If they can defend the conduct of Gregory and Augustine, they would find it yet easier to defend that of Pius IX. and Manning, a line of defense which they would scarcely find grateful. No, the Anglican clergyman has no choice but to side with us, claim his paternity from the Church of Lucius, and stigmatize St. Augustine as a schismatic, unless he wishes to open numberless crevices in his armor to the spears of Methodists and Manningites.

We have every reason for supposing that the British Church, in the latter part of the sixth century, was going on extremely well; yet this was the time chosen by a Pope to intrude one of his Italian bishops, in a spirit of wanton meddlesomeness. It sorely tries the patience to read.

that he did this "moved by the Divine inspiration;" but this is one of those bold assertions with which the writings of Romanists invariably teem. It is this that damns them, prima facie, to the unprejudiced reader, who involuntarily contrasts them with the humble, careful and diffident writings of Protestant historians.

And let me take this opportunity of apologizing for the somewhat hesitating tone in which I submit my own opinions in these notes. In this I admit that I may be wrong; but my excuse must be that I like to offer to my readers a plain, unvarnished statement of facts, leaving them to form their own unbiased opinions thereon. Some of these readers may possibly one day

find themselves confronted with myself as an examiner. It will then be my turn to judge of the unbiased opinions so formed.

It is exceedingly painful to read that a man like Pope Gregory, when committing a grievous act of schism, should thus blaspheme, in what Bede calls "a hortatory epistle" to his emissaries.

With all possible earnestness and zeal perform that which, by God's direction, you have undertaken; being assured that much labor is followed by an eternal reward. . Almighty God protect you with His grace, and grant that I may, in the heav

enly country, see the fruits of your labor.1

F

15 Verily this is worthy of a Primitive Methodist! There is a tone of cant in every word of it, which is intensely repugnant to a University

man.

Augustine, being strengthened bythe confirmation of the blessed Father Gregory, returned to the work of the word of God, with the servants of Christ, and arrived in Britain. The powerful Ethelbert was at that time king of Kent. On the east of Kent is the large isle of Thanet. . . In this island landed the servant of the Lord, Augustine, and his companions, being, as it is reported, nearly forty men. They had by the order of the blessed Pope

Gregory, taken interpreters of the nation of the Franks, and sending to Ethelbert, signified that they were come from Rome, and brought a joyful message, which most undoubtedly assured all that took advantage of it everlasting joys in heaven, and a kingdom that would never end, with the true and living God. The king, having heard all this, ordered them to stay in that island where they had landed, and that they should be furnished with all necessaries, till he should consider what to do with them. he had heard of the Christian religion, having a wife of the royal family of the Franks, called Bertha; whom he had received from her parents upon condition

For