IT has been already observed that the writings, other than those of the inspired Word of God, coming to us from the early days of Christianity, are but few ; nevertheless, there does exist, graven on stone, a written testimony to early Christianity. This lay hidden from the Church for about one thousand years, but was brought to light in the providence of God in the year 1578; we refer to the testimony graven in the catacombs of ancient Rome. Close to the city, underground, there are literally miles upon miles of passages, where the early saints of Rome found both a shelter and a burying-place-indeed, the burials there are reckoned at some millions, while the inscriptions counted upon the tombs amount to thousands. What treasures of knowledge may yet be brought to light from this sanctuary of the dead we know not, but by it the life and faith of the early Church may be plainly seen.
Even so soon as the year 71—that is, thirty-six years after our Lord's death—there were deposited in this place the bodies of Christians. The heathen, we should remember, burned their dead—that is, provided the relatives of the deceased had money enough so to do; the bodies of the very poor about Rome were cast into pits. Christianity treated the body with godly solicitude, and laid it in the grave to await the resurrection of the just.
Thousands of the graves in the catacombs bear a symbol of faith in Christ, and hope of the resurrection of the body. Among the favorite symbols was the dove with an olive branch in its mouth, followed by the word “Peace." Sometimes the dove would have an anchor represented upon its heart, the token of security; or an anchor alone would be chosen. Again, a ship with its sail furled was a frequent device—the sign of rest upon entry into the harbor. Emblems of victory, the crown and the palm branch, often occur. Peace, security, rest, victory, are thus present as the enjoyed results of the faith of these early and persecuted believers in Christ, The inscriptions utter the same sweet testimony—"In the Home of the Eternal God "—" Borne away by the angels "—" Resting"—" Sleeping"—" He lives above the stars." Such testimonies in such circumstances are more eloquent than volumes of mere history, and far more definite than piles of tradition.
A fish was a favorite emblem, and for this reason: the word "fish" in Greek has for each of its letters the initials of the sentence, Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior. This emblem meant much in those pagan days, signifying the faith of Christians in the living God, whose eternal Son is our Savior. As this most interesting symbol was one of the earliest used in the Church, so was it one of the first to be discontinued. The pure faith of the early Christians owned the Lord as Son of God and Savior of man, but as the Church grew older, this, His exclusive honor, became less and less respected. And as faith in Jesus Christ, God's Son, the Savior, diminished, so angels, and others, began to be regarded as having part in our salvation, and as angels and saints became to be regarded as helpers in the work of salvation, so did the hearts of men cease to have written upon them the gracious realities, Peace, Security, Rest, and Victory. Let anyone study the inscriptions upon the tombstones of a Romanist burying-place, and work out this problem for himself.
Figures of men and women with outstretched hands occur, this posture being that of the attitude of prayer. One of these is that of a man, and has written upon its tablet these words—"Paulus Pastor + Apostol us." A touching simplicity is here! Paul is first described as pastor. Christ “gave” men to the church, "and some...pastors." (Eph. 4:1111And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (Ephesians 4:11)) The personal service of Paul, the pastor, is graven upon the tablet, his toiling, tender care for the sheep and the lambs of the flock of God is commemorated, and then conies the mark of the cross, in which he gloried, and then his great and powerful title-apostle. A volume lies in these few simple words; no high-sounding eminence, no names of ecclesiastical glory, no, the titles of love and power which Christ Himself bestows. This tablet records that which the early Church highly esteemed.
Here it is a fitting opportunity for noting that the Scripture titles of bishop and presbyter occur many times upon these tombs, and by the mention of the wives and children of the bishops and presbyters interred, indicate that the Scripture order concerning such persons being married was honored in the early days of the Church.
These ancient testimonies to the inner life of the Church of God in Rome make no mention of a priesthood, nor of one who offers sacrifice, nor of an altar, save in reference to prayer and praise. No; the faith of Christ was then after the teaching of the Bible,, and we have to betake ourselves to the Church as she had developed in later centuries to learn of these unchristian innovations.
The love-feast, which was common in early Christianity, is also portrayed in the catacombs, a custom which, as formerly followed, has completely died out of the Church.
