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s¡¡nothing¡¡the¡¡people¡¡called¡¡Christians¡¡could¡¡not¡¡obtain¡¡by¡¡their¡¡prayers£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡among¡¡his¡¡forces¡¡was¡¡a¡¡troop¡¡composed¡¡wholly¡¡of¡¡followers¡¡of¡¡that¡¡religion¡£¡¡Rejoiced¡¡at¡¡this¡¡news£»¡¡Marcus¡¡Antoninus¡¡demanded¡¡of¡¡these¡¡soldiers¡¡that¡¡they¡¡should¡¡pray¡¡to¡¡their¡¡god£»¡¡who¡¡granted¡¡their¡¡petition¡¡on¡¡the¡¡instant£»¡¡sent¡¡lightning¡¡among¡¡the¡¡enemy¡¡and¡¡consoled¡¡the¡¡Romans¡¡with¡¡rain¡£¡¡Struck¡¡by¡¡this¡¡wonderful¡¡success£»¡¡the¡¡emperor¡¡honored¡¡the¡¡Christians¡¡in¡¡an¡¡edict¡¡and¡¡named¡¡their¡¡legion¡¡The¡¡Thundering¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡even¡¡asserted¡¡that¡¡a¡¡letter¡¡existed¡¡by¡¡Marcus¡¡Antoninus¡¡on¡¡this¡¡subject¡£¡¡The¡¡pagans¡¡well¡¡knew¡¡that¡¡the¡¡company¡¡was¡¡called¡¡The¡¡Thunderers£»¡¡having¡¡attested¡¡the¡¡fact¡¡themselves£»¡¡but¡¡they¡¡revealed¡¡nothing¡¡of¡¡the¡¡occasion¡¡on¡¡which¡¡the¡¡leader¡¡received¡¡the¡¡name¡£¡¨£§1£§¡¡Peculiar¡¡interest¡¡attaches¡¡to¡¡this¡¡narrative¡¡as¡¡illustrating¡¡both¡¡credulousness¡¡as¡¡to¡¡matters¡¡of¡¡fact¡¡and¡¡pseudo¡­scientific¡¡explanation¡¡of¡¡alleged¡¡facts¡£¡¡The¡¡m

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