The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-03-29

AuilhOkc CuhIdcCcf OF a Cl0uGll1
whom he describes as of British blood, and
as the worthy wife of a holy husband.
AS a matter of fact, it seems strange that
any one should be found to lay it down that
either st. Paul or his brethren, or their
disciples, could confine themselves merely
to vice and misery at home, or could have
recOnciled their cOnsciences to so narrow a
sphere Of exertion while the last words of
their Master were still echOing in their ears,
eco We, therefore, and teach ALL nations"
The argument seems peculiarly absurd in
the mouth of one who has edited, and with
some success, the works of the venerable
Bede-the worthy historian of those great
changes which flowed from the Roman Pom
tiff's resolution to look beyond vice and
misery at home, and convey Christianity to
the British shores; and who has also edited,
we will not say so we'll, theremains of the
excellent Roniface, whose undying fame
rests on his self-devotion, in leaving his
native land to seek the conversion OF the
German pagans.
We know. on certain evidence. that, in the
year A. ID. 81, there We're Mt Rome two Chris,
tians named Claudia and Puiens. That Ro-
man, illustrions by birth and position, married
u Claudia, stranger" or "foreIgner,- who
was also a British maiden; that an inscription
was found In the year 1928 at Chichester 1es-
tlfying that the supreme ruler of that place
Was lib. Gland. CoSiiunus; that Il Roman,
by name "Pudens, the son of Pudentinus.
j landholder under this rulcr;' that it is i'm
possible to account for such facts, without sup
posing Il very close onlection between this
British chief and his Roman subject: that the
superstition that the Claudia of Martial ii Brit
ish maiden, married Ia Il Roman Putcns,
daughter of this British chief. would clear all
difficulties: that thefe-w:,- British, chief
whom. about the year y. ID. 30. some states.
either i'll or closely diaccnt to the Roman pro-
vince, We're giverl-to he held by him in subjec
ton TO the Roman authority; that these states
occupied. partly ut beast, the ground covered
by the counties of Surrey and Sussex; hat the
capital of these states WAS "Re.,nuni,' the
modern Chichester; thar II is Very probable
that the Emperor Claudius, i'll accordance with
his known practice and principles, gave also his
own name To this British chief, called by Taci-
tus. CoSidunus: that after the termination of
the CE,udian dynasty, II was impossible that
any British chief adopted into the Roman COM
muIifS could have received the names lib.
Claudius;' that during the period there
lived ut Roinca Pomponia, IL matron of high
family, the wife of -iulHs Plautius, who was the
Roman governor of Britain, from the year 4. D.
~ until the year 81 that this lady was accused
of being a vottry of foreig n superstition; that
this foreign superstition WAS supposed by all
the commentators of Tacitus, both British and
Continental, to he the Christian religion: that
fourishing branch of the Gems Pomponia,
bore in that age the cognomen of Rufus; that
the Christianity of Pomponia being once al
lowed, taken in connection with the fact that
she the wife of A. Plautius, renders it highly
probable that the daughter of lib. Clautlius
COgidunus, if she went to Rome, would be
placed under the protection of this Pomponia,
would be educated like n Roman lady, and be
thus made an eligible match for n Roman sena-
tor; that, as her patroness was Christian, she
also, from the privileges annexed to her loca-
ton in such family, would herself become a
Christian; that the British Claudia, married to
the Roman Pudens, had family, three sons
and daughters certainly; that there are tradi-
tions i'll the Roman Church. that Timotheus.
presbyter, n holy man and a saint, was son
of Pndens, the Roman senator; that he was On
important instrument in converting the Britons
to the faith in Christ; that, intimately con-
nected with the narrow circle of Christians
then living at Rome, was an Aristobulus, to
whom the Christian Claudia and Pudcns-of St
Paul must have been well-known; that the
- traditions of the Church of the very earliest
period record that this Aristobulus sic
cessful preacher of Christianity in Britain that
there are British traditions that the return OF
the family of Caractacus into Britain was rem
dered famous by the fact that it brought with
it into our island band of Christian mission
aries, of which an Aristobulus was leader
But while we so far go along with the a,,.
thor in his historical conjectures, we are not
so much inclined to sympathize with him III
some of the uses to which he wishes to Eut
them. We rejoice to think that Christiani:
ty was largely ditfused through Britain be-
fore the Saxon invasion. But we know toe
little of the British Church, except in the
time of Pelagius, to have much contidenc.
in her doctrine or discipline, or to regret
deeply that the English people-for such il
undoubtedly the fact-were for the mos
part CnrlSUlitnlseu, not oy Uhe brltlsn clergy
but by the missionaries of Rome. Weques
ton if the historians of the sister isle vii
admit, or if impartial critics will unhesita
tingly adopt his assertion, that g this Brit
ish church sent forth her missioners int
Ireland, and conveyed into that most inter
Ssting island both the faith of Christ anG
the learning of ancient Rome" With every
disposition to acknowledge the service o.
the Irish in the conversion of the Picts, anC
partially also of the Angles, we must have
more evidence before we can allow to the
British Church even the indirect merit o.
those exertiOm.
But the material point in this question is
whether it be true that the British clergy