of at once, they decided, and they proceeded to plot
his ruin.

They started for Jerusalem to visit--or at least, so they said--the
beautiful Church of the Holy Cross which the Emperor had just built.
On their way home, they announced that they would stay for a short
time at Antioch, and they invited all the Bishops who were likely to
be friendly to meet them there in council. They were received with the
greatest courtesy by Eustathius, who did all that he could to make
their visit pleasant. They had, however, bribed an abandoned wretch of
the town to enter while the council was sitting and accuse Eustathius
before all present of a scandalous crime.

Affecting to be greatly grieved and horrified at the accusation, they
deposed Eustathius and elected an Arian in his place, silencing those
who opposed their unjust and unlawful conduct by declaring that they
acted by command of the Emperor. Constantine was then appealed to, but
in vain. The Arians were all-powerful.

The next obstacle to be removed was Athanasius, but Eusebius was
clever enough to realize that this would be no easy task. Athanasius
was not only the chief Bishop of the Eastern Church, but one who had
defeated the Arians several times before on their own ground.

He began by writing a letter to the Patriarch in which he informed him
that Constantine, having learned that the views of Arius were quite
correct, had been pleased to recall him from banishment. It was only
just and fair, therefore, that Athanasius should receive him into
communion; Eusebius, indeed, had reason to know that the Emperor would
be greatly displeased if he refused to do so.

Athanasius' reply to this threatening message was short and decided.
Neither threats nor persecution, he said, would induce him to go
against the decrees of the Council of Nicea. Arius had been condemned
by the universal Catholic Church; by that decision all true Catholics
must stand.

Eusebius was not at all discouraged. He wrote to the Emperor and told
him how lightly the Patriarch had treated his wishes. "Athanasius is
much too young for such a responsible position," he wrote, "and is of
a quarrelsome and obstinate temper. He is the last man in the world to
fill a post which, if peace is to be kept in the Church, requires the
greatest tact and charity." Perhaps, he suggested, if the Emperor
himself were to write to him, he might be made to see the matter in a
different light. A threat of banishment is al