any episcopal functions in the "parish” of another; if he does, to be punished by the provincial synod. XXIII. A bishop not to appoint his own successor. XXIV. Distinguishes, in case of a bishop's death, between his own property and the goods of the Church; so that his family may not, on the one hand, be impoverished, nor, on the other, the Church lose that which belongs to her. XXV. Gives the dispensation of Church property to the bishop; but with an appeal to the provincial synod.

18. These are the celebrated Canons of Antioch, which may be regarded, on the whole, as possessing the authority of the whole Church, by her adoption of them; though some, as for example, that against translations, have undoubtedly fallen into abeyance. Those who have undertaken to defend the authority of the Council itself, have proposed the hypothesis, that, when the Catholic bishops returned to their several homes, the Eusebian fathers remained, and turned the canons just made, and undoubtedly good in themselves, against Athanasius, whom they accordingly deposed. I confess that I can see no reason for such a belief. It would seem far more credible, that while the Arians did not possess an absolute majority in the council, they formed a very formidable minority; that the moderate party were ready to throw an individual overboard, in the vain hope of appeasing a troublesome adversary, and, by sacrificing a person, of maintaining a principle. Such proceedings we have seen again and again in our own times; and human nature was the same at Antioch in the 4th century, as it is among ourselves now. Certain it is that, in consequence of the 4th and 12th canons, the Emperor's ratification was procured to the deposition of S. Athanasius, and Gregory intruded at Alexandria, as I have related at length in my history of that Church. Thus ended the Council of Antioch.

19. While the diocese of Antioch was the scene of endless disputes between Arians and semi-Arians, and of the unfailing contest of the Church of GOD against both, Palestine was filled with the sanctity and miracles of another Antony.

Hilarion,

into the

Hilarion' was born at Tabatha, a little town in that portion Birth of S. of the Holy Land which had formed the tribe of Judah. A.D. 292, Sent by his parents, who were idolaters, to Alexandria for the purpose of education, he there became converted to the true faith; and hearing much of the reputation of S. Antony, he sought him out in the desert, and became one of his disciples, and studied under him two months. There, wearied out by those who sought to be cured of their diseases, or who were possessed of devils, he returned to his own country. His father and mother were dead; he divided his property he retires among his brothers and sisters, and then took up his abode desert, 307. in the desert, about seven miles from Majuma, in that which had once been the territory of the Philistines. Warned that the locality abounded with robbers, he opposed his poverty to their rapaciousness: "And if they take my life," said he, "death is the aim of my wishes." His earliest diet was a daily fast till sunset, and then a supper of fifteen figs: but finding that not even thus was he secured from the temptations of the flesh, he diminished his quantity of food, till he satisfied himself daily with six ounces of barley bread, a few wild herbs, and a farinaceous drink. He was frequently obliged to change his abode, compelled by the irruptions of the soldiers: his employment was basket-making, after the fashion of the Egyptian monks. His dwelling was so small as rather to resemble a tomb. His garments, a piece of sackcloth, which was never washed, and a sheepskin which he had received as a present from Antony. He had resided in the desert twenty-two years, when he first became cele- A.D. 329, brated for his miracles.

20. One of the first of these was the cure of the three his miracles sons of Elpidius, prefect, at a later period, of the prætorium. He, with his wife Aristaneta and these children, had been paying a visit to S. Antony; on their return, the youths were seized at Gaza with so violent a double tertian ague, on the sons of Elpidius. that they were given over by the physicians. Their mother

1 See the relation of these particulars in S. Jerome's very entertaining life of the saint. From his long

residence in Palestine, the biographer
was in a position to speak of many
anecdotes of this kind.

A lady of
Facidia.

Orion.

The horses of Italicus.

went to S. Hilarion, and conjured him, by that LORD Who
in the same country had rebuked many fevers, to come
and heal her children. The saint had resolved never to
enter a city: but, overcome by her prayers, he accompanied
her home. He prayed over the youths; and forthwith so
abundant a sweat burst forth over their burning bodies, that
they seemed three fountains: entire health followed. At
Facidia, near Rhinocorura in Egypt, lived a lady of consider-
able property, who, blind from the age of ten years, had
spent a large portion of her wealth among physicians, but to
no purpose. "Had you given the same amount to the poor,"
said the saint, "JESUS CHRIST, the True Physician, would
have healed you." He spat on her eyes, and immediately
restored her sight. One Orion, tormented
One Orion, tormented by a legion of
demons was brought to him for cure; and, after the expul-
sion of his persecutors, came, with his wife and children, to
the abode of the saint, in order to request his acceptance
of rich presents. "Gehazi endeavoured to sell, Simon to
buy, the gifts of the HOLY GHOST," returned Hilarion; “and
do not you tremble?” "At least," pleaded the other, "take
them for the poor." "You yourself can judge better than
I can of their needs," said Hilarion; "the name of poverty is
too often an excuse for avarice." And finding that the poor
man remained disconsolate: "I do it for your sake, my son,"
he continued; "were I to act otherwise, I should offend God,
and the legion of devils would return to their old dwelling-
place."

