Arius (A. D. 336) to present himself to Alexander, the Bishop of Constantinople, for recognition as a presbyter. The Orthodox prelate refused, but the emperor resolutely fixed a day when Arius should be recognized. Alexander prayed publicly in the church, that God would interpose in his favor. The same evening, Arius suddenly fell dead of a colic or cholera,—some say by poison, and others, that it was what Alexander prayed for.[1] But his doctrines spread more rapidly after his death than before.
The Arian contests, as was to be expected, produced several new sects. Some persons, while eager to avoid and confute the opinions of Arius, fell into opinions equally heretical. Others, after treading in the footsteps of Arius, ventured on far beyond him, and became still greater heretics. Among these was Apollinaris, the younger, who almost set aside the human nature of Christ. He was one of the many Christian fathers, who, in that age, were very much attached to Platonism. In the same class was Marcellus, of Ancyra, who so explained the Trinity as to fall into Sabellianism. At the Nicene Council he was a prominent opponent of Arius. His pupil, Photinus, of Sirmium, taught another heresy; namely, that the Father,
- ↑ According to Athanasius and Sozomen, Arius was passing through the city with a company of friends, and when near Constantine's forum, he stepped into a privy, such as were for public use, leaving his attendants waiting at the door. But not coming out, they looked in and found him dead, with protrusion of the bowels. It was the opinion of his friends, that he had been killed by sorcery, that is, witchcraft. We should not suspect that, but rather poison, in these days. Such murders were common. When Constantine died, his brothers and two nephews were murdered because the nephews were, by his will, made participators in the government with his three sons.—See Tillemont's Hist. Roman Empire.
