CHAPTER V.

A BORN ECCLESIASTIC.

In the year A.D. 319, Alexander, the old and pious Bishop of Alexandria, having become imbued with that Trinitarianism which began to assume a sort of doctrinal prominence in the Western Church even from the time when Constantine had defeated Maxentius and had so become Emperor of Rome, publicly proclaimed this dogma wherever he went. During that year, upon one of his episcopal visits, he preached in the Baucalis church a sermon which gave great offense to Arius the Libyan, who was presbyter thereof, and to many of the vast and opulent congregation. Upon the following Sabbath the presbyter had delivered an elaborate discourse, in the course of which he inveighed with great force and earnestness against some "expounders of new doctrines who had grown too learned in the philosophy of the world, and too much in love with the political and legal religion which had been established in place of Christianity in the Western Empire to remain satisfied with the simple, unquestionable statement of the Gospels that Jesus Christ was the Son of God; and had gone about to trouble the faith and harass the consciences of believers by novel and dangerous speculations concerning the nature of Deity that were not taught in the Scriptures and were unknown to three centuries of Christian faith and practice." And, although Arius mentioned not the venerable bishop by name, no one doubted for whom his fierce rebuke was intended, and understood perfectly well what doctrinal deliverances he condemned as "the philosophy of the world," as "the political and legal religion which had been established in the Western Empire," and as "not taught in the Scriptures," and as "unknown to three centuries of Christian faith and practice." To this sermon the bishop subsequently replied in language of even greater vehemence; and before very long there was a continuous controversy going on between them, in which numerous Christians engaged on both sides, until it spread throughout the churches and grew into heated and sometimes acrimonious disputations. Nearly all the Romans in Alexandria took part with the bishop, and urged him earnestly in the prosecution of the controversy, while the native Christians, for the most part, clave unto Arius; and the word "foreigner," which before that time was never applied by one Christian to another (for they were all brethren), quickly crept into common use.

The superior learning, zeal, and influence of the presbyter greatly outweighed the personal and episcopal power of the bishop, and a vast majority of the Alexandrian clergy and laity sustained the views of Arius as the only true doctrine of the Scriptures, as approved by the ancient and constant teachings of the Church; and the controversy might have sunk into oblivion but for the "foreign" element, many of whom really seemed to make it their chief vocation to proclaim the great truth of "the Holy Trinity," and to utter eloquent panegyrics upon the character of Constantine the Emperor of Rome. Under these influences each party steadily maintained its own opinions, and the matter remained in this condition until Eusebius of Caesarea, having parted from the other Eusebius at Nicomedia, had journeyed unto Alexandria to redeem his promise made to the emperor that the flame of controversy should be kept burning until a general council could be convoked to determine it. Eusebius very soon comprehended the situation, and speedily reached the conclusion that even his superior official station and the support of the "foreigners" would not enable the bishop long to maintain himself against the vast power and influence of the presbyter without efficient aid. That, he thought, could not be effectively rendered except by some man of rare abilities, who might combine in himself all the characteristics of a courtier as well as of a priest, for the "foreign element" was already largely secularized; and he very anxiously looked about him for some man fit to be intrusted with the task of upholding the hands of the venerable Alexander.

Of course our Eusebius had duly renewed his ancient friendship for Arius, whom he loved and honored above all living men, and they had many interesting conversations upon the condition and prospects of the Church, and upon the present duties of the faithful pastor. Eusebius skillfully argued in favor of accommodating priestly action to the exigencies of social and political surroundings. Arius would hear of no compromise upon any point of either faith or practice. "Pontius Pilate," he vehemently exclaimed, "was the prince of compromisers when he washed his hands of 'the innocent blood,' and delivered up our Lord to be crucified! His successors are in all things worthy of him, seeking both to win the world by their actions and to save their souls by the profession of a faith which they do not practice! How fare ye bishops under the reign of Antichrist--ye that dwell where Satan's seat is?"

"The Church hath prospered beyond all expectation. The bishops almost rank with princes; the presbyters are blessed with exceeding comfort and honor, and throughout the Western Empire the people crowd into the churches faster than they can be built."

Then the grim old presbyter's hand waved to and fro, and his grand, shaggy head darted forward upon the long, lean neck, and the sad eyes gleamed with strange, mesmeric light, and his voice hissed with sibilant sharpness as he exclaimed: "Yea, my brother! And I have heard that your prince-bishops own slaves and nourish concubines; and that 'the brethren' hold estates and offices, and fleece their brethren by the crime of usury; and that the only difference between Romans who are Christians and those who are not subsists in the fact that one class of them patronizes the imperial churches and professes faith in Christ, and the other does not degrade itself and dishonor religion by any such shams and farces! Are these things so?"

