Arizona republican., 1907-03-04
MISSION OF
ST. AUGUSTINE
His Part In the Conversion
of the English
The Second of Il Series
of Lectures by Rev. j. w.
Atwood.

Arch Deacon J. w. Atwood Of Trim
ity church is engaged in a series OF
lectures on THE History of the
Church" which will shortly appear in
book form. The following on st. Au-
gustine is the second Of the series.
The arch deacon said in part:
Thirteen Christian centuries have
rolled on in their silent courses since
that eventful day when in obedience
to the command of Pope Gregory the
Great, the Monk Augustine landed on
the shores of Kent.
The year 597 is a memorable year in
the history Of the English church and
nation. The history Of the Church OF
England may be said TO have begun
with the coming of 81. Augustine. The
British church at this period was
! strong in scotland and Ireland and
Wales and the far west of England.
but had not yet made any impression
upon the Anglo SaXons. who had over
run most Of what We now know as
! modern England. driving out for the
most part the Britons. though here and
] there were probably left some of the
| original inhabitants Of the land who
mingled with. and therefore lost their
! identity in those who had conquered
! them. If the question be- asked why the
! earlier church. established i'm England,
| which had shown such 4 wonderful
missionary spirit i'm the conversion OF
| ireland and Scotland during this period
/ did not send missionaries among the
northern barbarians who had taken
| possession Of the land, the answer is
an easy one. With the natural hostil-
| ity existing between the two races. il
would seem impossible. in this NOM
! ent Of the downfall and humiliation OF
the Britons. 10 expect them 20 attempt
the evangelizing Of the Anglo-SaXons
even if the latter had been willing 10
receive them.
Their religion NAV have survived 10
4 very slight extent though We have no
positive record OF its existence in the
few and isolated cases where the
Britons We're allowed to remain among
the conquerOrs and possibly to mingle
with them. as in a former age remnants
Of the Ten Tribes of Israel settled and
amalsamated in SamariI with the As
syrian invaders who had destroyed
their national life and taken possession
of their land. For over 100 years had
the religion OF Christ been superseded
by that of the northern gods. Wooden.
Thor and Frria. whose memory Is still
retained in the DAYS of the week, for
Wednesday is the DAY Of Wooden. the
wargod: Thursday is the day Of Thor. /
the god Of rain and storm and air; !
Friday is Freia's day. the god Of peace /
and joy and fruitfulness. The former
civilization had passed away and the I
influence OF the church had been al .
most utterly lost. Not entirely. for |
when Ethelbert. king Of Kent the ]
most powerful Of the petty kings Of ,
England at this time had married I
French princess she had brought TO
her new English home the Christian .
faith in which she believed. and 10 her .
had been given for a place Of worship 7.
the ancient church in Canterbury /.
known as St Martins. which had been
built in the time OF the Roman Occu- /
patton Of the island. ana which sur /
yiycd the shock of the Anglo Saxon b
conquest
And today the noble cathedral .
church of Canterbury. the center of /
English Christianity. dominating the /
city with its massive and uplifting .
architecture. with its ancient and IL |
lustrious history. or the splendid ruins /
Of 81. Augustine's famous monastery !
can hardly surpass in interest the old I
st and almost the smallest Of the par I
ish churches Of England. which. by the /
name Of St Martins still crowns the !
hill where the early Britons Worship /
ped. where Queen Bertha prayed, and /
Luithard, her bishop-chaplain, minis /
tered at the altar, and where Angus |
tine first celebrated mass In its walls |
still lie some OF the stones OF the ear !
lier structure and the ancient font is I
pointed out by tradition as the one /
from which Ethelbert received hap /
tlsm at the hands OF St. Augustine.
Here in Canterbury Augustine and -!
his followers had been welcomed by |
the king and allowed 10 carry on their
work. The earliest Of the historians Of
England. the venerable Bode. has told
US that ''they lived altogether in ac-
cordance with what they taught with
hearts prepared to suffer every adj
versity. or even to die for that truth
which they preached" "What need to
say more" he continues. some be
lieved and were baptized. admiring the
simplicity Of their blamcless life and
the Sweetness VI lileIT heavenly teach
ing"
The connection Of the early British
church with Gaul, which had existed
when there was no connection with
Rome. the association Of even pagan
Kent with the church Of Gaul, OF
France. through the marriage OF Queen
Bertha, is once more. as it is hence
forth continuously brought out by the
act Of Augustine in now seeking for
at the bands Of the arch
bishop of Aries.
With the conservation Of Augustine
by a French archbishop and with tho
quick following Of the conversion II
other kingdoms and peoples in Britain,
he indnnnnlnnt life Of the ch11rch i.