Letter 83: 1. The sorrow of the members of the Church at Thiave prevents my heart from having any rest until I hear that they have been brought again to be of the same mind towards you as they formerly were; which must be accomplished without delay. For if the apostle was concerned about one individual, lest perhaps such an one should be swallowed up with ...

Augustine to Alypius, greetings. I am writing to you about the situation at the monastery, beloved brother, because I know you share my concern for the brothers there and because your judgment on these matters is better than mine. The question is this: should monks be required to do manual labor? Some of the brothers say no — that their vocation is prayer and study, and that manual work distracts from the contemplative life. They cite the Lord's words to Martha: "Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken from her" [Luke 10:42]. They consider themselves Marys, not Marthas. I find this reasoning deeply unconvincing. The Apostle Paul — who saw the risen Lord, who was caught up into the third heaven, who wrote half the New Testament — made tents for a living. He did this not because he could not have claimed the right to be supported by the churches (he explicitly says he had that right), but because he wanted to set an example. "If anyone will not work, let him not eat" [2 Thessalonians 3:10]. The monks who refuse to work are not choosing the "better part." They are choosing laziness and dressing it up in spiritual language. The truly contemplative life does not float above the physical world — it sanctifies it. The hands that knead bread in the morning can lift up in prayer in the evening, and both acts serve God. I intend to write a full treatise on this subject, because the problem is spreading beyond our monastery to others. But in the meantime, I wanted your thoughts. Am I being too harsh? Or not harsh enough? Write back soon. I am drowning in work — the irony of which, given the subject of this letter, does not escape me. Farewell, dearest brother. [Context: Augustine's concerns here eventually produced his treatise De opere monachorum ("On the Work of Monks"), written around 400 AD. The problem of idle monks who claimed their laziness was spiritual was a widespread issue in the late antique church. Augustine's vigorous defense of manual labor as part of the monastic vocation helped shape the Western monastic tradition, culminating in Benedict's famous dictum: "Ora et labora" — pray and work.]

Letter 83 (A.D. 405) To My Lord Alypius Most Blessed, My Brother and Colleague, Beloved and Longed for With Sincere Veneration, and to the Brethren that are with Him, Augustine and the Brethren with Him Send Greeting in the Lord. 1. The sorrow of the members of the Church at Thiave prevents my heart from having any rest until I hear that they have been brought again to be of the same mind towards you as they formerly were; which must be accomplished without delay. For if the apostle was concerned about one individual, lest perhaps such an one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow, adding in the same context the words, lest Satan should get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices, 2 Corinthians 2:7, 11 how much more does it become us to act with caution, lest we cause similar grief to a whole flock, and especially one composed of persons who have lately been reconciled to the Catholic Church, and whom I can upon no account forsake! As, however, the short time at our disposal did not permit us so to take counsel together as to arrive at a mature and satisfactory decision, may it please your Holiness to accept in this letter the finding which commended itself most to me when I had long reflected upon the matter since we parted; and if you approve of it, let the enclosed letter, which I have written to them in the name of both of us, be sent to them without delay. 2. You proposed that they should have the one half [of the property left by Honoratus], and that the other half should be made up to them by me from such resources as might be at my disposal. I think, however, that if the whole property had been taken from them, men might reasonably have said that we had taken the great pains in this matter which we have done, for the sake of justice, not for pecuniary advantage. But when we concede to them one half, and in that way settle with them by a compromise, it will be manifest that our anxiety has been only about the money; and you see what harm must follow from this. For, on the one hand, we shall be regarded by them as having taken away one half of a property to which we had no claim; and, on the other hand, they will be regarded by us as dishonourably and unjustly consenting to accept aid from one half of a property of which the whole belonged to the poor. For your remark, We must beware lest, in our efforts to obtain a right adjustment of a difficult question, we cause more serious wounds, applies with no less force if the half be conceded to them. For those whose turning from the world to monastic life we desire to secure, will, for the sake of this half of their private estates, be disposed to find some excuse for putting off the sale of these, in order that their case may be dealt with according to this precedent. Moreover, would it not be strange, if, in a question like this, where much may be said on both sides, a whole community should, through our not avoiding the appearance of evil, be offended by the impression that their bishops, whom they hold in high esteem, are smitten with sordid avarice? 