In this subterranean city there are spots where the galleries join, and the passages broaden into a moderately wide space, and where an air-hole over head lets in a glimmer of light. Here is an ancient meeting place. By what name shall we term the sacred spot where the Christians in these early days were gathered together? An old chain, from which once a lamp was suspended, still reminds us of the hours spent by the Church in prayer and praise, and round about the immediate walls are inscriptions in memory of beloved ones asleep in Christ, and also rude pictures or symbols of Scripture subjects.
That the Old Testament was familiar to these early saints is evident from the presence of such texts as these upon their tombs, " The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the Name of the Lord," and by pictures of Daniel in the den of lions, the symbol of the dove with the olive branch in its mouth, the representation of Jonah cast into the sea, the three children in the furnace, the ascent of Elijah to heaven, and other subjects. The New Testament in like manner was evidently their wisdom.
A matter of interest regarding the inscriptions in the catacombs is the position in life of those whose gravestones are our witnesses. The greater number of inscriptions bear but the name of the tenant of the tomb, and “In Christ," or other such comforting assurance. In several cases, however, the name of the tenant and the trade he followed occur, for example, under the inscription, "Banto and Maxima made thus during their lifetime," are the figures of a two-handed saw, a chisel, and an adze. "Veneria, in peace," has under it the representation of a comb, and shears, and other implements of the trade of a wool-comber. So also the tablet raised by "Marcianus, to his most worthy wife, in peace," has the sign of a pair of shoes.
The fossor, or sexton as we should call him, has also his honorable grave, and the inscription, “Diogenes, the fossor, buried in peace," with the figure of the fossor and his tools, his pick, spike and lamp, under the words. His work was carried on in the depths of darkness, the light of God being that alone which illumined the souls and cheered the hearts of these early believers.
Other tablets bear symbols in connection with the names of those whose memory they record. “Navira, in peace—a sweet soul who lived sixteen years and five months-a soul sweet as honey. This epitaph was made by her parents—the sign a ship." Navis signifies ship.
Here, too, as we should expect, are the graves of martyrs. Thus runs one record, “Here lies Gordianus, Deputy of Gaul, who was executed for the faith, with all his family. They rest in peace. Theophila, a handmaid, set up this." She added a palm branch to her memorial. In after years, and before the discovery of this tomb, records were found, showing how Gordianus, with his wife, Marina, became believers in Jesus through the preaching of Januarius, and how they, together with their household of fifty-three persons, were baptized. Theophila's palm-branch says to us, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
Another inscription runs thus: “Primitius, in peace. After many torments, a most valiant martyr. He lived thirty-eight years, more or less. His wife raised this to her dearest husband, the well-deserving."
We will record but one other of these affecting testimonies from the catacombs. It is adorned on the one side by the emblem of the palm branch, and on the other with the monogram of our Savior, which was formed from the first two letters of the name Christ. “In the time of the Emperor Adrian Marius, a young military officer, who had lived long enough, when with blood he gave up his life for Christ. At length he rested in peace. The well-deserving set up this with tears and in fear."
This would be about the year A.D. 130.
This brief sketch gives us a distinct idea of the faith and the life of the early Christians and their habits of thought, and also an insight into the character of the organization-if we may thus call it-of the early Church. And one, we consider, more graphic than those we may present to ourselves through the writings of the early fathers, for such writings are frequently but the opinions of the writers, whereas these express the life of the Church. These testimonies, moreover, are pure and unsullied, whereas it is not at all easy to say what is absolutely genuine of the writings of the early fathers, as they were tampered with by monks and others. The Christians of the catacombs had the Scriptures, and more, they had the gracious effects of the truths of the Scriptures brought home to them and made their own, and, in circumstances of utter bitterness, by the power of God the Holy Ghost. Pagan Rome, its military triumphs, its arts, its temples, its religious processions, its altars and its priests, were glorious overhead, the Church underground was despised, but at peace. The glory of pagan Rome, and its horrible vices, fill our hearts with pity and disgust, whilst the perusal of these inscriptions thrills our souls with triumphant joy, yet fills our eyes with tears.