rn churches, the feud continuing until the
determination of the Council of Nicea. It was not in Asia alone that the
growth of Roman supremacy was resisted. There is no difficulty in
selecting from ecclesiastical history proofs of the same feeling in many
other quarters. Thus, when the disciples of Montanus, the Phrygian, who
pretended to be the Paraclete, had converted to their doctrines and
austerities the Bishop of Rome and Tertullian the Carthaginian, on the
former backsliding from that faith, the latter denounced him as a
Patripassian heretic. Yet, for the most part, a good understanding
obtained not only between Rome and Carthage, but also among the Gallic
and Spanish churches, who looked upon Rome as conspicuous and
illustrious, though as no more than equal to themselves. At the Council
of Carthage St. Cyprian said, "None of us ought to set himself up as a
bishop of bishops, or pretend tyrannically to restrain his colleagues,
because each bishop has a liberty and power to act as he thinks fit, and
can no more be judged by another bishop than he can judge another. But
we must all wait for the judgment of Jesus Christ, to whom alone belongs
the power to set us over the Church, and to judge of our actions."

[Sidenote: Its gradual increase in wealth and influence,]

Rome by degrees emerged from this equality, not by the splendid talents
of any illustrious man, for among her early bishops none rose above
mediocrity, but partly from her political position, partly from the
great wealth she soon accumulated, and partly from the policy she
happened to follow. Her bishop was not present at the Council of Nicea,
A.D. 325, nor at that of Sardica, A.D. 345; perhaps on these occasions,
as on others of a like kind subsequently, the immediate motive of his
standing aloof was the fear that he might not receive the presidency.
Soon, however, was discerned the advantage of the system of appearing by
representatives. Such an attitude, moreover, offered the opportunity of
frequently holding the balance of power in the fierce conflicts that
soon arose, made Rome a retreat for the discomfited ecclesiastic, and
her bishop, apparently, an elevated and unbiased arbiter on his case. It
was thus that Athanasius, in his contests with the emperor, found a
refuge and protector. With this elevated position in the esteem of
strangers came also domestic dignity. The prodigal gifts of the rich
Roman ladies had already made the bishopric to be soug