AUGUSTINE, Saint (Amman Auccts TINus), one of the most renowned fathers of the Christian Church: b. Tagaste, in Numidia, 13 Nov. 354; d. Hippo, north Africa, 28 Aug. 430. His father, Patricius, was a pagan, his mother, Monica, a Christian. He has re fated his own early life in the work to which he gave the title of
Augustine maintained the necessity of divine grace in determining man's moral acts to sal vation, and he supported the doctrine of pre destination, including election and reprobation, but always allowing for free-will and for the merit of the individual. His authority has al ways been very influential in the Roman Cath olic Church, and his view upon any doctrinal matter has at all times carried great weight and is constantly cited in controverted ques tions. He died at Hippo, while the town was besieged by the Vandals. There have been more learned fathers of the Church, but none have ever more powerfully touched the human heart, and warmed it toward religion. Painters have, therefore, given him for a symbol a flaming heart. His writings (which are in Latin) are very numerous. The most cele brated are his 'Confessions' (belonging to the year 397), his
Civitate DeP (On the City of God), a work on the Christian Church, his treatise on the Trinity, 'Christian Doctrine' ; 'Nature and
'Grace and Free-Will';
of the Soul,' and his 'Letters.' His works have been published at Paris in 22 vol umes, and an English translation in 15 volumes has appeared at Edinburgh, edited by Dr. Mar cus Dods. The standard edition is that issued by the Vienna Academy in its
Scrip torum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum.' Most of Augustine's important works may be found in Schaff, P., (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers' (New York 1888). Consult Smith and Wace, (Dictionary of Christian Biography' (London 1887); Neander, 'Church
Milman, 'Latin Christianity' ; Farrar,
of the
Harnack, (History of Dogma,' Eng. trans. (Vol. V, Boston 1898); Cunningham,
Austin and his Place in the History of Christian Thought' (London 1885) ; Allen, A. V. G., 'Continuity of Christian Thought' (Boston 1894), an unfavorable view of Augus tine, etc. Two monastic bodies, the Augustin ian Canons, or Black Canons, and the Augus tinian Hermits (q.v.), claim to derive their origin from Saint Augustine. There are sev eral translations of 'The Confessions,' e.g., by W. G. T. Shedd (Andover 1860) and C. Big.g (London 1900). See also Hitchcock, F. R. M., 'Saint Augustine's Treatise on the City of God' (London 1900).