# Of Two Followers Of The Aforesaid Martyrs, Named Samson And Sydonius, Who, With Others, Maintained Their Doctrine Against Popery, Particularly Against The Papal Legate, Boniface, Archbishop Of Mayence; But Whether For This They Were Martyred, Is Not Stated.

8th century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: OF TWO FOLLOWERS OF THE AFORESAID MARTYRS, NAMED SAMSON AND SYDONIUS, WHO, WITH OTHERS, MAINTAINED THEIR DOCTRINE AGAINST POPERY, PARTICULARLY AGAINST THE PAPAL LEGATE, BONIFACE, ARCHBISHOP OF MAYENCE; BUT WHETHER FOR THIS THEY WERE MARTYRED, IS NOT STATED.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

Samson was also a Scotchman by descent, and
an elder and companion of said Clement. He and
Sydonius, Bishop in Bavaria, and others of like
purpose and belief, were as one heart and soul, to
oppose with the word of God, Boniface, the papal
Legate, who proposed to oppress the people with
manifold superstitions and burdens. This, not only
Samson, but also Sydonius and the others boldly
did. They taught with word and pen, that the
apostolical embassy (as it was called) of Bishop
Boniface bore a closer resemblance to paganism or
anti-christendom, than to christendom, and that he
had deformed rather than reformed, France and
Germany. Again, that he was a sycophant and
flatterer of the Pope of Rome, to whom he had not
only bound, but completely sold himself, as a sworn
slave.

This they were able to prove, since, by a solemn
oath, he had sworn to the two Popes, Zacharias I.
and Gregory II.: That he would bring all the persons
whom he should draw to him, also into obedience
to the Roman see. These things were known
from documents written by himself and transmitted
to said Popes.

They also censured him for his evil practices in
the administration of baptism (that is, infant baptism),
consisting in the saying of certain words, by
way of exorcism. In this several questions were
generally put to the unintelligent infants, namely:
“Believest thou?” etc., whereupon the sponsors,
in the child’s name, answered: “Yea, I believe,”
etc.; which things certainly deserved no little censure,
though without them, infant baptism had but
little virtue or respectability.

They were also greatly offended, because he
would forbid them to marry, as contrary to the
institution of God, Gen. 1:27,28, yea, as being a
doctrine of devils, 1 Tim. 4:1–3.

Finally it is stated, that said persons, and others,
unable, in Germany as well as in France, to bring
about any improvement with their doctrine, were
greatly oppressed, partly through the tyranny of
the popes of Rome, and partly through the authority
of the kings of France, yea, were condemned in
open synods, deposed from their ministry, and shut
up in prisons and dungeons, and thus closely
guarded that they might not escape. But as to what
finally became of these persons, and others of like
belief, A. Mellinus states, that the papistic historians
are ashamed to tell. Compare Aventin. 3, Annal.
Centur. Balaei., 14, cap. 31, and in Append.,
Tom. 2. Concil. in Decret. Greg. 2, Epist. Bonifac.
ad Zachar. Citante Balaeo. Hist. Boj., lib. 3, with
A. Mell, 2d book, fol. 329, col. 1, 2.





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