10 Another miracle had occurred to St. Germanus, and he was working miracles upon others, at the time alluded to in this passage. So, at least, says Bede. But mark the words, "an infinite number of the poorer sort."

The

just inference from this would be that only the illiterate, ignorant, and superstitious poor believed in these supposititious miracles, and that educated people did not credit them for a moment. Again, "the multitude of the people rejoiced at the miracle;" but we are not told that a single cultivated person rejoiced at it; on the contrary, every cultured Christian was probably very much annoyed at it. I have no doubt whatever that the British Bishops themselves objected most strongly to the whole thing. In short, the faithful historian cannot

conceal from himself the fact that Germanus, like many foreigners, must have become somewhat of a nuisance. Matters may be said to have reached a climax in a great battle between the Britons and the Picts and Scots.

Germanus, bearing in his hand the standard, instructed his men all in a loud voice to repeat his words, and the enemy advancing securely, as thinking to take them by surprise, the priests three times cried, Hallelujah! A universal shout of the same word followed, and the hills resounding the echo on all sides, the enemy was struck with dread. They fled in disorder.11

11 Now I have never hesitated to admit that Germanus was summoned from Gaul by the British Church, or that he preached and officiated in this island with its full approval; but it is impossible to believe that the British Bishops, whom we may imagine to have been staid, portly, and moderate men, could possibly have approved of extravagance of this kind. There may have been one or two of them, who, in order to avoid the worse evil of the spread of dissent, connived at the immoderate behaviour of Germanus; just as a weak-kneed Bishop or two in this very century may have connived at the proceedings of the Salvation Army; but it is perfectly incredible that the whole bench of British Bishops heard of this irreverent, if not profane, "Hallelujah

Victory," without expressing their strongest disapproval, and appointing a sub-committee to inquire into the

matter.

The prelates return home.

prepared to

Their own merits,

and the intercession of the holy martyr Alban, obtained them a safe passage, and the happy vessel restored them in peace to their rejoicing people.12

12 And

of them!

very glad the glad the British Bishops must have been to get rid Some people have seized upon the words "the intercession of the holy martyr Alban," and argued therefrom that the early British Church encouraged prayers to the

saints. They have then gone on to urge this as a proof that it was widely apart from ours in its doctrines. Now it would be impossible to conceive any line of argument more exactly opposite to the truth. For what do we find? That not a word is said about the intercession of saints until the party had obtained a safe passage. This is very remarkable, as it

proves the exact similarity of the discipline of the ancient British Church to that of the modern Church of England. So long as the party were in this country, it would have been an act of schism to believe in the intercession of saints, or to invoke their patronage; but as soon as they had landed in France, it was open to them to worship in the churches of the country, where