Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 2.djvu/903

Rh &quot; the people ra n in crowds to see his face ; the churches were full of rejoicing ; thanksgivings were offered up everywhere ; the ministers and clergy thought the day the happiest in their lives.&quot; But this period of happiness was destined to be short-lived. His position as patriarch of Alexandria placed him, not under his friend Constantino II., but under Constantius, another son of the elder Con- stantine, who had succeeded to the throne of the East. He in his turn fell, as his father had done, more and more under the influence of the Nicomedian Euscbius, now trans ferred to the see of Constantinople. A second expulsion of Athanasius was accordingly resolved upon. The old charges against him were revived, with the addition of his having set at naught the decision of a council. It was further resolved on this occasion to put another bishop in his place. Accordingly, in the beginning of the year 340, a Cappadocian named Gregory, said to be an Arian, was installed by military force on the throne of the great de fender of the faith, who, to save his followers from outrage, withdrew to a place of concealment. As soon as it was possible he repaired to Rome, to &quot; lay his case before the church.&quot; He was declared innocent at a council held there in 342, and in another held at Sardica some years later. Julius, the bishop of Rome, warmly espoused his cause, and, generally, it may be said that the Western Church was Athanasian in its sympathies and its creed, while the majority of the Eastern bishops sided with the Eusebian party. This severance was clearly shown at the Council of Sardica, where the Orientals refused to meet with the representation of the Western Church, because the latter insisted on recognising the right of Athanasius and his friends to attend the council as regular bishops. The commonly received date of this council is 347, but the rediscovered Festal Letters of Athanasius have had the effect of throwing back this date for some years. It has been placed by some as early as the end of 343, by Mansi and others in the end of 3 i4. The decision of the Council of Sardica, however, had no immediate effect in favour of Athanasius. Constantius continued for some time implac able, and the bold action of the Western bishops only incited the Arian party in Alexandria to fresh severities. Gradually, however, the excesses of the Arian party brought their own revenge, while the death of the intruded bishop Gregory, in the beginning of 345, opened up the way for a reconciliation betwixt the Eastern emperor and the banished prelate. The result was the restoration of Athanasius for the second time, amidst the enthusiastic demonstrations of the Alexandrian populace, which is represented by his panegyrist, Gregory Nazianzen, as streaming forth &quot; like another Nile &quot; to meet him in the distance as he approached the city. His restoration is supposed to have taken place, according to the more accurate chronology based upon the Festal Letters, in October 346. For ten years at this time Athanasius held his ground in Alexandria. But the intrigues of the Arian or court party were soon renewed against him, and the feeble emperor, who had protested that he would never again listen to their accusations, was gradually stimulated to new hostilities. A large council was held at Milan in the spring of the year 355, and here, notwithstanding the vigorous opposition of a few faithful men amongst the Western bishops, a renewed condemnation of Athanasius was procured. This was followed up by the banishment of the faithful prelates, even of Hosius of Cordova, whose conciliatory character and intimate connection with the imperial family had not prevented him from addressing to Constantius a pathetic remonstrance against the tyranny of the Arian party. When his friends were thus scattered in exile, their great leader could not &quot;long escape ; and on the night of the Sth of February 350, while he was en gaged in service in the church of St Thomas, a band of armed men burst into the sacred building. He has him self described the scene (Apol. de fuga, 24). Here for a time he maintained his composure, and desired the deacon to read the psalm, and the people to respond &quot;For His mercy endurethfor ever;&quot; and how, as the soldiers rushed forward with fierce shouts towards the altar, he at length made his escape in the crowd, and sought once more a place of safe retirement. The solitudes of Upper Egypt, where numerous monasteries and hermitages had been planted, appear to have been his chief shelter at this time. Here, protected from pursuit, he spent his time in literary labours in behalf of his cause ; and to this period, accord ingly, belong some of his most important writings, above all the great Orations, or Discourses against the Arians, which furnish the best exposition of his theological position and principles. For six years at this time Athanasius continued in exile, till the death of Constantius in November 361 opened once more the way for his return to his episcopate. Julian, the successor to the imperial throne, professed indifference to the contentions of the church, and granted permission to the bishops exiled in the late reign to return home. Amongst others, Athanasius took advantage of this per mission, and seated himself once more upon his throne, amidst the jubilations of the people. He had begun his episcopal labours with renewed ardour, and summoned a council to Alexandria to decide various important questions, when an imperial mandate yet again drove him from his place of power. The faithful gathered around him weep ing. &quot; Be of good heart,&quot; he said, &quot; it is but a cloud : it will soon pass.&quot; His forecast proved true ; for within a few months Julian had closed his brief career of Pagan revival, and Athanasius &quot; returned by night to Alexan dria.&quot; He received a letter from the new emperor, Jovian, praising his Christian fidelity, and encouraging him to resume his work. With the emperor he continued to maintain friendly relations, and even drew out for him a synodal letter embodying the Nicene Creed, which was graciously received. During the brief reign of this bluff soldier-prince, comparative quiet prevailed in the church. But the repose was of short duration. In the spring of 365, after the accession of Yalens, troubles reappeared. An order was issued for the expulsion of all bishops who had been expelled by Constantius, and Athanasius was once more forced to take refuge in concealment from his persecutors. His concealment, however, only lasted for four months, when an order came for his return ; and from this time (Feb. 366) he was left undisturbed to pursue his episcopal labours. Those labours were unceasing in refut ing heretics, in building churches, in rebuking rapacious governors, in comforting faithful bishops, and in strengthen ing the orthodox everywhere, till at length, in the spring of 373, &quot;in a good old age,&quot; he ceased from all his work. Having consecrated one of his presbyters his successor, he died quietly in his own house. His &quot;many struggles,&quot; j according to his panegyrists, won him &quot; many a crown.&quot; I He was gathered to his fathers, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, who had contended for the truth. Even those who fail to sympathise with the cause which Athanasius stedfastly maintained, cannot refuse their tribute of admiration to his magnanimous and heroic cha racter. The cynic eloquence of Gibbon grows warm in recounting his adventurous career, and the language of Hooker breaks into stately fervour in celebrating his faith and fortitude. &quot; The whole world against Athanasius, and Athanasius against it ; half a hundred of years spent in doubtful trial which of the two in the end should prevail the side which had all, or else the part which had no 