Eusebius winced at this fierce and bitter thrust, but answered: "Some abuses have crept in among us, in consequence of our wonderful prosperity, which were unknown to the severity and simplicity of an earlier age; but we have many saintly bishops, presbyters, and people; and the evils of which thou speakest belong not to the Church, but to the frailty of individuals."

"Thou art verily mistaken, brother! Or what dost thou expect from a statutory religion, from an established church of which Constantine is king instead of Christ? I tell thee plainly that a church which imperial authority hath legalized along with legalized war, slavery, and mammon-worship, is not only no church of Christ, but is that Antichrist of which John in the Apocalypse doth speak. And it shall grow continually worse and worse."

"I doubt not," answered Eusebius, "that it would have been better to have preserved primitive Christianity; but the emperor is so powerful, and ecclesiasticism hath become insensibly so firmly established, that it is impossible now to turn back to the original system, perhaps dangerous to attempt it."

"Yea, dangerous," said Arius, bitterly. "For already he hath persecuted the saints, having waged a cruel war against the Goths to overthrow the church which Ulfilas planted among them, and force them to adopt the Roman laws and legal religion. I look forward every year to see this man of sin build a new capital, upon seven hills, above the sea, that John's description of him may be made complete. Thou must follow thine own counsel, brother. As for me, in life, in death, I am fixed in unflinching opposition to any name of blasphemy that may be used to designate a legal religion that sanctions war, slavery, and mammon-worship."

Many such conversations occurred between the bishop and Arius; but Eusebius found that the stern old man was incapable of compromise, and despised all expediency.

"Yea," he would say, "I have been told that ye Western Christians already believe that charity consisteth of alms-giving, instead of love to the brethren! ...

"Ye foolishly dream of converting the world," he cried, "by means of a church founded upon Roman laws, whose faith is a mere intellectual assent and conviction! But ye will find that instead of securing liberty, fraternity, equality, ye have only added the bond of conscience to bind the burdens more tightly upon the shoulders of mankind, and furnished the new Pharisees with new power to oppress the poor....

"Yea, verily," he said, "ye know that faith in Christ and community of property constituted the liberty of the gospel wherewith Jesus sought to make man free! But ye have imported into the very bosom of the Church all of the tyrannies, injustices, class-distinctions, and wrongs which constitute mammon-worship and the sorrow of the world; and there is no difference between your system and the old religions except that ye have substituted the name of Christ for that of Jupiter and Mars in juggling with the rights of man."

And when Eusebius endeavored to arouse in the stern old man some considerations of personal prudence, by intimating the probability that Constantine might some day rule the East also, the lone and immovable man sternly answered:

"Yea, he will obtain the East! For he alone of all men hath never failed in diplomacy; hath never abandoned a purpose; hath never lost a battle, and never will! He hath sold his soul for earthly glory, and Satan will pay to him his price."

But although Eusebius loved to commune with the stern old man, whose stainless integrity of character he could love and honor, but scarcely imitate, he never forgot the object of his journey to Alexandria, and was constantly on the lookout for some one to whom he could assign the task of aiding the ancient Alexander in his controversy with the great and fearless presbyter. At last he fell in with a youth who was an archdeacon in the bishop's church, and who, although very young, was possessed of such remarkable genius and learning, and of such pre-eminent personal advantages, as at once to attract and astonish him, and seemed to render him the fittest person to engage. He sedulously cultivated the young man's friendship, and admired him more and more as he learned more of his character and abilities. Finally, he cordially invited the youth to make with him a visit to Constantine, and having with much difficulty obtained the consent of the aged Alexander, who loved the bright and accomplished youth with exceeding tenderness, they twain departed for Milan. When the long and tedious journey had been safely accomplished, Eusebius promptly waited upon the emperor, who received him with fraternal cordiality.

"Ah, thou vagabond friend," he cried, "thou runaway bishop, whom I had almost given up for lost, give some good account of thyself, or thou shalt never again have leave of absence, even for a day."

"I have indeed delayed my return beyond all expectation," said the bishop; "but I suppose that my brother of Nicomedia hath imparted all needful information of thy lost shepherd up to the time at which I set out for Alexandria."

