Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1878-10-03
JULIAN. THE APOSrATE.
A Sketc., by Rev. w. H. Bidwell.

A Sketch by Rev. w. II. Btdwell.
The Roman Emperor Julian is historic
parsonage of sad renOwn. Next to Nero.
the executioner and murderer of Panl. he
WAS pre-eminent in imperial wickedness.
His attempts TO falsify the predictions of
+ OR Saviour drew down upon him the ven
geance of God. He stands ont on the his
= toric page as beacon of warning to all
sceptics. inlidels and aposta!es who pre-
sumo on the IN equal contest with their Ma
kerr Julian dashed headlong against the
rocks Of 4 dire aposiacy and became a fear
FIJI wreck on the shores of time. His his
tory offers impressive lessons TO all.
Some years since. while searching among
the desolatc ruins of Ephesus. and partic,l-
larry into the history and downfall of the
great Temple of Diana. stumbled $50 to
speak, on the secret causes of Julian
apostacy. which / had never found before
or elsewhere seen since. Mr. Wood. in
his investigations at Ephcsus and the Tenn
pie. makes no mention, think. Of the two
subterranean temples ''sde by side of the
Temple Of Dana''-viZ., the Temple of
Apollo and the Temple of IIecate-in the |
latter Of which Julian lost his Christianity
and his soul by apostacy. The facts are
so curious and remarkable. as connected
with the life of St. Paul at Ephesns and
the Temple of Diana. that 1 arr induced
to send them to the columns of the O5se,.-
yer.
Pliny says that this ten'ple-cave or grot-
to contained statue of "lIecatc. which
was Of such splendor that the priests had
to warn those who entered to shield their
eyes from being injured by IT," The
Able de la Bleterie gives the following !
particulars of the initiation of Inc En-
peror Julian into the mysteries of The
urgy:
Julian remained Christian till his ar
rival in Asia. when. having consulted I
soothsaycr of Nicomedia, his prediction. I
shook lis belief; but he was not finally !
seduced ill after his conference with the II
Platonic philosophers. They pretended. C
through the subor,i.nation OF intermediate L
beings, to bring mon into the presence and a
power of the Supreme Deity. This sci u
ence they called Theurey. Edcsius of c
Perganus was then the head of this Sect n
ouiihi NNiit AL SCii Va Iiliii. ara lotiliu
him to be an old man bordering on the "
grave. but still Of vigorous understanding.
Eusebius told him that MaXmus was then u
at Ephesus. but was one Of the earliest II
and most proficient disciples of Edesius. Z
who conducted them TO the Temple of He l'
cate and sauted the goddess. who began d
to smile at the burning OF a grain Of in III
cense TO purify the reason! Il leave you M
with your reasOnings," replied Julian. and ~
fastened to Ephesiis. 1t was plot con- 1"
certcd between the two philosophers to =
excite the curiosity OF Julian and make
him fall into their hands. Maximus of =
Ephesus was fascinating in his manner
and made all listen to him as to an oracle.
Julian Immediately gave himself up to his
precepts, and. like a lion. broke the chain
which bound him to Christianity.
The two philosophers initiated the En- ia
peror into their secret mysteries. Maxi IL
mus led him to the Temple and caused ''(
him to descend into subterranean grotto. &c
When the invOcations were finished. they TO
heard suddenly most fearful noise: they NJ
saw spectres Vf fire. Julian. being vet a te;
novice, was seized with fear. and mechan- co
ically made the sign of the cross. Every OF
thing disappeared, and the same thing pi
took place a second time. Julian said to M
MaXimus: ''Thcre is some efficacy in that gu
sign of the Christian - MaXimus, fearing pr
that his pupil might vacillatc, replied: on
''What u do you think you have fright tn
ened the gods? No. prince - but the tic
gods will have nothing to do with pro- ~
fame person. such as you appear" This III.
reasoning satisfied Julian. MaXimus then
predicted to him the Empire, and that he
should be the means of destroying the ,
Christian religion and of re-establishing
paganism. pN
On Julian's succeeding to the Empire
ne wrote to MaXimus and Chrysanthls, Nv
who were then at Sardis, TO come to him. 49,
Julian received MaXimus with the highest sn,
lOnors, and allowed hin to govern both 80,
himself and his Empire. On the death Of ~
Julian, Maxmus was thrown into prison.
,e.ng incapable of paying tie SUMS which ",'
ne was said to have robbed. lie was af- ~ ~.
erwards beheaded for predicting who was ~.
o be the successor to the Empire.
These historic facts connected with the w. nv
Temple of Diana and the two subterranean .i
emplcs adjoining illustrate the influence -: :.''.
# idolatry and the wickedness of the once
magnificent Ephesus, now in ruins. The
nd of Julian was sad and fearful. re ~
ersecuted the Christians and excluded ~ ''e
hem from all Offices connected with the 'A''
tate. He showed bitter Hatred to pc.
and attempted to falsify the ,am
rophecy of Christ in regard to Jerusalem 49,.
nd to rebuild the Temple and the city i; , .;'s
nut flames and balls cf fire burst forth mn
rom the foundations and killed the work
nen and burnt up their tools and put an va,
nd to the undertaking.
Jul an died, wounded i'm battle, at the ~ ~
cad of his army, at the age of 81, A. ID. '''
90. He threw up into the air handful
f his own blood. His mind was tor
nented with the most eXcruciating pangs r
f remorse, and his last words we're: 30 she
;alilean, thou hast conquered''
Such was the fearful end of this renown- =
d. historic, imperial apostate!-a warn u
az to all Others of like character who L
ppose and Why the religion of the Cross pie
{ Jesns.-N. Y Observer. VIII