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

To Amphilochius in the name of Heraclidas.brought and laid it at the feet of the apostles, and by them it was distributed to each as everyman had need. 2498 For he said that experience was needed in order to distinguish betweencases of genuine need and of mere greedy begging. For whoever gives to the afflicted givesto the Lord, and from the Lord shall have his reward; but he who gives to every vagabondcasts to a dog, a nuisance indeed from his importunity, but deserving no pity on the groundof want.4. He was moreover the first to speak shortly, as befits the importance of the subject,about some of the daily duties of life. As to this I should wish you to hear from himself, forit would not be right for me to weaken the force of his lessons. I would pray that we mightvisit him together, that so you might both accurately preserve in your memory what he said,and supply any omissions by your own intelligence. One thing that I do remember, out ofthe many which I heard, is this; that instruction how to lead the Christian life depends lesson words, than on daily example. I know that, if you had not been detained by the duty ofsuccouring your aged father, there is nothing that you would have more greatly esteemedthan a meeting with the bishop, and that you would not have advised me to leave him inorder to wander in deserts. Caves and rocks are always ready for us, but the help we getfrom our fellow man is not always at hand. If, then, you will put up with my giving youadvice, you will impress on your father the desirability of his allowing you to leave him fora little while in order to meet a man who, alike from his experience of others and from hisown wisdom, knows much, and is able to impart it to all who approach him.2092498 It will be observed that St. Basil’s quotation here does not quite bear out his point. There is no “by them”in Acts iv. 35. “Distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.” In Acts ii. 45 the primitivecommunists are said themselves to have “parted to all men as every man had need,” the responsibility of distributionbeing apparently retained.603