"Yea, verily," answered Constantine. "And his narrative was most perspicuous and entertaining, and eloquent enough to draw my veteran legions from the remotest quarters of the empire; and even now they are slowly but steadily concentrating eastwardly, and they have a certain Oriental bearing in their movements which would please thee mightily if only thou wert soldier enough to perceive it."

Both of the great men indulged in a laugh at this pleasant sally of the emperor, who continued: "Ah! my beloved bishop, it was indeed most delicate and superb work! Thou must henceforth insert into all the copies of the Apocrypha 'The Prophecy of Gaius of Chalcis,' but not during the lifetime of the Emperor Licinius, else he would decapitate mankind to reach thy single head!"

And again the emperor laughed like a boy, and the bishop joined in his merriment.

"How hast thou fared in Egypt, bishop? And what good tidings hast thou brought me thence?"

"I have explored the position of the controversy between the Bishop Alexander and Arius as thoroughly as possible. I find that Alexander, who begins greatly to feel his advanced years, is no match for the learned, eloquent, and powerful presbyter, and that unless he receive active, intelligent support, the controversy in Egypt and Syria will ultimately die out for want of opposition to Arius. The aged bishop hath been raised too much under the influence of the mighty causes which molded the character of Arius himself, to be a fit antagonist for him; and younger blood, warm with the new age of Constantine rather than with that of primitive Christianity, is imperatively required. Thine agents at Alexandria have been zealous and faithful, but a remarkable man is needed at that place; less than genius will accomplish nothing."

"Such men are rare enough," responded the emperor; "but surely thou must have discovered at least one."

"I was much troubled to find a fit agent for such a work, and finally would not decide to fix upon the man of mine own choice without first having given thee an opportunity to see and determine for thyself; and, therefore, I brought him hither with me."

"Who is the man?"

"He is a youth, but little more than twenty years of age, but, like many of the nameless orphans whom the Church hath raised, he is very thoroughly educated, especially in the Scriptures. He hath natural genius for the ministry and for politics. When he was a child, the Bishop Alexander saw him one day baptizing other children in the bay in sport; but the old bishop was so charmed with the solemn grace and dignity with which the child performed the sacred rite, that he declared the ceremony valid and took the children into his own church, and hath raised and educated this boy with loving care and patience. He is now an archdeacon of the bishop's congregation. Thou must not despise his youth, for in Alexandria, which is perhaps the most intellectual city of the world, it is commonly believed that this youth is the most eloquent, the most intelligent, and the most beautiful of the sons of men. But I would have thee judge for thyself. If he please thee, I advise that thou keep with thee the most wise and learned Hosius, and through him instruct the young archdeacon thoroughly. I decline to meddle any further in the business, for I am both the friend of Arius and a stout believer in his doctrine, and when the time comes will be upon his side."

"What is the name of this youthful paragon," said Constantine, "who hath so mightily bewitched thee?"

"At Alexandria they commonly call him the Christian Apollo; but his name is Athanasius."

"Wilt thou bring him unto me?"

The bishop quietly withdrew, and soon returned and introduced to the emperor a youth as perfect as an artist's dream of beauty. He was one of the most perfect specimens of Egyptian manhood. Small of stature, seeming to one of the emperor's magnificent proportions to be almost a dwarf, the expression of his face was of angelic beauty. There was a hardly perceptible stoop in his figure which gave him an appearance of native humility; a hooked nose, clearly chiseled; a small, rosy mouth; a short, silky beard spreading away into luxuriant whiskers; light, soft auburn hair; large, bright, serene eyes of womanly tenderness and purity; and limbs and features delicately but exquisitely fashioned--all combined to confer an irresistible charm upon his person and manners. Eusebius at once withdrew, leaving Constantine alone with the bright and beautiful boy. The splendid youth, with a movement free alike from shame and from audacity, but full of matchless ease and grace, darted forward, sank lightly down upon one knee, grasped one of the emperor's hands and kissed it--an act of homage never exacted, and seldom looked for, from any Christian--and lifting his soft, luminous eyes toward the emperor's face, said in tones as liquid and mellow as perfect flute-notes: "I thank thee, Augustus, that thy kindness satisfieth one great longing of my heart; for I have desired above all things to look upon thy face."

The emperor was charmed with the youth's exquisite manner and wonderful beauty, and gently raising him replied: "I give thee back thy thanks, lad, for surely thou art far better worth the seeing than am I. But why didst thou kneel to me? Most Christians make it a matter of conscience to kneel to none but God only, and I have respected their scruples."

