Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1931-12-03

time Nero was Emperor.
We saw not only these caskets, but
the mummified body, as well, which
was in the original casket with glass
put across the top. We could even
read the name borne by the mani
mate remains, for 1t was chiselled In
Latin on the side Of the casket.
Visitors to the catacombs must al
ways stay with the party for 1t is not
permitted to wander away. The
danger Of getting lost is very great.
should one step into a dark gallery
and become confused. One might be
lost for days, or entirely so, even tho
the monks have diagram Of the en-
tire system and are thoroughly
familiar with 1t. 1t would not be
pleasant place to get lost In, as there
are many galleries where the entire
sides are masses of piled up skulls
and the heavy bones Of the body.
Thousands Of them. It is gruesome
seeing these things when in the light
and company Of others-imagine what
1t would be to be lost among them.
In these underground passages are
large rooms which were undoubtedly
used as places OF worship or gathering
places for discourse. They have affairs
made Of stone, upon which were
placed the holy vessels consecrated to
the Priests service. Above these
affairs the walls are decorated with
paintings Of religious insignia.
So cruel were the atrocities prac-
tised upon the early Christians by the
soldiers Of Nero that 1t was almost
certain death to be merely recognized
as belonging to the new sect called
Christians" For this reason, certain
things were agreed upon, signs, as it
were. which were used by one to an
other, by which one might recognize
a Christian without question being
asked. For instance, suppose one met
another and wished to know If that
one was Christian. He might
casually trace an outline Of fish, or
a loaf OF bread, or the outline of a
dove. All these and many others are
found everywhere drawn or painted
on the walls of these rooms. The fish
and loaf signified Christ, through the
miracle Of feeding the multitude. The
dove, the Spirit OF God at Christ's
baptism. Corn is frequently drawn,
in the ear or the growing plant. This
signified flour for the bread of the
Communion. The figure OF the cock,
or rooster, reminds one Of Peters
denial of Christ before the cock crows
thrice"
On the walls Of some of the larger
rooms used for chapels there are hun
dreds Of names scratched in Latin,
sometimes lists of those baptized and
in several places the names Of Peter
and Paul are found.
In one gallery there was found the
original stairway Of stone that they
claim was undoubtedly used by Peter
and Paul. ! went down this stairway
into a small, almost circular chamber
that Ind every appearance of a
baptistry. At the bottom Of the steps
was small pool of water, crystal
clear. which was used In their bap-
tismal rites. The early inhabitants
of these catacombs had obtained this
pool through tapping the acqueduct
that ran Immediately above the sur
face Of the earth here. They had
made small opening In the bottom
of the acqueduct and cleverly con-
Quoted the water down below for their
own use. On the sides Of this small
chamber which is probably not more
than eight or ten feet across, are long
lists OF names Of persons baptized
there, names laboriously scratched in
solid rock, with knifc's point, 1900
or more years ago. They were all in
Latin.
On the altar in one room were two
metal receptacles which had been
used either as lamps or perhaps to
hold some of the altar oils. From
their appearance it seemed they were
lamps that we're hung from the cell
ing, filled with oil and wick inserted
for the light. They were almost
identical in style and form to those
used in cur own country before the
discovery Of kerosene for Illumination.
| One must remember that these
catacombs were the place OF daily
abode for thousands of people, as well
as their later burial places. Thor
cemeteries we're IL galleries at dis
lance from those used for daily life,
and, as cremation or naturalization
was practised then, and the bodies
sealed in marble collins or sealed in
side inches cut out Of the solid rock
of the sides of the passage ways, 1t
seems these residents took every pre-
caution they could to protect the
I health Of the living. AT one place
there an inscription on the wall in
Latin tells that the bones and all that
remained of the bodies Of some 243
victims who persisted by beasts in the
Coliseum, were gathered up and IN
tered there. Think of It, all that
was left Of a43 people, men, women
and children, torn to pieces and eaten