Greetings, this is Jeff Riddle, pastor of Christ Reformed Baptist Church in Louisa, Virginia. This is another in this occasional series of readings from, and brief notes and commentary upon, Eusebius of Caesarea's The Ecclesiastical History. Here is Book 6, Chapters 39 and 40. Chapter 39 But to resume, when Philip had reigned for seven years, he was succeeded by Decius. He, on account of his enmity towards Philip, raised a persecution against the churches, in which Fabian was perfected by martyrdom at Rome, and was succeeded in the episcopate by Cornelius. In Palestine, Alexander, the bishop of the Church of Jerusalem, appeared once more for Christ's sake at Caesarea before the governor's courts, and for the second time distinguished himself by the confession he made. He underwent the trial of imprisonment, crowned with the venerable horilox of ripe old age, and when, after the splendid and manifest testimony that he gave in the governor's courts, he fell asleep in prison. Mazobanis was proclaimed as his successor in the Episcopate at Jerusalem. And when at Antioch, Babilus, in like manner to Alexander, after confession, departed this life to prison, Fabius was made president of the church there. Now the nature and extent of that which happened to Origen at the time of the persecution, and what was the end thereof? how the evil demon marshaled all his forces in rivalry against the man, how he led them with every device and power and singled him out above all others upon whom he made war at that time for special attack, the nature and extent of that which he endured for the word of Christ, chains and tortures, punishments inflicted on his body, punishments as he lay in iron and in the recesses of his dungeon, And how, when for many days his feet were stretched four spaces in that instrument of torture, the stocks, he bore with a stout heart threats of fire and everything else that was inflicted by his enemies, and the kind of issues he had thereof, the judge eagerly striving with all his might on no account to put him to death, and what sort of sayings he left behind after this, sayings full of help for those who needed uplifting. Of all these matters, the man's numerous letters contain both a true and accurate account. As to that which befell Dionysius, I shall quote from a letter of his against Germanus, where, speaking of himself, he gives the following account. Now I, for my part, speak also before God, and He knows if I lie. Acting not on my own judgment, nor apart from God, have I taken flight. But, on a former occasion also, when the persecution under Decius was publicly proclaimed, that selfsame hour Sabinus sent a frumentarius to seek me out, and on my part I remained four days at my house expecting the arrival of the frumentarius. But he went around searching everywhere, the roads, the rivers, the fields, where he suspected I was hidden or walking, but was holden with blindness and did not find the house. For he did not believe that, pursued as I was, I was staying at home. And after the fourth day, when God bade me depart and miraculously made away with difficulty, did I and the boys and many of the brethren set out together. And that this was the work of the divine providence the sequel showed, in which we proved helpful, it may be to some. Then, after some intervening remarks, he tells what happened to him after the flight, adding as follows. For I, indeed, falling about sunset into the hands of the soldiers, together with those who were with me, was brought to Taposiris. But Timothy, by the divine providence, happened to be absent, and to escape being seized. And coming afterwards, he found the house deserted, and servants guarding it, and us completely taken captive. And further on, he says, and what was the way in which he wonderfully brought it about? For the truth shall be told, one of the country folk met Timothy fleeing and distraught, and inquired the reason of his haste. And he spoke out the truth. And when the other heard it, now he was off to take part in a marriage feast, for it is their custom to spend the entire night in such gatherings, he went in and told those who were reclining at table. And they all, with a single impulse, as if at a preconcerted signal, rose up and came running with all speed. And bursting in upon us, they gave a shout. And when the soldiers that were guarding us straightway took to flight, they came up to us, lying as we were on pallets, without bedding, and I, God knows that at first I thought they were robbers coming to plunder and steal, stayed on the bed, naked save for my linen shirt, and the rest of my garments that were lying by, I held out to them. But they bade me get up and go out with all speed. And then gathering why they were come, I cried out, begging and beseeching them to go away and leave us alone. I asked them if they wished to do me a good turn to anticipate those who were leading me away and to cut off my head themselves. And while I was thus shouting, As those who were my companions and partakers in everything know, they raised me up forcibly, and I let myself fall on my back on the ground, but they seized me up by the hands and feet and dragged me and brought me outside. And there followed me the witnesses of all these things, Gaius, Faustus, Peter, and Paul, who also took me up in their arms and brought me out of the little town, and setting me on the bare back of an ass, led me away. Such is the account Dionysius gives concerning himself." Here ends book 6 and chapters 39 and 40. And we'll go on to some notes and commentary. These chapters describe the Decian persecution and the sufferings endured by men like Origen and Dionysius of Alexandria during this time. Chapter 39 describes the rise of the emperor Decius, who lived from around the year 201 to 251 and who ruled from 249 to 251 as the Roman emperor, and it describes his persecution of Christians. Eusebius says this came from Decius' enmity towards Philip who either was a Christian or was sympathetic to Christians and who had members of his household who were Christians. So the Christians then came in for special emphasis in persecution. Fabian became a martyr at Rome and was succeeded as bishop by Cornelius. Alexander of Jerusalem made confession for a second time before the Roman court at Caesarea and died in prison as an elderly man. being succeeded by Mazabanes. In Antioch, Babilus likewise died in prison, and he was succeeded by Fabius. Origen also fell under what Eusebius calls special attack. He was imprisoned, chained, and tortured, including having his feet stretched in the stocks. And Eusebius tells us there is a firsthand account of this in the letters of Origen. Chapter 40 turns to describe the persecution of Dionysius of Alexandria, drawing on a letter of his against a certain Germanus. He describes how a frumentarius, or an officer, was sent to search for him for four days, but in the providence of God, Dionysius had simply remained at his home and had not been discovered. After these four days, Dionysius, his boys, perhaps his sons or pupils or servants, and some of the brethren took flight. They were then arrested and taken to a town of Taposiris. A brother named Timothy told a group at a marriage feast of the bishop's arrest and they rushed the guards to deliver a somewhat reluctant Dionysius from his captors. In conclusion, these chapters describe the beginnings of the Decian persecution and the martyrdoms and the sufferings of some of the prominent leaders, including Origen, who had written about and urged martyrdom and faithfulness under persecution to others and now is experiencing the same, as well as describing the persecution suffered by Dionysius. Rather than frustrate the movement, these persecutions seem to embolden and encourage the early Christians And now Eusebius is looking back in hindsight upon those who suffered as martyrs and heroes of the faith. Well, this brings this episode to a conclusion. I hope this has been helpful, and I will look forward to speaking to you in the next episode. Till then, take care and God bless.