File:Constantine the Great; the reorganisation of the empire and the triumph of the church (1905) (14587042950).jpg

Identifier: constantinegreat00firt (find matches)
Title: Constantine the Great; the reorganisation of the empire and the triumph of the church
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: Firth, John B. (John Benjamin), 1868-1943
Subjects: Constantine I, Emperor of Rome, d. 337 Church history -- Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600
Publisher: New York, London, G.P. Putnam's Sons
Contributing Library: Columbia University Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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me of the persecu-tion. These must all have been acutely conscious ofthe curiously anomalous position in which theystood. If they found that Felix had delivered upthe Holy Books and utensils of the church, theirverdict would acquit him of having broken the lawof Diocletian, but would convict him of being atraditor, and would, therefore, be most unwelcometo the reigning sovereign. If they decided thatFelix was not a traditor, they would convict him ofhaving broken the law of Diocletian and convictthemselves of having been lax administrators. Thefavour of a living Prince, however, outweighed con-sideration for the edicts of the dead, and the findingof the court was that no volumes of Holy Scripturehad been discovered at Aptunga, or had been defiled,or burnt. It went on to say that Felix was notpresent in the city at the time and that he had nottemporised with his conscience (neque conscientiamaccommodaverit). He had been, in short, a godlybishop (religiosum episcopuni). The character of
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Constantine and the Donatists 173 Felix was, therefore, entirely rehabilitated and thevalidity of the consecration of Csecilianus wasunimpaired. Then follows the Council of Aries in 314. With aforbearance rarely displayed by a Roman emperor toinveterate and unreasoning opposition, Constantineyielded to the clamour of the Donatists for a new coun-cil on a broader and more authoritative scale than thecommission of Italian and Gallic bishops. But his dis-appointment and disgust are plainly to be seen inhis letter to the proconsul of Africa. Constantinebegan by saying that he had fully expected that thedecision of a commission of bishops of the veryhighest probity and competence would have com-manded universal respect. He found, however, thatthe enemies of Caecilianus were as dogged andobstinate as ever, for they declared that the bishopshad simply shut themselves up in a room and judgedthe case according to their personal predilections.They clamoured for another council: he would grantth

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