The Girl of Alexandria (continued) Chapter CCVII, Book X

"I am only a very poor little prostitute. What good could I have possibly done?"
"You have never ever done anything good at all?"
"No - except that I once saw a man trying to strangle himself because of being pressurised by creditors, and I liberated him by giving him all my money."
And as she said this she fell asleep in the Lord, freed from all her sins, both voluntary and involuntary. And the bishop glorified the Lord.
"Thou art just, O Lord, and thy judgments are right." (Pslams, 119.137)

Chapter CCVIII
The beautiful advice of an OLD MAN to a brother fighting against depression.

A brother fighting against depression sought advice from one of the old men.
"What shall I do? For I am attacked by thoughts telling me that it was a complete waste of time to have renounced the world, and salvation is beyond my reach."
"Don't you know, brother," the old man said, "that even if you cannot enter the promised land it is better to perish in the desert than to go back to Egypt." 
Chapter CCIX
The beautiful explanation that A MAN gave of the meaning of the words And lead us not into the time of testing in the Lord's prayer.

One of the holy men said that when we pray to the Lord, 'Lead us not into the time of testing', we are not praying not to be tested (for that is impossible), but that we may not be swallowed up by the testing, if we do anything displeasing to Christ. This is what it means not to enter into the testing. For the holy martyrs were tested by tortures, but were not overcome. They were not swallowed up by the testing, just as anyone fighting with beasts is not swallowed up as long as he has not been eaten. When he has been eaten, then he has been swallowed up by the testing. It is like this in every attack of the passions. As long as we are not overcome by the passion we have not been swallowed up by the test.

Chapter CCX
How a holy BISHOP in disagreement with another bishop conquered by means of humility

One of the fathers told us about two neighbouring bishops between whom a quarrel had arisen. One of them was rich and clever, the other very humble. The clever one was doing everything in his power to discredit the other. When the latter realised what was happening he spoke to his clerics about it.
"By the grace of Christ, it is possible we can win," he said.
"Who could possibly prevail against him, my lord?"
"Just be patient for a while, and you will witness the mercy of God."
He waited for a day when the clever bishop was celebrating a feast of the martyrs, and he called his clerics to him and said:
"Follow me, and whatever you see me doing, you do the same, and we shall come out victorious."
"Whatever are you thinking of doing?" they wondered.
However they approached the bishop as he was processing with the whole population of the town singing a Litany. He fell at his feet along with all his clerics, saying:
"Forgive us, my lord. We are your servants."
He was astonished and conscience stricken by such a display of humility from a bishop, and the Lord touched his heart. He grasped the other's feet and said:
"You are my lord and father."
From that day on the greatest charity and concord was established between them. The humble bishop explained it to his cleric thus:
"Have we not conquered by the grace of Christ? So then, if you have an enemy do likewise and you will be victorious."
And the old man added: "The humble man has more glory than a king, does he not?  For the king is praised for his appearance, the humble man is praised always and everywhere, and is called blessed."

Chapter CCXI
     How an OLD MAN freed from prison the brother who had stolen his goods.

A certain abbot told us that near our coenobium there was a most gentle old man of great virtue. In a neighbouring cell there was a brother who, one day when the old man was absent, by the instigation of the devil went in to the old man's cell and stole his books and vessels. The old man came back and saw his door was open, went in and found that his vessels and all his books had gone. He went to the brother to tell him what had happened and found the vessels still out in the open, for the brother had not had time to put them away. The old man did not want to embarrass the brother or start an argument with him, so he pretended that he had a sudden call of nature and went out. He stayed out quite some time, giving the brother time to remove the vessels and hide them. When the old man did eventually go back he began to talk to the brother about something quite different and did not remonstrate with him at all.
After a few days the theft was discovered by some of the brothers, and they put him in prison without the old man knowing anything about it. When he did discover, however, that the brother was in prison, but not knowing why, he came to our monastery, which is something which he quite often did, and made me a request.
"Do me a kindness, and let me have some food supplies."
"You've got a guest with you, perhaps?
"Indeed, yes."
The old man gathered these foodstuffs up in order to go to the brother in prison with some comfort and cheer. And as soon as he entered the brother threw himself at the old man's feet.
"It is because of a crime against you, abba, that I am here. I am the one who stole all your things. But look, one of your books and your cloak are in such a place, and the other things are in this place and also that place."
"Well, my son, I didn't actually come here on that account - and you can be absolutely sure about that. I had no idea that it was on my account that you are here. But when I heard that you had been arrested I was very sorry, and I came here to cheer you up. See. I have brought you some food. And I will do everything I can to see that you are released."
He went to see some of the people in authority, who took note that he was a man of virtue, and they gave orders that the brother should be released from custody.

