f Caesarea in Palestine, who, thoroughly taken in by the
deceits and false holiness of the heretic, wrote a letter to Alexander
in his favor.

The Patriarch replied by a detailed account of Arius' teaching and his
trial, giving the reasons why the Synod had thought fit to depose him.
This letter had an effect on the clergy and Bishops of Palestine which
Arius was quick enough to see. He therefore retired into Syria, where
he made great friends with another Eusebius, the clever and crafty
Bishop of Nicomedia, who had gained an unfortunate influence over the
Emperor.

It was now nearly twelve years since Constantine, himself a pagan,
though the son of St. Helena, had prayed to the God of the Christians
to give him the victory over his enemies. His prayers had been heard.
In the brightness of the noonday sky there appeared a sign which
outshone the sun in splendor--the image of the Cross of Christ. "In
this sign thou shalt conquer" was traced in fiery letters across it,
and the Emperor and all his army saw and believed.

With the Cross as standard, Constantine marched against his enemies
and defeated them. From that day forth he became a catechumen and the
protector and friend of the Christians. His first act was to publish
an edict, the Edict of Milan, which gave them full liberty to practice
their religion, build churches and preach. Thus the Church came forth
at last from the dark night of persecution, but her life on earth is
ever a warfare against the powers of evil, and other dangers lay
ahead.

The Emperor began by making humane laws. He abolished the punishment
of crucifixion out of reverence for the Son of God, who had died upon
the Cross, put a stop to the cruel games of the arena and bettered the
condition of the slaves.

Constantine's nature was really a noble one, but there was much in him
still of the pagan and the barbarian. Unfortunately for himself and
for the world, he fell under the influence of Eusebius, Bishop of
Nicomedia.

This man, who was said to have apostatized during the persecution of
Maxentius and who had intruded himself, no one quite knew how, into
the See of Nicomedia, had begun by winning the good graces of
Constantia, the Emperor's sister. During the time when Constantia's
husband, Licinius, was at war with her brother, Eusebius was his
staunch friend, upholding him in his rebellion against the Emperor;
but on the defeat of Licinius, the Bishop at once transferred his
friendship