Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-09-24
TIE OLD SCOTTISH CHURCH.

Episcopal Church.
In the history of tbs church IN Scotland
the first person whose name and career is
in any way known to Us is St. Ninian
He was a member OF that old British
church whose origin and early history We
gave in our first lecture. He went to Gal
loway for the purpose of converting the
Picts. He founded his church at Withern
in 597 A. D.
The Roman occupation OF Britain
ended in 40 A. D. From
this time for nearly one hundred
years all historical information ceases
We know very little Of Ninian or his work
1t is generally supposed that after his
death the Picts relapsed into heathenism,
so that the real history of Christian Scot
land begins with the coming of the next
great missionary, st. COLUMBIA, in 565
A. D.
The life, character and work of this saint
have been exhaustively treated of late
years by an Irish and French author, so
that when we speak of him we feel that we
are treading upon certain GROUND.
COLUMBIA had royal descent, both from
father and mother. He was born in Gar
tan, in the county of Donegal, Ireland
December Z, 521. He was baptized with
the Christian name Colum (meaning dove)
to which was added the sufix ba or ellie
He was ordained priest by Bishop Etchin
of Clonfad. Why he was never raised to
the episcopate is a matter of speculation,
Certain it is, during his sojourn in Scot
land he always sought an archbishop
whenever there was an episcopal junction
to be performed.
COLUMBIA laid many ecclesiastical and
monastic foundations in the north of Ire
land, his chief fsvorites being Darrow and
Derry.
COLUMBIA, though a saint, had not q
docile disposition as his name implies.
He was quick to resent an injury, and, like
Peter, equally ready to confess his fault. The
reason which historians assign for his
leaving Ireland and beginning new work
among the Caledonian heather illustrate
very we'll both these features of his charac-
ter.
Columbia when student in the mon
astry of ST. Finnian, one of the great
training schools of Celtic missionaries, is
said to have had a passionate love of fine
manuscripts. Having once transcribed a
Latin psalter belonging to the Abbot he
was brought to answer for the offense be-
fore Diarmaid, the king, who in the follow
ing words sentenced him to the surrender
of his treasure. "To every book belongs
its copy as to every COW its calf" COLUMBIA
revenged himself by melting to arms the
powerful clans OF his friends, the Neills of
the North, who in "the battle of the Psalt-
er" as it is sometimes called, near Sligo,
defeated Diarmaid and made a great
slaughter. For melting this civil broil
COLUMBIA was arraigned before a synod
assembled at Yeltown in Meath, which de-
cided in lieu of accommodation, that he
must win as many souls to Christ by his
preaching among the heather as were lost
in the bloody battle of Connaught. Be-
sides the work assigned him the penance
was imposed of perpetual banishment
from Ireland.
COLUMBIA accepted the de-
cision with becoming penitence
and humility. With twelve companions
he set sail from the Irish coast in currach
or canoe of wickerwork covered with hides
He launched first at Colonsaig, but as
tuo I'LL AO 4IGlduu WAS bLtil
in view and to carry out the spirit as well
as better of his sentence he must go far,
ther. He next launched at Hey, the island
which afterwards came to bear the must.
cal and never forgotten name of Iona, the
island of the waves.
Some of my hearers may have visited
Iona, if so they may have
been reminded of the wind;
of johnson, who, attended by Boswell
visited this island in 1878. DR.. johnson
says: '.We were now treading that illus
trious island which was once the luminary
of the Caledonian regions, whence savage
clans and rowing barbarians derived the
benefits of knowledge and the blessings OF
religion. That man is little to be envied
whose patriotism would not gain force
upon the plains of Marathon, or whose
piety would not grow warmer amid the
ruins of Iona"
Iona is small island on the west coast
of Scotland, three and p half miles long
and one and half ME- wide. It's high
est point is $50 q 81 above the sea.
COLUMBIA established himself in the
northern part of this island near the high
land from which he had beautiful and
striking views of the surrounding archi-
pelage of islands, including Null and
Jura and the mountains of Skye.
At first he built few huts for himself
and companions, chamber of wattles OF