St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-02

time portions of the Christian kingdom
of the Scots, and from its sovereign
COnal he received the island of Iona,
where he fixed his residence. His
first task in SOB was to build a church
and mOnastery-humble structures of
timber and reed, according to the fash
ion of the country and the age. The
island was then inhabited by a Pic
fish population. From this point he
extended his work to the main land,
until it may be said that the whole of
northern Scotland was converted by
the labOrs of COLUMBIA and his disci-
pies, and the religious instruction of
the people provided for by the cree
ton of numerous mOnasteries. In the
summer of 597 he knew that his end
was near. On Saturday, the 8th of
June, he was able, with the help
of one of his monks, to ascend a little
hill above the monastery and to give
it his farewell blessing. He was pres
ent at evening in the church, and
when the midnight bell sounded for
the nocturnal office early on Sunday
morning, he again went thither I'M
supported, but sank down before the
altar and passed away as in a gentle
sleep. He was buried in Iona, but be-
tyes, 500 and 1aSsi, his remains were
kca,,.o1 a, 5 IN tba cbutob Of
vt. Patrick in tHV County Down, Ire
land.
For a long time the monastery of
Iona held the supremacy among all
the inconsistencies and churches founded
by COLUMBIA and his disciples. 1t was
several times plundered and burned by
the Norsemen, and its inmates on more
than one occasion put to death. The
western isles having come into the
possession of Scotland in 1912, the
monastery of Iona was rebuilt and
endowed by Queen Margaret. In 1902
they were, however, ceded to Magnus
Barefoot of Norway, who, after the re-
newal of the cessiOn by Edgar in 1897 :,
visited Iona and allowed the people to
retain their possessions. The diocese
of the isles, founded about 63S, of
which Iona was the seat, was united
by Magnus to the bishOpric of Man,
and made subject to the archbishOpric
Drontheim of Norway. A new mon
astery, as well as nunnery, was
founded by the Benedictines in 1903,
and the Benedictine order either alb
sOrbed or expelled the Celtic cOmmu-
nifty. About 1907 the island again be-
came the seat of the bishopric of the
isles, and the monastery was demOl-
ished in accordance with the act passed
by the convention of estates in 1861,
For many centuries it was much fire.
Quented on account of its facilities fOI
learning, and became, after the death
of Columbia, a great resort of pilgrims
many of whom came in order to die on
the island that their remains might be
inferred in it's sacred soil while the
remains of persons illustriOus in rank
or in piety were brought to it for burial
from all parts of northern Europe. The
site of the old monastery was about q
quarter of a mile north from the pres
ent ruins.
There are now two churches on the
island Established and Free) and its
population in 1881 was 243. The
relics of antiquity still remaining con
sist in part of the cathedral church %
st. Mary, the nunnery, some small
chapels, building called the bishops
house, and a number of ancient tOmb'
or crosses. The cathedral, dating from
the thirteenth century, is built in thu
usual form of a cross, and consists o
nave, transept and choir, with a sa
cristy Oh the north side and chapels OF
the south. A great portion of thu
walls and the central tower, about Z,
feet in height, are still standing. |
contains a number of old tombs. II
the north are the remains of the con
ventual buildings which from Nor
man arcade still standing appear tt
have been of an older date than TIL
cathedral. The chapel of st. Oran
situated in the cemetery, on the soutl
side of the monastery, dates probabl!
from the eleventh century, and it
western doorway presents Norman
arch with the beakhead ornament
The cemetery, called ..the burial-plac
of the kings, and said to contain TIL
/, remains of forty eight Scottish, fou
Irish and eight Danish or Norwegian
monarchs, possesses a large humble
of monumental stones. The remain
of the nunnery exhibit traces c
Norman architecture. OF the numer
Gus crosses erected in the island
the finest are Maclean's cross and 81
Martins cross, which are still almos
entire. Both are richly carved wit
Runic knots and various emblcmati
devices and fanciful scrolls.
;. The discourse was listened to wit
9 marked attention throughout, and wa
greatly enjoyed by those present.
East Burke.
The first quarterly meeting of til
Danville Baptist association will /
| Ill IL, IL, Il, Al