come down as on the prophets, but truly became flesh and took a servant’s form, and as regards flesh was born as a man.’  There is no departure here from the original doctrine of Marcellus, for the eternity of the Son means nothing more than the eternity of the Word.  The memorial, however, was successful.  Though Athanasius was no Marcellian, he was as determined as ever to leave all questions open which the great council had forborne to close.  The new Nicenes of Pontus, on the other hand, inherited the conservative dread of Marcellus, so that it was a sore trial to Basil when Athanasius refused to sacrifice the old companion of his exile.  Even the great Alexandrian’s comprehensive charity is hardly nobler than his faithfulness to erring friends.  Meaner men might cherish the petty jealousies of controversy, but the veterans of the great council once more recognised their fellowship in Christ.  They were joined in life, and in death they were not divided.

[Sidenote:  Death of Athanasius (373).]

Marcellus passed away in 371, and Athanasius two years later.  The victory was not yet won, the goal of half a century was still beyond the sight of men; yet Athanasius had conquered Arianism.  Of his greatness we need say no more.  Some will murmur of ‘fanaticism’ before the only Christian whose grandeur awed the scoffer Gibbon.  So be it that his greatness was not unmixed with human passion; but those of us who have seen the light of heaven shining from some saintly face, or watched with kindling hearts and solemn thankfulness some mighty victory of Christian faith, will surely know that it was the spirit of another world which dwelt in Athanasius.  To him more than any one we owe it that the question of Arianism did not lose itself in personalities and quibbles, but took its proper place as a battle for the central message of the gospel, which is its chief distinction from philosophy and heathenism.

[Sidenote:  Extinction of the Marcellians (375).]

Instantly Alexandria was given up to the Arians, and Lucius repeated the outrages of Gregory and George.  The friends of Athanasius were exiled, and his successor Peter fled to Rome.  Meanwhile the school of Marcellus died away.  In 375 his surviving followers addressed a new memorial to the Egyptian exiles at Sepphoris, in which they plainly confessed the eternal Sonship so long evaded by their master.  Basil took no small offence when the exiles accepted the memorial.  ’They were not the only zealous defenders of the Nicene faith in the East, and should not have acted without the consent of the Westerns and of their own bishop, Peter.  In their haste to heal one schism they might cause another if they did not make it clear that the heretics had come over to them, and not they to the heretics.’  This, however, was mere grumbling.  Now that the Marcellians had given up the point in dispute, there was no great difficulty about their formal reconciliation.  The West held out for Marcellus after his own disciples had forsaken him, so that he was not condemned at Rome till 380, nor by name till 381.