilted this life,
retaining their charity towards those
whom they left behind, we may be al
lowed to say, that they are anxious for
their salvation, and that they assist
them by their prayers and tho ir media
ton with God. For it is written in the
books Of the Macabees: This is Jero-
miah the prophet of God, who always
prays for the people" and again, he
thus writes, on the Lamentations: 81
will fall down on my knees, and not pre-
cunning, on account Of my crimes, to
present my prayer to God, will invoke
all the saints to my assistance. o ye
saints of heaven, | beseech you, with
sorrow full OF sighs and tears, fall at the
feet Of the Lord of mercies for me, a
miserable sinner"
st. Cyprian, in the same century,
says: Let US be mindful of one anoth.
er in our prayers; with one mind and
one heart, in this world, and in the next,
let us always pray, with mutual charity
relieving our suferings and Affections.
And may the charity of him, who, by
the divine favor, shall first depart hence,
still persevere before the Lord may
his prayer, for our bretheren and sisters,
not cease" Thus we see, according to
the belief of the Fathers, that when we