Greater Men and Women of the Bible by James Hastings: 690. His Subsequent Life

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Greater Men and Women of the Bible by James Hastings: 690. His Subsequent Life


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IV



His Subsequent Life



One sentence in the Epistle to Titus forms an apparent link of connexion with the latest notice of the name of Titus. St. Paul says to him: “Be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter.” Now we find it stated in the last of the Pastoral Epistles, written shortly before St. Paul's death, that Titus was gone to Dalmatia. This was a wild and rugged district, with a rough population, not far from Nicopolis; and there may have been some connexion between the two journeys. Neither tradition nor history helps us to any details. It is just worth while to observe that this mention of a difficult mission and an inclement season is in harmony with the temperament and capabilities of Titus and the work which the Apostle was in the habit of assigning to him.



It is, however, with the island of Crete that this companion of St. Paul must be closely and permanently associated. Subsequent Church historians treated Titus as bishop of Crete and living a celibate life to an old age in the island. An interesting panegyric on him is found in the works of Andrew of Crete. He says that Titus “laid the foundation of the Church in Crete, was himself there the pillar of the Truth and the strong support of the Faith, the unwearied trumpet of the proclamation of the Gospel, and the clear utterance of the tongue of St. Paul.”



His name is given still to churches in Crete; it was appealed to as a battle-cry in the struggles of the Cretans with the Venetians; his body was said to have been retained at Gortyna for many centuries; the head was carried away by the Venetians, and is still preserved at St. Mark's. His death is commemorated on 4th January in the Latin Church, on 25th August in the Greek, Syriac, and Maronite Churches.



Spake we not of a communion of Saints, unseen, yet not unreal, accompanying and brother-like embracing thee, so thou be worthy? Their heroic sufferings rise up melodiously together to Heaven, out of all lands, and out of all times, as a sacred Miserere; their heroic actions also, as a boundless, everlasting song of Triumph. Neither say that thou hast now no Symbol of the Godlike. Is not God's Universe a Symbol of the Godlike; is not Immensity a Temple; is not Man's History, and Men's History, a perpetual Evangel? Listen, and for organ music thou wilt ever, as of old, hear the Morning Stars sing together.1 [Note: Thomas Carlyle.]