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THE next debate by the priests turned upon doctrine. The emperor
gave patient attention to the speeches of both parties; he applauded
those who spoke well, rebuked those who displayed a tendency to
altercation, and according to his apprehension of what he heard, for
he was not wholly unpracticed in the Greek tongue, he addressed
himself with kindness to each one. Finally all the priests agreed with
one another and conceded that the Son is consubstantial with the
Father. At the commencement of the conference there were but
seventeen who praised the opinion of Arius, but eventually the
majority of these yielded assent to the general view, To this judgment
the emperor likewise deferred, for he regarded the unanimity of the
conference to be a divine approbation; and he ordained that any one who
should be rebellious thereto, should forthwith be sent into
banishment, as guilty of endeavoring to overthrow the Divine
definitions. I had thought it necessary to reproduce the very document
concerning the matter, as an example of the truth, in order that
posterity might possess in a fixed and clear form the symbol of the
faith which proved pacificatory at the time but since some pious
friends, who understood such matters, recommended that these truths
ought to be spoken of and heard by the initiated and their initiators
only, I agreed with their council; for it is not unlikely that some
of the uninitiated may read this book. While I have concealed such of
the prohibited material as I ought to keep silent about, I have not
altogether left the reader ignorant of the opinions held by the synod.
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