|
A YOUNG man who was a priest's son, and brought up in impiety,
about this time went over to the true religion. For a lady remarkable
for her devotion and admitted to the order of deaconesses was an
intimate friend of his mother. When he came to visit her with his
mother, while yet a tiny lad, she used to welcome him with affection
and urge him to the true religion. On the death of his mother the
young man used to visit her and enjoyed the advantage of her wonted
teaching. Deeply impressed by her counsels, he enquired of his
teacher by what means he might both escape the superstition of his
father and have part and lot in the truth which she preached. She
replied that he must flee from his father, and honour rather the
Creator both of his father and himself; that he mast seek some other
city wherein he might lie hid and escape the violence of the impious
emperor; and she promised to manage this for him. Then, said tile
young man, "henceforward I shall come and commit my soul to you."
Not many days afterwards Julian came to Daphne. to celebrate a
public feast. With him came the young man's father, both as a
priest, and as accustomed to attend the emperor; and with their father
came the young man and his brother, being appointed to the service of
the temple and charged with the duty of ceremonially sprinkling the
imperial viands. It is the custom for the festival of Daphne to last
for seven clays. On the first day the young man stood by the
emperor's couch, and according to the prescribed usage aspersed the
meats, and thoroughly polluted them. Then at full speed he ran to
Antioch, and making his way to that admirable lady, "I am come,"
said he, "to you; and I have kept my promise. Do you look to the
salvation of each and fulfil your pledge." At once she arose and
conducted the young man to Meletius the man of God, who ordered him
to remain for awhile upstairs in the inn. His father after wandering
about all over Daphne in search of the boy, then returned to the city
and explored the streets and lanes, turning his eyes in all directions
and longing to light upon his lad. At length he arrived at the place
where the divine Meletius had his hostelry; and looking up he saw his
son peeping through the lattice. He ran up, drew him along, got him
down, and carried him off home. Then he first laid on him many
stripes, then applied hot spits to his feet and hands and back, then
shut him up in his bedroom, bolted the door on the outside, and
returned to Daphne. So I myself have heard the man himself narrate
in his old age, and he added further that he was inspired and filled
with Divine Grace, and broke in pieces all his father's idols, and
made mockery of their helplessness. Afterwards when he bethought him
of what tie had done he fared his father's return and besought his
Master Christ to nod approval of his deeds, break the bolts, and
open the doors. "For it is for thy sake," said he, "that I have
thus suffered and thus acted." "Even as I thus spoke." he told
me, "out fell tile bolts and open flew the doors, and back I ran to
my instructress. She dressed me up in women's garments and took me
with her in her covered carriage back to the divine Meletius. He
handed me over to the bishop of Jerusalem, at that time Cyril, and
we started by night for Palestine." After the death of Julian this
young man led his father also into the way of truth. This act he told
ne with the rest. So in this fashion these hen were guided to the
knowledge of God and were made partakers of Salvation.
|
|