Chapter CCXII
How two OLD MEN displayed marvellous patience towards robbers.

An old man of great virtue was visiting us once when we were reading the lives and sayings of the fathers, which this old man delighted in reading above all things. They were always in his heart and in his speech, and he profited immensely from them. We had got to the point in the reading where robbers entered an old man's cell (See V.xvi.13), and said:
"We are intend to take everything you have in your cell."
"Help yourselves, my sons, to everything you can see."
And they gathered up everything and went. The old man realised that they had overlooked a little bag hanging up [on a hook], so he took it down and ran after them shouting loudly.
"Take this also, my sons. You overlooked it in my cell."
They were astounded at the old man's tolerance, and put everything back in its place in the cell.
"Truly here is a man of God," they said.
After we had read this the old man said to me:
"I have found this a very profitable example, abba."
"How is that, father?"
"I read this when I was once living near the river Jordan, and very struck with admiration for this old man. 'Lord God,' I said, 'who have deigned to call me to wear this habit, make me worthy to follow in his footsteps.' I was burning with the greatest desire to imitate him, and after two days some robbers did come and knock on my door. 'Thanks be to God,' I said to myself. 'It is time for my desire to bear fruit.' I opened the door, greeted them kindly, lit a lamp, and began to show them everything. 'Don't worry,' I said to them, 'I put my trust in the Lord. I won't keep anything back from you.' They asked me if I had any gold, and I said that I had three numismata, which I put before them. They took them, and departed in peace."
"And did they come back to you, as those others did to that old man?" I asked.
"No, God did not allow that to happen. In any case, I would not have wanted them to come back."

Chapter CCXIII
Why there are signs and divine wonders in the holy Church

An old man said:
Signs and divine wonders are done in the Church right up to the present day because of those who have spewed forth ungodly heresies and who still do so today, especially because of the pernicious schisms of that brainless Severianus and all the rest of them. The signs are for the purpose of building up and consolidating weak souls, and for converting those heretics if only they will. Marvels have been done in the holy Catholic and apostolic Church from the beginning of the faith right up till now by the holy fathers and most blessed martyrs.

Chapter CCXIV
The miracle of the Baptismal font in the state of COEANENSIS

The village of Soruba is at the foot of the mountains in the state of Coeanensis. There is a baptistery there which at the feast of the Epiphany fills with water, getting gradually deeper over a space of three hours. Once a Baptism has been performed the water level begins to disappear, and after three hours has completely gone.

Chapter CCXV
Another baptismal miracle in the fortress of CEDEBRATIS

In the fortress of Cedebratis at the foot of the mountains in the state of Aenoandron there is a baptistery made out of one block of stone which fills up all by itself on the holy paschal feast of the Resurrection. The water stays there till Pentecost; after Pentecost it vanishes.
Both these miracles occur in the province of Lycia. If anyone does not believe this let him make the small journey to Lycia and test the truth for himself.

Chapter CCXVI
Prudent advice on the subject of not swearing rash oaths, and not keeping to what has been rashly sworn.

Once when I was in the holy city a certain man of the faith approached me.
"A certain antagonism has arisen between my brother and me," he said, "and he is not willing to be reconciled with me. Could you go and see him and urge him to relent."
I was quite happy to do so, so went to see him and spoke to him about the things which make for charity and concord. He seemed to be agreeing with me for a while, but then came out with an objection.
"I can't be reconciled," he said, "because I have sworn on the cross to be at odds with him from that time forth."
I smiled!
"That oath of yours has as much force as if you had said 'By your precious cross, O Christ, I swear that I will not obey your commandments but give myself over to your enemy the devil'. We should not only abandon such things which we have spelled out so wickedly, but also afflict ourselves with severe penances for wickedly determining to do things contrary to our salvation. For if Herod had done penance and not carried out the oath which he had foolishly uttered, he would never have committed the dreadful crime of beheading the Forerunner of Christ. And Basil himself confirms this opinion, when he uses the example from the scriptures of how the Lord wanted to wash the feet of the blessed apostle Peter, who at first vigorously resisted and then changed his mind.

