Smyrna times., 1883-01-24

muSllnS ike woven wind; but the |
trickeries and limitations of the Euro- |
pean are running the genuine merchan-
disc of the Orient. Base imitation coin |
is sent to this market from England,
and little brass Egyptian images are
cast in foreign molds many a hundred
miles from the lands ofthe Pharaohs and
offered as "antica." German mix
lures are taking the place of the rose
oil of Damascus, the scent of Paradise,
and cheap drugs are offered as balm of
Gilead and Sharon. The velvety mo-
hair fabrics are numbered among the
lost arts. Beware of the limitations and
hearken not to the voice of the charmer
charming never so wisely in the
bazaars of Smyrna.
The genuine relics of this city, six
times totally destroyed, are the citadel
en- Mount Pagus, an AcrOpolis built by
Byzantine emperors on the supposed
site of a great Cyclopean city, Geno-
ese Tower, and remains of a strong
hold which antiquarians believe, was
founded by Alexander. To the Chris
tian land everything here that is not
Mahammedan and Jew is called Chris
tian) Smyrna is most interesting as one
of the Seven Churches referred to by
st. John in his vision on the lonely Isle
of Patmos. 1t is the only one praised
except the Church of Philadelphia.
Turn to the second chapter of Revela-
ton, and read what the Beloved Disci-
pie wrote to the First Church of
Smyrna. The view from the heights
back of the city is very beautiful; and
the railway to Ephesus reminds us
how the West is encrOaching on the
dead stiffness of the East. Near the
summit of Mount Pagus is the site OF
the ancient Stadium, a large amphithe-
ater, like the one in which Paul fought
the beasts of Ephesus. 1t was in this
spot that Polycarp died for the faith in
the year of our Lord 166.
The day we landed in Smyrna wa:
st. Polycarp's day, and the Bulletin d.
Smyrne, a newspaper about a foo
square, announced the fact in procla
nation.
Naturally our thoughts turned t.
the old story, made familiar in child
hood by Fo1's Book of Martyrs" anC
with deep interest we traced the shap
of the ancient theater where he sui
fered martyrdom. 1t is the fashion t,
sneer at these records and laugh at tn
. noble spirit which taught us how t
die grandly, to treat the whole story a
. a myth or superstition. 1t is as we
subStantiated as that Caesar was assas
- mated, and to deny it is only to betra
: ignorance and incredulity.
0 In the time of the Emperor March,
% Aurelius, when Rome was mistress {
% the world, Christians were cast to tn
% wild beasts of the arena for the amust
i0 ment of the populace. Roman liter;
r ature contains no tragedies, becaus
. the ferocious slaughter in public place
- was bloodier than any imagined poss
= bility in written tragedy. 1t was L
~ entertainment to read of groans an
~ tortures, when they could be seen an
Nc heard throughout the Eastern wor
" wherever there was o faction to ga
VI or province to be conciliated. Pol
1 carp was the first Bishop of Smyrn
SN His life, by Eusebius, is the pathet
nv tale of a gentle, devout teacher, ft
low disciple of the beloved one WI
oi leaned on the Masters breast at Il
V, Supper.
oh Warned by those who endured pre-
-, ecutiOn, at the entreaty of his flock
90 was persuaded to retire to a place
"a safety, and not needlessly expose hi
no self to danger. Search was made
as him, and his hiding-place was betray
,o+ by child, who was tortured till t
-. innocent little fellow told the seer
in Polycarp still had time to escape; t
rs the single-hesFted man remained, 81
mo ing: ""The will of God be don,
of While he was being led out from I
InF cave, he melted, for moment,
ron hearts of his captors by his prayers
orc them. They did not hesitate long, a
tho he was dragged to the crowded amp
inc theater, when the games were aim
;es ended. On his entry, loud vol
tbe which the old man accepted as vo
~, from heaven, shouted in cheering tol
.om "Be strong, o Polycarp, and quit J
ell like a rnanp ',. ~.
lost The naughty proconsuI was mo'
you by the august presence and venera
n of appearance of the prisoner and
led appeal of a wrinkled, timeworn fl
ible shaded by the shadow of death. ,ss
the ut may be he was stirred to adm
h a ton by the bold, unquenchable sp
that and he urged him, again and again
and recant, obey the imperial edict,
port swear by the fortunes of Caesar.
,our aged saint looked up to Heaven,
the said Z" Away with the goddess" Q
the more the eproconsul urged /; s Sweal
lies Cesar and Twill release thee. Re
iold Christ" Calmly the captive repl
avs: Eighty and six years have l ser
,ales him, and he never did me wr'
bal How, then, can revile my King
varS nv Saviour P'' "2/ ta. 81. ra
.rkie 'Vainly was he threatened with b
h of thrown tothe' lions or being burn
YARN death. To every threat, in defanC
.eue. every menace, he quietly answe
and at am Christian" p TO r. it"i
,s ON The old chionicler says that
low who looked steadfastly on him saw
the face as It had been the face Of an al
Bal A strange light glewed in II, anf
arch body was like that ofthe Shining
s the as he stood ffiendless, In lonely m
both ty, in the arena. No soft, fair han
FIVE the balcony to ding q rose at his
H