This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1891. Excerpt: ... PART III. CHAPTER I. S. MARTIN AS a POLITICAL FORCE. WHEN S. Martin became bishop he was not slow to take advantage of his influential position to withstand the tyranny and cruelty of the ruling powers. It is, I think; unwarrantable to assume that his motive in so doing was either personal arrogance or priestly assumption. It was rather sympathy with the distressed, and a genuine desire to improve their condition, that led him to brave the wrath of princes and governors. No doubt S. Martin felt honoured by the enthusiastic reception accorded him on entering Tours; no doubt he was interested in the aggrandisement of the Church to which he belonged, but these facts did not in themselves furnish the sole motives for his conduct, nor did the alloy of selfish feeling, if such there was, interfere with the success of the work he undertook. Considering the character of that work, we prefer to find the motive for it in his love for others, in what even Michelet has described as that "heroical charity which is the sign by which we moderns know him as a saint." Three important instances in which S. Martin came into contact with the civil power are given by Sulpicius. One of these was the interview with the Imperial Governor, Avitian, the others with the Emperors Valentinian and Maximus. The relation of S. Martin with Maximus is the most needful to consider at length, but the other two cases must first be mentioned. Count Avitian, a powerful but cruel man, came one day into Tours, followed by a number of prisoners of all sorts, and gave out the report that these were to be executed on the morrow. The city was filled with consternation at the thought of this wholesale butchery, and the bishop was soon informed of what was going to take place. S. Martin accordingly be...