The Irish standard., 1902-07-26

arrived they asked him if he We're a
Christian. eyes," was the answer.
II am a Christian If 1 were not I
should not be wearing this scapular."
They forthwith killed him by shoot
ing him and running him through with
their lances.
In the village of Ts'ao-tchoang a
Christian woman named Tchao-NIalia
fell into the hands of the Boxers while
she was seeking safety in flight. She
had her beads around her neck. On
seeing this the bandits with their
swords rained down blows upon her
head. Her body when taken from the
ditch where it had laid concealed, was
seen to be in Il state of perfect preser-
vation. Her relative reburied it with
every mark of honor.
Some mothers, initiating the hero
ism of the Mother of the Machabees,
presented to the executioners their
children, that they might see them re-
ceive the martyrs palm. At Tei-tclae
a Christian woman named Martha
Chen-Telchen was captured by the
Boxers together with her two chill,
dren, who were still at the breast.
Though wounded, she refused to apos-
tatize for the sake of saving l4er life
and besought her executioners to kill
first her two little ones so that they
would not fall into the hanus of the
Pagans After seeing her venerable
mother and her two children killed be-
fore her, she herself expired under the
blows of her eXecutoners.
Some Christians who in life had
scandalized their brothers in the faith
joyfully availed themselves of the op-
portunity fcr martyrdom in reparation
Of their faults. Many of the victims
on confessing their faith were in
stantly killed, either by thrust of a
lance OF a blow of a sword. Others,
however, were reserved for prolonged
and barbarous tortures Ignatius
Chen, twenty-five years old, was call
ed upon at Chen-cia-leon to renolnce
his faith. On his refusing to do so
they forced an iron rod through his
leg from the knee to the foot The
eXcruciating pain drew from him a
prolonged groan. His tormento1s then
cut off his two wrists and tore his
body into shreds.
In the district where Father Lomul-
Ter, who had suffered maltyrdom some
weeks before, had been stationed, the
principal administrator of the parish
of Chan-l'a, who by his example and
influence had made virtue and piety
flourish in that Christian community,
was taken prisoner by the Boxers, who
cut off the members of his body one
after the other Until he ceased invok-
ing the name Of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the village Of Lipu-Kia-Y Youar, a
Christians named Tien-KOung- Ming,
underwent similar tortures while con-
stantly repeating the words, ''Jesus,
save me! Jesus, save me!' Not less
| hS1 N'tiIN ttiSt t1lc Vii Cl
of the village Tong-Tzen-Kie bear
himself in the midst Of the tcrtures
inflicted upon him.
When brought before the tribunal of
the Mandarin our Christians gloriously
confessed their faith. Ou-Wenn-Yinn
the administrator of the parish Of
Tong-eull-t-eo Nhe district where
Father Gaudessart was stationedD, used
every means at his command to pre-
vent the destruction of the church in
that village. The Mandarin ordered
his arrest. The intrepid Christian,
foreseeing the fate that was in store
for him, knelt down before his mother
before leaving his home to take a
final farewell Of her. This heroic
woman said to him, "My son, if you
deny your faith, never come into my
presence again, for 1 will never more
recognize you.'
Mother" was the reply, "be not un.
easy. With Gods grace am prepared
to suffer death rather than abandon
my religion"
When he refused to obey the COM