# Further Amplification Of The Cause And Circumstances Of This Persecution.

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P. J. Twisck, speaking (for the year 255) of the
beginning of the reign of Emperor Valerian, says:
“Truly, this Emperor, as history tells us, was in the
beginning a very pious and praiseworthy Prince, a
censor, who excelled all others; in regard to which
many commendatory passages may be read in the
Tijdthresoor by Paul Merula. But, what of it?
Although at first he was very favorable to the
Christians, and so honored their ministers, that his
house was considered a church of the Lord, he was
nevertheless afterwards corrupted by a doctor, a
wicked lord and prince of all the sorcerers of Egypt;
who made the Emperor believe that fortune would
not be on his side as long as he tolerated the Christians
at his court, or in the land. Then the Emperor
commanded that these holy and just men
should be persecuted and put to death as such who
were opposed to the sorcery with which he was
polluted.

This sorcerer also prevailed upon the Emperor to
slaughter and sacrifice children and human beings
in honor of the devil. He accordingly commanded
that little children should be put to death, so that
he could perform his unclean ceremonies and abominable
sacrifices; and thus robbed parents of their
children, and became such a despiser and oppressor
of the Christian faith, that he spared neither old nor
young, men nor women, nor any state and condition,
but most miserably murdered all that were
brought to him, in Alexandria and other places too
numerous to mention. At Rome also there was
much innocent blood shed at this time, even as this
city has ever been a place of slaughter for the poor
Christians.” Third book, for the year 255, page 71,
col. 2.



## Original source

[Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_134)

[Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855)

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