The Meeting at the School House [pp. 329-334]

THE MEETING AT THE SCHOOL-HOUSE.
tality, for their flesh was considered as undecaying.* Examining the frescos in the so-called
"Chayhel of the Sacraments," we see the image
of a grave-digger clothed with a tunic looped
up, and holding a spade in his hand. Then
comes a tripedal table, upon which lie a loaf of
bread and a plate containing a fish. To the
left of the table is a male figure clothed with a
pallium, the right shoulder being exposed, and
stretching his hands over the table. It represerts probably a minister saying grace. To
the right is a female figure with raised hands,
in a praying attitude. On the same wall are
also representations of the offering up of Isaac,
and of a repast; seven persons are sitting around
a table, upon which are plates with fishes, and
near it stand eight baskets full of bread. A
grave-digger closes that series of pictorial representations. On the wall opposite the entrance is a representation of Moses striking
the rock with his staff. Of the other walls,
the one contains only a representation of a bird
and an arabesque; and the other, representations of a bird, a fisherman in the act of drawing a fish by a hook out of the water, and of a
man clad only with an apron besprinkling a boy
with water, the latter standing in the water up
to his ankles. On the ceiling are representations of the Good Shepherd, and of events from
Jonah's life. It is supposed that this chapel
was used not only for the purpose of holding
meetings therein, but more especially for the
purpose of celebrating the two sacraments. In
imagination one can almost hear those early
Christians breathing forth their earnest prayers
and songs of praise. We almost receive their
inspirations, their earnestness and devotion, as
die wander through the places of their heroic
suffering, and behold by the dim candle light
the symbols of their faith and read the sentiments of their love.
But it is impossible to describe in one article
the various inscriptions, symbols, frescos, etc.,
found in the numerous cells and winding passages of the Catacombs of St. Calixtus. We
have given sufficient data, however, to show
their immense importance in the investigation
and study of the life, doctrines, persecutions,
etc., of the primitive Christian Church. True,
Pope Pius IX has expressed it as his opinion
that the catacombs can be to none of such real
* In St. Augustine's "De Civiale Dei" (lib. xxi, cap. iv), we
read the following on this subject: Quis eniim nisi Deus Creator
omnium dedit carni pavonis mortui ne putresceret? Quod quum
auditum incredibile videretur. Evenit ut apud Carthaginem nobis
cocta apponeretur haec avis; de cujus pectore pulparum, quantum xisum est, decerptum servari jussimus; quod post dierum
tantum spatium, quanto alia caro quaecunque cocta putresceret,
prolatum atque oblatum, nilhil nostrum offendit olfactum, etc.
interest as to a Roman Catholic. But we are
inclined to believe that he is mistaken. We
would like to ask him: Do not these silent and
simle homes of the early Christians raise a
lozd firotest against the costliness and magnzfcence of the Catholic churches of modern Rome
and of other cities-a loudiprotest against the
luxury and sfilendor of the popes and cardinals,
bishops and priests-against worldly power and
royal fiossessions-against false sacrayments and
works of suzererogation-against the defcation of man, and the worshifi of Mfary and of
the saints? Those heroic Christians suffered
and died for their simple but strong faith in
Jesus, the Good Shepherd; their hope clung
to his cross, and their only boast was "Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the
World." They lived, suffered, and died in the
gloomy "subterranean Jerusalem;" they now
live in the noontide splendor and glory of the
"Jerusalem above,"
"Where fragrant flower s immortal bloom,
And joys supreme are given;
Where rays divine disperse the gloom,
Beyond the confines of the tomb
Appears the dawn of heaven."
THE MEETING AT THE SCHOOL HOUSE.
"IfviHAT is going on there?" said young
Mr. Nelson to a gentleman with whom
i he was taking a drive. They were
passing a small school-house situated in the
outskirts of a rural township.
"A prayer-meeting," said Mr. Lawton. The
tone in which those words were uttered indicated the speaker's estimate of prayer-meetings.
After a brief silence he added, "They have
their own way of enjoying themselves, but they
do n't disturb others, which is more than can
be said of some of the religious."
They had reached a place where a small
brook crossed the road. While the horse
stopped to quench his thirst, the occupants of
the school-house raised a hymnn. It was that
hymn which has stirred so many hearts and
moistened so many eyes, which, though not
beyond the reach of artistic criticism, will be
sung by the elect of God until the end of time,
"There is a fountain filled with blood,
Drawn from Immanuel's veins."
Though they were at some distance from the
school-house, the tones of a rich soprano voice
fell distinctly on the ear.
"That is a fine voice," said Nelson; "I
should like to know the person to whom it
belongs."
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