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I CONSIDER it necessary to detail the proceedings of
Constantine in relation to what is called the oak of Mature. This
place is now called Terebinthus, and is about fifteen stadia distant
from Hebron, which lies to the south, but is two hundred and fifty
stadia distant from Jerusalem. It is recorded that here the Son of
God appeared to Abraham, with two angels, who had been sent against
Sodom, and foretold the birth of his son. Here the inhabitants of
the country and of the regions round Palestine the Phoenicians, and
the Arabians, assemble annually during the summer season to keep a
brilliant feast; and many others, both buyers and sellers, resort
thither on account of the fair. Indeed, this feast is diligently
frequented by all nations: by the Jews, because they boast of their
descent from the patriarch Abraham; by the Pagans, because angels
there appeared to men; and by Christians, because He who for the
salvation of mankind was born of a virgin, afterwards manifested
Himself there to a godly man. This place was moreover honored
fittingly with religious exercises. Here some prayed to the God of
all; some called upon the angels, poured out wine, burnt incense, or
offered an ox, or he-goat, a sheep, or a cock. Each one made some
beautiful product of his labor, and after carefully husbanding it
through the entire year, he offered it according to promise as
provision for that feast, both for himself and his dependents. And
either from honor to the place, or from fear of Divine wrath, they
all abstained from coming near their wives, although during the feast
these were more than ordinarily studious of their beauty and adornment.
Nor, if they chanced to appear and to take part in the public
processions, did they act at all licentiously. Nor did they behave
imprudently in any other respect, although the tents were contiguous to
each other, and they all lay promiscuously together. The place is
open country, and arable, and without houses, with the exception of
the buildings around Abraham's old oak and the well he prepared. No
one during the time of the feast drew water from that well; for
according to Pagan usage, some placed burning lamps near it; some
poured out wine, or cast in cakes; and others, coins, myrrh, or
incense. Hence, as I suppose, the water was rendered useless by
commixture with the things cast into it. Once whilst these customs
were being celebrated by the Pagans, after the aforesaid manner, and
as was the established usage with hilarity, the mother-in-law of
Constantine was present for prayer, and apprised the emperor of what
was being done. On receiving this information, he rebuked the bishops
of Palestine in no measured terms, because they had neglected their
duty, and had permitted a holy place to be defiled by impure libations
and sacrifices; and he expressed his godly censure in an epistle which
he wrote on the subject to Macarius, bishop of Jerusalem, to
Eusebius Pamphilus, and to the bishops of Palestine. He commanded
these bishops to hold a conference on this subject with the Phoenician
bishops, and issue directions for the demolition, from the
foundations, of the altar formerly erected there, the destruction of
the carved images by fire, and the erection of a church worthy of so
ancient and so holy a place. The emperor finally enjoined, that no
libations or sacrifices should be offered on the spot, but that it
should be exclusively devoted to the worship of God according to the
law of the Church; and that if any attempt should be made to restore
the former rites, the bishops were to inform against the delinquent,
in order that he might be subjected to the greatest punishment. The
governors and priests of Christ strictly enforced the injunctions
contained in the emperor's letter.
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