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"In the year of Christ 286 A.D., a most remarkable affair occurred; a legion of Roman soldiers, consisting of six thousand six hundred and sixty six men, contained nothing but Christians. This legion of soldiers was called the Theban Legion, because the men had been raised in Thebias; they were quartered in the east until the emperor Maximian ordered them to march to Gaul, to assist him against the rebels in Burgundy. They passed the alps into Gaul, under the command of Mariutius, Candidus, and Exupernis, their worthy commanders, and at length joined the emperor.
"Maximian, about this time, ordered a general sacrifice, at which the whole army was to assist; and likewise he commanded that they should take an oath of allegiance and swear, at the same time, to assist in the extirpation of Christianity in Gaul.
"Alarmed by these orders, each individual of the Theban Legion absolutely refused to either sacrifice or take the oath prescribed. This so greatly enraged Maximian, that he ordered the legion to be decimated, that is, every tenth man to be selected from the rest, and put to the sword. This bloody order having been put in execution, those who remained alive were still inflexible, when a second decimation took place, and every tenth man of those living was put to death. This second severity made no more impression than the first one had done; the soldiers preserved their fortitude and their principles, and by the advice of their officers they drew up a loyal remonstrance to the emperor. This, it might have been presumed, would have soffened the emperor, but it had the contrary effect: for, enraged at their perseverance and unanimity, he commanded that the whole legion should be put to death, which was accordingly executed by the other troops, who cut them to pieces with their swords, September 22, 286 A .D.." (Fox's Book of Martyrs, p23.
They do not use the sword against the Christians in this country yet. Now it's just a cutting with words. But be patient, before it is all over, a murderous governmental sword will come against us all.
Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, China, the Islamic countries . . . those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
"Maximian, about this time, ordered a general sacrifice, at which the whole army was to assist; and likewise he commanded that they should take an oath of allegiance and swear, at the same time, to assist in the extirpation of Christianity in Gaul.
"Alarmed by these orders, each individual of the Theban Legion absolutely refused to either sacrifice or take the oath prescribed. This so greatly enraged Maximian, that he ordered the legion to be decimated, that is, every tenth man to be selected from the rest, and put to the sword. This bloody order having been put in execution, those who remained alive were still inflexible, when a second decimation took place, and every tenth man of those living was put to death. This second severity made no more impression than the first one had done; the soldiers preserved their fortitude and their principles, and by the advice of their officers they drew up a loyal remonstrance to the emperor. This, it might have been presumed, would have soffened the emperor, but it had the contrary effect: for, enraged at their perseverance and unanimity, he commanded that the whole legion should be put to death, which was accordingly executed by the other troops, who cut them to pieces with their swords, September 22, 286 A .D.." (Fox's Book of Martyrs, p23.
They do not use the sword against the Christians in this country yet. Now it's just a cutting with words. But be patient, before it is all over, a murderous governmental sword will come against us all.
Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, China, the Islamic countries . . . those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.