Page 119 - Third Book of Reading Lessons

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118 THIRD BOOK OF
who had married the senator Pudens, are, on very probable grounds, believed to have been Christians. vVhether it was by the piety of these ladies, or of other individuals, that the doctrine of Christianity was rst introduced among Britons, it proceeded with a silent but steady pace towards the extremity of the island: The attention of the Roman o cers was absorbed in the civil and military duties of their stations, and while the blood of the C istians owed in the other provinces of the empire, the Britons were su ered to practise the new religion without molestation. There is even eviden·ce that the knowl­ edge of the Gospel was not con ned to the subjects of Rome. Be re the close of the second century, it had penetrated among the independent tribes of the north.
4. But in the beginning of the urth century Dio­ clesian and Maximian determined to avenge the dis­ asters of the empire on the professors of the Gospel ; and edicts were published, by which the churches in every province were ordered to be demolished, and the re sal to worship the gods of paganism, was made a crime punishable with death.
5. Though Constantius might condemn, he dared not rbid the execution of the imperial mandate: but he was care l, at the same time, to show by his conduct his own opinion of religious persecution. As­ sembling around him the Christian o cers of his household, he communicated to them the will of the emperors, and added, that they must determine to , resign their employments, or to abjure the worship of Christ. If some among them pre rred their in­ terest to their religion, they received the reward which their per dy deserved. The C sar dismissed