"I crave pardon if mine obeisance hath been offensive unto thee," the mellifluous voice replied; "for I did but offer to thee the homage which my heart hath taught me to be due from raw but hopeful youth to mature and glorious manhood; from one of the very humblest of the people unto the wisest and greatest ruler of mankind; from a young but sincere and earnest Christian to the magnificent protector of the Church!"

Constantine laid his hand caressingly upon the young man's glorious head, and, laughing lightly, answered: "If thy tongue so drippeth honey, lad, the bees will settle in thy mouth and some time, may be, sting thee. Art thou so pleasant to all sorts of men?"

"Why not?" responded the melodious voice. "I could love all that are good, pity all that are evil, forgive their injuries, despise their hate, and die, I think, to do them service if that could benefit mankind."

"Boy," said Constantine, gravely but pleasantly, "thou hast uttered the profoundest secret of all true statesmanship! Who taught thee that?"

"I think my teacher hath been Jesus Christ. But I knew not that this sentiment was statesmanship, for I have learned it as religion."

"Only a few of the most gifted of mankind," replied Constantine, "have been wise enough to perceive that true religion and true statesmanship are twins that can never be torn apart without fatal injuries to both of them."

"And, therefore," said Athanasius, "it follows that the wisest emperor must also be the best; and hence the people of the Western Empire should count themselves the most fortunate of mankind."

"If thou dost so believe concerning the Empire of the West," said Constantine, "perhaps thou wouldst not decline to enter the service of its emperor in thine own country. Art thou bound by ties of love or of allegiance to the great Emperor Licinius?"

"Nay," replied Athanasius, "I am bound by no human allegiance other than to obey all laws in force in the government under which I live that conflict not with conscience. Nor have I been taught to regard one earthly sovereign as better than another, except as the policy of the human ruler may affect the Church favorably or unfavorably. Nor could any temporal advantages induce me to abandon the ministry of the Church in which I hold the humble place of an archdeacon, for I would choose even a menial service in the temple of God rather than the most exalted position outside of it."

"Then," said Constantine, briefly, "thou dost decline to enter into my service?"

"Nay," answered Athanasius. "Thou hast thyself declared that true religion and true statesmanship coincide throughout; and I have been taught to regard thee as both the greatest ruler of mankind and as the strong, unwavering defender of the faith; so that in place of declining any services thou mayst require at my hands, I am ready to give my life for thee; only I can not abandon the ministry, to which conscience, inclination, and training have consecrated me; and verily a Christian emperor hath need of faithful ministers as much as of faithful generals."

The eyes of Constantine sparkled with pleasure as he answered: "Thou meanest, then, that thou wouldst labor as zealously for the glory of mine empire within the pale of the Church as my civil officers do in the affairs of government, or as my generals do in the military campaigns?"

"Yea, verily!" said Athanasius; "and if it were not presumptuous in a boy to express an opinion in the presence of one so wise and great, I would not hesitate to declare that the victories which thou shalt gain in aiding the Church shall be less costly, less bloody, and more permanent, than any which thine invincible arms can ever gain by the sword; for thou shalt win not only provinces, but hearts!"

"Boy," cried Constantine, "thy cunning speech unveileth the secret dream of every ruler that nature hath fitted for dominion. For he that swayeth the scepter of empire only to acquire larger means for the gratification of his own lust for wealth, ostentation, luxury, and pride, is but a tyrant, however wise and strong he may be. The born ruler lives for his people, and, as thou hast said, can not satisfy his grand ambition unless he shall conquer hearts as well as provinces."

"Thy thought is worthy of thy greatness," replied Athanasius, "and showeth me that the welfare of the Church and of the emperor must be identical in every true and proper government, so that priest and soldier both may labor for its glory."

"Wilt thou define, as thou dost understand it, a true and proper government?"

"A true and proper government, as I conceive it to be, is the just and wise administration of all civil, military, and ecclesiastical authority by one supreme ruler."

The splendid face of Constantine grew bright with pleasure as he heard this concise and luminous reply; but desiring still further to draw out the young man's views, to which his use of the word "ecclesiastical" (entirely new to the emperor) gave a particular value, he answered as follows: "And which dost thou think to be of supreme authority, the civil, military, or ecclesiastical power?"

