# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1855 02 27_S107
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107

meant, grieved so violently over this answer that he fell sick. When his father learned the cause of his sorrow, he resolved to ask for the maiden's hand himself on his behalf. The pride of the heathen may well have felt itself wounded especially by what his son had told him of the power and high station of the supposed rival, and he therefore boasted to Agnes quite particularly of his own high position and how mightily he sat in the government at Rome. But Agnes persisted that she could not be unfaithful to her first Bridegroom. Now Symphronius at least wished to know who this unknown Bridegroom was in whom the maiden so greatly rejoiced, and only now did he learn what Agnes had never wished to deny, that she meant the Savior of her soul, the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Now the proud praetor changed his role. He left the house, and at once sent out his henchmen, who were to seize Agnes and bring her before his judgment seat. Here, out of regard for his son, he sought first by flattering words and the most alluring promises to move the maiden to denial, and, when that availed nothing, applied the harshest threats, in order to reach his end through terror and anguish. He had a fire kindled before her eyes, and the rack, iron hooks and other instruments of torture brought in. But the God of strength had pitched His dwelling in this weak vessel. Surrounded by executioners, the tender, thirteen-year-old maiden looked on at all these preparations undismayed, yea with cheerful gaze, and seemed to await with joyfulness the judge's command for the torment. Then Symphronius may well have divined that with all his torments and tortures he would be put to shame by the heroic spirit of the youthful confessor. Quickly he devised another plan, from which he hoped for better success. He declared to the maiden first that if she still longer scorned his son, she must become a priestess of the goddess Vesta. Agnes replied that she would never serve a dumb and deaf idol, which was without all life and without all feeling. Thereupon Symphronius, with solemn emphasis and appealing to the dignity of his office, set before her the choice, either to become a priestess of Vesta, or to be prepared to be given over to public dishonor in a house of lewdness.

With the composure of a soul that knows itself safe in the keeping of Him who has graven us upon the palms of His hands, Agnes answered him: „If thou knewest the LORD whom I serve, thou wouldst not ask such a thing of me! JESUS CHRIST is a refuge of His brides. So I also gladly despise thy threatening words, and believe firmly that I shall neither sacrifice to thy idols nor give my body to others for reproach and shame. The angel of the LORD is with me; he will also guard my body. The Son of the living God is to me a strong wall which no one will overthrow, also my Watchman who never sleeps, and my Protector whose protection endures forever.“

„Then I deliver thee up to public dishonor!“ cried the praetor full of wrath, and gave command that Agnes be stripped naked and led publicly into the house of lewdness. But it happened to the maiden nevertheless as she had believed. Almighty God brought it about that she could cover herself sufficiently over her whole body with her long hair. She stood there like a silent sacrificial lamb, but comforted in God. The radiance of innocence flowed around the blessed one like a heavenly garment of light, so that even in the street the crowd surged past her silent and reverent, as past a saint. No one cast at her so much as an injurious glance. And when she was brought into the house of shame she received, — how? no one has learned, — a white garment, in which she wrapped herself, and then fell down and prayed: „LORD JESUS CHRIST, I give Thee eternal praise and thanks that Thou hast received me, poor creature, into the number of Thy handmaids, and now hast also sent me such raiment.“

But now the wild son of Symphronius rushed into the house, and although he was terrified before the dazzling radiance which surrounded Agnes, he yet dared in wanton desire to approach the maiden. But, before he could touch her body, he sank to the ground, as though struck by a sudden flash of lightning, as dead. His companions had pressed after him, and when they saw him lying on the ground they cried out in horror: „Hither, ye citizens, this shameful woman has by her sorcery brought the praetor's son to his death.“ The people ran together in crowds, and a great outcry arose. Some cried that she was a sorceress; others, that she was pious and innocent; still others, that she was a blasphemer. Symphronius also had hastened thither, and when he saw his son lying lifeless before him, he cried out: „O thou shameful woman, hadst thou to practice thy sorcery upon my son?“ Agnes replied: „My God, to whom he would not give honor, has smitten him.“ „Well then,“ cried the praetor, „by this will I see that thou art no sorceress, if by thy prayer thou awakenest my son again.“ Thereupon the maiden bade all go out, knelt down and prayed. And behold, soon the young man raised himself up, but in horror he rushed out and cried: „There is only one God, who has created heaven and earth and the sea! And this only true God the Christians worship; but all other gods are vain and can do nothing. They can help neither themselves nor others.“

Instead, however, of bowing before the power of the Christian faith, the fury of the enemies of the Cross rose, the more they saw that they were put to shame by this weak vessel. The idol priests banded together, and cried that one must not let the sorceress and denier of the gods live any longer. „Away with her!“ the raging mob bellowed after them. Upon Symphronius, however, the whole event had made a deep impression; but, another Pilate, he feared just as much to offend the idol priests as the God of the Christians, and so he handed over the whole trial to his deputy Aspasius. He commanded that before all the people a great fire be kindled, and the maiden cast into it. The command was carried out, but the flames blazed up sideways away from Agnes, and did not seize her. She, however, folded her hands and prayed aloud: „O almighty God, thou eternal Father of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, I give Thee praise and thanks that Thou hast redeemed me through Thine only-begotten Son out of the hands of the ungodly and graciously preserved me from all shame. Thee I confess with mouth and heart; after Thee alone is my longing!“

When Aspasius saw that the maiden remained unharmed by the fire, he sent an executioner, who thrust a knife through her throat. That happened in the year 306, probably on the 21st of January, on which day, namely, her memory was celebrated from early times. Her parents took up the body of the beloved child with praise to God, and buried it in one of their fields by the road which led from Rome to Numentum.

For the fullness of these accounts concerning the holy Agnes we are indebted chiefly to Ambrose, who toward the end of the same century was Archbishop of Milan. In the 91st of the sermons of his that have been preserved to us he has left us a faithful report of her suffering and death, and we conclude with the exhortation which the pious man addressed to his hearers of that time: „We should all rejoice from our hearts over it, but especially may it serve to the great edification and amendment of all virgins, what the godly Agnes suffered for the sake of her Savior JESUS CHRIST.“

From: Buch der Märtyrer, Vol. 1, p. 275.

(Contributed.)

The Present Turkish War Also a Sign of the Times.

Concerning the present war of the Russians and Allies, the judgments of people are very divided. Some accuse the Russians, others the Turks, as the real authors of the bloody war, and accordingly wish the victory to the one or the other. In my view it can be rather a matter of indifference to the Christian on whose side right or wrong lies, the more so since the war is a purely political one. For who will believe the Russian emperor, who pretends that he has taken up arms only for the protection of the Greek Christians in the Turkish empire and has not the least desire of conquest? or who will credit the French and English with so much pure charity toward their neighbor as to protect the Turk against his assailants?

But far more important considerations attach themselves to this war, if we ask how far also in this war the prophecies of Scripture concerning the Turkish empire are ripening toward their fulfillment.

That the Holy Scripture prophesies concerning the Turks is beyond doubt. No prophecy is more distinct