3. For when any one is turned to adopt the life of a monk, if he is adopting it with a true heart, he does not think of that which I have just mentioned, especially if he be admonished of the sinfulness of such conduct. But if he be a deceiver, and is seeking his own things, not the things which are Jesus Christ's, Philippians 2:21 he has not charity; and without this, what does it profit him, though he bestow all his goods to feed the poor, and though he give his body to be burned? 1 Corinthians 13:3 Moreover, as we agreed when conversing together, this may be henceforth avoided, and an arrangement made with each individual who is disposed to enter a monastery, if he cannot be admitted to the society of the brethren before he has relieved himself of all these encumbrances, and comes as one at leisure from all business, because the property which belonged to him has ceased to be his. But there is no other way in which this spiritual death of weak brethren, and grievous obstacle to the salvation of those for whose reconciliation with the Catholic Church we so earnestly labour, can be avoided, than by our giving them most clearly to understand that we are by no means anxious about money in such cases as this. And this they cannot be made to understand, unless we leave to their use the estate which they always supposed to belong to their late presbyter; because, even if it was not his, they ought to have known this from the beginning. 4. It seems to me, therefore, that in matters of this kind, the rule which ought to hold is, that whatever belonged, according to the ordinary civil laws regarding property, to him who is an ordained clergyman in any place, belongs after his death to the Church over which he was ordained. Now, by civil law, the property in question belonged to the presbyter Honoratus; so that not only on account of his being ordained elsewhere, but even had he remained in the monastery of Thagaste, if he had died without having either sold his estate or handed it over by express deed of gift to any one, the right of succession to it would belong only to his heirs: as brother Æmilianus inherited those thirty shillings left by the brother Privatus. This, therefore, behooved to be considered and provided for in time; but if no provision was made for it, we must, in the disposal of the estate, comply with the laws which have been appointed to regulate in civil society the holding or not holding of property; that we may, so far as is in our power, abstain not only from the reality, but also from all appearance of evil, and preserve that good name which is so necessary to our office as stewards. How truly this procedure has the appearance of evil, I beseech your wisdom to observe. For having heard of their sorrow, which we ourselves witnessed at Thiave, fearing lest, as frequently happens, I should myself be mistaken through partiality for my own opinion, I stated the facts of the case to our brother and colleague Samsucius, without telling him at the time my present view of the matter, but rather stating the view taken up by both of us when we were resisting their demands. He was exceedingly shocked, and wondered that we had entertained such a view; being moved by nothing else but the ugly appearance of the transaction, as one wholly unworthy not only of us, but of any man. 5. Wherefore I implore you to subscribe and transmit without delay the letter which I have written to them in name of both of us. And even if, perchance, you discern the other course to be a just one in the matter, let not these brethren who are weak be compelled to learn now what I myself cannot understand; rather let this word of the Lord be remembered in dealing with them: I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. John 16:12 For He Himself, out of condescension to such weakness, said on another occasion (it was in reference to the payment of tribute), Then are the children free; notwithstanding lest we offend them, etc.; and sent Peter to pay the didrachmæ which were then exacted. Matthew 17:26-27 For He knew another law according to which he was not bound to make any such payment; but He made the payment which was imposed upon Him by that law according to which, as I have said, succession to the estate of Honoratus behooved to be regulated, if he died before either giving away or selling his property. Nay, even in regard to the law of the Church, Paul showed forbearance towards the weak, and did not insist upon his receiving the money due to him, although fully persuaded in his conscience that he might with perfect justice insist upon it; waiving his claim, however, only because he thereby avoided a suspicion of his motives which would mar the sweet savour of Christ among them, and abstained from the appearance of evil in a region in which he knew that this was his duty, and probably even before he had known by experience the sorrow which it would occasion. Let us now, though we are somewhat behind-hand, and have been admonished by experience, correct that which we ought to have foreseen. 6. I remember that you proposed when we parted that the brethren at Thagaste should hold me responsible to make up the half of the sum claimed; let me say in conclusion, that as I fear everything which may make my attempt unsuccessful, if you clearly perceive that proposal to be a just one, I do not refuse to comply with it on this condition, however, that I am to pay the amount only when I have it in my power, i.e. when something so considerable falls to our monastery at Hippo that this can be done without unduly straitening us — the amount remaining after the subtraction of so large a sum being still such as to provide for our monastery here an equal share in proportion to the number of resident brethren.