"Neither of them separately," replied Athanasius. "But only the ruler, that standeth in the place of God, should be supreme. It would be gross tyranny for the military authority to dominate the civil administration; it would be gross impertinence for the ecclesiastical authority to direct the armies of the empire; it would be confusion for either of them to interfere with the domain of another. Each should operate in its appropriate sphere, and the ruler whom God hath given should direct the movements of them all. For he standeth in the place of God."

"Yet," muttered Constantine to himself, "the heretic Arius saith that it is a blasphemy for any man to seek to stand in that high place, which belongeth unto Christ alone!" But unto Athanasius he presently made answer: "Thou hast wisdom far beyond thine age; but in regard to these things thou dost not agree well with the opinions of the most wise and learned presbyter, Arius the Libyan!"

Athanasius remained silent for some moments, looking up into the face of the tall emperor, who was watching his beautiful countenance with interest and curiosity, and a strange, almost indefinable expression lighted his sparkling features. The red lips parted and very slightly curled, but not with scorn or dislike. He had the very same expression, perhaps, that the face of some beautiful young girl might wear if a grandmother, whom she loved and revered, should begin to lecture her upon the observance of some propriety which the world had outgrown since the ancient dame had been a maiden of her own age. At last he said: "Nay, verily. The presbyter Arius surpasseth all living men in personal holiness; but his holiness is stern, ascetic, forbidding. He surpasseth all men in learning; but his learning laboreth to blight and destroy all the rare flowers of sentiment wherewith art, science, and philosophy seek to adorn and beautify the faith. He is the most earnestly Christian of all men; but his religion is hard, exacting, exclusive, and refuseth to blend with the performance of the duties of faith the light and human tenderness that endeareth piety unto the hearts of common men. He saith that the kingdom of heaven is the only government that our Lord established upon earth; that the Christian hath need of no other; and that to own allegiance to an earthly sovereign, or blend his laws with our religion, is to betray the Christ. He belongeth to a past age and to a vanishing system, and while he is one of the ablest, purest, most admirable Christians in the world, he is not, and never will be, an ecclesiastic. He hath been reared up in an age of miracles and martyrdoms, and can not comprehend the world as it is, nor the Church as it must be and is fast becoming."

Constantine regarded the gifted youth with wonder and delight, and listened with joy and amazement while the fresh and silvery tongue struck out, in forms of speech as clear and beautiful as the last coins issued from the royal mint, thoughts which he had himself long cherished and acted upon, but had never been able to conceive so perspicuously as the young archdeacon uttered them. The emperor then said, "Thou adoptest the opinions of the most learned and pious Bishop Alexander rather than those of the primitive, inflexible, and turbulent presbyter, dost thou not?"

"Only to a limited extent," answered the musical voice of Athanasius. "For our venerable bishop himself is ancient, and agreeth in many things with the presbyter. Truly, the great advantage that Arius hath over him consisteth in the fact that they have attended the same councils and witnessed the same events together, and the presbyter doth continually affirm this thing or that, and sayeth unto the bishop: 'Thou, also, wast then present; is it true, or not, as I have stated it?' And the bishop answereth, 'That thing I deny not, for it is true.' And then, as the report of the thunder followeth the lightning's flash, the fierce presbyter's conclusion striketh and overwhelmeth him. Thou canst scarcely understand how all this may be, unless thou hast seen men and women burned at the stake thyself, and hast heard their testimony, sifting through the flames, that they obeyed Jesus Christ, the only rightful King, whence they were called _martyrs_, that is, _witnesses_; but both Alexander and Arius have beheld such things, and the influence thereof abideth with them forever."

Then answered Constantine: "I thank God this day that I have seen no such events, and that no man under mine own government, or under that of my father, the most holy Emperor Constantius, hath ever seen them. But whence, then, hast thou learned thy views of the relation that ought to subsist between the Church and the emperor?"

"Chiefly from mine own thoughts, which many circumstances have provoked to activity, especially the efforts I have made to aid our venerable bishop. Long ago, in one of our social gatherings, when Arius did press the bishop fiercely upon the point that Christians must have naught to do with any government except the kingdom of heaven, which Jesus ordained for them, I arose and asked permission to put a question, which being granted, I said, 'If Tiberius Caesar had been a Christian, would not our Lord have rejoiced to see him rule the world?' And for some time the fierce man was silent."

"And what answer did he ever make?" asked Constantine.

