Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Series 2 - The Still Small ...

Without address. 2252
Letter LXX. 2251
To renew laws of ancient love, and once again to restore to vigorous life that heavenly
and saving gift of Christ which in course of time has withered away, the peace, I mean, of
the Fathers, is a labour necessary indeed and profitable to me, but pleasant too, as I am sure
it will seem to your Christ-loving disposition. For what could be more delightful than to
behold all, who are separated by distances so vast, bound together by the union effected by
love into one harmony of members in Christ’s body? Nearly all the East (I include under
this name all the regions from Illyricum to Egypt) is being agitated, right honourable father,
by a terrible storm and tempest. The old heresy, sown by Arius the enemy of the truth, has
now boldly and unblushingly reappeared. Like some sour root, it is producing its deadly
fruit and is prevailing. The reason of this is, that in every district the champions of right
doctrine have been exiled from their Churches by calumny and outrage, and the control of
affairs has been handed over to men who are leading captive the souls of the simpler brethren.
I have looked upon the visit of your mercifulness as the only possible solution of our difficulties.
Ever in the past I have been consoled by your extraordinary affection; and for a
short time my heart was cheered by the gratifying report that we shall be visited by you.
But, as I was disappointed, I have been constrained to beseech you by letter to be moved to
help us, and to send some of those, who are like minded with us, either to conciliate the
dissentient and bring back the Churches of God into friendly union, or at all events to make
you see more plainly who are responsible for the unsettled state in which we are, that it may
be obvious to you for the future with whom it befits you to be in communion. In this I am
by no means making any novel request, but am only asking what has been customary in the
case of men who, before our own day, were blessed and dear to God, and conspicuously in
your own case. For I well remember learning from the answers made by our fathers when
asked, and from documents still preserved among us, that the illustrious and blessed bishop
Dionysius, conspicuous in your see as well for soundness of faith as for all other virtues,
visited by letter my Church of Cæsarea, and by letter exhorted our fathers, and sent men to
ransom our brethren from captivity. 2253 But now our condition is yet more painful and
2251 Of the same period as the preceding.
2252 “This letter is obviously addressed to Pope Damasus.”—Ben. Ed.
Without address.
2253 The Ben. Ed. points out that what is related by Basil, of the kindness of the bishops of Rome to other
churches, is confirmed by the evidence both of Dionysius, bishop of Corinth (cf. Eusebius, Hist. Ecc. iv. 23), of
Dionysius of Alexandria (Dionysius to Sixtus II. Apud Euseb., Ecc. Hist. vii. 5), and of Eusebius himself who in
his history speaks of the practice having been continued down to the persecution in his own day. The troubles
492