Donatism, starting thus in a time of persecution, when the question in regard to the restoration of ths Lapsed brought up under various aspects the question of authority and f^edom, and created, too, a severer and a milder theory of discipline, had its roots in the age preceding its actual rise. Embers previously scattered, but still full of latent fire, lay ready all around to create and fSsed a new fire. Already in the Diocletian persecution the old controversy between the rigoristic and the milder party in regard to disci- pline was revived. Secundus of Tigisis, the prhnate of Numidia, led ^n by one Donatus of Casae Nigrse, wrought himself into fuiy on the subject of severe dis- cipline, advocating prompt exclusion, once and for- ever, of all who had fied in danger, or delivered up the sacred books to the persecutors. Mensurius, with Csecilian, his archdeacon and successor, headed the milder party, advocating moderation and discretion, and casting suspicion on the motives of the rigorists. This tension threatened schism as early as the year 805 in the matter of an episcopal election for the city of Cirta (Schaff's Hist, of the Christ. Church, ii, 861). The actual outbreak was in 811. Mensurius, bishop of Carthage, died in that year, whereupon the clergy and people of that district, in a hasty manner, elected the archdeacon Cncilianus in his place, and proceeded to consecrate him without summoning or consulting the bishops of Numidia, a contiguous and subordinate province. Perhaps courtesy or custom, perhaps some real or imaginary right, was here violated ; at any rate, on this ground the disaffected party hastened to resent the slight by refbsing to acknowledge the new bishop. In addition to the slight of the Numidian bishops, they justified their opposition to him on the ground or pretext that Felix, one of the bishops who was prominent in the consecration, was a Tradiior— that is, one who had delivered up the sacred books to the persecutors. In Carthage, also, the elders of the congregation, besides many others, and among them a noble hidy, LudlU, a widow and very super- stitious, were oppoeed to him. Socundus of Tigisis,
DONATISTS
862
DONATISTS
wHb seventy Namidian bishops, assembled at Car- thage, sammoned Gieciliaa to appear, which he &il^ ing to do, they deposed and excommanicated him, and elected in his place Biajorinus, the chaplain and fitvor- ite of the wealthy and influential widow, LuciUa. Af- ter his death in 315, Donatus, a gifted man, of fiery energy and eloqaence, revered by his admirers as a wonder-worker, and styled the Great, was made his successor. From him the now deyeloped party took their name.
Each party now labored to secure the conquest of churches, and thus the breach was extended, and the schism in the North African Church fully effected. The emperor Constantine, who had just secured the sot- eieignty in this part of the Roman empire, is supposed to have been prejudiced against the friends of Hajori- nus, for in his first edict he expressly excluded the party from the privileges which he bestowed on the Catholic Church. Thus condemned without a hear- ing, the Donatists presented a petition to the emperor, who was at the time in Gaul, asking him to name judges in that country before whom the questions which had arisen in the North African Church might be laid. He '* directed that Melchiades (MUtiades), bishop of Rome, with five other Gallic bishops, should inquire into the afEiEur; that CsdcOian shoidd appear before them, with ten bishops who were to present the charges against him, and ten other bishops who were to defend hun" (Neander, Church Higt, Bohn's ed. iii, 268). The trial took place in 318. Melchiades brought fifteen other Italian bishops, and Donatus also appear- ed on the opposite side as chief accuser of Csecilian, and the soul of the new party. His charges were found to be unsustained, and *'he himself was de- clared guilty of various acts contrary to the laws of the Church."
The Donatists were of course dissatisfied with this result. A second hearing Vas ordered in 814, at which the charges against Felix, the ordainer of Ciecilian, were to be investigated. Felix was declared inno- cent. The Donatists now appealed from this ecclesi- astical decision to the emperor himself. He accepted their appeal, though he answered it with violent ex- pressions against them, and after Ibtening to the dele- gates of the two parties at Milan, in 816, he also de- cided against the Donatists. The matter now took a severer turn. The emperor issued penal laws against the Donatists, deprived them of their churches, and confiscated their places of assembly. This exasper- ated them, and fully developed their enthusiasm. The strife went forward not without the use of carnal weap- ons on both sides. The Donatists were in spirit un- subdued and determined. Ursacius, who was empow- ered to carry the laws into effect against them, used forcible measures to compel them to unite with the Church. This produced a powerftil ferment, and pushed them to the point of desperation. They de- clared that no power on earth could induce them to fellowship with the '* rascal," as they called Ciecilian. The cause of the Donatists was espoused by a band of idle, roving, fanatical ascetics, who wandered about the country among the huts of the peasants (whence they were called by their adversaries Circumce^^tones [q. v.]). These half-crazy beggars and plunderers excited the peasants to all sorts of violence, and went forth with fire and sword as the ** Christian champions" (offonia- Uci). Their fury cost blood, and the military was re- quired to suppress it Some of the Donatists were executed, others banished, and their churches were closed or confiscated. Death, met in this way, they regarded as martyrdom, and, instead of avoiding, they coveted it. Many who did not attain to this honor at the hands of their enemies, in their fimatical zeal re- sorted to suicide, casting themselves from precipices or into the fire, and even hired others to kill them. The emperor saw the mistake of his violent measures, and Ui 821 granted to the Donatists full liberty to fol-