"He said at last: 'And if the little foxes that destroy the vines could have asked foolish questions in Greek, would Moses have pronounced the animals unclean?' And I said: 'But the foxes never speak in Greek; it is contrary to the law of nature.' And he said to me: 'Neither can an emperor be a Christian; it is contrary to the law of Christ, which ordaineth equality, liberty, and fraternity for all believers.' And those of his party thought the answer to be sufficient. But, notwithstanding, I did follow the leading of mine own thoughts, and many things grew out of it."

"Let not thy thoughts change their course," replied Constantine; "for thou art altogether right. Thou shalt be my friend: remember that thou art young, and that the pious Alexander groweth very old; so that, in the course of nature, thou mayst live to see the episcopal throne at Alexandria vacant; or if they have no throne there yet, one shall some day be established. But thou hast charmed me into the neglect of other duties. Go, now, and come again on to-morrow at the same hour."

Then the beautiful boy again glided forward, lightly kneeled and kissed the emperor's hand, and smilingly withdrew.

And for many months afterward Constantine kept the young man Athanasius with him, and also Hosius, the venerable and learned Bishop of Cordova; and daily the youth passed some hours in conversation with the emperor or with the bishop, or with both of them together; so that when he returned to Alexandria his bright and wonderful intelligence was enlarged and enlightened by the foremost thoughts concerning things both royal and ecclesiastical that any men of that age could teach him. And the youth bore with him a most kind and affectionate letter written to the ancient Bishop Alexander by Constantine's own hand, and also a beautiful communion service of silver for his church. And Athanasius said unto Constantine almost at the moment of his departure, "Shall I deliver unto Arius for thee any message?"

And Constantine laughingly answered: "If the presbyter inquire of thee, thou mayst inform him that the emperor said of him, 'There are no birds in last year's nests.'"

But Arius the presbyter never asked Athanasius anything about the emperor. Even when the stern old man was told that Athanasius had been to Milan, and had for months abode in the emperor's palace, he only said: "The stature and Roman strength which enableth Constantine to cope with German, Briton, and Gaul, is fitly joined to the subtilty, beauty, and intelligence by which Athanasius typifieth the countless centuries of Egyptian civilization; and the two, like Herod and Caiaphas, combine against our Lord."

From the date of the return of Athanasius, men perceived that the Bishop Alexander became more open and explicit in his definitions of the Holy Trinity, more pointed in his opposition to the teachings of Arius, more eloquent in his praises of any pious emperor whom God might raise up to free the Christians of the East and identify his government with the Church. And Arius, having publicly taught that the unity of the Godhead consisted in the divine nature of Father, Spirit, and Son, and not in any blasphemous and impossible conception of the identity of them, or of their union in one person, just as the human family consisteth of father, mother, and son; and having gone so far as to write in a little metrical book of doctrine that "God was, when Christ was not"; that "God was not always Father"; and that the words "Father" and "Son," "begotten" and "conceived," necessarily implied the "priority" of him that begat, and of her that conceived--was by the Bishop Alexander ordered to suspend the exercises of his functions as presbyter of the Baucalis church. And, thereupon, the Libyan called his congregation together and said unto them: "Brethren, Alexander the bishop hath issued an order to suspend me from the performance of my duties as presbyter because I do not believe, and have refused to teach, his impossible, novel, Western, unscriptural philosophy concerning that which he calleth 'the Holy Trinity,' a phrase not found in Scripture. Ye know that the title to the Baucalis church was placed by the martyr Theckla, who caused it to be erected, in certain trustees of the common Church, not in the bishop, for in those days the bishops owned nothing. Ye know that the original members of this community (many of whom still live) called me to be the presbyter, and that I have discharged the duties of that place as faithfully as I was able to do by the space of nearly thirty years. None but the trustees have authority or right to close the church against me or my community; and I am well advised by diligent searching of the Scriptures, and by the Christian practices of three centuries, that no bishop hath any authority to suspend a presbyter, and that the order made by Brother Alexander in that behalf is puerile and void. I purpose, therefore, to continue the usual ministrations of divine service, and all my pastoral work among you, until the Church shall bid me to abstain; and ye who may desire so to do, can continue to attend."

The trustees of the Baucalis church promptly refused to close its doors upon Arius, and his entire congregation remained steadfastly devoted to him; and Bishop Alexander and those who followed him denounced the Libyan as a "heretic," and began to pray for the coming of Constantine; and wherever the influence of the Roman Empire was dominant, the "Arian heresy" was condemned; and the flame of controversy grew fiercer and fiercer, and spread throughout Christendom.