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WHILE the heretics were disrupted among themselves, the Catholic
Church increased more and more by many accessions from the heterodox,
on account of the dissensions among them and especially from multitudes
of pagans. The emperor having observed that the practice of idolatry
had been greatly promoted by the facility of constant ingress and egress
to and from the temple, directed the entrances of all temples to be
closed; and eventually he commanded the demolition of many of these
edifices. When the pagans found themselves deprived of their own
houses of prayer, they began to frequent our churches; for they did
not dare to offer sacrifices after the pagan form in secret, for it was
dangerous, since the sacrifice was under the penalty of death and of
confiscation of property.
It is said that the river of Egypt did not overflow its banks this
year at the proper season; and that the Egyptians angrily ascribed
this circumstance to the prohibition of sacrifices to it, according to
the ancestral law. The governor of the province, apprehensive test
the general discontent should terminate in sedition, sent a message to
the emperor on the subject. But the emperor, far from attaching more
importance to the temporary fertility produced by the Nile, than to
the fidelity he owed to God and the interests of religion, replied as
follows: "Let that river cease to flow, if enchantments are
requisite to insure the regularity of its course; or if it delights in
sacrifices, or if blood must be mingled with the waters that derive
their source from the paradise of God." Soon afterwards, the Nile
overflowed its banks with such violence, that the highest eminences
were submerged. When it reached the farthest limit and almost had
attained the fullest measure, the water did not the less press upward,
so that the Egyptians were thrown into the contrary fear. The dread
was lest the city of Alexandria and part of Libya should be
submerged. The pagans of Alexandria, irritated at this unexpected
occurrence, exclaimed in derision at the public theatres, that the
river, like an old man or fool, could not moderate its proceedings.
Many of the Egpytians were hence induced to abandon the superstitions
of their forefathers, and embrace Christianity. These incidents are
given as I have learned them.
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