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

To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium.To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium. 2672Letter CXCI. 2671On reading the letter of your reverence I heartily thanked God. I did so because I foundin your expressions traces of ancient affection. You are not like the majority. You did notpersist in refusing to begin an affectionate correspondence. You have learned the greatnessof the prize promised to the saints for humility, and so you have chosen, by taking the secondplace, to get before me. Among Christians such are the conditions of victory, and it is hewho is content to take the second place who wins a crown. But I must not be behindhandin this virtuous rivalry, and so I thus salute your reverence in return; and inform you as tohow I am minded, in that, since agreement in the faith is established among us, 2673 thereis nothing further to prevent our being one body and one spirit, as we have been called inone hope of our calling. 2674 It is for you, then, of your charity to follow up a good beginningto rally men of like mind to stand at your side, and to appoint both time and place formeeting. Thus, by God’s grace, through mutual accommodation we may govern the Churchesby the ancient kind of love; receiving as our own members brothers coming from the otherside, sending as to our kin, and in turn receiving as from our own kin. Such, indeed, wasonce the boast of the Church. Brothers from each Church, travelling from one end of theworld to the other, were provided with little tokens, and found all men fathers and brothers.This is a privilege whereof, like all the rest, the enemy of Christ’s Churches has robbed us.We are confined each in his own city, and every one looks at his neighbour with distrust.What more is to be said but that our love has grown cold, 2675 whereby alone our Lord hastold us that His disciples are distinguished? 2676 First of all, if you will, do you become knownto one another, that I may know with whom I am to be in agreement. Thus by commonconsent we will fix on some place convenient to both, and, at a season suitable for travelling,we will hasten to meet one another; the Lord will direct us in the way. Farewell. Be of goodcheer. Pray for me. May you be granted to me by the grace of the Holy One? 26772671 Placed in 374.2672 So the mss. and Editors. The Ben. note would have it addressed to the recipient of the preceding.Tillemont thinks it written to one of the Lycian bishops referred to in Letter ccxviii.2673 ἡμῖν. Some mss. have ὑμῖν.2674 cf. Eph. iv. 4.2675 Matt. xxiv. 12.2676 John xiii. 35.2677 Whether the proposed meeting took place, and, indeed, what meeting is referred to, cannot be determined.Basil met Amphilochius and some neighbouring bishops in Pisidia in 375. But before this he counts the Isaurians669