Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1909-08-26
RE CHIEF vESTAL,.
By NORA E. RECTOR.


and Christianity at Rome was draw.
ing 10 n close. The Emperor Constan-
tine still maintained the worship oc
the immortal gods. but his wife. the
empress, secretly prlcticed the rites
of the new religion. Ne,krtheless since
pagansm was as yet the established
worship OF the state, those who openly
avowed Christianity were still anne
nable TO the terrible punishments In
fiicted by the earlier emperors.
Even the virgins appointed TO keep
up the sacred fire In the temple OF
yesta. located in the center of the
Roman forum. were becoming disaf-
fectcd toward the religion under
which for thousand years their or
der had enjoyed inestimable privi-
legcs. So great was the honor attached
to the position of vestal that every
Roman girl aspired to the appoint
ment. There were but six of them,
dwelling in Il marble house near the
temple. served by numerous attend
ants aud slaves. They were free to
20 anywhere unattended. and in the
Coliseum n special box opposite that OF
the emperor was provided for them.
II. then. the religion OF Jesus was be-
ginning to affect these most honored
OF Roman women. II 1t had already
won over the empress. would it not
soon carry with II the emperor. the
senate and the Roman people?
One morning Claudia. the chief
vestal riding in her carriage for an
airing saw the sun glistening on the
breastpntes and helmets OF knot OF
soldiers When they came near they
halted and reverently made way for
her to pass \ prisoner whom they
were conducting alone stood erect In
the presence Of the sacred parsonage.
He was Julius Flavius. Il young Chris
tian, who had openly refused TO bow
his head at the sacrifices to Jupiter
and was being taken 10 the Mamertine
prison 10 be strangled.
The veStal sat looking at the man.
whose glance. rebellious at the reyer-
ence paid her pagan office. was lighted
by q fire far more sacred than that
over which she presided-love In the
two the conflicting religions met. and
Claudia. touched also 10y the only inn
mortal pagan god spiritually yielded
mastery to this servant OF new
| deity.
Take off his chains. said the vestal
| TO the officer in command.
AN order from the cmperorE" asked
| the officer hesitatingly.
"No--by the privilege vested in me
rs one Of the Sly virgins appointed to
| keep up thr sacred fire Whence came
you that YOU do not know that any
| prisoner meeting one of our number
goes free? Let fall his chains"
Pardon" said the officer. bowling
the knee humbly before her. For
| years have served in Gaul. and many
Of our home customs are unknown to
me Your sacred word is enough"
Approaching the prisoner. he took
| Off his chains, and julius Flavius stood
| before his Iiberator a free man.
You have deprived me of the bless
| ings of martyrdom." he said to her
| but you have prolonged my life that
l may spread the faith OF Jesus the
Christ May he win you. too. into the
| true church.
Claudia made no reply.
| She ordered her charioteer to drive on.
| Flavius stood looking after her. hop
ing hat she would turn her head. but
she did not When he came back to
his surroundings he stood alone
Above the house of the vestals tow
| cred a wing of the imperial palace
That night Claudia climbing the
height, entered the chamber of the
empress and. tearing the flct from her
brow, threw herself into her imperial
mistress arms ana poured into her
ear remuneration of paganiSni. a con-
fession Of the new religion.
Aided by the new ally. Flayius ap-
preached the emperor and besought
him to declare as the religion OF tine
state that faith which he had already
adopted in his heart. The appeal was
successful When the morning came
an edict went forth baniShing the
heather gods
The edict was all that saved Claudia
'''ih itllIiF trdln. But n0 gaulStn,
though il l#d received it's deathblow.
was not ocad. aud Claudia. before free
ana lionorcd among women. now dared
no' show her face "a the streets ~
ZONE But Julius Flavius. whom she
mad saved FROM martyrdom was taken
up by the emperor and advanced as
u concession 20 the Christian faction
~ the imperial pdlacc he again met
ihr woman who had saved his life
amd whose immortal soul he had
turned in the way of salvation. How
different the meeting from that when
''"@Cia was Ncstala MaximH ard
Jn'lus. loaded with chains. was on his
"ay to tie prison where Jugartha and
the CaiiIine conspirators had persisted.
She whom he could not revere as a
la-on he worShiped as his Christian
loyc
Ia the ruins Of the hous.. of vestals
ut Rome there are Il number Of pcaes.
'a!S ON which are the remains ~
statues Of the last Of the virgins who
lived there. On one is an iuscription
IN Latin praising the vcsfa!a Alaxima
Tor her many virtues apd hnr pro