The Essential Augustine
THE MAN AND HIS WRITINGS 15 place that I knew to be without a bishop. I took this precaution and did as much as I could to achieve salvation in a low position, lest I run into danger in a high one. As I have said, however, the servant should not contradict his master.
I came to this City to see a friend whom I thought I might win over for God and have him with us in the monastery: I felt safe, because this place had a bishop. I was caught and made a priest; then, through this step, I reached the episcopate. I brought nothing: I came to this church with nothing more than the clothes that I wore at the time. Since I had this intention to live in a monastery with my brethren, the venerable [Bishop] Valerius of happy memory, who knew my plan and desire, gave me this garden in which the monastery is now located. I started to assemble brethren who were well-disposed as my colleagues, men who possessed nothing, as I had nothing, and who followed my example. Thus, as I sold my meager little estate and gave it to the poor, so also did those who wished to live with me; our purpose was to live in common: indeed, what was common to us was. that great and most rewarding prize, God Himself.
I reached the episcopate and saw that it is necessary for a bishop to provide continuous hospitality for various visitors
and travelers, and if I did not do this as a bishop, I would have been deemed discourteous. However, if this sort of behavior were permitted in a monastery, it would have been unfitting. Consequently, I decided to maintain a community of priests with me in this episcopal house.
Notice how we live. In our community, no one is permitted to own anything, though possibly some do. It is permitted to no one: if some do own property, they do so without permission. However, I think well of my own brethren, and since I always maintain this good opinion, I have omitted any inquiry into this matter, for to ask would have given the impression that I suspected some evil. In fact, I know, and all who live with me know, what our objective is and what is the rule of our life.
AUGUSTINE CHOOSES ERACLIUS AS HIS SUCCESSOR*
Since God willed it, I came to this City [Hippo]
1. when I was in the prime of life; although I was young then, I am now old. I know how churches
* Letter 213, 1, 5 and 6; trans. V.J.B.