■$60 THIRD PERIOD. A.D 311-590.
§ 69. TJie Donatist Schism. External History.
\. Sources. Augustine: Works against the Donatists (Contra epistolaa Parmeniani, libri iii. ; De baptismo, contra Donatistas, libri vii. ; Contra literas Petiliani, libri iii ; De Unitate Ecclesia3, lib. unus ; Contra Cresconiiini, graniniaticum Donat., libri iv. ; Breviculus Oollationis cum Donatistis ; Contra Gaudentium, etc.), in the 9th vol. of his Opera, ed. Bened. (Paris, 1688). Optatus Milevitanus (about 370): De schismate Donatistarum. L. E. Du Pix : Monuinenta vett. ad Donatist. hist, pertinentia, Par. 1700. Excerpta ct Scripta vetera ad Donatistarum Historiam pertinentia, at the close of the ninth volume of the Bened. ed. of Augustine's works.
LI. Literature. Valesius : De schism. Donat. (appended to his ed. of Eusebius). Walch : Historie der Ketzereien, etc., vol. iv. Neandeu : Allg. K. G. ii. 1, p. 366 sqq. (Torrey's Engl, translation, ii. p. 182 sqq.). A. Roux : De Augustino adversario Donat. Lugd. Bat. 1838. F. Ribbeck : Donatus u. Augustinus, oder der erste entscheidende Kampf zwischen Separatismus u. Kirche., Elberf. 1858. (The author was for a short time a Baptist, and then returned to the Prussian established church, and wrote this work against separatism.)
Donatism was by far the most iiuportaut schism in the church of the i)eriod before us. For a whole century it divided the North African churches into two hostile camj)S. Like the schisms of the former period,' it arose from the conflict of the more rigid and the more indulgent tlieories of discipline in reference to the restoration of the lapsed. But through the intervention of the Christanized state, it assumed at the same time an ecclesiastico-political character. The rigoristic peniteniial discipline had been represented in the previous period especially by the Montanists and JSTovatians, who were still living ; w^hile the milder principle and practice had found its most powerful support in the Roman church, and, since the time of Constantino, had generally prevailed.
The beginnings of the Donatist schism appear in tlie l)iuclesian persecution, which revived that controversy concerning church discipline and martyrdom. The rigoristic party, favoxed by Secundus of Tigisis, at that time primate of Numidia, and led by the bishop Donatus of Casge Nigrae, rushed to the martyr'
' Comj). vol. ii. ^ 58 (p. 19." sqq.).
§ 69. THE DONA'nST SCHISM. EXTERNAL HISTOftT. 3G1
crown with fanatical contempt of deatli, and saw in flight from danger, or in the delivering up of the sacred books, oidy coward ice and treachery, which should forever exclude from the fellow ship of the church. The moderate party, at whose head slooa the bishop Mensurius and his archdeacon and successor Cseciliaii, advocated the claims of prudence and discretion, and cast sus* picion on the motives of the forward confessors and martyrs. So early as the year 305 a schism was imminent, in the matter of an episcopal election for the city of Cita. Bat no formal outbreak occurred until after the cessation of the persecution in 811 ; and then the difficulty arose in connection with the hasty election of Csecilian to the bishopric of Carthage. The Donatists refused to acknowledge him, because in his ordination the Numidian bishops were slighted, and the service was performed by the bishop Felix of Aptungis, or Aptunga, whom they declared to be a traditor^ that is, one who had delivered ap the sacred writings to the heathen persecutors. In Carthago itself he had many opponents, among whom were the elders of the congregation {seniores plcbis\ and particularly a wealthy and superstitious widow, Lucilla, who w'as accustomed to kiss certain relics before her daily communion, and seemed to prefer them to the spiritual power of the sacrament. Secundus of Tigisis and seventy IS'umidian bishops, mostly of the rigoristic school, assembled at Carthage, deposed and excommunicated Caecilian, who refused to appear, and elected the lector Majorinus, a favorite of Lucilla, in his place. After his death, in 315, Majorinus was succeeded by Donatus, a gifted man, of fiery energy and eloquence, revered by his admirers as a wonder worker, and styled the Geeat. From this man, and not from the Donatus mentioned above, the name of the party was derived.'
Each party endeavored to gain churches abroad to its side^ and thus the schism spread. The Donatists appealed to the
' *' Pars Donati, Donatistse, Donatiani." Previously they were commonly called " Para Majorini." Optatus of Mileve seems, indeed, to know of only one Donatus. Bat the Donatists expressly distinguish Donatus Magnus of Carthage from Doiiatr-.s a Casis Nigris. Likewise Augustine, Contra Cresconium Donat. ii. 1 j though be himself had tormerly confounded the two.