EPISTOLA 83 Scripta a. 404-405. A. Alypio, significans se de bonis quae fuerunt Honorati cuiusdam, ex Tagastensi monasterio Thiavensis presbyteri, aliam inisse sententiam (n. 1), sibique demum satius videri ut ea omnia hereditario veluti iure cedant non monasterio Thagastensi sed Thiavensi ecclesiae (n. 2); aliquot ecclesiastici iuris principia praeterea enuntiat ad iustitiam tuendam atque ad fidelium scandala vitanda (n. 3-6). DOMINO BEATISSIMO ET VENERABILITER CARISSIMO AC DESIDERANTISSIMO FRATRI ET COEPISCOPO ALYPIO, ET QUI TECUM SUNT FRATRIBUS, AUGUSTINUS, ET QUI MECUM SUNT FRATRES, IN DOMINO SALUTEM. Ecclesiae Thiavensis perturbatio sedanda. 1. Tristitia Thiavensis Ecclesiae cor meum conquiescere non permittit, donec eos tecum audiam in pristinum animum restitutos; quod cito faciendum est. Si enim de homine uno tantum sategit Apostolus dicens: Ne maiore tristitia absorbeatur, qui eiusmodi est; ubi etiam ait: Ut non possideamur a satana; non enim ignoramus mentes eius 1: quanto magis nos oportet vigilanter agere, ne hoc in toto grege plangamus, et maxime in eis qui nunc catholicae paci accesserunt, et quos nullo modo relinquere possum. Sed quia temporis non sivit angustia, ut simul nobis inde diligenter deliberatam liceret eliquare sententiam; quid mihi post digressum nostrum diu cogitanti placuerit, accipiat Sanctitas tua: et si tibi quoque placet, iam litterae quas ad eos communi nomine scripsi, sine dilatione mittantur. Cum de pecunia agitur, scandala vitanda. 2. Dixisti ut dimidium habeant, et alterum dimidium eis a me undecumque provideretur. Ego autem puto quia si totum eis auferretur, esset quod diceremur non de pecunia nos, sed de iustitia tantopere laborasse. Cum vero dimidium eis concedimus, et eo modo cum eis pacem quandoque componimus, satis apparebit nostram curam nihil aliud quam pecuniariam fuisse; et vides quae pernicies consequatur. Et illis enim videbimur alienam rem dimidiam tulisse; et illi videbuntur nobis inhoneste et inique se passos fuisse, ut adiuvarentur de dimidio, quod totum pauperum fuerat. Nam quod dixisti: "Cavendum est, ne cum rem dubiam emendari volumus, maiora vulnera faciamus", tantumdem valebit, si eis dimidium concedatur. Propter ipsum quippe dimidium, illi quorum conversioni consulere volumus, ut hoc exemplo secum agatur, rerum suarum venditionem per moras illas excusatorias dilaturi sunt. Deinde mirum si de re dubia est totius plebis tam grande scandalum, cum episcopos suos, quos pro magno habent, sordida avaritia maculatos putant, dum maligna species non vitatur. Monasterium ingredientis bona quomodo administranda. 3. Nam cum quisque ad monasterium convertitur, si veraci corde convertitur, illud non cogitat, maxime admonitus quantum malum sit. Si autem fallax est, et sua quaerit, non quae Iesu Christi 2, non habet utique caritatem. Et quid ei prodest, si distribuerit omnia sua pauperibus, et tradiderit corpus suum ut ardeat 3? Huc accedit, quia illud, sicut iam collocuti sumus, deinceps vitari potest, et agi cum eo qui convertitur, si non potest admitti ad societatem fratrum, antequam se omnibus illis impedimentis exuerit, et ex otio tendatur cum eius res iam esse destiterit. Haec autem mors infirmorum, et tantum impedimentum salutis eorum, pro quibus tantopere laboramus ut eos catholicae paci lucremur, aliter vitari non potest, nisi ut apertissime intellegant, nullo modo nos de pecunia satagere in talibus causis. Quod nullo modo intellecturi sunt, nisi illam rem quam semper presbyteri esse putaverunt, eorum usibus relinquamus; quia etsi eius non erat, hoc ab initio scire debuerant. In re pecuniaria ex lege agendum. 