from
banishment, and, in A. D. 362, held a council at Alexandria, where the
belief of a consubstantial Trinity was openly professed. Many now were
recovered from Arianism, and brought to subscribe the Nicene creed. But
his peace was again interrupted by the complaints of the heathen, whose
temples the zeal of Athanasius kept always empty. He was again obliged to
fly to save his life. The accession of Jovian brought him back. During the
reign of Jovian, also, Athanasius held another council, which declared its
adherence to the Nicene faith; and with the exception of a short
retirement under Valens, he was permitted to sit down in quiet and govern
his affectionate church of Alexandria, until his death, in 373. Of the
forty-six years of his official life, he spent twenty in banishment.

Athanasius (says the Encyclopedia Americana) is one of the greatest men of
whom the church can boast. His deep mind, his noble heart, his invincible
courage, his living faith, his unbounded benevolence, sincere humility,
lofty eloquence, and strictly virtuous life, gained the honor and love of
all. In all his writings, his style is distinguished for clearness and
moderation.

Moses Maimonides.

Moses son of Maimon, commonly called Moses Egypticus, because physician to
the sultan of Egypt, was a Jewish rabbi, born at Cordova, in Spain, 1131.
He opened a school in Egypt, and as his skill, not only in languages, but
in all branches of science and of philosophy, was very great, his
instructions were attended by numerous and respectable pupils. Thus
eminently distinguished as a scholar, as a physician, and also as a
divine, so as to be called inferior only to the legislator Moses, he
beheld with indifference, and even contempt, the fables and traditions of
his countrymen, and applied all the powers of learning, and the vast
resources of his mind, in the cause of truth, virtue, and philosophy. Some
of his works were written in Arabic, but are extant now in Hebrew only.
The most famous of these are his Commentaries on the Misna; Jad, a
complete pandect of the Jewish law; More Nevochim, a valuable work,
explaining the difficult passages, phrases, parables, and allegories, in
Scripture, and several other works. This great and learned man died in
Egypt at the age of seventy, and was buried with his nation in the land of
Upper Galilee. His death was mourned for three whole days by Jews and
Egyptians, and the year in which he died, in respect