The Legend Of The Quatuor Coronati.

vera dens est , verus Ihesus Christus . Et facto eo secundum consuetudinem catecumino , haptizavit eum in nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti in carcere , Et dimisit eos et reversi sunt ad opera sua .

Et ceperunt cavare conchas ex lapide porphyritico cum sigillis et herbacantis . Et in qua hora mittebant manus suas ad opera , in nomine Ihesu Christi operabantur cum signo crucis . TTnus autem de phylosophis

intnens et videns , quomodo sine signo crucis nichil faoiebant , sed ntebantur omni hora signo Christi in opere , contristatus est vehementer , et dixit iraplenus : Hoc genus magice artis est quod f acitis signum , nescio ad quam crudelitatem pertinens , et per ipsum omnia prospera vobis aguntur .

Respondit Claudius et dixit : Nescis phylosophe quia hoc signum quod fnit ante ad crudelitatem , ad vitam perdncit eternam qui credit in Ihesum . Respondit philosophus : Non potest crudelitas mortis ad vitam perducere . Respondit Claudius et dixit : Deus et

dominus Ihesus Christus ipse dixit . Qui invenit anlmam suam perdet earn , et qui perdiderit animam . suam inveniet earn . Respondit philosophus : Ergo et vos Christum sequimini colentes eum P Respondit Claudius :

Vere in ipsius signo et virtute omnia opera manuum nostrarum facimus ; quia sic nos docnit doctor gentium beatus Paulus Apostolus dicens , Qnicquid facitis , in nomine domini facite . Respondit philosophus : In cujns nomine domini ? Respondit Simphorianus : In nomine domini nostri Ihesu Christi . Dicit autem ad

eum philosophus : Et si ipse est dominus deus , quomodo morte snbjacuit ? Simphorianus respondit : Bene dicis quia morti subjacuit , tamen si scis quia rnortuus est ; quia suvrexit cognitum tibi non est ? His ita altercantibusmulti ex

, artificibus quadratariis crediderunt in verbis et doctrinis beati Simphoriani , et dixerunt ad alterutrnm : Melius nobis est ut in arte juvemur , et fortes esse possimus per ejus nomen qui rnortuus est et resurrexit .

God . And this being done , as is the cnstom with a catechumen , he baptized him , in the prison , in the name of the Father , Son , and Holy Ghost . So he dismissed them , and they returned to their work .

And they began to hollow shells from the porphyry with images and "herbacantis" (?) . And whenever they put their hands to the work , they worked in the name of Jesus Christ , with the sign of the cross . But one of the philosophers looking onand

, noticing how they did nothing without the sign of the cross , but every hour made use of the sign of Christ in their work , was very grieved and full of anger , and said : "This sign that you make is a kind of magic art ,

belonging to some sort of cruelty , and by its means all your work is performed successfully . Claudius replied , and said : Do ye not know , 0 philosopher , that this sign , which was first a sign of cruelty , leads him to eternal life who believes on Jesus . The

philosopher replied : The cruelty of death cannot lead to life . Claudius replied , and said : God and our Lord Jesus Christ Himself has said , He who finds his soul shall lose it , and he who shall lose his soul shall find it . The philosopher replied : Do ye

then follow Christ and worship him ? Claudius answered : Truly through His sign and might we do all the work of our hands , for the h ly apostle Paul , tea :: her of the Gentiles , taught us to do so , saying , Whatever ye do , do in the name of the Lord . The philosopher replied : In the name of what Lord ? Simphorian replied : In

the name of our Lord Jesus Christ . But the philosopher said to him : And , if he is God the Lord , how was he subject unto death ? Simphorian replied : You say rig htly that he was subject to death ; yet if you know that he died , do you not know that he rose again ?

And as they were thus disputing many of the masons believed in the words and doctrines of the blessed Simphorian , and they said one to another : It is better that we should have help in our art , and that we should be strong through the name of Him who died and rose again ,