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VOL. 11.
For the Banner of the South.
Her Monument.
mve they raised a shaft o'er the lowly place
'lhere we looked our last on her loving face?
Have they built a shrine o’er the honored head
•n at resteth so still in its grassy bed ?
rr ye they reared a sane with letters of gold,
£ rec ord the worth which our hearts enfold ?
is it of marble-serene and grand,
I ike her own true soul in this desert land ?
jj t white—without blemish or stain,
I ike her blameless life we now mourn in vain ?
u it enduring—rooted deep in the sod,
Ae ghejn the faith and the service of God?
liesifc it raise the sad heart to the throne and the
crown,
\ B she lifted souls whom affliction cast down ?
Poes it whisper ol Heaven, of hope, and of woTih,
Os everything noble, devoted, on Earth ?
Ismicli the bright tablet—with reverence deep,
liaised o’er the spot where we laid her to sleep ?
Is it a wreathed Brn, sculptured with art,
True type of her beautiful, generous heart,
Holding God’s sunbeams bright as they fall;
As she held His love for Earth’s weary ones all ?
Du the flowers of Spring bloom in radienee there,
Ami the wild birds make vocal the peace-laden air?
puts the Cross— blessed symbol of love and of faith—
Keep guard o’er the spot where she slumbers beneath?
Im re meet that its shadow should fall o’er her
breast
Who, led by its shining, passed out to her rest
Serenely she passed, like a child to its sleeping,
Smiling farewell to the hearts that were weeping ;
Loosening her hands from love's clinging tics,
To lift them, unshackled, unstained, to the skies.
Ip it Tablet of marble, or flower-wreathed Urn
That marks the dear spot where our grieving hearts
turn?
No flower wreathed Urn adorneth the spot;
gheft of marble—pale sentinel—guardeth it not;
'Jhc birds of the forest sing requiems there,
And the flowers bloom blight in the peace-laden air.
True, the guardian Cross spreads its arms o’er the
place,
But no symbol of pride can the searching eye trace;
No costly adornments —no letters of gold—
Her woith and our loss not by these may be told !
Farbetter and prouder hek monument stands,
Bearing the impress of her. noble hands;
Recording her name in letters of light
'Jhat Time only deepens—brings clearer to sight.
l ilting our thoughts to that happier sphere,
vi. •: •• !■:. ■■!' v HI; I(>yp 01: the briiVt u hearts heri-''
j'ii claiming, in i.cti'on more potent than speech,
Those virtues that envy nor malice could reach—
It speaks of devotion, of honor, of truth,
Os a soul that ne’er lest the bright robe of its youth,
Os a heart that could cherish no feeling of ill,
That affliction, misfortune, might open at will,
Os a faith that grew stronger ibrough sorrow and
pain,
of deeds all untarnished by Earth’s sordid stain,
of a hie dear to God—for with Martha’s fond care,
has combined all of Mary s devotion and prayer—
brighter than marble, more'enduring than stone,
Her Mouununt spiaks to the true heart alone ;
Si , hd with the Cross in whose pathway she trod,
It kupeth her name still unspotted for God !
"he head of the Mother lies low upon Earth ;
Her tons are her Monument telling her worth !
S. B. Elder.
A'«<? Orleans, May 1, 1869.
For the Banner of the South.
TIE LAST DAVS OF CARIHAGEi
OE
A SISTER OF FABIOLA.
AFTER THE MANNER OF THE FRENCH.
[continued]
CHAPTER XIV.
CHRISTIANS TO THE LIONS.
-Is Eng as the Emy eror Severus had
( ' inpetitors to contend against him for
,lic possession of the Empire, his policy
! °Avards the Christians was mild and
i nc iliatory. He knew their fidelity and
iC accordingly looked upon them as
I^worfnl auxiliaries in maintaining
1 a '‘C- Ilis army contained a large pro*
lotion of Christian soldiers, nor had he
ai >y reason to regret the decision by
such a brave and valiant element
l"'allied to the national force. But
‘•y death ot Niger and Albinos removed
rivals and this together
victories which his legions gain
1r the rebellious colonies, enabled
, ‘ 4 yt" grasp the crown with a steadier
- ail( l lu ‘ e ovcr his people with more
Sv" reign now became less
, V r [ 1 . MC *° the Christians. Was it that
.' I;,l vcd in the calumnies invented
• y pagans against them? Was he
■ '; t-y attached to the worship of
lS ; f :- tj dreaded the progress of
ri( ,, ['d-ci •' or was he anxious to add
. ; [[stige to liis name, by crushing
, 1 lc hg!on which had hitherto braved
. . ,b of Kcme and withstood the
‘ •■yA’ >i four great persecutions ? In
' :‘y ! year of his reign, he issued an
date against the Christians.
