Didascalia Apostolorum

Historical source scan page 108

80 DIDASCALIA. CHAPTER XVII. // is right that the Bishop should take care of orphans, those who are left young, and give them to be reared ; and there is a condemnation on you, on those who have aught, and are not in want, who are greedy, and take of the gifts that are given to the CJiurch for the orphans and the poor, Ap. Con. If one of the children of Christians be an orphan, either a boy or a girl, rv. i. f <;6a ^ *s g00^ tnat if there be one of the brethren who hath no children, he take the boy in place of children, and let him take a girl, every one who has a son ; when her time comes let him give her to him in marriage, and fulfil his work in the service of God. If there be people who do not wish because of their riches1 to do thus to orphan members, such people will meet also with the same, and they shall spend (S. their) parsimony in these Cf. is. i. 7 things, and what the saints have not eaten, the Assyrians shall eat ; and Ap. con. strangers shall devour your land before your eyes. Ye therefore, O Bishops, take up the burden of them, that they be brought up so that nothing be wanting to them, and when it is the time for the maiden, give her in marriage to one of the brethren. And let the boy when he is grown up learn a handicraft, and when he is a man let him take the wage that is meet for his craft, (S. + and acquire the necessary tools,) that he may no longer be a burden on the charity of the brethren, which they had without deceit and without hypocrisy. And truly blessed is he who is able to help himself, and does not straiten the place of the orphans and the widows and the poor. Ap. Con. Those are guilty who take alms when they are not in want. Woe unto rv. ill. them who possess, and who receive falsely. For every one of those who receives will give account to the Lord God in the day of judgment, of how he received, whether it was on account of childish orphanhood, or on account of the feebleness of old age, or on account of the weakness of sickness, or for the education of children that he received. Verily this man is also to be praised, he is considered as the Altar of God, there- fore he shall be honoured by God ; for it was not in vain that he received, for he prayed diligently at all times without idleness for those who gave, f. 56 b He offered his prayer, which is his strength, in return for his receiving, for such people shall receive from God a blessing in everlasting life. But 1 S. + because of pleasing men, and being ashamed