By REV. A. A. LAMBING, LL.D.
(340-397)
[Footnote 7: Copyright, 1894, by Selmar Hess.]
[Illustration: St. Ambrose. [TN]]
Biographical history presents few characters more interesting either to
the statesman or the churchman than that of St. Ambrose. As a
statesman--though but a small part of his life was devoted to the
affairs of civil government--he showed great prudence, was sincerely
devoted to the interests of his imperial master, and yet he was at the
same time an uncompromising advocate and defender of the rights of the
people. As a churchman he united a high degree of personal sanctity and
a fatherly care of those intrusted to his pastoral vigilance--especially
the poor--to an extraordinary firmness in maintaining the rights of the
Church against imperial usurpation, and the purity of doctrine against
the inroads of heresy.
St. Ambrose was born about the year 340, of a Roman of the same name who
was at that time prefect of the pretorium in Gaul, a province which then
embraced a large portion of western and southwestern Europe. Arles,
Lyons, and Treves contend for the honor of being his birthplace, but it
is most probable that it was in the latter he first saw the light.
Legends, too, are not wanting of extraordinary occurrences which took
place during his infancy, that seemed to presage his future greatness.
Be these as they may, his life and works, which are before the world,
stand in need of no such embellishments, now that they have become
matters of history. His father died in his infancy, and his mother
returned to Rome, where her wealth and social position enabled her to
give her children the best education possible; and none of them profited
more by his opportunities than Ambrose. His attainments were numerous
and varied, embracing, among other things, a thorough knowledge of the
Greek language and literature, oratory of a high order, unusual skill in
poetic composition, and a thorough acquaintance with music.
Having completed his education, he went to Milan to enter upon his
public career. Here his learning, ability, and integrity were soon
recognized, and preferments crowded thick upon him. But under all
circumstances he remained true to himself; and, although then only a
catechumen--or one undergoing instruction before embracing
Christianity--he yet made the maxims of the Gospel the rule of his life
and conduct. In a short time he was made governor of the provinces of
Liguria and AEmelia, which embraced the greater part of Northern Italy.
When setting out to assume the duties of that exalted position, he was
told by one of those highest in authority, to "go and rule more as a
bishop than a judge." Although but thirty years of age at the time of
his appointment, he strove by his vigilance, mildness, and probity, to
act upon that advice which seemed almost prophetic; for he was soon
after called to the bishopric of Milan, as we shall presently have
occasion to remark. The Arian heresy was then at the zenith of its
power, and was at least secretly, and often openly, favored by the
imperial authority. In few places was it more openly defiant than at
Milan. Auxentius, the Arian bishop of that see, died in the year 374,
and a serious tumult was raised during the election of his
successor--the Arians and the orthodox Christians each contending for
the mastery. In the discharge of his duties as governor, Ambrose entered
the assembly, where by his firmness, prudence, and moderation he
succeeded in restoring order. Tradition states that in a moment of
tranquillity a child cried out: "Ambrose is bishop;" but, be that as it
may, and it matters little, so great was the public appreciation of his
merits, and so high was the esteem in which he was held, that he was
immediately elected by acclamation. Alarmed at this determination of the
people, he endeavored to escape the honor and remain in concealment till
another election should take place; but the vigilance of the people
prevented it. He then had recourse to another means of escape, urging
that he was only a catechumen and could not lawfully be elected a
bishop. But this, too, was overruled, when he insisted that being in the
service of the emperor his permission was necessary. So far, however,
from this availing, it had the opposite effect, for the Emperor
Valentinian readily gave his consent, adding the flattering remark that
he was very much pleased to know that the civil governors whom he had
selected to rule the provinces of the Empire, were fit to be made
bishops to rule the Church of God. Seeing the will of heaven so clearly
manifested, Ambrose feared longer to refuse his acquiescence, and at the
age of thirty-four he passed through the various ecclesiastical orders
and was consecrated Bishop of Milan on December 7, 374.
Solicitude for the portion of the Church now entrusted to his pastoral
care was thenceforth his only thought; and to his other numerous and
profound acquirements he added that of a careful study of the
scriptures. In those unhappy times storms were raging on all sides
between the orthodox Christians and the Arians; and while he and the
church of Milan were congratulated from all sides on the choice of so
able a chief pastor, he clearly saw that his future life must be one of
constant struggle with the civil power for the rights of the Church, and
with the Arians for the purity of doctrine. But his extraordinary
combination of gentleness and charity with firmness and courage never
failed him, and in the end it proved equal to the task imposed upon him;
and it has handed down his name as one of the noblest on the pages of
the world's history. The better to free himself from unnecessary
trammels, he at once disposed of his immense wealth to the poor, except
so much of it as was necessary for the becoming maintenance of his
household; and the administration of even this he committed to others.
