Letter 178: I know that I have often recommended many persons to your excellency, and so in serious emergencies have been very useful to friends in distress. But I do not think that I have ever sent to you one whom I regard with greater respect, or one engaged in contests of greater importance, than my very dear son Eusebius, who now places this letter in y...

From: Basil, Bishop of Caesarea To: Aburgius Date: ~367 AD Context: Another letter of recommendation on behalf of the same Eusebius, asking that he be given a fair hearing rather than swept up in general suspicion. I know I have recommended many people to your excellency over the years, and in serious emergencies have been of real use to friends in distress. But I do not think I have ever sent you anyone I regard more highly, or anyone involved in a more important case, than my dear son Eusebius, who now places this letter in your hands. He will inform your excellency himself, if given the chance, of the difficulties he faces. But I must say at least this much: the man should not be prejudged. Just because many others have been convicted of shameful acts, he should not fall under a blanket of suspicion. He deserves a fair trial. His life should be examined on its own merits. When that happens, the falseness of the charges against him will become plain, and he -- having enjoyed your righteous protection -- will forever proclaim what he owes to your kindness.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To Aburgius. I know that I have often recommended many persons to your excellency, and so in serious emergencies have been very useful to friends in distress. But I do not think that I have ever sent to you one whom I regard with greater respect, or one engaged in contests of greater importance, than my very dear son Eusebius, who now places this letter in your hands. He will himself inform your excellency, if the opportunity is permitted him, in what difficulties he is involved. I ought to say, at least, as much as this. The man ought not to be misjudged, nor, because many have been convicted of disgraceful doings, ought he to come under common suspicion. He ought to have a fair trial, and his life must be enquired into. In this way the untruth of the charges against him will be made plain, and he, after enjoying your righteous protection, will ever proclaim what he owes to your kindness. About this page Source. Translated by Blomfield Jackson. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 8. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3202178.htm>. Contact informa tion. 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.