Page:Catholic Magazine And Review, Volume 3 and Volume 4, 1833.djvu/454

440 against the christians, he had the mortification of meeting with a reception from that viceroy different from what the first acts of his administration had given cause to anticipate. That functionary manifested an unwillingness to enter upon the prosecution; and it cost the governor considerable trouble as well as expense to procure the enforcement of former edicts against the prisoners. Being at length brought before the judges, every art was tried to induce them to apostatize, and the viceroy joined his entreaties that they would abandon a religion proscribed by the Emperor and the ancient laws of the Empire. They assured him in reply of their conviction that the christian religion came from God, that it was necessary for salvation, and that they were determined to obey God rather than man. The viceroy then told them with great mildness, that, unless they made up their minds to comply with the laws, he should be compelled to sentence them to death; upon which they fell prostrate on the ground at his feet, and said "We are all willing to die for our religion." Overcome by their intrepidity the viceroy arose from his seat, and, addressing the mandarins around him, said "These men are christians indeed, and really profess the religion of the God of heaven:" and then, turning to the mandarin who had been the cause of their prosecution, he continued "Why did you bring these people before me, whose sole crime is their willingness to die for their faith?" Finally, addressing himself to the holy confessors, he said "I shall not condemn you to death; but you must be sent into perpetual banishment in Tartary." The rescript of the Emperor confirming this sentence arrived in due course, and in May 1824 they set out for Tartary accompanied by their families as voluntary sharers of their exile.

The christians of the other town were inhumanly treated by the mandarin to whom they were subject; but, in consequence of the cool reception given by the viceroy to the mandarin in the case just recorded, instead of sending them to take their trial in the metropolis, he condemned them to wear the canga until they should consent to renounce their religion. They were unanimous in their refusal to comply; but soon after were secretly set at liberty one after another