He made a decree that no sentence of death should be executed
till thirty days after it was spoken, so that no more deeds of hasty
passion might be done.
One great happiness of St. Ambrose's life was the conversion of
Augustine. This youth was the son of a good and holy mother, St. Monica;
but he had not been baptized, and he grew up wise in his own conceit,
and loving idle follies and vicious pleasures. For many years he was
led astray by heretical and heathenish fancies; but his faithful mother
prayed for him all the time, and at last had the joy of seeing him
repent with all his heart. He was baptized at Milan; and it is said that
the glorious hymn _Te Deum_ was written by St. Ambrose, and first
sung at his baptism. The hymn, "_Veni Creator_," which is sung in the
Ordination Service, is also said to be by St. Ambrose. Monica and her
son spent a short and peaceful space together; and then she died in
great thankfulness that he had been given to her prayers. He spent many
years as Bishop of Hippo, in Africa, and wrote numerous books, which
have come down to our day. One is called the City of God, so as exactly
to fulfil the prophecy of Isaiah, that the Church should so be called by
the descendants of those who had afflicted her.
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