An Account of Those who Suffered in the Sixth Century

[The verse of Alcimus, reserved in the preceding account of baptism in this century, is now brought forward as the first proof of the martyrdom of this time, and explained in detail.

Mention is made of various severe persecutions that occurred about this time, of which fifteen are listed; it is also shown in what kingdoms, principalities, or countries they took place, as well as who the tyrants were by whom all this was done against the Christian believers.

An explanation that it is hardly believable that all the countries in which the fifteen persecutions mentioned above occurred were subject to the Roman See; which is enlarged upon, and its meaning shown.

Arnold, a teacher of the Gospel, martyred in a forest, in France, and buried by his wife, presented as a pious martyr in the year 511.

In the margin (in connection with Arnold) a severe persecution in Arabia, in the year 520, is spoken of; what inference may be drawn from it.

The oppression of the church and of the servants of God, under Granus, son of the King of France, is noted, for the year 562; then, in the margin, mention is made of forty Christian peasants, who suffered under the Longobards; however, for certain reasons, they are not accepted without reservation.

After this, for the year 566, another forty persons are mentioned, most of whom were put to death with the sword, because they would not commit idolatry, or forsake Christ; in the margin an explanation is given with reference to this, and they are recognized by us as true martyrs.

Golauduch, a Christian woman of Persia, put to death by the Persian Priests, in the year 598.

Some remarks about the time in which Evagrius lived, who recorded the last mentioned instance of martyrdom.]

Here will be the proper place to sing, with mournful voice, the blood-red verse of Alcimus, which we mentioned on a former occasion; for the author of the history of holy baptism places Alcimus at the very beginning of this century, and we approve of that arrangement. With regard to the oppression of the Christians of his time, he expresses in the German language, as a song of mourning, the following lines:

Der Kriegsknecht stach in Christi Seit;

Wasser sprang aus der Wunden weit

Den Völkern das die Tauf bedeut;

Der Martrer Blut auch so fleuszt heut. [n307-2]

The soldier pierced the Savior's side

There gushed forth the watery flood,

A sign* of the baptismal rite;

Thus flows today the martyrs' blood.

The question now is, what Alcimus meant to say by this verse. He treats of two things: 1. of Baptism; 2. of Martyrdom, comparing with them the water that flowed from Christ's side, when a soldier had pierced it with a spear. [n307-1]

1. Of Baptism. Of this we shall say only a little, since this subject has been discussed fully enough in our preceding account of baptism as it was practiced in this century; yet, in order to proceed properly, and to pass by no part of that verse, we say that the likeness which Alcimus finds here in the blood that flowed from Christ's side, saying that it was to the people, or to the peoples, a sign of baptism, neither can nor may be applied as referring to infant baptism; for not only the sense, but even the words of the verse, would contradict this. As to the words, he does not say that this water is to infants a sign of baptism, which he certainly must have said if he had meant infant baptism by it; but he says that it was to the people, or peoples, a sign of baptism, and that word (people, or peoples), in holy Scripture as well as in secular authors, is generally understood to mean adult, or at least understanding, persons, who can be taught, or to whom something can be signified; as, for instance, Christ said to His disciples, "Go and teach all nations, baptizing them," and so on. Matthew 28, verse 19. Moreover, that infants are unable to understand the meaning of little things, even to say nothing of this great mystery of baptism, is so clear that it cannot, with truth, be disputed.

2. Of Martyrdom. This is what we have chiefly had in view; for he says in the last line of the verse mentioned above: "Thus flows today the martyrs' blood." Certainly, here he indicates that at the time when he wrote this, the blood of the (believing) martyrs was shed; for this is indicated by the word, today, which generally is understood to mean the present day, but here properly means the present current time. Moreover, as to the persons whom Alcimus notices as martyrs, and of whom he says that their blood flowed today, they cannot be understood to have been any other than orthodox martyrs, or, at least, such as held the same views and doctrines that he held; for the first, ancient, and true Christians called no one a martyr except their fellow believers who had suffered or been put to death for the faith. From this, it would seem, has come the old saying, which is still used: "Not the suffering, but the good cause from which he suffers, makes the martyr."

Of the correct views of Alcimus, and, consequently, of those whom he calls martyrs, especially in regard to baptism, we have spoken before, and have also just now given some explanation with reference to it; which must be enough for the present. The impartial reader may decide for himself. In the meantime it is our duty to investigate and, if possible, to show when, where, why, and how these martyrs suffered. But since, because of the scarcity of ancient writers, we are not able to determine all of this, we shall content ourselves with what we do find in regard to it, and shall therefore try to follow the most faithful and truthful records.