DONATISTS
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chesne and others as exaggerated. It would be better
to say that the main point is incredible; the prisoners
would not have been allowed bj- the Roman officials to
starve; the details — that Jlensurius confessed himself
a traditor, that he prevented the succouring of the im-
prisoned confessors — are simply founded on the letter
of Mensurius to Secundus. Thus we may safelj- reject
all the latter part of the Acts as fictitious. The earher
part is authentic: it relates how certain of the faithful
of Abilene met and celebrated their usual Sunday ser-
vice, in defiance of the emperor's edict, under the
leadership of the priest Saturninus, for their bishop was
a traditor and they disowned him; they were sent to
Carthage, made bold replies when interrogated, and
were imprisoned by Anulinus, who might have con-
demned them to death forthwith. The whole account
is characteristic of the fervid African temperament.
We can well imagine how the prudent Jlensurius and
his lieutenant, the deacon Caecilian, were disUked by
some of the more excitable among their flock.
We know in detail how the inquiries for sacred books were carried out, for the official minutes of an investigation at Cirta (afterwards Constantine) in Xumidia are preserved. The bishop and his clergj' showed themselves ready to give up all they had, but drew the line at betraying their brethren; even liere their generosity was not remarkable, for they added that the names and addresses were well known to the officials. The examination was conducted by Muna- tius Felix, perpetual flamen. curator of the colony of Cirta. Ha\'ing arrived with his satellites at the bish- op's house — in Xumidia the searcliing was more se- vere than in Proconsular .Africa — the bishop was found with four priests, three deacons, four subdea- cons and several /ossores (tliggers). 'These declared that the Scriptures were not there, but in the hands of the lectors; and in fact the Ijookcase was found to be empty. The clergy present refused to give the names of the lectors, saying they were known to the notaries; but, with the exception of the books, they gave in an inventory of all possessions of the church: two golden chaUces, six of silver, six silver cruets, a silver bowl, seven silver lamps, two candlesticks, seven short bronze lamp-stands with lamps, eleven bronze lamps with chains, eighty-two women's tunics, twenty-eight veils, sixteen men's tunics, thirteen pairs of men's boots, forty-seven pairs of women's boots, nineteen couutrj-men's smocks. Presently the subdeacon Sil- vanus brought forth a silver box and another silver lamp, which he had found behind a jug. In the din- ing-room were four casks and seven jugs. A subdea- con produced a thick book. Then the houses of the lectors were visited: Eugenius gave up four vohimes, Felix, the mosaic-worker, gave up five, Victorinus eight, Projectus five large volumes and two small ones, the grammarian ^'icto^ two codices and five quinions, or gatherings of five leaves; Euticius of Ca-sarea de- clared that he had no books; the wife of Coddeo pro- duced six volumes, and said she had no more, and a search was without further result. It is interesting to notice that the books were all codices (in book form), not rolls, which had goneout of fashion in the coiirse of the preceding centurj-.
It is to be hoped that such disgraceful scenes were infrequent. A contrasting instance of heroism is found in the story of Felix. Bishop of Tibiuca. who was haled before the magistrate on the very day, 5 June, 303, when the decree was posted up in that city. He refused to give up any books, and was sent to Car- thage. The proconsul .\nulinus, unable by close con- finement to weaken his determination, sent him on to Rome to Maximian Hercules.
In 305 the persecution had relaxed, and it was pos- sible to unite fourteen or more bishops at Cirta in order to give a successor to Paul. Secundus presided as primate, and in his zeal he attempted to examine the conduct of his colleagues. They met in a private
house, for the church had not yet been restored to the
Cliristians. "We must first try ourselves", said the
primate, " before we can venture to ordain a bishop"
To Donatus of Mascula he said: " You are said to have
been a traditor." "You know", rephed the bishop,
"how Florus searched for me that I miglit offer in-
cense, but God did not deliver me iuto his hands,
brother. As God forgave me, do you reser\e me to
His judgment." "What then", said Secundus, "shall
we say of the martjTS? It is because they did not
give up anj^liing that they were crowned." "Send
me to God," said Donatus, "to Him will I give an ac-
count." (In fact, a bishop was not amenable to pen-
ance and was properly "reser\-ed to God" in this
sense.) "Stand on one side", said the president, and
to Mariaus of Aquse Tibihtanae he said: " You also are
said to be a traditor." Marinus said: " I gave papers
to Pollux; my books are safe." This was not satis-
factory, and Secundus said: "Go over to that side";
then to Donatus of Calama: "You are said to be a
traditor." "I gave up books on medicine." Secun-
dus seems to have been incredulous, or at least he
thought a trial was needed, for again he said: "Stand
on one side." After a gap in the Acts, we read that
Secundus turned to Victor, Bishop of Russicade:
"You are said to have given up the Four Gospels."
Victor rephed: "It was the curator, Valentinus; he
forced me to throw them into the fire. Forgive me
this fault, and God will also forgive it." Secundus
said: "Stand on one side." Secundus (after another
gap) said to Purpurius of Limata: "You are said to
have killed the two sons of your sister at Mileum"
(Milevis). Purpurius answered with vehemence: " Do
you think I am frightened by you as the others are?
What did you do yourself when the curator and his
officials tried to make you give up the Scriptures?
How did you manage to get off scot-free, unless you
gave them something, or ordered something to be
given? They certainly did not let you go for noth-
ing! .\s for me I have killed and I kill those who are
against me; do not provoke me to say any more. You
know that I do not intci^ere where I have no business."
At this outburst a nephew of Secundus said to the
primate: "You hear what they say of you? He is
ready to n-ithdraw and make a schism; and the same
is true of all those whom you accuse; and I Icnow they
are capable of turning you out and condemning you,
and you alone will then be the heretic. What is it to
you what they have done? Each must give his ac-
count to God." Secundus (as St. Augustine points
out) had apparently no reply ready against the accusa-
tion of Purpurius, so he turned to the two or three
bishops who remained unaccused : " What do you
think? " These answered : " They have God to Whom
they must give an account." Secundus said: "You
know and God knows. Sit down." And all replied:
Deo gratias.
These minutes have been preser\-ed for us by St. Augustine. The later Donatists declared them forged, but not only could St. Optatus refer to the age of the parchment on which they were written, but they are made easily credilile l>y the testimonies given before Ze- nopliilus in 320. Seeck, as well as Duchesne (see below), upholds their genuineness. We hear from St. Optatus of another fallen Xumidian bishop, who refused to come to the council on the pretext of bad eyes, but in reality for fear his fellow-citizens should prove that he had offered incense, a crime of which tlie other bishops were not guilty. The bishops proceeded to ordain a bishop, and they chose Silvanus, who, as a subdeacon, assisted in the search for sacretl vessels. The people of Cirta rose up against him, crying that he was a tra- ditor, and demanded the appointment of a certain Donatus. But country people and gladiators were engaged to set him in the episcopal chair, to which he was carried on the back of a man named Mutus.
C.ECiu.vN A^D M.\J0RINVS. — A certain Donatus of
