It was at Ephesus that John wrote the Gospel that bears his name, and also his three Epistles. It is said, that in his extreme old age, when his faculties of body and mind were so enfeebled that he could not make a continuous discourse, he would frequently rise in the prayer-meetings of the church, simply repeating the words, “My dear children, love one another.” When some of the brethren, wearied by the continued utterance of the same sentiment, inquired of him why he always repeated the same words, he replied, “Because this is the commandment of our Lord. If you keep this commandment, you will keep all the rest.” The venerable apostle died at Ephesus in the year of our Lord 99.
The Emperor Nerva, because he was a good man, was extremely unpopular with the army, and with the aristocracy,whose wealth was derived from plundering the helpless. Feeling the infirmities of years, and having no children, Nerva looked about him for some available candidate to whom he could transmit the crown. There was a distinguished Roman general, named Trajan, at the head of an army upon the Danube. He was stationed there to resist the barbarians from the north, who were now making frequent inroads into the Roman empire, burning and plundering without mercy. Trajan constructed a bridge across the Danube. The ruins of this stupendous structure of twenty-two arches still remain, testifying to the amazing skill of the Roman engineers. Across this bridge the impetuous general marched his legions, and, constructing a military road for their advance, pursued the barbarians through the wilds of Dacia to the River Dneister, chastising them with terrible severity. The importance of this conquest was deemed so great, that, in commemoration of the event, a magnificent monument was reared in Rome. This world-renowned shaft—the Column of Trajan, a hundred and eighteen feet in height—still stands, one of the most admired works of art in the world. Upon a spiral belt intwined around it were sculptured the principal events of the expedition. Napoleon I. adopted the Column of Trajan as the model of the still more lofty and imposing column raised in the Place Vendôme in honor of the French army.
Nerva pronounced Trajan his heir. Hardly had he taken this important step ere he suddenly died, after a reign of but little more than a year. Trajan, who, unopposed, assumed the sceptre, though exceedingly ambitious of military renown, and imposing upon himself no restraints in sensual indulgence, was a very intelligent, and naturally a kind-hearted man. But he could not look with a friendly eye upon the advances which Christianity was making. The teachings of Jesus condemned both his military career and his personal habits.
Pliny, called the Younger, was then governor of Pontus, in Asia Minor. There were very many Christians within his realms. Very severe edicts had been issued from Rome against them. It was Pliny’s duty to see these decrees executed.But his philosophic mind and humane spirit recoiled from consigning to torture and to death men, women, and children in whom he could see no crime worthy of punishment. He accordingly wrote to the Emperor Trajan the following letter, which has been transmitted to us by Eusebius:—
“I deem it my duty, sire, to consult your majesty upon all those questions respecting which I am in doubt; for who can better guide me in my perplexities, or instruct me in my ignorance? I have never been present at the trial of the Christians; therefore I do not know for what they are punished, or with what crimes they are charged: but I have many doubts whether regard should not be paid to the difference of age; whether the most tender children should not he distinguished from those of maturer years; whether those who repent should be entitled to a pardon; or whether it should be of any avail that one who has once been a Christian is no longer such. It is also a question with me whether the name alone should be punished, without any other crime, or the crimes usually attached to that name.
“Still the following is the course which I have adopted towards those who have been brought before me as Christians: I have interrogated them if they were such. When they have confessed it, I have asked them a second and a third time, threatening them with punishment. If they have persevered in the declaration, I have pronounced judgment against them; for I can have no doubt, that, whatever may be the character of the Christian faith, inflexible obstinacy merits punishment.
“There are others of these fanatical persons whom I have ordered to be sent to Rome, since they were Roman citizens. Accusations, as is usual in such cases, are greatly multiplied, and very many are denounced to me. An anonymous proscription-list has been made out, containing the names of many who deny that they are, or ever have been, Christians.
“When I have seen those accused worshipping the gods with me, and offering incense to your image which I have erected among the statues of the gods, and, most of all, whenthey have abjured Christ, I have thought it my duty to set them at liberty; for I am told that it is impossible to compel those who are truly Christians to do either of these things.
“So far as I can learn, the only fault or error of which the Christians are guilty consists in this: They are accustomed to assemble on a certain day before the rising of the sun, and to sing together a hymn in honor of Christ as a god. Instead of binding themselves to the commission of any crime, they take a solemn oath not to be guilty of fraud or robbery or impurity, or any other wrong. They promise never to violate their word, never to be false to a trust. After this they retire, soon to meet again to partake of a simple and innocent repast; but from this they abstained after the ordinance I issued, in accordance with your orders, prohibiting the people from assembling together.
“The repasts of the Christians were innocent, although the calumny has been widely diffused that they stifled an infant and ate it. I thought it necessary, in order to ascertain the truth, to subject to the torture two females who had served at these feasts; but I could detect nothing but an unreasonable superstition.