Wonderful record of Augustine's comments upon his appointment of a successor:
Letter CCXIII. (September 26TH, a.d. 426.)
The record prepared by Augustine of the proceedings on the occasion of his designating Eraclius to succeed him in the episcopal chair.
In the Church of Peace in the district of Hippo Regius.
Bishop Augustine having taken his seat along with his fellow bishops Religianus and Martinianus, there being present Saturninus, Leporius, Barnabas, Fortunatianus, Rusticus, Lazarus, and Eraclius—presbyters—while the clergy and a large congregation of laymen stood by, Bishop Augustine said:
We all are mortal, and the day which shall be the last of life on earth is to every man at all times uncertain; but in infancy there is hope of entering on boyhood, and so our hope goes on, looking forward from boyhood to youth, from youth to manhood, and from manhood to old age: whether these hopes may be realized or not is uncertain, but there is in each case something which may be hoped for. But old age has no...