Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

394 THK FORMATION OF CHRISTENDOMactivity, not only on its entirely heathen basis, butinoperative; a vision of the intellect, not an action ofthe will; a theory never effectuated.There is, however, a fact in history, the extension ofthe right of Roman citizenship by the Emperor Cara-calla to all inhabitants, which has sometimes beenmentioned as the result of Stoic principles carried intoRoman legislation by great jurists, such as Ulpian.However, it is not clear but that fiscal considerationsmay have had much influence in bringing about thismeasure, for all who were citizens became liable tovery heavy duties. What is certain is that whenthis citizenship was conferred, the Church for sixgenerations had been leavening the Roman worldwith the doctrine of the divine fraternity of men inChrist, which involved in it much more than theequality of Roman citizenship.For indeed far other both in its character and itsefficacy than any Stoic teaching was the brotherhoodof men in Christ conveyed, in the first words of ourLord after His resurrection, to the Church in the personof St. Mary Magdalene : " Go to My brethren, andsay to them, I ascend to My Father and your Father,and My God and your God:" words of unspeakabletenderness, of immortal consolation, words carryingwith them a new creation of never-ending power,establishing a family of undying heirs. In themspoke the charity of Christ the God-man, fresh fromthe Sacrifice of Himself for man. And because thebrotherhood reaches its accomplishment and fulfilmenin the sacrifice, they form tlae whole conception of threlation of man to his fellow-man which was to forrand rule the Christian Kingdom.From these brethren to whom Christ sent this first