' signal for the fifth persecu
ep , v, ’ as a severe trial for the
C [ . h ’ : , ■‘'’attained by the invisible
t , ' 1 ° ! it was equal to the pressure,
something like those huge pyramids
which yet stand firmly upon the soil of
Egypt though floods have passed over
them in numberless succession.
Alexandria was the centre of pagan
superstition and the orders of the Em
peror were rigorously obeyed. This
great city saw many of its devoted sons
tall victims to the popular fury. Here
the father of Orizen together with Pota
miena, of whom mention has been made
before, openly confessed the faith and re
ceived the palm of martyrdom.
At Carthage there were many, who
though they condemned the Christian
faith, were nevertheless opposed to per
secute those who professed it, and w r ere it
not for the ceaseless efforts of Olympian
and Jubal, the edict of Severns might
have been consigned to the archives un
heeded. They neglected no occasion to
excite the minds of the people by call
ing on the Senate to obey the commands
of the august Emperor, and by exposing
what they considered to be the secrets
of those night assemblies which they
held for the purposes of worship. They
were represented as being guilty of all
the crimes that were looked upon as
such by the people of that age. They
pretended to have a horror of shedding
blood, it was said, still they gorged the
flesh of infants at their midnight orgies;
and though the blood of these innocent
victims was still warm, they also ap
proached to drink it whilst they eat
their palpitating members.* The lions
of the forest were less cruel for they
were guided only by instinct, while they
were endowed with reason. If such an
evil was allowed to exist or increase in
the land, it would be worse than that in
habited by the savage Numidians. Be
sides the Gods saw all this and who
could say that they would not punish
those who were remiss in suppressing the
religion of one who had declared him
self their rival ? The cry therefore of
‘Christians to ihe lions,’ should find a
re-echo in the breast of every man that
is true to the gods and to his country.
They should therefore rise in arms to
make war upon superstition and impiety
and dethrone that pretended God whom
they call their Saviour. ’’
Such was the language of Jubal in the
different houses of pleasure which he
frequented. Corresponding sentiments
were expressed by thousands through
the city over whom Olympian wielded
influence and many a sacreligious im
precation rent the air, and many a toast
was drunk swearing eternal hatred to
Christ.
The shepherd of the Mountains re
joiced that the hour was near when his
vengeance would be quenched in the
blood of Yivia. He lost no time among
the slaves in his endeavors to bring on
that general persecution to which the ob
ject of his hatred should fall a victim.
He even insinuated the prospect of a
universal emancipation, as the result of
their magnanimous endeavors to sup
press an evil which corroded the vitals
of the nation and checked its prosperity.
Firmiliau was Governor of the Pro
vince of Carthage. lie was a man of
peaceable disposition and averse to any
thing like popular excitement, persuaded
that nothing good could come of it even
though the ends proposed were just and
laudable. He refused to publish this
edict in a formal manner and it was in
vain that the High Priest recalled to his
mind the duty of obedience.
In the principal square of the City of
Carthage, arose the magnificent monu
ment of Juno, the Queen of the Gods.
The entire Province was placed under
her protection. A crown of precious
diamonds reposed upon her head and by
their natural reflection, formed around
calumny which arose from a mis
n] prehension of the Sacrament of the
Eucharist- which these early Christians
received as the veritable flesh and blood,
soul and divinity of the glorified Saviour.
AUGUSTA, GA., MAY 15, 1869.
her brow an aureola of light. She held
in her right hand a golden sceptre, the
symbol of divinity, in her left a vessel in
minature, beautifully sculptured from
bright colored marble and bearing the
inscription “Carthage, the Queen of the
seas.” The statue was of ancient date.
The Romans found it when they came to
take possession of the country, nor did
they desecrate it lest they might rouse
the anger of that proud and unforgiving
godess. It was held iD great veneration
by the people of the town. At night a
sentinel marched to and fro in front of
the sacred monument.
