a view of showing the
power of the Church at that time, and on what it was based, not (as
Protestants imagine) on governments, or on human law, or on endowments,
but on popular enthusiasm, on dogma, on hierarchical power, and on a
supernatural Divine Presence, I will now give some account of certain
ecclesiastical proceedings in the city of Milan in the years 385,
386,--Ambrose being bishop, and Justina and her son, the younger
Valentinian, the reigning powers.

1.

Ambrose was eminently a popular bishop, as every one knows who has read
ever so little of his history. His very promotion to the sacred office
was owing to an unexpected movement of the populace. Auxentius, his
Arian predecessor in the see of Milan, died, A.D. 374, upon which the
bishops of the province wrote to the then Emperor, Valentinian the
First, who was in Gaul, requesting him to name the person who was to
succeed him. This was a prudent step on their part, Arianism having
introduced such matter for discord and faction among the Milanese, that
it was dangerous to submit the election to the people at large, though
the majority of them were orthodox. Valentinian, however, declined to
avail himself of the permission thus given him; the choice was thrown
upon the voices of the people, and the cathedral, which was the place of
assembling, was soon a scene of disgraceful uproar, as the bishops had
anticipated. Ambrose was at that time civil governor of the province of
which Milan was the capital: and, the tumult increasing, he was obliged
to interfere in person, with a view of preventing its ending in open
sedition. He was a man of grave character, and had been in youth brought
up with a sister, who had devoted herself to the service of God in a
single life; but as yet was only a catechumen, though he was half way
between thirty and forty. Arrived at the scene of tumult, he addressed
the assembled crowds, exhorting them to peace and order. While he was
speaking, a child's voice, as is reported, was heard in the midst of the
crowd to say, "Ambrose is bishop;" the populace took up the cry, and
both parties in the Church, Catholic and Arian, whether influenced by a
sudden enthusiasm, or willing to take a man who was unconnected with
party, voted unanimously for the election of Ambrose.

It is not wonderful that the subject of this sudden decision should have
been unwilling to quit his civil office for a station of such high
responsibility; for many days h