St. Vincent.

young man when he was prat to death in 304 A . D . Little is known of his early life ; but it is said that he was instructed and trained for the Christian Ministry by Valerius , Bishop of Osca , by whom he ivas ordained a deacon at a very early age , and

appohited to teach and instruct the people . It was a time of bloody persecution in Spain . Disclatian . and Maximian were the Roman Emperors , reigning jointly , and the Proconsul Dacian was Governor of Spain . Edicts against the Christians were

published hi 303 A . D ., ivhich kindled the flames of persecution throughout the Roman Empire , and nowhere was the persecution more fierce and terrible than in Spain , for Dacian was a violent enemy of Christianity , and by nature cruel and relentless . Both

clergy and laity were put to death in this persecution . Eighteen martyrs suffered together at Saragossa .. There also Valerius and Vincent were apprehended , for the

clergy were special objects of the hatred and rage of the persecutors . How they came to be at Saragossa does not appear . Perhaps they had fled from Osca to escape from then enemies . On their apprehension they were subjected to cruel tortures , and were afterwards carried to Valentiawhere

, they lay long in prison , so scantily supplied with food that they often endured great distress from hunger , besides other miseries ; the Proconsul hoping that this lingering torment would shake their constancy and give him the triumph of then recantation ,

or that , weary nature being exhausted , they would yield from very weakness of mind as ivell as of body . But in this he Avas disappointed . When , at last , he caused them to be brought before him , he ivas surprised to see them still vigorous in body

, and as intrepid and resolute in mind as ever . Thinking that this could be accounted for in no other way , he concluded that Ms orders for their severe treatment in

prison had been disobeyed , summoned into Ms presence the officers who had charge of the prison , and reprimanded them severely . Both by threats and promises he endeavoured to induce Valerius and Vincent to sacrifice to the heathen gods . Valerius not being able to answer promptlybecause of

, an impediment in his speech , Vincent said to Mm , "Father , if you command me , I will speak ; " to which Valerius replied , " Son , as I committed to you the dispensation of the word of God , so now I charge

you to answer in vindication of the faith which we defend . " Vincent then boldly declared that they were ready to suffer for their faith , and that neither threats nor promises would avail to make them worship any hut tho true God . Dacian decreed

against Valerius only the punishment of being banished from Spain ; but enraged at the boldness of Vincent , he proceeded to subject him to the most cruel tortures , such as it seemed that no man could have

endured without supernatural support . But while Dacian ' s whole body ivas agitated with the violence of his increasmg rage , and his voice faltered , and Ms eyes flashed with fury , bis victim preserved the most peaceful serenity of countenance , and tranquilly submitted himself to all that his tormentors could inflict . He was stretched on the

rack , and the cords moving over pullies Avere tightened till his joints Avere almost dislocated , and meaiiAvhile pieces Of his flesh Avere torn off with iron hooks . ' The martyr smiled , and told the executioners that they were weak and fainthearted . Dacian thought they spared himand

com-, manded them to he beaten , ivhich was clone , and then they returned to their horrid work , exerting themselves to the utmost to avoid the further anger of their barbarous master , who continued to incite them by many words as they went on .

They were twice under the necessity of stopping to rest , which gave the martyr a little respite , but ere they had done , Ms body was so cruelly torn that in some places his bones and bowels were exposed to view . But the more his flesh was tornthe more

, did his spirit rejoice , and the inward joy irradiated his countenance , so that Dacian himself beheld it ivith astonishment , confessed himself defeated in his attempts and commanded the tormentors to cease . He now begged Vincentfor his own sake at

, least , to give up the sacred books to be burned , if he woidd not offer sacrifice to the gods . But the martyr answered that lie feared torments less than the false

compassion now expressed by the Proconsul . Upon this , Dacian , falling again into an ecstacy of rage , condemned him to be tortured byroasting on a gridiron . Vincent walked with apparent joy to the engine of torture , and cheerfully ascended the iron bed , in which besides the bars were sharp spikes , and all heated by fire underneath . On this he was stretched out , and bound