some amongst them, under the pretence of preserving peace, imposed silence on those who usually manifested superior powers of eloquence.
"The Arians, fearing lest they should be ejected from the church[1] by so numerous a Council of bishops, proceeded at once to condemn the doctrines objected to, and unanimously signed the confession of faith. They contrived, however, to retain their principal dignities,[2] although they ought rather to have experienced humiliation. Sometimes secretly, and sometimes openly, they continued to vindicate the condemned doctrines, and brought forth various arguments in proof of them. Wholly bent upon establishing these false opinions, they shrank from the scrutiny of learned men, and, indeed, of all who are capable of investigation; and they manifested great animosity against professors of religion. But we do not believe that these atheists can overcome God."
Thus far I quote from the great Eustathius.
Athanasius,[3] who was equally zealous in the cause of religion, and who was the successor in the minis-
- ↑ "Ostracized" is the literal meaning of this phrase.
- ↑ Their bishoprics.
- ↑ Alexander, bishop of Alexandria, dying on the sixth day of February, A. D. 326, only a few months after the Council of Nice, was succeeded by Athanasius, the Great.
This last named intrepid supporter of the Nicene Creed was born at Alexandria, A. D. 296, and died the second day of May, A. D. 373. He ever took the lead in the Arian controversy, sometimes triumphing, and at others suffering from the accusations of his opponents. At the Council of Tyre, A. D. 325, he answered to the charges of murder, unchastity, necromancy, encouraging sedition, oppressive exactions of money, and misuse of church property. His works are chiefly controversial. In those directed against Arius and Arianism, I find some quotations from the book called "Thalia," which the Nicene Council condemned, as Athanasius and Socrates report. That work was probably written after A. D. 321, the date of the Synod of Alexandria, which first excommunicated Arius for heresy.
