CHAPTER XV

LETTER WRITTEN BY THE EMPEROR CONSTANTINE RESPECTING THE BUILDING OF CHURCHES

“CONSTANTINE AUGUSTUS, the great and the victorious, to Eusebius.

“I feel convinced, my beloved brother, that as the servants of Christ have been suffering up to the present time from nefarious machinations and tyrannical persecutions, all the churches must have either fallen into utter ruin from neglect, or, at least, must have become dilapidated from want of proper care. But now that freedom is restored, and that the dominion of the dragon has been destroyed, through the providence of God, and by our instrumentality, I think that the divine power has become known to all, and that those who hitherto, from incredulity or from depravity, have lived in error, will now, upon becoming acquainted with the truth, be led in the way of life. Exert yourself diligently in the reparation of the churches under your jurisdiction, and admonish the principal bishops, priests, and deacons of other places to engage zealously in the same work; in order that all the churches which still exist may be repaired or enlarged, and that new ones may be built wherever they are required. You, and others through your intervention, can apply to the governors of the provinces, and to the commanders of the troops, for all that may be necessary for this purpose; for they have received written injunctions to supply whatever your holiness may command. May God preserve you, beloved brother.”

Thus the emperor wrote to the bishops in each province respecting the re-building of churches. From his letter to Eusebius, bishop of Palestine, it is easily learnt what measures he adopted to obtain copies of the Holy Scriptures.