PERSECUTION (pEr'se-kreshiln), (Gr. Ouryphs, dee-oeue-mos', a pursuing), the active .opposition which Christians meet from their enemies.
(1) Character of Persecution. Persecution is threefold. (1) Mental, when the spirit of a man riscs up and opposes another. (2). Ver bal, when men give hard words and deal in un charitable censures. (3) Actual or open, by the hand, such as the dragging of innocent persons before the tribunal of Justice (Matt. x The unlawfulness of persecution for conscience's sake must appear plain to every one that possesses the least degree of thought or of feeling. "To banish, imprison, plunder, starve. hang. and burn men for religion," says the shrewd Jortin, "is not the gospel of Christ; it is the gospel of the devil.
Christ never used anything that looked like force or violence, except once; and that was to drive bad men out of the temple, and not to drive them in." We know the origin of it to be from the prince of darkness, who began the dreadful practice in the first family on earth, and who, more or less, has been carrying on the same work ever since, and that almost among all parties. "Persecution for conscience' sake," says Dr. Doddridge, "is every way inconsistent, because (1) it is founded on an absurd supposition that one man has a right to judge for another in matters of religion. (2) It is evidently opposite to that fundamental principle of morality. Persecution is so far from being required or encouraged by the gospel that it is most directly contrary to many of its precepts, and indeed to the whole of it." The chief vic tims of this diabolical plot have been Christians.
(2) Persecution by the Jews. The New Testament will inform the reader more particu larly how the first Christians suffered for the cause of truth. Jesus Christ himself was exposed
to it in the greatest degree. The four Evangelists record the dreadful scenes, which need not here be dwelt upon.
(3) Persecution by Pagans. There were ten persecutions waged by Pagan authorities against the Christians: (I) Under Nero A. D. 64. He inflicted upon the Christians the most hor rible tortures, so that his name is the very synonym of all that is monstrous and repulsive. (2) The second general persecution was under Domitian (A. D. 95), when 4o,000 were supposed to have suffered martyrdom. (3) The third be gan in the third year of Trajan (A. D. 'coo), and was carried on with great violence for several years. (4) The fourth was under Antonius, when the Christians were banished from their houses, forbidden to show their heads, reproached, beaten, hurried from place to place, plundered, imprisoned, and stoned. (5) The fifth began A. D. 127, under Severus, when great cruelties were committed. In this reign happened the martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas, and their companions. Perpetua had an infant at the breast, and Felicitas was just delivered at the time of their being put to death. These two bea,,tiful and amiable young women, mothers of +dant children, after suffering much in prison, wei e ex posed before an insulting multitude, to a wild cow, who mangled their bodies in a most horrid manner: after which they were carried to a con spicuous place, and put to death by the sword. (6) Under Maximinus (A. D. 235). (7) Of great severity under Decius (A. D. 249). (8) Under Valerian (A. D. 257). (9) Under Aurelian (A. D. 274), and (m) under Diocletian (A. D. 3o3).