The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-05-20
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
The Greek Element in Scotland.

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1 have been much interested in those
well written articles upon the Culdee
Church. The writer has fully made out
his case, and proved both the antiquity
of this Church and also its Presbyterian
character.
l wish to call attention to one fact that
seems to have been overlooked, and which
goes to show the intimate connexion that
must have existed between the Scottish
nation and the Greeks in very ancient
times.
We find Greek names common in Scot
land, from very early period, especially
among the Highlanders who represent
the ancient Celtic race which formerly
peopled that land. The name Alexan-
der is very common so common that
its abreviation into Alec, Sandy, or Saw
ney, is used to designate man Of Scot
land.
Constantine is frequently found among
the list of old Scottish kings; while
Hector, in its Highland form of Eachin,
is and has been very common name
among this people.
The national name in Scotland is a
Greek word, Andrew; it means man.
st. Andrew was the patron saint OF the
nation. St. Andrews was at once the
seat and name of the chief University
and of the chief Bishopric. The cross
on which the Holy Apostle was crucifed
bore the form of the letter X; it is still
called st. Andrews cross and is borne as
part of the coat of arms of the Scot
tish nation. Now this form or letter is
nothing more or less than the initial let
ter of the Greek word Christos, or The
Christ.
The symbol of the Scottish people is,
therefore, the Greek letter which stands
for the very name of our Lord. Now
these things are not of recent adoption !;
they are found among the very earliest
records of the nation, and moreover they
are so common as to characterize the
people.
Other names and other points of re-
semblance might be traced if time and
space permitted. l merely call attention
to this popularity, and will make, in ex-
planation of it, few remarks.
There was no commerce, there were
no colonies, and there was no other con-
nection that we have been able to discov-
er between Greece and Scotland. And
-not-ealJ-wue--therezno.scommunication
but even why're the Greeks traded or
colonised they did not impress their names
on the native races. And that these
names are not Celtic or developed from
the Celtic, we find in the fact that they
do not appear in any other country in
habited by Celts and visited by Greeks ;
they are not found in France, in Ire
land, or in Cornwall.
There were two points in which the
Celt and Greek came in contact; one
was the old Greek colony of Marseilles,
in the South of France, and the other
was the coast of Cornwall, where the
Greek merchants came for tin. The
Celts having no writing of their own,
adopted the letters of the Greek alpha
bet, and used them in writing their own
language. Of course all of them who
had any intercourse with these Greek
traders, learned in time, smattering OF
that language.
Another thing tended to bring Gaul
and Greek in contact. Many years be-
fore our era, nation of Gauls had
marched plundering through the world,
until they had finally settled in Galvatia,
in Asia Minor. There they were ming
led with the Greeks. And they kept up
intercourse with the other Celts of Eu-
rope through Marseilles and also over,
land.
1t was to these Celts of Asia, that
Paul wrote his Epistle to the Galatians.
1t was the first written of all his Epis-
ties, and 1 doubt not was used by them
in spreading knowledge of the Gospel
among other Celtic tribes. Paul led by
the Holy Spirit preached to this outlying
post of the Celtic race, and from them
came forth the missionaries who spread
the knowledge wherever the Celtic tongue
was spoken.
I think it more than probable thai
Christianity, having Greek or Greek
speaking Celts as missionaries, entered
Gaul through Marsellles, and Britain
through Cornwall. About Marseilles, ii
Southern France, we find long after the
much prosecuted Albigenses, the remains
of the old Gaulish Churches. And il
the mountain vallies at the sources O.
the Rhone yet remain the Church of thu
Waldenses. I have no doubt that these
Churches derived their origin through
Marseilles from the preaching of Celti'
Greeks from Asia.