S. AURELII AUGUSTINI HIPPONENSIS EPISCOPI DE CATECHIZANDIS RUDIBUS LIBER UNUS .

 CAPUT PRIMUM.

 CAPUT II.

 CAPUT III.

 CAPUT IV.

 CAPUT V.

 CAPUT VI.

 CAPUT VII.

 CAPUT VIII.

 CAPUT IX.

 CAPUT X.

 CAPUT XI.

 CAPUT XII.

 CAPUT XIII.

 CAPUT XIV.

 CAPUT XV.

 CAPUT XVI.

 CAPUT XVII.

 CAPUT XVIII.

 CAPUT XIX.

 CAPUT XX.

 CAPUT XXI.

 CAPUT XXII.

 CAPUT XXIII.

 CAPUT XXIV.

 CAPUT XXV.

 CAPUT XXVI.

 CAPUT XXVII.

Chapter 13.—Of the Remedy for the Fourth Source of Weariness.

18. But in good truth it is a serious demand to make upon us, to continue discoursing on to the set limit when we fail to see our hearer in any degree moved; whether it be that, under the restraints of the awe of religion, he has not the boldness to signify his approval by voice or by any movement of his body, or that he is kept back by the modesty proper to man,81    Or = by the reverence which he feels for the man: humana verecundia. or that he does not understand our sayings, or that he counts them of no value. Since, then, this must be a matter of uncertainty to us, as we cannot discern his mind, it becomes our duty in our discourse to make trial of all things which may be of any avail in stirring him up and drawing him forth as it were from his place of concealment. For that sort of fear which is excessive, and which obstructs the declaration of his judgment, ought to be dispelled by the force of kindly exhortation; and by bringing before him the consideration of our brotherly affinity, we should temper his reverence for us; and by questioning him, we should ascertain whether he understands what is addressed to him; and we should impart to him a sense of confidence, so that he may give free expression to any objection which suggests itself to him. We should at the same time ask him whether he has already listened to such themes on some previous occasion, and whether perchance they fail to move him now in consequence of their being to him like things well known and commonplace. And we ought to shape our course in accordance with his answer, so as either to speak in a simpler style and with greater detail of explanation, or to refute some antagonistic opinion, or, instead of attempting any more diffuse exposition of the subjects which are known to him, to give a brief summary of these, and to select some of those matters which are handled in a mystical manner in the holy books, and especially in the historical narrative, the unfolding and setting forth of which may make our addresses more attractive. But if the man is of a very sluggish disposition, and if he is senseless, and without anything in common with all such sources of pleasure, then we must simply bear with him in a compassionate spirit; and, after briefly going over other points, we ought to impress upon him, in a manner calculated to inspire him with awe, the truths which are most indispensable on the subject of the unity of the Catholic Church,82    The text gives simply Catholicæ. One ms. has Catholicæ fidei = the Catholic faith. But it is most natural to supply Ecclesiæ. on that of temptation, on that of a Christian conversation in view of the future judgment; and we ought rather to address ourselves to God for him than address much to him concerning God.

