st. john of damascus (676-749 - Cristo Raul

196 ST. JOHN OF DAMASCUS.
emergency, he was recommended by Araches to
share his kingdom with his son. If the cares of
state should withdraw the prince s thoughts from
religion, their end would be gained. If not, it would
be a final token that Christianity was from God, and
The counsel was
that they must not fight against it.
followed, and the kingdom shared with Joasaph.
separate capital was assigned him, and a full share of
royal magnificence. But this last temptation was
foiled. The young sovereign acted like a second
Josiah. He cleared his city from its idolatries ;
he
protected and encouraged the Christians within his
realm ;
and by his justice and clemency made settlers
from all parts to flock to his jurisdiction, so that his
government prospered beyond example. Yielding
at last to this overwhelming evidence, the old king
Abenner comes as a humble disciple to his son ;
is
by him instructed in the faith, and dies a Christian.
Then Joasaph, resigning the sovereignty to Barachias,
a Christian also, lays aside for ever his royal
robes ;
and starts on foot, a humble pilgrim, to seek
his beloved instructor, Barlaam. After a weary
search of two years, he finds him in a desert cave,
and there abides with him till his death, which the
Golden Legend places about the year 380. The
bodies of the two are afterwards found reposing side
by side, and conveyed by Barachias with all honour
to the capital.
A
Such, in a very meagre and curtailed outline, is
the once famous story of "Barlaam and Joasaph."
Whether it be judged to be from the pen of Damascenus
or not and there is much in the Greek that