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| To the people of Chalcis.
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Letter
CCXXII.2872
To the people of Chalcis.2873
| 2873 The Syrian
Chaecis, now Kinesrin. Maran Vit. Bas. Chap.
xxxiii. supposes this letter to have been probably carried with
Letter ccxxi. by Acacius. |
The letter of your
reverences came upon me in an hour of affliction like water poured into
the mouths of racehorses, inhaling dust with each eager breath at high
noontide in the middle of the course. Beset by trial after trial,
I breathed again, at once cheered by your words and invigorated by the
thought of your struggles to meet that which is before me with
unflinching courage. For the conflagration which has devoured a
great part of the East is already advancing by slow degrees into our
own neighbourhood, and after burning everything round about us is
trying to reach even the Churches in Cappadocia, already moved to tears
by the smoke that rises from the ruins of our neighbours’
homes.2874
| 2874 Maran Vit.
Bas. l. c. says that these words cannot refer to the persecution
of Valens in Cappadocia in 371, for that persecution went on between
Constantinople and Cappadocia, and did not start from the
East. There need be no surprise, he thinks, at the two
preceding letters containing no mention of this persecution, because
Acacius, who was a native of Bera, would be sure to report all that
he had observed in Cappadocia. I am not sure that the
reference to a kind of prairie fire spreading from the East does not
rather imply a prevalence of heresy than what is commonly meant by
persecution. Meletius, however, was banished from Antioch in
374 and Eusebius from Samosata in the same year, as graphically
described by Theodoret H.E. iv. 13. | The
flames have almost reached me. May the Lord divert them by
the breath of His mouth, and stay this wicked fire. Who is such a
coward, so unmanly, so untried in the athlete’s struggles,
as not to be nerved to the fight by your cheers, and pray to be
hailed victor at your side? You have been the first to step
into the arena of true religion; you have beaten off many an
attack in bouts with the heretics; you have borne the strong hot
wind2875
| 2875 καύσωνα.
cf. Matt. xx. 12, Luke xii. 55,
and James i. 11. | of trial, both
you who are leaders of the Church, to whom has been the ministry
of the altar, and every individual of the laity, including those
of higher rank. For this in you is specially admirable and
worthy of all praise, that you are all one in the Lord, some of
you leaders in the march to what is good, others willingly
following. It is for this reason that you are too strong for
the attack of your assailants, and allow no hold to your
antagonists in any one of your members, wherefore day and night I
pray the King of the ages to preserve the people in the integrity
of their faith, and for them to preserve the clergy, like a head
unharmed at the top, exercising its own watchful forethought for
every portion of the body underneath. For while the eyes
discharge their functions, the hands can do their work as they
ought, the feet can move without tripping, and no part of the body
is deprived of due care. I beseech you, then, to cling to
one another, as you are doing and as you will do. I beseech
you who are entrusted with the care of souls to keep each and all
together, and to cherish them like beloved children. I
beseech the people to continue to show you the respect and honour
due to fathers, that in the goodly order of your Church you may
keep your strength and the foundation of your faith in Christ;
that God’s name may be glorified and the good gift of love
increase and abound. May I, as I hear of you, rejoice in
your progress in God. If I am still bidden to sojourn in the
flesh in this world, may I one day see you in the peace of
God. If I be now summoned to depart this life, may I see you
in the radiant glory of the saints, together with all them who are
accounted worthy through patience and showing forth of good works,
with crowns upon your heads.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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