Life of Saint Monica

forehead, and that he might be entered amongst the catechumens. It was a custom of the time-never approved of by the Church-to put off Bapti

hrist, lest he should tarnish his weapons in the fight, was sent unarmed into a

she could no longer keep him at her side and surround him with a mother's love and protection, what dangers would beset him? The influence of an unbelieving father, during the years when his boyish ideas of life would be forming; a household that knew not Christ-

ould understand, she taught him, in language suited to his childish sense, the great truths of the Christian Faith. He would listen eagerly, and, stan

at was mean and base and unlovely, breathed into him by his mother in those days of early childhood, haunted him even during his worst moments in later life. The cry that burst from his soul in manhood, when he had

ts were in anguish, but Augustine's one thought was for his soul; he begged and prayed that he might receive Baptism. Monica added her entreaties to his. Patricius yielded.

aste. It was a pagan school to which the child must go, pagan authors that he must study, and, wo

t interested him, he had an insurmountable dislike to anything that caused him trouble. It bored him to learn to read and write, and the uninspiring truth that two and two make four was a weariness of the

mastered before higher flights can be attempted. The Tagaste schoolmasters had but

llow-scholars-to play when he should have been working, and to tell clever lies to his schoolmasters and his parents in order to escape punishment. Such tricks, however, are bound to be found out sooner or later,

g in a quiet corner to this intent, suggested that if he had learnt his lessons for the day he need have no fear, but if he had not, punishment was to be expected.

atter cheated as a matter of course, both in work and at play. Bad habits are catching, and Augustine would sometimes cheat too. When found out he would fly into a passion, although no one was so severe on the dishonesty of others as he. And yet, though he would often yield to the temptations tha

, and well known for its culture and its schools. It was one of the most pagan of the cities of Africa, but this was an objection that had no weight with Patricius, although it meant much to Monica. The only comfort for her in the thought of this first separation was that there at least her son would not be far from home. Not far away in truth, as distance goes, but how far away in spirit! Madaura was a large and handsom

noble of their worshippers. That their adventures, neither moral nor elevating, were told in the most exquisite language by the greatest authors of antiquity rather added to the danger than decreased it. True, the noblest o

about in well-turned phrases. The plays acted in the theatre were what might be expected in Roman society of the fourth ce

se but of cultivating the minds of their scholars. Heart and soul were left untouched, or touched in such a w

ptations of Madaura like corn before the scythe. First evil thoughts, but carelessly resisted; then evil deeds. He had lost his childish innocence, and with it his c

eching the Heavenly Father to keep him from evil, to watch over him now that sh