NPNF2-08. Basil: Letters and Select Works - Holy Bible Institute

To Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria.To Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria.Letter LXVII. 2242In my former letter it seemed to me sufficient to point out to your excellency, that allthat portion of the people of the holy Church of Antioch who are sound in the faith, oughtto be brought to concord and unity. My object was to make it plain that the sections, nowdivided into several parts, ought to be united under the God-beloved bishop Meletius. Nowthe same beloved deacon, Dorotheus, has requested a more distinct statement on thesesubjects, and I am therefore constrained to point out that it is the prayer of the whole East,and the earnest desire of one who, like myself, is so wholly united to him, to see him in authorityover the Churches of the Lord. He is a man of unimpeachable faith; his manner oflife is incomparably excellent, he stands at the head, so to say, of the whole body of theChurch, and all else are mere disjointed members. On every ground, then, it is necessaryas well as advantageous, that the rest should be united with him, just as smaller streams withgreat ones. About the rest, 2243 however, a certain amount of management is needed, befittingtheir position, and likely to pacify the people. This is in keeping with your own wisdom,and with your famous readiness and energy. It has however by no means escaped your intelligence,that this same course of procedure has already recommended itself to the Westernswho are in agreement with you, as I learn from the letters brought to me by the blessed Silvanus.2242 Of the same year as the preceding.2243 i.e. Paulinus and his adherents.487