And in the third letter on Baptism, which the same Dionysius wrote to Philemon the Roman presbyter, he sets forth this: “But for my part, I have read both the compositions and the traditions of the heretics, defiling my soul for a little while with their utterly abominable notions, yet gaining from them this advantage, that I could refute them in my own mind and loathe them far the more.
And indeed, when a certain brother, one of the presbyters, sought to restrain me and to frighten me from entangling myself in the mire of their wickedness—for he said it would harm my own soul, and he spoke truly, as I perceived—a vision sent from God came and strengthened me.
And a word came to me, commanding me expressly and saying: ‘Read all things that may come into thy hands, for thou art able to weigh and prove each thing; and this has been from the beginning the cause of thy faith.’ I accepted the vision, as agreeing with the apostolic saying addressed to the stronger: ‘Show yourselves approved money-changers.’ ”
Then, after saying certain things about all the heresies, he goes on to say: “This rule and pattern I received from our blessed pope Heraclas. For those who came over from the heresies, although they had departed from the Church—or rather, had not even departed, but, while seeming to be in fellowship, were charged with frequenting some false teacher—he drove from the Church, and would not receive them, though they entreated, until they had publicly declared all that they had heard from their opponents; and then he received them, requiring of them no further baptism, since they had formerly obtained the holy gift from him.”
And again, having exercised the problem at great length, he adds this: “I have learned this also, that the Africans did not introduce this practice now for the first time, but that long before, in the days of the bishops before us, it was so decided in the most populous churches and in the synods of the brethren, at Iconium and Synnada and among many others; and I cannot bear to overturn their counsels and cast them into strife and contention. ‘For thou shalt not remove,’ he says, ‘thy neighbour’s landmarks, which thy fathers set.’ ”
The fourth of his letters on Baptism was written to Dionysius of Rome, who at that time had been deemed worthy of the presbyterate, but not long afterward also received the episcopate there. From it one may learn how this man too, being learned and admirable, was attested by Dionysius of Alexandria. And in writing to him, after other matters, he mentions the affair of Novatus in these words.