mbs.

Nor was he less interested in the dead than in the living. As he passed
along he read the inscriptions upon their tombs, and found in them all
the same strong faith and lofty hope. These he loved to read, and the
fond interest which Honorius took in these pious memorials made him a
congenial guide.

"There," said Honorius, "lies a witness for the truth."

Marcellus looked where he pointed, and read as follows:

PRIMITIUS, IN PEACE, AFTER MANY TORMENTS, A MOST VALIANT MARTYR. HE
LIVED ABOUT THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS. HIS WIFE RAISED THIS TO HER DEAREST
HUSBAND, THE WELL-DESERVING.

"These men," said Honorius, "show us how Christians ought to die. Yonder
is another who suffered like Primitius."

PAULUS WAS PUT TO DEATH IN TORTURES, IN ORDER THAT HE MIGHT LIVE IN
ETERNAL BLISS.

"And there," said Honorius, "is the tomb of a noble lady, who showed
that fortitude which Christ can always bestow even to the weakest of his
followers in the hour of need."

CLEMENTIA, TORTURED, DEAD, SLEEPS, WILL RISE.

"We do not die," said Honorius; "we but sleep, and when the last trump
shall sound we shall awake to be forever with the Lord. Here," he
continued, "lies Constans, doubly constant to his God by a double trial.
Poison was given to him first, but it was powerless over him, so he was
put to the sword:"

THE DEADLY DRAUGHT DARED NOT PRESENT TO CONSTANS THE CROWN WHICH THE
STEEL WAS PERMTTED TO OFFER.

Thus they walked along, reading the inscriptions which appeared on every
side. New feelings came to Marcellus as he read the glorious catalogue
of names. It was to him a history of the Church of Christ. Here were the
acts of the martyrs portrayed before him in words that burned. The rude
pictures that adorned many of the tombs carried with them a pathos that
the finest works of the skillful artist could not produce. The rudely
carved letters, the bad spelling and grammatical errors, that
characterized many of them, gave a touching proof of the treasure of the
Gospel to the poor and lowly. Not many wise, not many mighty are called;
but to the poor the Gospel is preached.

On many of them there was a monogram, which was formed of the initial
letters of the name of Christ, "X" and "P" being joined so as to form
one cypher. Some bore a palm branch, the emblem of victory and
immortality, the token of that palm of glory which shall hereafter wave
in the hands of the innumerable throng that are to s