Letter 62: Alypius, Augustine, and Samsucius, and the Brethren Who are with Them, Send Greeting in the Lord to Severus, Their Lord Most Blessed, and with All Reverence Most Beloved, Their Brother in Truth, and Partner in the Priestly Office, and to All the Brethren Who are with Him. 1. When we came to Subsana, and inquired into the things which had been d...

Letter 62 — Alypius, Augustine, and Samsucius to Severus: The Case of Timotheus (A.D. 401) Alypius, Augustine, and Samsucius, and the brothers with us, send greetings in the Lord to Severus, our most blessed lord and brother dearly beloved, partner in the priestly office, and to all the brothers with him. When we arrived at Subsana and inquired into what had been done there in our absence and against our wishes, we found some things exactly as we had heard, and others differently — but everything demanded grief and patience in equal measure. As far as the Lord helped us, we did our best to set things right through reproof, admonition, and prayer. What distressed us most, since your departure from that place, was that the brothers who went from there to you were allowed to leave without a guide — and we ask you to excuse that lapse, since it arose not from malice but from excessive caution. Those responsible believed that these men had been sent by our son Timotheus to prejudice you against us. Hoping to keep everything untouched until we could arrive — when they expected to see you among us — they thought the men's departure could be prevented by refusing them a guide. That they were wrong to try to detain the brothers, we freely admit — who could doubt it? Out of this also grew the false story told to Fossor, that Timotheus had already gone to you with those same brothers. That story was entirely untrue, but it was not the presbyter who made it; and that our brother Carcedonius was wholly unaware of all these events was proved to us beyond any doubt. But why dwell on the details? Our son Timotheus, deeply troubled to find himself — quite against his own will — in such an unforeseen predicament, told us that when you were urging him to serve God at Subsana, he broke out vehemently and swore he would never under any circumstances leave you. When we asked him what his present wish was, he replied that this oath prevented him from going to the place we had previously wanted him to occupy, even if his mind were set at rest about any compulsion. We pointed out to him that he would not be violating his oath if what stood in the way of his remaining with you was not his own will but yours — since his oath bound only his own will, not yours, and he admitted that you had not bound yourself with a reciprocal oath. At last he said, as befits a servant of God and a son of the Church, that he would agree without hesitation to whatever seemed good to us, together with your Holiness, to determine about him. We therefore ask — and implore you, by the love of Christ — in the exercise of your wisdom, to recall all that we said to one another in this matter, and to gladden us with your reply. For "we who are strong" — if we may presume to claim that title amid so many dangerous temptations — "are bound," as the apostle says, "to bear the weaknesses of those who are not strong" (Romans 15:1). Our brother Timotheus has not written to your Holiness himself, since your venerable brother has already reported everything to you. May you rejoice in the Lord and remember us in your prayers. Farewell in Christ.

Letter 62 (A.D. 401) Alypius, Augustine, and Samsucius, and the Brethren Who are with Them, Send Greeting in the Lord to Severus, Their Lord Most Blessed, and with All Reverence Most Beloved, Their Brother in Truth, and Partner in the Priestly Office, and to All the Brethren Who are with Him. 1. When we came to Subsana, and inquired into the things which had been done there in our absence and against our will, we found some things exactly as we had heard reported, and some things otherwise, but all things calling for lamentation and forbearance; and we endeavoured, in so far as the Lord gave His help, to put them right by reproof, admonition, and prayer. What distressed us most, since your departure from the place, was that the brethren who went thence to you were allowed to go without a guide, which we beg you to excuse, as having taken place not from malice, but from an excessive caution. For, believing as they did that these men were sent by our son Timotheus in order to move you to be displeased with us, and being anxious to reserve the whole matter untouched until we should come (when they hoped to see you along with us), they thought that the departure of these men would be prevented if they were not furnished with a guide. That they did wrong in thus attempting to detain the brethren we admit — nay, who could doubt it? Hence also arose the story which was told to Fossor, that Timotheus had already gone to you with these same brethren. This was wholly false, but the statement was not made by the presbyter; and that Carcedonius our brother was wholly unaware of all these things, was most clearly proved to us by all the ways in which such things are susceptible of proof. 2. But why spend more time on these circumstances! Our son Timotheus, being greatly disturbed because he found himself, altogether in spite of his own wish, in such unlooked for perplexity, informed us that, when you were urging him to serve God at Subsana, he broke forth vehemently, and swore that he would never on any account leave you. And when we questioned him as to his present wish, he replied that by this oath he was precluded from going to the place which we had previously wished him to occupy, even though his mind were set at rest by the evidence given as to his freedom from restraint. When we showed him that he would not be guilty of violating his oath if a bar was put in the way of his being with you, not by him, but by you, in order to avoid a scandal; seeing that he could by his oath bind only his own will, not yours, and he admitted that you had not bound yourself reciprocally by your oath; at last he said, as it became a servant of God and a son of the Church to say, that he would without hesitation agree to whatever should seem good to us, along with your Holiness, to appoint concerning him. We therefore ask, and by the love of Christ implore you, in the exercise of your sagacity, to remember all that we spoke to each other in this matter, and to make us glad by your reply to this letter. For we that are strong (if, indeed, amid so great and perilous temptations, we may presume to claim this title) are bound, as the apostle says, to bear the infirmities of the weak. Romans 15:1 Our brother Timotheus has not written to your Holiness, because your venerable brother has reported to all you. May you be joyful in the Lord, and remember us, our lord most blessed, and with all reverence most beloved, our brother in sincerity. About this page Source. Translated by J.G. Cunningham. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 1. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1887.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1102062.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.