INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY,

99

and two ways were open for immigration from the distant East. There was a communication by land and by sea; they might have been navigators along the coasts of the Mediterranean, or pedestrians throughout, travelling along the shores of the Caspian round Mount Caucasus, and descending into Europe from Lower Asia. Probably the Phoenicians, who were among the earliest of merchant-rovers, assisted their flight, and became commingled with them; a likely supposition, since the Etruscan literature and language has been identified by Betham with the Iberno-Celtic, and both found to be Phoenician.

However this may be, one thing respecting them is unquestionable, namely, that wherever the magi or Druids settled, they acquired the wonted ascendency of superior intellect. They became the teachers, magistrates, and rulers of the people. It was only by forcibly extirpating the sanguinary superstition on which their influence was founded that the Romans were enabled to

establish their authority in Britain. The public religion then became compounded with Paganism, with the worship of Jupiter, Juno, Mars, and other deities. of the heathen mythology. Under this mixed super

stition the island continued till the introduction of Christianity, which formed the next revolution in the national faith.

Neither the first introduction nor early progress of Christianity can with certainty be ascertained. The late Bishop Burgess inclined to the opinion that St. Paul visited the island, but this conjecture rests on very doubtful authority. After the arrival of this energetic propagandist at Rome little is known of his history; whether he extended his mission to Spain, Portugal, or Britain, was crucified, died naturally, or ended his days in a

Roman dungeon. Nor is there much better authority for the mission into this country of St. Peter, or even of that Apostle ever reaching Rome, though his alleged mission to Rome constitutes the apostolic presumption upon which the Papacy is founded.* At the first invasion of the Saxons in the middle of the fifth century, Christianity was found generally prevalent, mixed up with the unextinguished remnants of Druidism. About the same

period the mission of St. Columba in Scotland, and of St. Patrick in Ireland, had succeeded in converting their respective populations to the Christian faith. The Saxons were Pagans, worshippers of the warlike deities Thor and Woden, and held in contempt the humility and peacefulness of the new worship. But a remarkable incident has been transmitted, which led to the speedy conversion of these fierce invaders. It is related that Hildebrand, afterwards Gregory VII, passing through the streets of Rome, was arrested at the market-place by the sight of some young slaves from Britain who were publicly exposed for sale. Struck with the brightness of their complexions, their fair long hair, and the beauty of their forms, he eagerly inquired to what country they belonged; being told that they were "Angles," he commiseratingly said, "They would not be Angles, but Angels, if they were but Christians." Perhaps no play of words was ever indulged in a spirit of purer benevolence or attended with more important consequences. After reaching the tiara the pontiff remembered his early impressions, and despatched St. Augustine with forty monks to fulfil his cherished design. This mission was signally successful. Ethelbert, king of Kent, who was chief of the federative union of the Heptarchy, was the first co

Haweis's History of the Church of Christ, vol. i. p. 29.

THE APOSTOLIC AGE.

101

vert; his queen, Bertha, was already a Christian princess, and her example may have hastened the determination of her husband. Before the ensuing Christmas 10,000 Saxons had been baptized. As this was not an age of self-judgment and individual independence, men bowed to authority; the conversion of a prince was the conversion of his people, and in a very short time, without violence or bloodshed, the new faith was generally established. No greater changes were made than indispensable, and the pre-existing superstition facilitated the introduction of Christianity; the Pagan temples here, as they had previously been at Rome, being consecrated for Christian worship, and the festivals, heretofore kept in honour of heathen deities, and dear to the populace, were dedicated to the saints of the new promulgation.

The new faith planted was the Catholic one of the Papacy. At this early period Christianity had undergone many trials and transformations. The first epoch of its existence was the apostolic age, when it had no support, no aid or countenance save in the humility, purity, and zeal of the first disciples of its founder. With the temporal authorities of the earth it had no connection, nor derived from them any power or influence; neither were its doctrines maintained and propagated by any regular or ordained priesthood. Its weakness was the shield and foster-parent of its infancy. No established interest, belief, or order felt endangered by so humble and obscure a competition. Under this neglect of the authorities it ultimately triumphed over or became incorporated with them. But the Churches of the early Christians, it is manifest from what we read of them in the Acts of the Apostles, by no means answered the modern understanding of a national faith or pervading belief of an entire community. They were limited

societies of men united by a common religious sentiment, who met for worship, not in a chapel or temple, but perhaps in the room or dwelling of a fellow believer. There were then no episcopal ordination, nor appointment, perhaps, beyond the imposition of hands by some of the itinerant evangelists. The most apt preached. No surplice, gown, mitre, or cassock had been introduced. A plain man stood up in his common garb to deliver an exhortation, or to read portions of the Scriptures. Such was the simplicity of primitive Christianity; it was congregational, and approximated to the voluntary or independent mode of worship.

Deviations from this initiative standard had a twofold origin. First, they were either the natural consequence of the spread of the Gospel, or resulted from the laudable endeavour to improve the Christian model, to infuse into it greater purity, perfection, and influence. The first converts were made among the humbler classes; afterwards the higher orders were incorporated, till at length all who were distinguished in society by riches, title, or station were brought within the fold. An entirely new organisation was the consequence of this triumph. Places of worship more magnificent and capacious were sought to be established; in lieu of an obscure dwelling or conventicle, churches and cathedrals were aspired to. Nor would the former description of preachers suffice. Illiterate and indigent men were held unsuitable instructors for the affluent, educated, and learned.* Hence arose the sacerdotal order, including a gradation of teachers adapted to the different classes of the community. Dis

* Conformably with these outlines of progress and adaptation, is Dean Milman's just remark, that, "Christianity takes its specifie character from the civilisation with which it is connected."

EARLY DIVISIONS OF THE CHURCH.

103

cipline among the clergy became the next and indispensable condition, when the ecclesiastical order had become numerous. How was this to be maintained? By the introduction of ranks and degrees, by establishing the relation of inferior and superior among the priesthood. It thus followed that the hierarchy of the Church was quite as inseparable from its expansion as the feudal tenures from the territorial inundation of the German nations. Both involved a principle of order, subordination, and supremacy. They were nearly contemporary in origin, and alike unavoidable; one for the spiritual government of the people, the other for the culture and division of the land. For the support of the baronial proprietor rents or services were appropriated; for the heads and pastors of the Church tithes, dues, and endowments.

A further consequence of the wide diffusion of evangelical truth was a diversity of religious sentiment. For the maintenance of uniformity of belief a spiritual head or government, an appellate and final jurisdiction, would be requisite. In the early ages of the Churches, the apostles were appealed to to settle conflicting interpretations; next synods and councils; afterwards an infallible pontiff. The last was a happy conception of the same nature, and justified by the same necessity as sometimes. palliates the introduction of despotism for the prevention or termination of civil anarchy. Already great dissensions had prevailed. Our own country at the close of the fourth century was violently agitated by the heresy on original sin and free-will promulgated by Pelagius, a Welshman, and Celestius, a Scotchman. Nearly contemporary with this, the East was convulsed by the great Arian controversy on the consubstantiation, or separate and unequal constituents of the Trinity. In addition there were minor topics of agitation and division;