Section 436
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 405 another, that the only true God was the protector of the pious. To us especially, all whose hopes are suspended on the Christ of God, there was an incessant joy, and there sprung up for all a certain celestial gladness, seeing every place, which but a short time before had been desolated by the impieties of the tyrants, reviving again, and recovering as from a long and deadly dis temper, temples again rising from the soil to a lofty height, and receiving a splendour far exceeding those that had been formerly destroyed. Moreover, those who held the supreme power, con firmed the privileges granted us by the divine beneficence to a still wider and greater extent by their constant decrees in favour of the Christians, and epistles of the emperor were issued, ad dressed to the bishops, with honours and superadded donations of monies. Of which it may not be singular to insert extracts in the proper place in this book, as in a certain sacred tablet, as we have translated them from the Latin into the Greek language that they may remain recorded for those that come after us. CHAPTER III. The dedications of the churches in all places. AFTER this the sight was afforded us so eagerly desired and prayed for by all, the festivals of dedications and consecrations of the newly erected houses of prayer throughout the cities. After this the convention of bishops, the concourse of foreigners from abroad, the benevolence of people to people, the unity of the members of Christ concurring in one harmonious body. Then was it according to the prophetic declaration, mystically indi cating what would take place, " bone was brought to bone, and joint to joint," and whatsoever other matters the divine Word faithfully intimated before. There was, also, one energy of the divine spirit, pervading all the members, and one soul among all, one and the same ardour of faith, and one song of praise to the Deity. Yea, now indeed, complete and perfect solemnities of