21. The story of Italicus is still more remarkable. A citizen of Majuma near Gaza, he was compelled, by the law of the land, to contend in a public chariot-race. His competitor, a duumvir of Gaza, dedicated his horses to the popular idol Marnas, "lord of men:" and the contest was generally regarded in the city as one between the true and the false GOD. Hilarion was at first unwilling to interfere but when convinced that this was the case, he ordered a bowl of water to be brought, and drank from it; he then directed that the remainder should be sprinkled over the horses and their stalls. On the appointed day, anxiety was

at the height. The heathens insulted, with loud outcries, Italicus and his friends. But, the signal being given, his horses seemed to fly towards the goal, while those of his rival crept rather than raced; and even the Pagans cried out, "Marnas is conquered by JESUS CHRIST!"

22. The fame of S. Hilarion reached the ears of Con- A Frank Candidatus. stantius: and, having a favourite officer, a Frank by nation, among his Candidati', who was possessed by an evil spirit, he recommended him to consult the great hermit. Furnished with conveyance by the imperial bounty, the poor man arrived at Gaza, and applied himself to the Consular of Palestine for directions. A guard having been given him, and many of the inhabitants accompanying him from curiosity, they astonished the saint by the appearance of so numerous a band. Obliging the greater part to retire, Hilarion retained the Frank, his slaves, and brother officers. He thus interrogated the patient-who spoke no language but his own-in Syriac: and the replies were given in the purest dialect of that tongue. He continued the questions, for the benefit of the interpreters, in Greek:-and the demon answered that he had been forced to enter by art magic. I care not," said Hilarion, "how thou didst enter! but now, “in the name of JESUS CHRIST, I command thee to depart." The Frank, in his ignorance, offered ten pieces of gold; Hilarion made him a present of a piece of barley bread: and, “of what value," asked he, "can gold be to those who are accustomed to food of this kind?"

tion of the

of Palestine.

23. From Hilarion, the monastic life took root in Pales - His visitatine, and if it never attained there the same importance monasteries in which it culminated in Egypt, it nevertheless produced marvellous fruits. He was accustomed to visit all the monasteries in the late summer before the vintage, and was sometimes accompanied by as many as 2000 of his brethren. Before one of these visitations, he drew up a programme of his route, and of the places in which he intended to lodge; and the piety of the inhabitants provided for himself and his

Church of Persia.

Shiraz.

Holwan.

Mosul.

Meru.

retinue, food as well as shelter. On one of these occasions
he entered the town of Elusa in Idumæa: the townsmen
were assembled in the temple of Venus, whom they adored
in connection with the planet that bears her name.
As they
tumultuously crowded around him, and demanded his bless-
ing-for he had delivered several of their fellow-countrymen
from unclean spirits "Only," said he, "believe in Jesus
Christ, and I will visit you again and again." He traced
for them the plan of a church, admitted a multitude to the
catechuminate, and among these the idol priest himself, still
wearing his garland of flowers.

24. I now turn to a most edifying subject, the great persecution under Sapor of Persia. Of the first introduction of the true Faith into that region, I have been able to say little; and the settlement of the various sees, of which we shall speak hereafter at more length, is in its commencement utterly unknown. Though the distinction of metropolitan jurisdiction was now only beginning to make itself felt, we see enough, through the darkness of early Persian history, to perceive that, next to Ctesiphon, the strength of the young Church radiated, as it were, from four nuclei. 1. SHIRAZ', in the very cradle of the kingdom, and which still retains the name of Farsistan. Here were the sees of Istakhr, the ancient Persepolis, and of Darabgherd; both, even at the present day, cities of considerable importance; to this also belonged the island of Socotra, so famous for its export of aloes. 2. Holwan, on the eastern boundary of the territory of Irak, and about a hundred miles N. E. of Bagdad. 3. Mosul, of which I shall have much to write hereafter. 4. Meru, as it is now called, then Maru, in the N. E. of Khorassan, a place now hardly marked in our maps: then the locality of a very flourishing church. At the period at which we have arrived, it was, I take it, the furthest advanced part of the Church in that direction. It was this Church which was now to undergo a tremendous conflict with Satan.

25. The throne of Persia was at this time filled by

1 See Le Quien, 11. 1247-1264. Assemani, B. O. III. 126.