MONICA,
Mother of Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, was born of Christian parents, in Numidia. She was not so much indebted to her mother's care, as to that of an old servant of the house, who had nursed her father. This pious servant never suffered the children to drink even water, except at meals, telling them, that if ever they became mistresses, the custom of drinking would remain; and they would indulge it with wine, not water. Yet Monica learned by degrees to drink wine, having been sent to draw it for the use of the family; but having been called a drunkard by one of the maids when in a passion, she, struck with shame that such a reproach should be addressed to her, gave up the practice for ever.
She was married to Patricius, a pagan, a native of Tagasta, in Numidia, and endeavoured, by her gentleness, to win him over to her faith, patiently enduring his passionate temper, in the hope that his natural goodness and benevolence would one day make him a restraint to himself. Many of her friends complained to her of the harsh treatment they received from their husbands, when she advised them to follow her plan; which some did, and afterwards thanked her for her counsel. She also completely gained the heart of her unkind and prejudiced mother-in-law. She was never known to repeat anything that might cause a quarrel, but only what would heal and reconcile.
Though so obedient to her husband, Monica prevailed on him to allow their son Augustine, born in the year 357, to be brought up a Christian; but though he made great progress in learning, he was, in early life, very dissipated. Patricius, who only wished him to be learned and eloquent, was satisfied; but Monica grieved over his errors, and prayed constantly for him, and patiently remonstrated with him for more than nine years. Her husband died a Christian, leaving her only this one son as an object of solicitude.
Augustine had been led away by the doctrine of the Manichees, and still continuing |his dissolute life, she entreated a bishop to reason him out of his errors.
"Your son," said he, "is too much elated at present, and carried away by the pleasing novelty of his error, to regard any arguments. Let him alone; only continue praying to the Lord for him; he will, in the course of his studies, discover his error."
But Monica, with floods of tears, persisted in her request. At lost, a little out of temper, on account of her importunity, he exclaimed, "Begone, good woman; it is impossible a child of such tears should perish." And the result proved that the bishop was correct, though not till after the anxious mother had waited in mingled anxiety and hope for many years.
She had followed her son to Rome, on hearing of his illness, and remained there with him afterwards. They were conversing one evening on holy subjects: the world appeared of no value to either. Monica said, "Son, what I should do here, and why I am here, I know not; the hope of this life is now quite spent. One thing only, your conversion, was an object for which I wished to live. My God has given me this in a large measure. What do I here?" Five days after this she was seized with a fever. Some one lamented that she was about to die in a foreign land—she had formerly been troubled about it. "Nothing," said she, "is far from God, and I do not fear that he will not know where to find me at the resurrection." She died on the ninth day of her illness, in the fifty-sixth year of her age.