The turbulent times through which the Church had passed and was still
passing, had necessarily given rise to numerous abuses; and to the
correction of these the newly consecrated bishop unsparingly devoted
himself. But though this was destined to be a life-work, and though he
met with a great measure of success, "it must needs be that scandals
come," and no one can hope to eradicate entirely every abuse. Never was
the Arian heresy so successfully dealt with as by him, and if he did not
succeed in entirely destroying it, he did succeed in breaking its power
and restoring greater tranquillity to the Church than it had enjoyed for
a long term of years. Many elements combined to produce these consoling
results, and since we are treating of an eminent churchman, it is
necessary to attach due importance to his own personal sanctity, which
was at once a rebuke to disregard of ecclesiastical discipline, a living
illustration of what the true Christian should be, and an evidence of
the purity of his motives and the sincerity of his conduct. This
holiness had its effect too before the Throne of Grace, for the
scriptures assure us that the prayers of the just man avail much. So
long as we entertain the belief that Christ has established a church on
earth, we must from necessity hold that He takes a lively interest in
it, and blesses the labors of those who devote themselves to its
extension. His eloquence, too, in the pulpit not only advanced the
interests of religion, but also stimulated the zeal and guided the
efforts of others of less ability. His numerous controversial works
refuted the errors and sophistries of the enemies of religion, on the
one hand, and on the other, explained and defended its tenets. Those who
wished to tread the higher walks of the spiritual life, found in his
several treatises on certain of the Christian virtues, a sure light to
guide them in the way of perfection. Devoting his attention to the
liturgy of divine worship, he added greatly to the attractiveness of the
ceremonial, especially by a thorough revision of the church music that
had previously been in use. But in the march of the human mind nothing
now remains of the Ambrosian chant in its purity, save the "Exultet," as
it is called, which is a hymn sung in the Latin Church during the
blessing of the Paschal candle on Holy Saturday. Large numbers of his
poetic compositions still remain, and are found for the most part in the
Roman breviary. It may be said that his pen was never idle nor his voice
hushed when the interests of religion could be promoted, and many of his
writings remain to our day, a proof of his learning, an evidence of his
zeal, and a monument to his courage. Among his successes in advancing
the cause of religion must be mentioned his conversion, in 387, of St.
Augustine, the greatest light of the Western Church. But he is better
known to the world at large by his firmness in withstanding the
usurpation of the secular power, and bringing those in high places to
confess and repent of their faults. In doing this he had ever the best
interests of mankind at heart.
Soon after his consecration as a bishop he wrote to the emperor,
complaining of the corruption of some imperial governors; to whom
Valentinian replied: "I have long since been acquainted with your
freedom of speech, which did not deter me from consenting to your
consecration. Continue to apply to our sins the remedies prescribed by
the divine law." Even in our own day, not a few salutary laws are due to
his humane influence. He prevailed on the Emperor Gratian to pass a law,
among others, that no criminal should be executed within less than
thirty days after sentence had been passed. He also succeeded, but with
great difficulty, in having the pagan statues removed from the senate.
He had also a law passed forbidding the Arians to rebuild or repair
their churches. When the Empress Justina sent to him asking the use of
certain churches for the celebration of Easter, he refused; and when
threats were made he answered in language worthy of a Christian prelate:
"Should you ask what is mine, as my land or my money, I would not refuse
you, though all that I possess belongs to the poor; but you have no
right to that which belongs to God." A year later, the Easter of 386,
the same request was made, when the intrepid bishop answered: "Naboth
would not give up the inheritance of his ancestors, and shall I give up
that of Jesus Christ?" It may perhaps be difficult for many in our day,
when so little importance is attached to Christian unity, to appreciate
the fearless action of this heroic person; but his biography would be
imperfect in a very important particular if these points were passed
over in silence; and before passing judgment on him we must bear in mind
the rule of the historian and biographer, so frequently lost sight of,
that persons and things must be judged by the times and circumstances in
which they were placed. The times change and we change in them.
Perhaps the most remarkable event in the life of St. Ambrose, so far as
the world at large will judge him, was his rebuke of the Emperor
Theodosius. Instances like this are not rare, it is true, in the history
of the Christian Church; but this one stands forth with more than
ordinary prominence. The circumstances are briefly these: A sedition
broke out in the city of Thessalonica, in which a number of officers and
the commander of the imperial forces were slain. Theodosius, at the
instigation of Rufinus, a military officer of prominence, sent a warrant
to the commander of Illyricum to let the soldiers loose upon the city; a
command that was carried out with great cruelty, and by which more than
seven thousand persons, the innocent as well as the guilty, were
massacred in the most inhuman manner. The grief of Ambrose on hearing
this was extreme; and, in order to afford the emperor time to reflect,
he withdrew from Milan, and addressed him a very touching letter
exhorting him to repentance, assuring him at the same time that he, as
bishop, would not receive his offerings nor perform the services of
religion in his presence till he had done so. The prelate soon after
returned to his episcopal city; and when the emperor appeared at the
doors of the church to attend divine services, he forbade him to enter
till he had done penance for his crime. Excuses and palliations were of
no avail, and when the emperor urged that King David had sinned, he was
told that as he had imitated David in his sin, he should also imitate
him in his repentance; and the doors of the church were closed against
him. The emperor returned to his palace, where for eight months he did
penance for his fault; and he was not admitted to full communion till he
had perfectly complied with the requirements of the bishop.
While to the general reader there may appear an unwonted severity, and
even a tyrannical vindictiveness in this firmness of the holy prelate,
his companions and those who knew his character best find in it an
evidence of his zeal for the cause of religion, and his desire for the
true conversion of the sinner; and the man of the world will find in him
the champion of the poor and oppressed against the tyranny of power. It
is a well-known fact of history that he did not cease, during all this
time, to beseech heaven with prayers and tears for the emperor, whom he
sincerely loved. But his character in this, as in all else, has
withstood the test of time, and shines with undiminished lustre down the
vista of ages.
St. Ambrose died about midnight before Holy Saturday, April 4, 397; and
his body reposes in a vault under the high altar of the basilica of
Milan--the church that he had served so long and so well. His feast is
kept in the Latin Church on December 7th, and he is justly regarded as
one of the most illustrious doctors of the Church.
[Signature of the author.]
[Illustration: Ambrose rebukes Theodosius.]