Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 11.djvu/730

 PERFECTIONISTS

GOG

PERGAMUS

principally, because it has the chief share in the pro- cess of perfection; (3) entirely, for all other virtues necessarily accompany charity and are ordained by it to the supreme end. It is true that faith and hope are prerequisites for perfection in this life, but they do not constitute it, for in heaven, where perfection ia complete and absolute, faith and hope no longer remain. The other virtues therefore belong to per- fection in a secondary and accidental manner, because charity cannot exist without them and their exercise, but they without charity do not unite the soul super- naturally to God. (Lib. I, De Statu Perfectionis, Cap. iii).

Christian perfection consists not only in the habit of charity, i. e. the possession of sanctifying grace and the constant will of preserving that grace, but also in the pursuit or practice of charity, which means the service of God and withdrawal of ourselves from those things which oppose or impede it. " Be it ever remem- bered", says Reginald Buckler, "that the perfection of man is determined by his actions, not by his habits as such. Thus a high degree of habitual charitv will not suffice to perfect the soul if the habit pass not into act. That is, if it become not operative. For to what purpose does a man possess virtue if he uses it not? He is not virtuous because he can live virtu- ously but because he does so." (The Perfection of Man by Charity. Ch. vu, p. 77.)

The perfection of the soul increases in proportion with the possession of charity. He who possesses the perfection which excludes mortal sin obtains salvation, is united to God, and is said to be just, holy, and per- fect. The perfection of charity, which excludes also venial sin and all affections which separate the heart from God, signifies a state of active service of God and of frequent, fervent acts of the love of God. This is the perfect fulfilment of the law (Matt., xxii, 37), as God is the primary object of charity. The secondary object is our neighbour. This is not limited to neces- sary and obligatory duties, but extends to friends, strangers, and enemies, and may advance to a heroic degree, leading a man to sacrifice external goods, com- forts and life itself for the spiritual welfare of others. This is the charity taught by Christ by word (John, XV, 13) and example. (See Love, Theological Vir- tue OF.)

Religious Perfection. — Christian perfection, or the perfection of charity as taught by our Saviour, applies to all men, both secular and religious, yet there is also religious perfection. The religious state is called a school idisciplina) of perfection and it im- poses an obUgation, more strict than that of the secular state, of striving after perfection. Seculars are obliged to perfection by the observance of the precepts or commandments only; while religious are obliged to observe also the evangelical counsels to which they freely bind themselves by the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. The counsels (see Counsels, Evangelical) are the means or instru- ments of perfection in both a negative and positive sense. Negatively: the obstacles in the way of per- fection, which are (I John, i, 16) concupiscence of the eyes, concupiscence of the flesh, and pride of life are removed by the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, respectively. Positively: the profession of the counsels tends to increase the love of God in the soul. The affections, freed from earthly ties, enable the soul to cling to God and to spiritual things more intensely and more willingly, and thus promote His glory and our own sanctification, placing us in a more secure state for attaining the perfection of charity.

It is true that seculars who also tend to perfection have to perform many things that are not of precept but they do not bind themselves irrevocably to the evangelical counsels. It is, however, expedient only for those who are called by God to take upon them- selves these obligations. In no state or condition of

life IS such a degree of perfection attainable that fur- ther progress is not possible. God on his i)urt can always confer on man an increase of sanctifying grace and man in turn by cooperating with it can increase in charity and grow more perfect by becoming more intimately and steadfastly united to God.

Buckler, pc Perfection of Man hi, Charily (London, 1900); Devine. 1 Wanuai of Ascetical Thealngy (London. 1902); Idem Convent L./f (London, 1904); St. Fbancis de Sales, TreLliZ on the Lore of Cod (Dublin. 1860) ; Scahez, De religione tr 7 L I • bT. TH9MA8. Summa, II-II, Q. clxMiv; lo^K.Opus Deperfectione vitcF spmluahs: Vermberscb, De religiosi., inslilulis el personia traclalus canomco rnoralis (Rome. 1907) ; Rodriouez. The Praclice of Christian and Religious Perfection (New York)- Humphrey Elements of Religious Life [London, 1905) . '

Arthur Devinb.

Perfectionists. See Socialistic Communitie8.

Pergamus, titular see, suffragan of Ephesus. This city was situated on the banks of the Selinus. It was at first a city of refuge, as its name indicates, for the people of the plain, and has been regarded as a colony of Arcadians. The Greek historians have recon- structed for it a complete history because they con- fused it with the distant Teuthrania. It is mentioned for the first time by Xenophon (" Anab.", VU, viii, 8; "Hellen.", Ill, i, 6). Captured by Xenophon in 399 and immediately recaptured by the Persians, it was severely punished in 362 after a revolt. It did not become important until Lysimachus, King of Thrace, took possession, 301 B. c. His lieutenant Philetairoa enlarged the town, which in 281 he made the capital of the new kingdom which he founded. In 261 he bequeathed his possessions to his nephew Eumenius I (263-41 B. c), who increased them greatly, leaving as heir his cousin Attains I (241-197 b. c.)".

Its highest prosperity was reached under his son Eumemus II (197-59 b. c). He founded a school of sculpture, built in memory of his exploits a magnifi- cent marble altar adorned with a battle of the giants (Ampelius, "Miracula Mundi", 14), the splendid remains of which are in the museum of Berlin, and finally founded the celebrated library. Attalus III at his death in 133 B. c. bequeathed his kingdom to Rome. Aristonicus, natural son of Eumenius II, en- deavoured to restore the monarchy, but he was cap- tured in 129 B. c. by Perpenna, and the kingdom was annexed to the Roman Empire under the name of Asia Propria. It is worthy of mention t hat parchment was discovered there, and that the physician Galen was a native.

The Apocalypse (ii, 12), mentions the martyr An- tipas in connexion with Pergamus. Gains, to whom was addressed the Third Epistle of St. John, became bishop of this city, according to the Apostolic Consti- tutions (vii, 46). Attalus, martyred at Lyons under Marcus Aurelius, was a native of Pergamus. Euse- bius of CiPsarea (Hist, eccl., IV, 15, 48), mentions the martyrs Carpus, Papylus, and Agathonice, executed in March, 250. Out of a population of 120,000 inhab- itants which Pergamus then possessed, a large number were Christians. Among its bishops may be men- tioned: Theodotus who about 150 was active against the Gnostic sect of Colorbasiani ; Eusebius, present at the Councils of Sardica and Philippopolis in 344; Dracontius, deposed in 360 at the Council of Constan- tinople; Philip, present at the Council of Ephesus in 431; Eutropius, at the Robber Synod of 449; John, d. about 549; Theodore, at the" Sixth (Ecumenical Council in 681; Basil, at the Seventh in 787; Metho- dius at the Eighth in 878; George, living in 1256; Arsenius, 1303-16. Pergamus was a suffragan of Ephesus until the twelfth century, when it became a metropolitan see. Although long occupied by the Turks the town was still a metropolis in 1387, when the title was removed and it became once more a dio- cese (Miklosich and Muller, " Actapatriarchatus Con- stantinopolitani", II, 103, 397). The diocese itself soon disappeared.