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

To Elias, Governor of the Province.
Letter XCIV. 2333
I too have been very anxious to meet your excellency, lest by my failure to do so I might
come off worse than my accusers; but bodily sickness has prevented me, attacking me even
more seriously than usual, and so I am perforce reduced to address you by letter. When,
not long ago, most excellent sir, I had the pleasure of meeting your excellency, I was anxious
to communicate with your wisdom about all my affairs; and I was also anxious to address
you on behalf of the Churches, that no ground might be left for future calumnies. But I restrained
myself, thinking it altogether superfluous and importunate to add troubles outside
his own necessary business to a man charged with so many responsibilities. At the same
time (for the truth shall be told) I did shrink from being driven to wound your soul by our
mutual recriminations, when it ought in pure devotion to God to reap the perfect reward
of piety. For really, if I attract your attention to me, I shall leave you but scant leisure for
your public duties; shall act something like a man overloading with additional luggage some
boatmen managing a new boat in very rough water, when all the while he ought to lessen
the cargo and do his best to lighten the craft. For this very reason, I think, our great Emperor,
after seeing how fully occupied I am, leaves me to manage the Churches by myself. Now I
should like those who are besieging your impartial ears to be asked what harm the government
suffers from me? What depreciation is suffered by any public interests, be they small
or great, by my administration of the Churches? Still, possibly, it might be urged that I have
done damage to the government by erecting a magnificently appointed church to God, and
round it a dwelling house, one liberally assigned to the bishop, and others underneath, allotted
to the officers of the Church in order, the use of both being open to you of the magistracy
and your escort. But to whom do we do any harm by building a place of entertainment for
strangers, both for those who are on a journey and for those who require medical treatment
on account of sickness, and so establishing a means of giving these men the comfort they
want, physicians, doctors, means of conveyance, and escort? 2334 All these men must learn
reservation. On the doctrine of the English Church on this subject reference may be made to the Report of a
Committee of the Upper House of the Convocation of Canterbury in 1885. The Rubric of 1549 allowed reservation,
and it does not seem to have been prohibited until 1661. Bishop A. P. Forbes on Article xxviii. points out that
in the Article reservation is not forbidden, but declared not to be of Christ’s institution, and consequently not
binding on the Church. The distinction will not be forgotten between reservation and worship of the reserved
Sacrament.
2333 Placed in 372, at the departure of Valens.
2334 Among the honourable functions of the clergy was that of acting as guides and escort, παραπέμποντες.
cf. Letters xcviii. and ccxliii.
To Elias, Governor of the Province.
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