The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1895-08-03
Continual.


During the fifth century when barbarian
hordes ofthe north (what is now Ger
many,) began to press upon the borders
of the Empire, it was found necessary to
withdraw the troops hitherto stationed
in Britain that they might aid in the
defence of the threatened provinces.
The Britons, long accustomed to rely
upon their conquerors, when aband-
oned, were powerless to withstand the
attacks of the wild northern tribes, the
Picts and Scots, who soon began to har-
rass their defenseless neighbors. In
order to protect their families and their
homes, they sought the assistance of a
heather tribe, living id Germany, the
Saxons. The appeal was not in vain
the Saxons came and soon rid the Brit
ons of their troublesome foes-but no.
ticing the richness and attractive ness
of the land and the weakness of their
allies they determined to drive out
those whom they had come to assist.
The Britons, finding themselves power
less to resist, were compelled to seek
safety in the mountains of Wales and
the distant land of Cornwall. Thus the
growth of the British Church was ar
rested in the desolation which extend
ed over the land 'It was as though
sponge had passed over the country and
the night of heathenism again set I'M"
every vestige of the early Church had
persisted, save in those regions which
had offered security to the vanquished
Britons.
The Saxons cont inuing to come over
in ever increasing numbers, were soon
followed by other tribes, the Jutes and
Angles-from the latter of whom the
land took the name of England. AL |
though the conquerors were heather
the British Church made no attempt at
their conversion, aud were apparently
content to let the hated invaders re-
main in their heathenism. However,
from an unexpected source and very
singular cause, came tie first movement
for the conversion of The Saxons. A
number of Saxon boys, by some means,
bad been taken 10 Rome to be sold into
slavery. While standing in the market
place, awaiting the coming OF pur-
chaser. their fair faces and golden hair
attracted the tention of passing
priest or deacon, named Gregory, who
Immediately inquired whence they
came and what was theirreligion The
answer was returned that they were ,
Angli; then "with that fondness for
playing on the sound of name, with
serious thought under the payfulness,n
he replied, mon Angli, sed Angel ,
not Angles but Angels.u Further, he
questioned as to their immediate prov
ince and heard that they hailed from :
Deira, now Yorkshire. "And Greg
ory's ear catching its name suggested
the comment, They must be rescued de
ira DEF !, ii. e. from the wrath of God 6
Not long after, this same Gregory be-
came Bishop of Rome, and determined {,
to attempt the conversion of these i
tribes in whom he had become so great =
ly Interested. In consequence, band
of forty monks, headed by the priest, !,
were sent out to convert the i
Saxons These missionaries landed in y
Kent in 500, A. D., and were accorded
4 warm welcome by Ethelbert, the king, -
whose wife was already a Christian e
the king himself received p
baptism, and, as was usual at the time, i
he subjects followed his lead Thus :,
lid the first Roman Catholic mission to q,
inter Britain gain a foothold in the 81
,ingdom of Kent. :,
1t is not to be supposed, however,
hat Christianity had wholly died ont
f the land prior to the advent of the III
roman monks, for Augustine upon his ",
rival, found the British Church, 90
Ihich had been planted there more n
han FIVE hundred years before, fully 90
with one Archbishop and "a
even Bishops, yet weak, tits true, ow- il
lg to the domination and hostility of a 70
roDger race. Coming in contact with 90
ais Church, Augustine desired that his n
nthority should be recognized, and, he
arranged for two meet ~,
Igs in which the matter should be
The British Church was
'und TO differ in many customs from
he Roman mission and to use liturgy
nike that of the Church of Rome. r.,
ugustine requested that their peculiar -,
ties be discarded and those OF his own
re be adopted; also that the British -,
hurch join him in the conversion of -,
e Angles aud SAxons. These equests ~