were present. But the rigour of discipline was often relaxed, and the Catholics often communicated with the Eusebians. The holy solitaries in Egypt and other places were of great use in preserving the faith in the East. For they had nothing to hope for on earth, and so the malice and fury of the Arian persecutors fell harmless upon them; and the people held them in the greatest reverence for their sanctity. After the seventh century nothing is heard of Arianism till the sixteenth- -an age fruitful in heresies and novelties of every kind, beyond all others in the history of the Church. Servetus a native of Aragon was among its first revivers, and was publicly burnt at Geneva in 1556. Calvin was the most active of his persecutors, and wrote a book in defence of his own conduct, with this title: "A Faithful Exposition of the Errors of Michael Servetus; also teaching that Heretics must be restrained by the power of the sword." Socinus, an Italian, and his nephew of the same name are the chief founders of modern Arianism in a modified form. Poland was originally the principal seat of their heresy, and their first catechism was published at Cracow in 1574. On the tomb of the younger Socinus was inscribed in Latin this motto: "Luther unroofed Babylon, Calvin destroyed its walls, and Socinus its very foundations." For Babylon we may read the faith of Christ. The Arian sect as revived by Socinus soon found its way into England. Many were burnt in the reigns of Edward VI., Elizabeth, and James I. At this day very many of the schismatical bodies are really Arian or Socinian; and Calvinism seems naturally to lapse into it. In the Anglican Church during the last century the greatest advocates of this heresy were Whiston, and Dr. Samuel Clarke; and in Ireland Clayton bishop of Cork and Ross, afterwards of Clogher. The Church at this day seems to have less to fear from open heresy than from the subtle, undermining influence of schism and internal divisions; though these are never wholly separable from heretical teaching. But sad as is the view which a churchman must take of the present course of events, and of the coldness and anarchy which too much prevail among those who name the holy name of Christ, he yet draws much encouragement from considering the progress of heresy and division in past time. The Church founded on the eternal rock of S. Peter's confession has till this hour withstood all the attacks of the powers of hell, and will in the end prevail over them all, as it has done in times of old; for the word of its Lord is" without variableness or shadow of turning," and He has promised that the "gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Heresies will disappear when He pleases, schisms will be united, and the novelties of a day will vanish, as they arose, like a dream. And if we are tempted to mourn that we may not live to see such a vision of peace and holy joy as a reunited Church would be, let us think of Athanasius and Basil, and many other fathers who slept in the Lord before He returned to visit His people. Such a vision, in real and unchanging beauty, they and we shall one day see, if we be found worthy, in the Jerusalem above. JAN. 18. S. Prisca, Virgin and Martyr. 270 or 275. LITTLE is known of this blessed martyr besides her name. She is commonly believed to have suffered during the reign of Claudius; but as there were two Roman emperors of that name, one in the first century, and the other in the third, the date of her martyrdom still remains uncertain. A general opinion is, that she suffered about the year 270, while Claudius II. was emperor; though the year 275 is also mentioned, and adopted by Butler as the probable date. In the martyrology of Galesinius, quoted by Tillemont, her father is called a man of consular family. Her name occurs in nearly all the western martyrologies. Some of them mention her as in her thirteenth year, and describe the tortures she underwent before her agony was finished by the sword. But no dependence can be placed on the truth of any of these particulars. It is surely sufficient for us to know that she certainly died for the love of Christ. And for her there is a faithful record of all kept in the Book of Life. An ancient church in Rome on the Aventine hill dedicated in her honour gives title to a cardinal, and is a station on the third day of Holy Week. There was another S. Prisca, more commonly called Priscilla, who with her husband Aquila was a companion of the blessed Apostle Paul, and whom he salutes in his second epistle to S. Timothy under the name of Prisca. Priscilla and Aquila were Jews, and had been banished from Rome by Claudius on that account. They then came to Corinth, where S. Paul first knew them, with whom they laboured for a time at the trade of tent-making. We next hear of them at Ephesus; and when S. Paul wrote his epistle to the Church in Rome, they had returned to the imperial city. Finally, when he wrote to S. Timothy on the eve of his martyrdom, they were once more at Ephesus. The sacred history is silent as to the causes of their frequent wanderings. They are believed to have ended their lives in Rome, but whether by martyrdom or not is unknown. That they were martyrs in will, if not in deed, S. Paul testifies in his epistle to the Romans'. Ye saintly choirs that round the regal seat, Through Heaven's eternal palace, endless throng, There, in their purple stole, are martyrs seen, Like roses which with lilies blend between, Hymns Par. Brev. p. 263. JANUARY 20. S. Fabian, Bishop and Martyr. 250. THE earliest notice which we have of this saint is that he came from the country to Rome during the vacancy of the see at the death of S. Anterus in 236. He was present at the election of a successor; and when all the brethren were assembled in the church, 1 Chap. xvi. v. 4. as Eusebius testifies, to choose one of their number to fill the see, they began to think of some persons of note among them, on one of whom their choice might fall. But suddenly a dove alighted on the head of the unknown stranger Fabian; and the whole assembly with one voice cried out that he was worthy to be bishop. Little is known of his life; but S. Cyprian says that the glory of his death was answerable to the integrity of his government. He is said to have brought from Sardinia the body of S. Pontian Bishop of Rome, who had died in exile in that island in 235. The Millenary of the city of Rome was celebrated during the pontificate of S. Fabian-an event which could have little interest in Christian eyes. different was the mission of S. Dionysius and his companions, whom Fabian sent into Gaul to convert the heathen to the faith. Their heroic labours were crowned with great success, and most of them ended their life by martyrdom. Very In the year 249 Decius became emperor of Rome, and soon after began a cruel persecution of the Christians. During his short reign many holy martyrs received their crown, and among them S. Fabian, who suffered in the year 250. The priests and deacons of Rome wrote a letter to S. Cyprian, giving him an account of the happy death of their Bishop. He replied in a letter filled with the praise of the martyr, and with consoling words to his sorrowing children. The name of S. Fabian, sometimes changed into Fabius or Flavian, occurs in very ancient martyrologies. The Greeks, as Tillemont says, keep his festival on the 5th of August. His relics are said to have been removed in 845 by Sergius II., Bishop of |