And his fifth letter was written to Xystus, bishop of the Romans. In it, after saying much against the heretics, he sets forth a certain thing that had happened in his time, saying: “For indeed, brother, I have need of counsel, and I ask thy judgment, since a matter of this kind has come before me, fearing lest after all I be mistaken.
For among the brethren who gather together for worship there is one reckoned faithful, of old standing, who joined the congregation before my ordination, and, I think, even before the appointment of the blessed Heraclas. Having been present with those who were lately being baptized, and having heard the questions and answers, he came to me weeping and lamenting himself and falling at my feet; confessing and swearing that the baptism with which he had been baptized among the heretics was not such as this, nor had it any fellowship with it at all, since that was full of impiety and blasphemies.
And he said that his soul was now utterly pricked, and that he had not the boldness so much as to lift up his eyes to God, setting out as he did from those unholy words and deeds; and therefore he begged to obtain this most sincere cleansing and reception and grace.
This for my part I did not dare to do, saying that his long-standing communion had been sufficient for this. For one who had heard the Thanksgiving and joined in saying the Amen, and stood beside the Table, and stretched forth his hands to receive the holy food, and had received it, and for a long time had partaken of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ—him I would not dare to refashion afresh from the beginning. Rather I kept bidding him to take courage, and to approach the partaking of the holy things with firm faith and a good conscience.
But he neither ceases from mourning, and shudders to approach the Table, and scarcely, though invited, can he bear to stand together with others at the prayers.”
Besides the aforesaid letters, there is extant yet another of his On Baptism, addressed by him and the community over which he presided to Xystus and the church at Rome, in which by a long demonstration he prolongs his discourse concerning the question at hand. And after these there is extant yet another letter of his, to Dionysius at Rome, the one concerning Lucian. So much, then, concerning these matters.