click to read pdf file - The Preterist Archive

468 DARKNESS AND DAWN
needed money to secure admission into their places of confinement,
and Aliturus and Pomponia had seen that sufficient
was provided for all his needs. But the inevitable result followed.
The jailors noticed the tumult of joy which hailed
his presence, and saw that he was some great leader among
the Christians. Tigellinus had given orders that the ringleaders
of the baleful superstition should be seized, and
especially those whom they called Apostles. His emissaries,
listening to the conversations of the Christians among themselves,
were not long in ascertaining that this was Peter of
Bethsaida, and that in securing him and John they would have
seized two chief personages of the entire Christian community
throughout the world, and two who had been personal friends
and followers of the Crucified founder of the sect. Before
evening the spies had ascertained the quarter of the
where Peter was lodged.
city
It was from Simon the Sorcerer that Tigellinus learnt who
Peter was, and how important was the place which he filled
in the new community. This miserable impostor the father
of all heresies had won himself wealth and power, and
something not far short of adoration, not only in Samaria, but
in many kingdoms. It was owing to his detestable machinations
that Drusilla, the sister of Agrippa, had been persuaded
to desert her husband, King Azizus of Emesa, and
to become the mistress of Felix, brother of Pallas, who, by
his brother's influence, had risen from a slave to be Procurator
of Judaea, and the husband, or lover, of three queens. Simon
had now come to Kome to push his fortunes, and his keen
eye had caught sight of the Apostle in the streets. He had
set a savage dog upon him, which instantly became gentle
when the Apostle laid his hand upon its head. He was afraid
of his counter-influence, and still remembered with burning
wrath the old days when Peter, shaming him before his
Samaritan votaries, had overwhelmed him with the apostrophe,
' Thy money perish with thee '
He ! gave immediate
notice to Tigellinus that the leading Christian was in Rome.
He felt more secure in his attempted miracles and professed
inspiration, when Peter was in prison, and he was left unchecked
to dupe the Emperor or the gullible women of the
Roman aristocracy.
That evening there was a little meeting of Jewish Christians