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

Letter CCXXV. 2910
To Demosthenes, 2911 as from the synod of bishops.
I am always very thankful to God and to the emperor, under whose rule we live, when
I see the government of my country put into the hands of one who is not only a Christian,
but is moreover correct in life and a careful guardian of the laws according to which our life
in this world is ordered. I have had special reason for offering this gratitude to God and to
our God-beloved emperor on the occasion of your coming among us. I have been aware
that some of the enemies of peace have been about to stir your august tribunal against me,
and have been waiting to be summoned by your excellency that you might learn the truth
from me; if indeed your high wisdom condescends to consider the examination of ecclesiastical
matters to be within your province. 2912 The tribunal overlooked me, but your excellency,
moved by the reproaches of Philochares, ordered my brother and fellow-minister
Gregory to be haled before your judgment seat. He obeyed your summons; how could he
do otherwise? But he was attacked by pain in the side, and at the same time, in consequence
of a chill, was attacked by his old kidney complaint. He has therefore been compelled, forcibly
detained by your soldiers as he was, to be conveyed to some quiet spot, where he could have
his maladies attended to, and get some comfort in his intolerable agony. Under these circumstances
we have combined to approach your lordship with the entreaty that you will
feel no anger at the postponement of the trial. The public interests have not in any way
suffered through our delay, nor have those of the Church been injured. If there is any
question of the wasteful expenditure of money, the treasurers of the Church funds are there,
ready to give an account to any one who likes, and to exhibit the injustice of the charges
advanced by men who have braved the careful hearing of the case before you. For they can
have no difficulty in making the truth clear to any one who seeks it from the actual writings
of the blessed bishop himself. If there is any other point of canonical order which requires
investigation, and your excellency deigns to undertake to hear and to judge it, it will be necessary
for us all to be present, because, if there has been a failure in any point of canonical
2910 Placed in 375.
2911 Vicar of Pontus. It is doubtful whether he is the same Demosthenes who was at Cæsarea with Valens
in 371, of whom the amusing story is told in Theodoret Hist. Ecc. iv. 16, on which see note. If he is, it is not
difficult to understand his looking with no friendly eye on Basil and his brother Gregory. He summoned a
synod to Ancyra in the close of 375 to examine into alleged irregularities in Gregory’s consecration and accusations
of embezzlement. The above letter is to apologize for Gregory’s failing to put in an appearance at Ancyra, and
to rebut the charges made against him. Tillemont would refer Letter xxxiii. to this period. Maran Vit. Bas. xii.
5 connects it with the troubles following on the death of Cæsarius in 369.
To Demosthenes, as from the synod of bishops.
2912 Sæpe vicario Basilius in hac epistola leniter insinuat, res ecclesiasticas illius judicii non esse.” Ben. Note.
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