19. It is likewise a frequent occurrence that one who at first listened to us with all readiness, becomes exhausted either by the effort of hearing or by standing, and now no longer commends what is said, but gapes and yawns, and even unwillingly exhibits a disposition to depart. When we observe that, it becomes our duty to refresh his mind by saying something seasoned with an honest cheerfulness and adapted to the matter which is being discussed, or something of a very wonderful and amazing order, or even, it may be, something of a painful and mournful nature. Whatever we thus say may be all the better if it affects himself more immediately, so that the quick sense of self-concern may keep his attention on the alert. At the same time, however, it should not be of the kind to offend his spirit of reverence by any harshness attaching to it; but it should be of a nature fitted rather to conciliate him by the friendliness which it breathes. Or else, we should relieve him by accommodating him with a seat, although unquestionably matters will be better ordered if from the outset, whenever that can be done with propriety, he sits and listens. And indeed in certain of the churches beyond the sea, with a far more considerate regard to the fitness of things, not only do the prelates sit when they address the people, but they also themselves put down seats for the people, lest any person of enfeebled strength should become exhausted by standing, and thus have his mind diverted from the most wholesome purport (of the discourse), or even be under the necessity of departing. And yet it is one thing if it be simply some one out of a great multitude who withdraws in order to recruit his strength, he being also already under the obligations which result from participation in the sacraments; and it is quite another thing if the person withdrawing is one (inasmuch as it is usually the case in these circumstances that the man is unavoidably urged to that course by the fear that he should even fall, overcome by internal weakness) who has to be initiated in the first sacraments; for a person in this position is at once restrained by the sense of shame from stating the reason of his going, and not permitted to stand through the force of his weakness. This I speak from experience. For this was the case with a certain individual, a man from the country, when I was instructing him catechetically: and from his instance I have learned that this kind of thing is carefully to be guarded against. For who can endure our arrogance when we fail to make men who are our brethren,83    Instead of viros fratres, some mss. read veros fratres = our genuine brethren. or even those who are not yet in that relation to us (for our solicitude then should be all the greater to get them to become our brethren), to be seated in our presence, seeing that even a woman sat as she listened to our Lord Himself, in whose service the angels stand alert?84    Luke x. 39 Of course if the address is to be but short, or if the place is not well adapted for sitting, they should listen standing. But that should be the case only when there are many hearers, and when they are not to be formally admitted85    Initiandi = initiated. at the time. For when the audience consists only of one or two, or a few, who have come with the express purpose of being made Christians, there is a risk in speaking to them standing. Nevertheless, supposing that we have once begun in that manner, we ought at least, whenever we observe signs of weariness on the part of the hearer, to offer him the liberty of being seated; nay more, we should urge him by all means to sit down, and we ought to drop some remark calculated at once to refresh him and to banish from his mind any anxiety which may have chanced to break in upon him and draw off his attention. For inasmuch as the reasons why he remains silent and declines to listen cannot be certainly known to us, now that he is seated we may speak to some extent against the incidence of thoughts about worldly affairs, delivering ourselves either in the cheerful spirit to which I have already adverted, or in a serious vein; so that, if these are the particular anxieties which have occupied his mind, they may be made to give way as if indicted by name: while, on the other hand, supposing them not to be the special causes (of the loss of interest), and supposing him to be simply worn out with listening, his attention will be relieved of the pressure of weariness when we address to him some unexpected and extraordinary strain of remark on these subjects, in the mode of which I have spoken, as if they were the particular anxieties,—for indeed we are simply ignorant (of the true causes). But let the remark thus made be short, especially considering that it is thrown in out of order, lest the very medicine even increase the malady of weariness which we desire to relieve; and, at the same time, we should go on rapidly with what remains, and promise and present the prospect of a conclusion nearer than was looked for.

CAPUT XIII.

18. Remedium contra quartam causam fastidii. Auditor vel audiendo vel stando fatigatus, quomodo recreandus. Usus audiendi verbum Dei sedendo, in quibusdam Ecclesiis receptus. Sed revera multum est perdurare in loquendo usque ad terminum praestitutum, cum moveri non videmus audientem; quod sive non audeat, religionis timore constrictus, voce aut aliquo motu corporis significare approbationem suam, sive humana verecundia reprimatur; sive dicta non intelligat, sive contemnat: quandoquidem nobis non cernentibus animum ejus incertum est, omnia sermone tentanda sunt, quae ad eum excitandum et tanquam de latebris eruendum possint valere. Nam et timor nimius atque impediens declarationem judicii ejus, blanda exhortatione pellendus est, et insinuando fraternam societatem verecundia temperanda, et interrogatione quaerendum utrum intelligat, et danda fiducia, ut si quid ei contradicendum videtur, 0325 libere proferat. Quaerendum eum de illo utrum haec aliquando jam audierit, et fortassis eum tanquam nota et pervulgata non moveant; et agendum pro ejus responsione, ut aut planius et enodatius loquamur, aut opinionem contrariam refellamus, aut ea quae illi nota sunt non explicemus latius, sed breviter complicemus, eligamusque aliqua ex his quae mystice dicta sunt in sanctis Libris, et maxime in ipsa narratione, quae aperiendo et revelando noster sermo dulcescat. Quod si nimis tardus est, et ab omni tali suavitate absurdus et aversus, misericorditer sufferendus est, breviterque decursis caeteris, ea quae maxime necessaria sunt, de unitate Catholicae , de tentationibus, de christiana conversatione propter futurum judicium terribiliter inculcanda sunt, magisque pro illo ad Deum, quam illi de Deo multa dicenda.

