Page 106 - LD215 History of the Church in Africa A4 final

A History of the Church in Africa

Eusebius related the martyrdom of Polycarp as an example of the
persecution faced by the early church:

He stepped forward, and was asked by the proconsul if he was
Polycarp. When he said yes, the proconsul urged him to deny
the charge. “Respect your years!” he exclaimed, adding similar
appeals regularly made on such occasions: “Swear by Caesar’s
fortune: change your attitude; say: Away with the godless!”

But Polycarp, with his face set looked at all the crowd in the
stadium and waved his hand towards them, sighed, looked up to
heaven, and cried: “Away with the godless!”

The governor pressed him further: “Swear, and I will set you free:
execrate Christ.”

“For eighty-six years,” replied Polycarp, “I have been his servant,
and he has never done me wrong: how can I blaspheme my king
who saved me?”

“I have wild beasts,” said the proconsul. “I shall throw you to them,
if you do not change your attitude.”

“Call them,” replied the old man. “We cannot change our attitude
if it means a change from better to worse. But it is a splendid
thing to change from cruelty to justice.”

“If you make light of the beasts,” rectorted the governor, “I’ll have
you destroyed by fire, unless you change your attitude.”

Polycarp answered: “The fire you threaten burns for a time and
is soon extinguished: there is a fire you know nothing about—
the fire of the judgment to come and of eternal punishment, the
fire reserved for the ungodly. But why do you hesitate? Do what
you want.”…

The proconsul was amazed, and sent the crier to stand in the
middle of the arena and announce three times: “Polycarp has
confessed that he is a Christian.”… Then a shout went up from

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