The Trial of Abbot Moses

The second man we mentioned as living in this desert was also a remarkable and outstanding man. Yet in a dispute with Abbot Macarius, when Macarius had forestalled him in some opinion, he spoke a single word somewhat too sharply. To punish that one word he was at once handed over to so dreadful a demon that it filled his mouth with filth it supplied. And by the swiftness of his cure, and by the one through whom he was healed, the Lord showed that he had brought this scourge on him to purify him, so that no stain from his momentary error might remain in him. For as soon as Abbot Macarius gave himself to prayer, quicker than a word the evil spirit fled from him and left. [a]