ing were surrounded by the
bodies of the martyred dead.

Now, these first Christians loved the Bible with all their hearts, and
just as you like to see hanging in your room the picture of the Good
Shepherd with the little lamb, so they began to long for pictures from
their Bible. Every heathen Roman had his house decorated with pictures
and carvings from his pagan religion, but it was in the dim underground
galleries that the first Bible pictures appeared.

Some of the subjects were taken from the Old Testament, some from the
New. Only Bible pictures interested the first Christians.

Noah and the Ark was a very favourite subject. 'Noah was safe in the
ark,' they said, 'although thousands perished. So will God keep safe
all those who trust in Him.'

There are many pictures of Jonah and the whale, and one of the three
children in the burning fiery furnace, for this had special messages
for the martyrs as we can well understand.

[Illustration: ONE OF THE FIRST PICTURES EVER MADE OF 'CHRIST, THE GOOD
SHEPHERD.' FOUND IN THE CATACOMBS, THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CEMETERY]

Another very touching picture is of the raising of Lazarus. The artist
who carved this had once been a heathen; perhaps in former days he had
made and sold idols, but now all his life and talents were consecrated
to God.

And here carved in stone, is the Good Shepherd, Christ bearing the lost
lamb on His shoulder, just as He does in the picture you love so well
at home; Christ, the Good Shepherd of your life, just as surely as He
was the Saviour and Friend of these men and women who fell asleep so
long ago!

Here is a picture of Jesus feeding the five thousand with the loaves
and fishes; in this carving He is changing the water into wine; here,
carved on a small panel, let into a tomb, is a Roman soldier crowning
our Lord in mockery; and here is Pilate washing his hands in the vain
hope that he could wash away his responsibility.

Now, there is one very wonderful thing about all these pictures:
although so many martyrs lie buried here, nearly all the pictures and
inscriptions are cheerful!

The heathen Roman writers tell a great deal about the dreadful
sufferings of the Christians, but there is very little said about it on
the tombs of the martyrs themselves. In peace; they are at peace: the
torture, the shame is over for ever; the life of love and joy and
victory is all before them.

How thoroughly these first Christians knew their Bible!