4. Videtur itaque mihi haec regula esse in rebus huiuscemodi retinenda, ut quidquid eo iure quo talia possidentur, eius fuerit qui alicubi clericus ordinatur, ad eam pertineat Ecclesiam in qua ordinatur. Usque adeo autem eodem iure presbyteri Honorati est illud unde agitur, ut non solum alibi ordinatus, sed adhuc in Thagastensi monasterio constitutus, si re sua non vendita, nec per manifestam donationem in quempiam translata moreretur, nonnisi haeredes eius in eam succederent, sicut frater Aemilianus in illos triginta solidos fratri Privato successit. Haec ergo ante praecavenda sunt: si autem praecauta non fuerint, ea iura eis servare oportet, quae talibus habendis vel non habendis secundum civilem societatem sunt instituta; ut ab omni non solum re, sed etiam specie maligna, quantum possumus, nos abstineamus 4, et bonam famam custodiamus, dispensationi nostrae multum necessariam. Quam vero species maligna sit, advertat sancta prudentia tua. Excepta illorum tristitia quam experti sumus, ne quid forte ipse fallerer, sicut fieri solet, dum in sententiam meam proclivior erro, narravi causam fratri et collegae nostro Samsucio, nondum dicens quod mihi modo videtur, sed illud potius adiungens quod utrique nostrum visum sit, cum illis resisteremus: vehementer exhorruit, et nobis hoc visum esse miratus est; nulla re alia permotus, nisi ipsa specie foeda non nostra, sed cuiuslibet vita, ac moribus indignissima. Sacrum ministerium negotiis terrenis impediri. 5. Proinde obsecro te ut epistolam quam eis communi nomine scripsi, subscriptam non differas mittere. Et si forte illic illud iustum acutissime pervides, non cogantur infirmi modo discere quod ego nondum intellego, ut hoc circa eos in hac causa servetur quod Dominus ait: Multa habeo vobis dicere, sed non potestis illa portare modo 5. Tali quippe infirmitati parcens, etiam illud de tributo solvendo, ait: Ergo liberi sunt filii; sed ne scandalizemus eos, et caetera, quando Petrum misit, ut didrachmas quae tunc exigebantur solverent 6. Noverat enim aliud ius, quo nihil tale debebat; sed eo iure tributum ei ille solvebat, quo iure diximus haeredem presbyteri Honorati successurum fuisse, si antequam rem suam vel donaret, vel venderet, moreretur. Quamquam in ipso Ecclesiae iure Paulus apostolus parcit infirmis, et debitum stipendium non exigit, certus conscientia quod rectissime exigeret; sed nihil aliud quam suspicionem devitans, bonum Christi odorem turbantem, et ab illa maligna specie sese abstinens, in eis regionibus, ubi hoc noverat oportere 7, et forte antequam tristitiam hominum fuisset expertus. Sed nos tardiores, vel experti corrigamus, quod praevidere debuimus. A. morem gerit Thagastensibus fratribus. 6. Postremo quia omnia timeo, et memini in digressu nostro quid proposueris, quod me fratres Thagastenses teneant debitorem in dimidio illius pretii; si hoc iustum esse liquido perspicis, ea dumtaxat conditione non abnuo, ut cum habuero reddam, id est, cum aliquid tantum obvenerit Hipponensi monasterio, ubi hoc sine angustia fieri possit: ut tanta ibi summa detracta, non minus quam aequalis pro numero cohabitantium pars ad nostros perveniat.