3.  I was lately at Cæsarea, in order to learn what was going on there.  I was unwilling to remain in the city itself, and betook myself to the neighbouring hospital, that I might get there what information I wanted.  According to his custom the very godly bishop visited it, and I consulted him as to the points which you had urged upon me.  It is not possible for me to remember all that he said in reply; it went far beyond the limits of a letter.  In sum, however, what he said about poverty was this, that the rule ought to be that every one should limit his possessions to one garment.  For one proof of this he quoted the words of John the Baptist “he that hath two coats let him impart to him that hath none;” Luke iii. 11. and for another our Lord’s prohibition to His disciples to have two coats. Matt. x. 10.  He further added “If thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor.” Matt. xix. 21.  He said too that the parable of the pearl bore on this point, because the merchant, who had found the pearl of great price, went away and sold all that he had and bought it; and he added too that no one ought even to permit himself the distribution of his own property, but should leave it in the hands of the person entrusted with the duty of managing the affairs of the poor; and he proved the point from the acts of the apostles, Acts iv. 35. because they sold their property and brought and laid it at the feet of the apostles, and by them it was distributed to each as every man had need. It will be observed that St. Basil’s quotation here does not quite bear out his point.  There is no “by them” in Acts iv. 35.  “Distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.”  In Acts ii. 45 the primitive communists are said themselves to have “parted to all men as every man had need,” the responsibility of distribution being apparently retained.  For he said that experience was needed in order to distinguish between cases of genuine need and of mere greedy begging.  For whoever gives to the afflicted gives to the Lord, and from the Lord shall have his reward; but he who gives to every vagabond casts to a dog, a nuisance indeed from his importunity, but deserving no pity on the ground of want.