19. Saepe etiam fit ut qui primo libenter audiebat, vel audiendo vel stando fatigatus, non jam laudans, sed oscitans labia diducat, et se abire velle etiam invitus ostendat. Quod ubi senserimus, aut renovare oportet ejus animum, dicendo aliquid honesta hilaritate conditum et aptum rei quae agitur, vel aliquid valde mirandum et stupendum, vel etiam dolendum atque plangendum; et magis de ipso, ut propria cura punctus evigilet; quod tamen non offendat ejus verecundiam asperitate aliqua, sed potius familiaritate conciliet; aut oblata sessione succurrere; quanquam sine dubitatione melius fiat, ubi decenter fieri potest, ut a principio sedens audiat; longeque consultius in quibusdam Ecclesiis transmarinis non solum antistites sedentes loquuntur ad populum, sed ipsi etiam populo sedilia subjacent, ne quisquam infirmior stando lassatus a saluberrima intentione avertatur, aut etiam cogatur abscedere. Et tamen multum interest, si se quisquam de magna multitudine subtrahat ad reparandas vires, qui jam sacramentorum societate devinctus est; et si ille discedat (quod plerumque inevitabiliter urgetur, ne interiore defectu victus etiam cadat) qui primis sacramentis imbuendus est: et pudore enim non dicit cur eat, et imbecillitate stare non sinitur. Expertus haec dico: nam fecit hoc quidam, cum eum catechizarem, homo rusticanus, unde magnopere praecavendum esse didici. Quis enim ferat arrogantiam nostram, cum viros fratres nostros, vel etiam quod majore sollicitudine curandum est, ut sint fratres nostri, coram nobis sedere non facimus; et ipsum Dominum nostrum, cui assistunt Angeli, sedens mulier audiebat (Luc. X, 39)? Sane si aut brevis sermo futurus est, aut consessui locus non est aptus, stantes audiant; sed cum multi audiunt, et non tunc initiandi . Nam cum unus, aut duo, aut pauci, qui propterea venerunt ut christiani fiant, periculose loquimur stantibus. Tamen si jam sic coepimus, saltem animadverso auditoris taedio, et offerenda sessio est, imo vero prorsus urgendus ut sedeat, 0326 et dicendum aliquid quo renovetur, quo etiam cura, si qua forte irruens eum avocare coeperat, fugiat ex animo. Cum enim causae incertae sint cur jam tacitus recuset audire, jam sedenti aliquid adversus incidentes cogitationes saecularium negotiorum dicatur, aut hilari, ut dixi, aut tristi modo: ut si ipsae sunt quae mentem occupaverunt, cedant quasi nominatim accusatae; si autem ipsae non sunt, et audiendo fatigatus est, cum de illis tanquam ipsae sint (quandoquidem ignoramus), inopinatum aliquid et extraordinarium, eo modo quo dixi, loquimur, a taedio renovatur intentio. Sed et breve sit, maxime quia extra ordinem inseritur, ne morbum fastidii cui subvenire volumus etiam augeat ipsa medicina: et acceleranda sunt caetera, et promittendus atque exhibendus finis propinquior.