The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-03-18
Fos THE CENTRAL PsEssrrERIAN.
CULDEF PRESBYTERIANISM
The Culdee Church.

Having shown in a previous article,
that Christianity was introduced into
Scotland very near to, if not during the
lives Of the Apostles, we now propose to
show, that this primitive form Of Chris.
tianity, as zee find Il IN the Culdee Church,
was substantially identical nth that Of
the Reformed Church Of Scotland.
We do not Of course mean to affirm a
minute identity in the faith and forms of
the Culdee Church and the present Pres
byterian Church, or that every feature
of that early Church was wise and scrip
tural, for this would be impossible, in
churches whose outward surroundings
were so entirely different. Even now,
there are features in the Church system
in heather country, different from those
in a Christian; in a time of war, from a
time Of peace; and it ought to be so in
that religion which became "all thingg
10 aa men, that by all means it migE.
save some. What We do affirm is that
in thi Culdee Church there was no Po-
pew aad no Prelacy, that in its main
seasures of doctrine and order, it was as
Gar o. we can ascertain its peeuliarities,
Pre- byterian, governed by presbyters.
IL tracing the history of this early
Scorish Church, it viii beremembered that
wh4 { was first established, Britain was
province Of Rome, and continued to be
uutil ne evacuation of the island by the
Rerans A. D, 42O, when the disunion
aad anarchy which ensued invited the
predatory ineursiOns of the Picts and
Scots. To resist these formidable inva-
6ers Vortigern, A. D. 449, invited the
Saxons to come and aid him, who, under
the leadership of Hengist and Horsa,
soon seized the country they came to pro-
tecs, slaughtered the Britons, and drove
tie miserable remnant that escaped the
sword TO the mountains Of Wales and
some Of the more einaccessiblei islands. The
Saxons, being Pagans, destroyed the Chris
tianity that since the reign of Constan-
tine had Aourished in England, and re-
stored the dark superstitions of the Dru-
idic religion. For century aud a half
this Pagan rule prevailed in England.
But in Scotland, Ireland and Wales, it
was otherwise. Scotland, never having
been conquered by the Saxons, any more
ti.aSb by the Romans, retained her primi-
tive faith, and with-Ireland, enjoyed the
ls.hsOf a pure Christianity while Eng
land was covered with the gloom of Pa
ganlsm-
1t was during this period of Sax
on heathenism that the celebrated Incl
dent occurred which determined the reli-
gious history Of England, by attracting
to it the attention of the Church Of
Rome, which VIC may as well transcribe,
as it is one of those pebbles in the foun-
tain that determine the channel of the
future river. When Gregory the Great
was simple monk of st. Andrews, he
saw some beautiful, fair-haired boys ex-
posed for sale in the market-place Of
Rome. lie inquired from whence they
came. From Britain. "Are they
Christians ?" They are still pagans.
"Alas that the Prince of Darkness
should possess forms of such lowell
ness! That such beauty of countenanct
should want the better beauty of soul |!
He asked Of what nation they were
ANGLES, was the reply. Truly" he
said, "they are angels From what
province p THAT of Deira." "Tru
ly, they must be rescued de ara, (frou
the wrath of God "What is the name
of their King?" "Ella." Yea,
said Gregory, "AlleluEa must be sung
in the dominions of that King" Oh
Milman, p. 49, From that hour he re
solved that England should be converted
that he would become q Christian Caesar
and re-conquer it to Rome, and although
his desire was frustrated at that time, ht