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and afterwards into the Manichaean heresy; and although a companion who belonged to that sect had been, during an attack of sickness, converted to the Church, upon the convalescence of the sick man Augustine railed him about his course and only desisted when told by the young convert that if he persisted in his raillery, he would fly from him. The young man having taken a relapse and having died a pious death, this circumstance had some effect upon the surviving friend of the deceased.
A biographer of Augustine says: "In his twentieth year, to ease his mother of the charge of his education, he left Carthage, and returning to her, set up a school of grammar at Tagasti; but she, who was a good Catholic, and who never ceased to weep and pray for his conversion, forbore to sit at the same table, or eat with him, hoping that by this severity and abhorrence of his heresy, to make him enter into himself. Some time after, finding her own endeavers to reclaim him unsuccessful, she repaired to a certain bishop, and with tears besought him to discourse with her son upon his errors. The prelate excused himself for the present, alleging that her son was as yet unfit for instruction, being intoxicated with the novelty of his heresy and bloated with conceit, having often puzzled several Catholics who had entered the lists with him, and were more zealous than learned. 'Only pray to our Lord for him,' said he, `your son will at length discover his error and impiety.' She still persisted, with many tears, importuning him that he would see her unhappy son; but he dismissed her saying, `Go your way, God bless you; it cannot be that a child of those tears should perish,' which words she received as an oracle from heaven."
Once more Augustine left Tagasti and returned to Carthage; but disgusted with the disorderly behavior of the students of that city went to Rome; but on account of the dishonesty of the students there in changing masters to cheat them of their salary, he went to Milan, of which see St. Ambrose was the bishop, and here, in 386 occurred his conversion, he being then in his thirty-second year.
Finally, Augustine became disgusted with the Manichean doctrines and the misrepresentation of Catholic teachings by teachers of that sect; and the voice of the Holy Ghost appeared to speak to him in spirit and call him to a life of chastity. After frequently reproaching himself for
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