Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/261

 SAINT ANDREW. • ±si

jewel — studded with diamonds. The Russian naval flag is distinguished by a purple St. Andrew cross on a white ground, another indication of their reverence for his memory.

One of the historians of Scotland (Cullen) says : "There is little doubt but Christianity was promulgated very early in Britain, that St. Paul personally preached in the island, and that the gospel was preached in Scotland by St. Andrew the Apostle." Christianity was in a flourishing state in Scotland at the beginning of the fourth century, when the tenth and last persecution of the Christians under Dioclesian raged most furiously. Many of the British Chris- tians fled for refuge to Scotland. The sanguinary persecutions commenced A. D. 303, and lasted ten years. It was in this persecution that St. George, the Patron of England, suffered martyrdom. Having mentioned the countries recorded as having been visited by St. Andrew, the termination of his public ministry is reached. He suffered martyrdom, being crucified at Patras, in Achaia, in Greece, by order of Aegeas, the Roman pro-consul, who, enraged by his preaching, commanded him to join in sacrifices to the heathen gods, and upon his refusal, ordered him to be severely scourged and then crucified, a sentence which was executed with peculiar cruelty, — seven lictors alternately exerting their strength with the scourge on the Apostle's shoulders. To make his death the more hngering, he was fastened to the cross with cords, instead of the customary nails. He survived the terrible torture two days, and while strength endured, praised God and exhorted those who witnessed his suffer- ings to repentance and faith — teaching and instructing them in the way of Hfe. He welcomed the cross and the martyr's crown, and exultantly accepted the fate that awaited him. Great interest was manifested to spare his life, but the Apostle earnestly desired to depart, and to seal with his blood, the truth of the religion he professed. His body is said to have been embalmed and hon- orably intombed by Maximillia, who had embraced the Christian religion, — a lady of "quality and estate," believed to be the wife of the pro-consul who had caused his death.

Patras is described as a " city seated on a hill, near the sea." It is a forti- fied seaport in Greece, on the Gulf of Patras, and the principal entry of its foreign trade. "One of its churches is traditionally connected with the martyr- dom of St. Andrew, and is greatly resorted to by devotees." In ancient times the goddess Diana was worshipped at Patras. The cruel custom of sacrificing to her yearly, " a most beautiful young man and maid," was con- tinued until by the preaching of St. Andrew, Eusypilus was converted to Chris- tianity, when that wicked superstition ceased.

The account of the Apostle's martyrdom is given in the " Acts of his Passion," — said to have been written by the presbyters and deacons of .\chaia, present at the time — a work of great antiquity, being mentioned by Philastrius about 3S0. The Apostle had been eminently successful in his mission. Multitudes had fallen off" from paganism and embraced the Christian faith, among whom are mentioned the pro-consul's wife (Maximillia) and his brother (Stratocles), which caused Aegeas great rage and displeasure, and hence his cruel treatment of the Apostle.

The cross on which the Apostle was suspended, was made of two pieces of timber crossing each other obliquely in the centre in the form of the letter X, " rrz/j- //^T//yj7?Ar," and from this the St. Andrew's cross derived its name. It is supposed that the Apostle expired on the 30th day of November, in the year 69. His remains were afterwards removed to Constantinople by Constan- tine the Great, and buried A-ith great solemnity in the great church he had erected in honor of the Apostles, where they remained till the year 369, when it is said an Abbot, named Regulus, who was a pious Greek devotee, caused

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