THE TRIALS OF THE CHURCH; OR, THE PERSECUTORS OF RELIGION, BY REV. W. GLEESON, RECTOR OF ST. ANTHONY'S CHURCH, CALIFORNIA, AUTHOR OF "THE HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN CALIFORNIA." COPYRIGHTED BY REV. W. GLEESON, 1880. Stereotyped and Printed at West Chester, N. Y. PREFACE. It is a considerable time since the thought of writing this work occurred to my mind. I do not know how the idea originated. It was not that I had acquired an extensive knowledge of the subject, and wished to communicate it to others. In fact I knew little or nothing about it at that date. I had not till then read anything on the sufferings of the martyrs. In a vague, general way, I was aware that they had suffered much, that they had been highly honored by religion, and had borne the most brilliant and convincing testimony to the divinity of the Christian religion. But beyond that, I had no definite ideas regarding their numbers, their endurance, their virtues. It was only when I began to examine the matter attentively that its importance and excellence became known to me. I then, for the first time, learned to appreciate the services rendered to religion by these admirable champions of truth. I saw and acknowledged the nobility and grandeur of their character. I saw that in order to be true children of God, modelled after the character of the Redeemer, the spirit, the heroism and self-sacrifice of the martyrs must adorn and ennoble our entire being. And viewing the matter now in this light it is a wonder to me that so interesting |