The Washington herald., 1909-05-05
EARLY CHURCH HISTORY.
British Christianity and th@ Monks
of Iona.

British Christianity and the Monks
of Iona.
Editor The Washington Herald:
In your issue Of yesterday. I find the
i following report OF the answer given the
Gay before by a prominent eeclesiastie to
the question, Was there any religious
organization in the British Isles before
the arrival Of the Catholic missionaries
under St Augustine?'' Yes; there were
evangellsts from Iona, who passed
through Ireland They were under in
structions from Rome. and came with the
authority OF the Pope" May I, in the
interests OF historical accuracy, point
out that the evangelists from Iona did
not begin their work OF evangelizing the
Anglo-Saxons until thirty years after the
death Of St Augustine. May ] also
point out that so far from being under
instructions from Rome" and acting
with authority of the Pope" these mis-
sionaries from Iona had no connection
whatever with Rome or the Church Of
Rome They successfully planted Chris
tianity in six, at least. of the kingdoms
his missionaries evangelical only the 1T
tie kingdom Of Kent. though. they made
jealous efforts IN other parts. In proof
OF their independence Of Rome. I recall Il,
the reader the story OF the council OF
Whitby, where. after a long debate. il
was decided that the ecclesiastical ale
glance Of the church in Northumbria
and other parts was TO be transferred 10
The RfEhnr nr Dn~nc T. ~
year 664. but at its close Bishop Colman
and his followers. defeated and discour-
aged, Withdrew with sad footsteps to
their Scottish home in iona
The question whether there was any
religious organization in the British Isles
before the arrival Of the Roman Catholic
missionaries is answered very differently
on the page Of history. Augustine found
the British Church established and or
ganiZed in England in A. D. 597 II had
existed there for centuries before HIS ar
rival As early as 214. British bishops had
attended the great councils at Aries, and
subsequently. In the same century. the
councils % Sardica and Rimini. 1t was a
surprise and an embarrassment 10 St
Augustine 10 find this church already on
the ground. Il differed from the Church
I Of Rome in various particulars. among
which may mention:
I They Observed Easter al different tiras.
.. They had a different mode Of touSIre for their
monks
3. They did not recoznize the authority Of the
I Bishop q Rome.
= They did not prescribe the rule of cslibacy for
I thsis clsrE
). They re5sc,ed .ho rrar,oe q surIeilar consss-
sior-
6. They rejected also the doctrine of pzrgzto-y.
:. Their liturgy was diaeren: from that Of the
Church q Rome 4 reseu-bled quite closely the
GaIlican liturgy
I Augustine Immediately addressed him
self 70 the task OF bringing the British
( Church into submission OF the Church or
Rome A famous conference was held
az Aust Give. under the great oak. af-
/ terward called "Augustine's Oak But
/ the British clergy refused 10 abandon
their customs and acknowledge his au-
thority as archbishop.
| Another conference was held between
/ Augustine and seven British bishops and
many Of their learned men. Again Au-
I glstine demanded submission 10 his au-
thority and 10 that OF the Pope The
I British bishops replied. fatly rejecting
/ his overtures. and saying. We owe no
/ obedience 20 him whom you call Pope"
may refer IN this connection 70 a great
| legal authority. Blackstone. who declares,
+ that the ancient British Church was a
I stranger 20 the Bishop Of Rome and his
pretended authority.
may add that the British Church
maintained its independence as late as
the year 81, and probably later still, for
British missionaries were found By St
BOniface in Thgringia in 739.
RANDOLPH H. McKISI
Mzy 4 lse.