THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
was practically confined to Africa, though they had one community in Spain and another in Rome itself.
The situation changed on Constantino's death. Constans, to whom Africa fell, adopted severe measures to restore the unity of the Church, alter offers of money had been scornfully rejected by Donatus's orders. But this time the schismatics met force with force. .Ajiother Donatus, bishop of Bagse, enlisted the dangerous fanatics known as CircumceUiones (q.v.) in support of their cause. The date of this persecution has not been determined; it must have been between the Synod of Sardica, which attempted to enter into some kind of relations with Donatus, and the death of Constans— possibly in 342. The schismatic bishops, including Donatus himself, were once more banished, and their churches given over to the followers of Coecilianus. His successor, Gratus, in a council at Carthage, gave thanks for the restoration of unity as a work well pleasing to God, and lauded the servants of God, Paul and Macarius, through whom it had been brought about. The rebaptism of those who had received the sacrament according to the orthodox formula was forbidden, and all veneration of Donatist martyrs strictly prohibited.
Under Constantius the Donatists fared no better. Donatus died in exile, and was succeeded by the Spaniard Parmenianus. But when Julian permitted the return of Athanasius and other bishops who had been expelled by the semi-Arian court party, the Donatists demanded the same treatment, which they gained, as well as the restoration of the churches; the latter only after armed conflict with the catholics in some cases. Whole communities were won for the schism during this period of toleration; but with Julian's death began a new epoch of imperial repression. Valentinian forbade rebaptism; Gratian, soon after his accession, and still more definitely in 378, prohibited all gatherings of heretics — in 379 specifically of the rebaptizers, i.e., the Donatists. These regulations could not at first lie enforced in Numidia, and Donatism, maintained for a while an unbroken outward front.
Tlic inner decay of the sect had, however, already begun. It undoubtedly owed its long existence in Africa not only to its more or less nationalist position, but to the wise leadership for seventy-five
years of Donatus the Great and Par- 4. Decay raenianus. The qualities of Donatus of the were recognized even by his opponents; Sect. he was a man of deep learning, of
eloquence, and of undaunted courage. His work was well continued by Parmenianus, against whose writings the work of Optatus (q.v.) is specially directed. Tychonius, however, who was one of the most prominent members of the sect and has left a lasting name in the history of exegesis, rejected the extreme views whicli had prevailed and pronounced against rebaptism. Parmenianus addressed a warning to him, and on his contumacy he was excommunicated by a Donatist synod. He does not seem to have formed any disthict party; when that of the Rogatists, who held similar moderate views, was formed is not clear,
though they were persecuted by the pagan king Firmus in 372 or 373 through Donatist influence. Of much more significance was the split caused by the Maximianists soon after Primianus had succeeded Parmenianus in 392. He belonged to the moderate side, and was accused by the d.3acon Maximianus, a relative of Donatus, of surrendering the old principles of the sect. The extremists called a synod at Cabarsussi in 393, deposed him, and elected Maximianus in his place, while an opposition synod at BagsE, three times as large, adhered to Primianus and excommunicated Maximianus. By secular aid the churches of the Maximianists were taken from them, but some of them still existed at the time of the conference of Carthage in 411.
Whatever the effect of these dissensions may have been, there can be no doubt of the influence exerted by the most powerful and determined enemy of Donatism, Augustine (q.v.), who for almost twenty years devoted himself to the recovery of its members. In his see city of Hippo they were the majority, and displayed bitter hostility to the Church, which suffered from
5. Opposi- the violence of the CircumceUiones. tion of By personal conference and by literary
Augustine, activity he tried to win back the schismatics; but when conciliatory measures, such as those of the Synod of Carthage in 401 and 403, seemed to have little effect an appeal was made to the secular power in 404. Strict laws brought a number of Donatist communities, with their bishops, into the Church; but after the relaxation of this severity in 409 they began to relapse. A deputation of catholic bishops obtained an imperial order for a conference at Carthage which the Donatists were required to attend, though they could have but little doubt of its issue in the temper of the government. It took place in May, 411, between 286 catholic and 279 Donatist bishops, Augustine and Petilianus being the chief speakers on the two sides. After a three days' debate the imperial representative, Marcellinus, decided against the Donatists, and the laws were once more strictly enforced against them. In 414 and 415 attendance at their meetings was forbidden on pain of death, all civil rights were taken from them, and special commissioners were charged with the execution of these measures. The writings which Augustine controverted show clearly enough how far this system of making peace was from really attaining its object. But the common danger from the Vandals probably brought Donatists and catholics nearer together, and the gradual influence of Augustine's teaching doubtless contributed much to the weakening of the schism. The remnants of the sect which were found as late as well into the Byzantine period finally yielded to fresh repressive measures on the part of the government.
The fundamental question discussed in the debate just referred to concerned the holiness of the Church as conditioned by the moral state of its members. Novatianism had reduced its original stipulations to the demand that the lapsed should not be restored; Donatism had gone a step farther and