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

Without address.Letter LXX. 2251Without address. 2252To renew laws of ancient love, and once again to restore to vigorous life that heavenlyand saving gift of Christ which in course of time has withered away, the peace, I mean, ofthe Fathers, is a labour necessary indeed and profitable to me, but pleasant too, as I am sureit will seem to your Christ-loving disposition. For what could be more delightful than tobehold all, who are separated by distances so vast, bound together by the union effected bylove into one harmony of members in Christ’s body? Nearly all the East (I include underthis name all the regions from Illyricum to Egypt) is being agitated, right honourable father,by a terrible storm and tempest. The old heresy, sown by Arius the enemy of the truth, hasnow boldly and unblushingly reappeared. Like some sour root, it is producing its deadlyfruit and is prevailing. The reason of this is, that in every district the champions of rightdoctrine have been exiled from their Churches by calumny and outrage, and the control ofaffairs has been handed over to men who are leading captive the souls of the simpler brethren.I have looked upon the visit of your mercifulness as the only possible solution of our difficulties.Ever in the past I have been consoled by your extraordinary affection; and for ashort time my heart was cheered by the gratifying report that we shall be visited by you.But, as I was disappointed, I have been constrained to beseech you by letter to be moved tohelp us, and to send some of those, who are like minded with us, either to conciliate thedissentient and bring back the Churches of God into friendly union, or at all events to makeyou see more plainly who are responsible for the unsettled state in which we are, that it maybe obvious to you for the future with whom it befits you to be in communion. In this I amby no means making any novel request, but am only asking what has been customary in thecase of men who, before our own day, were blessed and dear to God, and conspicuously inyour own case. For I well remember learning from the answers made by our fathers whenasked, and from documents still preserved among us, that the illustrious and blessed bishopDionysius, conspicuous in your see as well for soundness of faith as for all other virtues,visited by letter my Church of Cæsarea, and by letter exhorted our fathers, and sent men toransom our brethren from captivity. 2253 But now our condition is yet more painful and2251 Of the same period as the preceding.2252 “This letter is obviously addressed to Pope Damasus.”—Ben. Ed.2253 The Ben. Ed. points out that what is related by Basil, of the kindness of the bishops of Rome to otherchurches, is confirmed by the evidence both of Dionysius, bishop of Corinth (cf. Eusebius, Hist. Ecc. iv. 23), ofDionysius of Alexandria (Dionysius to Sixtus II. Apud Euseb., Ecc. Hist. vii. 5), and of Eusebius himself who inhis history speaks of the practice having been continued down to the persecution in his own day. The troubles492