CHAPTER V.-SECOND INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY. THE invasion of the Saxon hordes we noticed last month, brought an entire change over the religious aspects of the country. To those pagan Saxons, Christianity seemed a woman-hearted thing. So they despised its followers, and forced them either into entire privacy or the fastnesses of Wales, which afforded them a fair asylum. Their churches were speedily levelled to the ground, or transformed into temples for the worship of some of the Saxon deities; their ministers were forced into silence; and, so far as we can discover, every vestige of Christianity swept away. Indeed, it seems to us marvellous that nothing should have come down to us of either the buildings or other monuments of the ancient British church, while various Druidical remains still exist. And we can only account for it by supposing that BIBLE CLASS MAGAZINE.] [MAY, 1853.

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either the religious houses and churches were of the fragile material some have asserted, "wood and wattle," and so were easily consumed, or soon fell into decay; or that the conquerors, with a savage delight in the destruction of all that had been so dear to the conquered Britons, should have determinately swept away every remnant of their holy faith within their reach.

However this may be, the Christians themselves were, as we have said, driven into, silence or exiled to Wales. There, however, they did indeed find a retreat; and, unmolested by their foes, were enabled to maintain their faith in purity, and perform those simple rites which they felt to be in accordance with the word of God. Of course their numbers were greatly impoverished, and their strength enfeebled; but God had not forsaken them; and the names of some holy and devoted men he raised up in their midst have come down to us embalmed in the poetry and traditions of the country. Many of these appear to have been men of great piety and learning, and to have shone in their day as no mean lights in the church. Amongst them we have Dubricius, bishop of Llandaff; David, bishop of Minevia, now called St. David's ; Iltyd, of Caerworgorn, now called Llaniltyd-Faur, in Glamorganshire, and who presided over a celebrated school long held as the centre of ecclesiastical learning in the CambroBritish church; and Asaph, bishop of the diocese that still bears his name.

These holy men seem to have ministered with no little success to their tried and persecuted flocks, and to have commended themselves to their regard by the holiness and simplicity of their lives, and not by any princely state or lordly authority assumed above those they taught.

So far as we can discover, no efforts were made by the ancient church in Wales to convert their Saxon persecutors; and they contented themselves with ministering within the bounds of their asylum, where they enjoyed the free and independent exercise' of their religion. Some have blamed them for this; but great allowance should be made for the peculiar position in which they stood to those Saxon lords, and the great difficulty they must have felt in the way of any direct efforts on their part towards their conversion to a religion they so despised.

Efforts, however, in this direction were made, and that from a quarter from which they had not been expected. It so happened that amongst some slaves sent for sale to the continent of Europe, and on to Rome, by the Saxon masters of Britain, were a number of beautiful children. These were exposed in the market-place just at the moment when Gregory, afterwards elected pope, and called "the Great," passed by. He was struck with their extreme beauty, and inquired from whence they came? and being told they were "Angles," he played upon the word, saying that "were they Christians they would not be Angles but angels." He next asked from what part of Britain they came? and being told it was Deira, the south part of Northumbria, he still played on the word, and said it was fit that it should be delivered from the wrath of God (de ira Dei). He was told their king's name was Ella, and replied that hallelujah should be heard in the land.

The interest thus excited in the breast of Gregory did not readily die out; and he accordingly applied to the Pope for leave to visit the country, and seek the people's conversion to Christianity. To this the Pope consented; but so great was the love of the people for Gregory, that they would not allow him to leave; and though he had set off, he was forced to

return.

This feeling of interest in Gregory paved the way for his sending a mission to Britain, on his being soon after raised to the pontificate. In the meantime Christianity had been partially introduced by other hands.

Some years before, Ethelbert, the then king of Kent, had married Bertha, daughter of Cherebert, king of Paris, a princess of some learning, and a zealous and devoted Christian. She brought over with her a venerable bishop, called Luidhart, with several priests, and fitting up for them a small church outside the walls of Canterbury, had the rites of her favourite religion duly performed. The simple and apparently devout lives of these priests, and their zealous efforts to do good to the poor around them, won upon the people, and a favourable opinion began to be formed amongst some in reference to the christian religion. Luidhart took courage at this, and, with the queen's approval, applied for further help from Paris. The state of the Gaulic church at that time, however, was such as to prevent it affording the help required, and

Luidhart sent on his application to Rome. Gregory viewed this as a clear opening of God, and at once sent Augustin, prior of the convent of St. Andrew's, at Rome, with about forty monks, to form the mission. With many hopes and prayers they set out, but on reaching Aix, in Provence, they heard such accounts of the ferocity of the Anglo-Saxons, that they wrote to Gregory to entreat his permission to return. The earnest pontiff, however, would not permit it; and Augustin proceeded on his way, landing at the Isle of Thanet, in Kent, in the year 596 or 597. A messenger was immediately sent to Ethelbert, to inform him of their arrival, and to request an audience. Ethelbert received the messenger with kindness, and appointed the day and place of the meeting. A spot in the open air was selected, to prevent, as the heathen prince supposed, the power of an incantation of the priests taking effect upon him. The spot was near the walls of Canterbury, and the prince and his queen proceeded to it, attended by their courtiers and respective priests. Augustin approached, having a silver crucifix and a banner, on which was a picture of the Redeemer, borne before him, and accompanied with his companions, chanting some of their finest anthems. The effect of the appearance of the strangers and their fine songs upon Ethelbert was all Augustin desired, and he gave a patient hearing to the monk's sermon, in which he briefly sketched the history and doctrines of the Christian religion, and closed with an earnest appeal to the prince to embrace it for himself.

Ethelbert was far too cautious to express his opinions or intentions at once, and so reserving this, he simply replied, that they might for a time instruct his people; that he would bear the expense; and that they should live amongst them without any molestation.

Augustin received the answer with becoming gratitude and joy; and directing his companions to return, entered with them the city of Canterbury, chanting, as they did so, the fine and appropriate words,-"We beseech Thee, O Lord, of thy mercy, let thy wrath and anger be turned away from this city and from thy holy place; for we have sinned. Hallelujah!" They now began to preach earnestly amongst the AngloSaxons, and, ere long, had made considerable progress with them. Several confessed themselves converts to the new faith,