Chapter CCXVII
The wise advice of an OLD MAN that a monk should not have dealings with a woman.

An old man said:
My sons, salt is obtained from water, and if it is put back into water it dissolves and disappears. Similarly a monk comes from a woman, but if he gets involved with a woman he likewise is dissolved and disappears and is no longer a monk.

Chapter CCXVIII
How abbot SERGIUS by his patience put to shame a farmer who raged at him.

Abbot Sergius, the superior of the monastery of abbot Constantine, told us the following story:
Once when we were on a journey with a certain holy old man we wandered off the way, and without realising it found ourselves unintentionally in a newly planted field, crushing the plants with our feet. When the farmer who was working there saw us he immediately unleashed a storm of angry abuse at us.
"Call yourself monks who fear God? If you had the fear of God before your eyes you would certainly not have done that."
The holy old man turned to us;
"For the Lord's sake, don't any of you reply." Then turning to the farmer he said:
"You are quite right, my son. If we feared God we would not have done that."
But he kept on raging, and hurling invectives at us. The old man spoke to him again.
"You are telling the truth, my son, for if we were true monks we would not have done what we did. But for the Lord's sake, please forgive us for we have sinned."
Overcome at last by such great humility, the farmer came nearer and fell at the feet of the old man.
"No, it is I who have sinned. Forgive me, and for the Lord's sake, let me go with you."
And the blessed Sergius told us that the farmer followed them and took the habit.

Chapter CCXVIV
How a certain BROTHER by his humility was reconciled with a deacon who was angry with him.

One of the senior men told us the following story from his own experience:
I stayed for a short time in the monastery of abbot Gerasimus where I shared a cell with another brother, whom I dearly loved. As we were sitting together one day talking about matters profitable to the soul, I happened to mention a certain saying of abba Poemen.
"In my own experience," he said, "I have learned the strength and peacefulness of those words of abba Poemen, as also their forceful efficacy. For I once had a deacon in the monastery who was most dear to me, and whom I loved very much. Somehow or other he came to suspect me of something which had upset him, and he began to be quite miserable, and did not look upon me so kindly as he used to. Seeing that he was so unhappy I began asking him the reason.
"'Because of what you have done,' he said.
"I could not think of anything I had done, and tried to persuade him that my conscience was completely clear.
"'Sorry, brother,' he said, 'but I am not convinced.'
"So I left him and went to my cell and examined my conscience as to whether there was something I was guilty of, but could find nothing. So one day when he had the holy chalice in his hands to give communion to the brothers, I went up to him and swore on that very chalice that I had done nothing wrong. He would not accept that. So I went back to my cell again, turning over in my mind the words of the holy fathers. I believed in their truth, and little by little began to change my mind.
"'This deacon cares for me very deeply,' I said to myself, 'and it was out of charity that he told me what was in his heart - that I should be sober and vigilant, and not try to do anything more than just keep control of myself. Miserable wretch! you said you had done nothing wrong, and yet you must have committed sins without number which you are not aware of. Where are they, the sins I did yesterday, or three days ago, or ten days ago? Recollect them if you can. Oh yes, there is this you have done, and that, and this other thing you had forgotten about.' I was deeply moved, to realise that there were these things I had done which had escaped my memory, and I gave thanks to God, and also to the deacon, for it was through him that the Lord had seen fit to convince me of my sins and do penance for them.
"I got up and went to the deacon to apologise and also thank him. When I knocked at his door he opened up immediately and got in first by prostrating himself in front of me.
"'Forgive me brother,'she said. 'It was a demon who suggested to me that I should suspect you falsely. Truly, God has convinced me of your innocence.'
"And he would not let me make any apology to him.
"'It's not necessary,' he said.
"So I was greatly edified, and glorified Father, Son and holy Spirit, the unchanging and indivisible Trinity, to whom be honour, kingdom, power and glory and unto the ages of ages. Amen."