During the present period of excite
ment the soldier was found one morning
stretched lifeless upon the ground and
weltering in a pool of blood. The alarm
was given and soon the square was tilled
with crowds declaring vengeance against
those who had insulted the godess of the
City. It was declared that no other but
the Christians could have perpetrated
such a sacreligious act. The fury of the
people was beyond description, and the
cries of “death to the Christians,” echoed
through the streets and public places of
the town. Who were the culprits? It
mattered not; the whole sect should
perish. Bands of furious desperadoes
marched through the city displaying
their poignard and crying out for the
blood of the enemies of Juno. Others
again, after the manner of popular agi
tators, harangued the crowds that .father
ed round them, and them in
glowing language, the horrors of the
“impious sect,” and caked upon the peo
ple to execute the mandate of the Em
peror against all who refused to sacrifice
in their temples. The Governor was
called a coward, and a base traitor to the
country, and threats and insults were
launched against him as he appeared in
front of his house to quell the tumult.
Just at this time flames of fire were
seen to rise from a certain quarter of the
city, and clouds of smoke ascended spi
rally easting a blood red reflection tor
miles around. It was the temple. Its
rich porticoes, which were regarded as
the master-pieces of art, were caught in
its fearful embrace, and its thick and
lofty columns of white marble, trembled
under the irresistible pressure of the
flames and fell, one after another, with a
crash that resembled the noise and vio
lence of an earthquake. The frescoes
that adorned the walls of the interior had
crumbled to dust, and the delicate
sculptury that filled the surrounding
niches, presented nothing but a hideous
mass of charred and blackened ruins.
But when the vast and gorgeous dome
caught the fearful element, the scene
was as sublime as it was terrific to wit
ness. Fiery tongues of flame shot up
wards casting sparks like the eruptions
of some volcano, and throwing' a lurid
glare, far upon the waters of the Medi
teranean. From time to time the deaf
ening crash of falling beams and debris
of masonry resounded through the as
tounded city, and carried terror and
consteration to the hearts of all who
reverenced the sacred edifice as the
dwelling place of the immortal gods.
The lire now began to slaken its pace
for it had no more e inbustible material
upon which to spend its rage. A few
hours after and that once gorgeous tem
ple to which the inhabitants of Carthage
looked up as the pride of their city, was
no more than a shapeless heap of broken
statues and pillars, lying here and there
through vast and splendid ruins.
This incendiary took place just twen
tv-four hours after the sacrelege commit
ted on the statue of Juno and could not
but cause the people to suspect that
both had been the result of a conspira
cy. Chance could not have produced
such a wonderful coincidence. But who
could have been guilty of such a crime?
The public voice responded, “no other
but the Christians.’’
The minds of the people were accord
ingly still more embittered against them
anti they were now forced to hide them
selves in the secret chambers of their
houses or in the dark recesses of the
earth. But where was Yivia and Ter
tullian ? The former was praying un
disturbed for the repose of her husband's
soul. The latter was quietly writing
his famous treatise “contra Gentiles.”
chapter xv.
IIILARION AND ANGELA.
Firmiliau had fallen into disrepute
from the want of energy which he had
betrayed throughout his whole tenure-of
office, and especially since the late edict
had been given out by the Emperor !
against the Christians. lie was not
thought a fit person to represent, in the
metropolis of Africa, the dignity of the
Roman court. Accordingly a colleague
was appointed to act in concert with him,
and aid him in the administration of af
fairs. Hilarion possessed firmness of j
character, but ambition seemed to be his |
great fault. No sacrifice was deemed j
too great, no display of servility too dis-1
honorable vdien there was a question of,
some important place to be occupied, or |
some dignity to be conferred. These
were the kind of men that the Emperor
wanted. Treason and assassination had
been the means of raising them to the’
throne and they accordingly required
partisans without principle and without
independance, to retaJ»
elevated position. Hilarion though still
young, had seen life in the camp. His
manners were rough and uncultivated
and his language and disposition was
framed according to the irreligious spirit
of the warriors of his time.
Some time previous to the events re
lated above, it happened that as Angela
accompanied by her parents, was going
to assist at the celebration of the Holy
My* teries in the assembly of the Christ
ians, she met Hilarian who was consider
ably struck with the beauty of her per
son. “Who was she?” he thought, “was
she free or a slave?” The simple attire
in which she appeared, led him to sup
pose that she belonged to the plebeian
class, He was far from suspecting that
she was of one of the most opulent fami
lies of Carthage. His astonishment was
great when he heard that they had con
trolled the commerce of the city—that
their vessels had floated over the seas
that wash the coasts of Greece, Gaul and
Italy. He learnt too that she was a
Christian, and that, therefore, her virtue
was proof against seduction. lie did
not participate in the popular prejudices
against the Christians, nor did he be
lieve that under the guise of a mortified
exterior they concealed the most pro
found corruption. He was determined
to have her in marriage. Difficulties,
however, were in the way. He was to
succeed to Finnilian, as Governor of the
Province, and it would be a violation of
public sentiment as well as of the writ
ten law, to unite himself to a Christian.
