To Victor and Columbus, Bishops in Africa, on the Donatists

Gregory to Victor and Columbus, bishops of Africa. How a disease that is neglected at its beginning gains strength, all of us who have had our lot in this life have learned from our own troubles. If it were met at its birth by the foresight of skilled physicians, we know that it would come to an end before doing much harm through being treated too late. With this in mind, then, reason ought to drive us, when diseases of souls are beginning, to hurry to resist them by every means in our power, so that, while we neglect to apply healing medicines, they do not steal from us the lives of many whom we are striving to win for our God. So we must guard the sheepfolds over which we see ourselves set as keepers with such watchful care that the prowling wolf finds shepherds everywhere to resist him and has no way in. [a]

For indeed we find that in your parts the stings of the Donatists have so disturbed the Lord’s flock that it seems to be guided by no shepherd’s control. And something has been reported to us that we cannot speak of without heavy sorrow: very many have already been torn by their poisoned teeth. Finally, with most wicked audacity, to drive catholic priests from their churches, they are said in their most atrocious wickedness to have even slain many besides, on whom the water of new birth had conferred salvation, by rebaptizing them. All this saddens our mind exceedingly, because damnable presumption has been allowed to commit such wickedness while you are stationed there.

In this matter we urge your fraternity by this letter to hold a discussion and assemble a council, and then to oppose this still new-born disease eagerly and with all your strength, so that it neither gains strength from neglect nor scatters the miseries of plague in the flock entrusted to your care. For if in any way at all, which we do not believe will happen, you neglect to resist wrongdoing at its beginning, they will wound very many with the sword of their error. And it is truly a very serious thing to let those be caught in the noose of the devil’s deceit whom we are able to rescue beforehand from being entangled. Besides, it is better to keep anyone from being wounded than to look for a way to heal someone who is wounded. With this in mind, then, hurry by diligent prayer and by every means in your power to put down this sacrilegious wickedness, so that later news, with the help of the grace of Christ, may bring us more joy over the punishment of those men than sadness over their excesses. Furthermore, take every possible pain to send us with all speed our brother and fellow bishop Paul, so that when we have learned more exactly from him the causes of so great a crime, we may be able with the help of our Creator to apply the medicine of fitting rebuke to this most atrocious wickedness. [d]