But then could she not return to the an
cient faith? “Scarcely possible,” he
thought. Not even the prospect of
sharing with him the highest position in
Carthage could induce her to renounce
o
the worship of Christ. When they suf
fer the tortues of death rather than yield
to the exactions of the Emperor on this
point, it is folly to expect that I could
persuade her to abandon her faith by
the promise of an elevated rank among
the citizens of Carthage. But something
must be done, for I have formed the
project and will see it carried into exe
cution, no matter what means I am forced
to employ. If mild, peaceable words
will not do, perhaps I may succeed bet
ter with threats and violence though I
must say it is doubtful " Thus he re
flected. lie did not even yet know the
Christians.
On the day that the sacreiige was com
mitted several soldiers presented them
selves at the house of Angela and sum- j
moned her to appear before llilarion.
They found the young virgin praying.
She had heard of the terr ible provocation
which had been given to the pagans and
knowing that the Christians were sure
to be accused, she endeavored to prepare
herself for the ordeal through which
she and her brethern were destined to
pass. She had meditated upon the pas
sion of the Redeemer almost all the
night long, and from time to time she
felt herself transported into his presence
in ecstaeies of love. The scenes of
martyrdom with all its horrible details,
the scoffs of the multitude and the tor
tures of the arena were clearly pictured
to her mind, but instead of experiencing
a sentiment of fear she sighed after such
an honor, ardently desiring that her
blood might be mingled with the great
sacrifice of the cross. She was absorbed
in deep reflection upon this great mys
j tery when she was interrupted by the
sudden entrance of her mother,
j “Angela, the Governor of the Pro-
I vince desires you to appear before his
| tribunal,” she said in a voice trembling
with emotion.
“0 Eternal love ! when shall I come
before thy face ? Rejoice darling
mother, rejoice with me for my hour is
come.”
Her father now entered the room and
assured her that no harm should be done
! her, for that he would accompany her
i and protect her against any injustice.
TUoy ooou urvi r Vvd tvb iliL huuoo of Hi
jlarion. He was clothed in all the in
signaofhis office and surrounded with
soldiers and lictors.
“Angela,” he said in a mild tone, as
soon as she had approached in front of
i where he set, “do not be afraid, I speak
'to you, not as a judge so much as an in
| dulgent friend.”
“My Lord, I fear nothing,” replied
the young virgin, unhesitatingly, and
raisiug her eyes so as to look at him
full in the face. “He that is with me is
all powerful and will not abandon her
in the hour of trial.”
“Whom do you mean ?” inquired Hi
larion, looking around. “You do not
allude to this old man who, I suppose,
is your father ? Who is your all pow
erful protector?”
“He that is locking down upon me
now, and who is refreshing my soul with
the smile of his approval,” and a bright
effulgence seemed to surround the
figure of the faithful servant of Christ.
She joined her hands in the attitude of
prayer, and murmured sweet words
which her persecutors could not under
stand.
“Angela, we must not lose our time
in vain discussions. Show that you cau
appreciate the interest I take in your
youth and answer my questions without
disguise or equivocation. Are you a
Christian ?”
“Yes, I serve Christ and will serve
him to my latest breath,” replied the
young virgin confessor, with a degree of
emotion and courage which could onlv
have been inspired from on high.
“You have abandoned then the an
cient worship of your fathers ?”
“No, my Lord, the religion I profess
is as old as the world. It ascends hack
through a chain of prophets and palri
: archs, to the beginning when Cod created
i man. But your impious doctrines is
the work of the demon and your Gods
are no gods at all.”
“Foolish girl ! you blaspheme and
you know not that 1 can punish you, but
you are young’. Listen. Angela,” he
continued, in a more subdued tone, “you
are carried away by a blind passion for
an imaginary idea, and you follow a re
ligion which prescribes every species of
pleasure, dou degrade yourself by fre
quenting those wicked night assemblies
when yon ought to take your place in a
society where you would receive the ho
mage due to your rank and beauty.”
“Pleasures,'' re-echoed the young
girl, “what pleasure is more delicious
No. 9.