Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 32:128 (Oct 1875)
Article: The Early British And Irish Churches
Author: John D. Baldwin

BSac 32:128 (October 1875) p. 650

The Early British And Irish Churches

Hon. John D. Baldwin

That part of Great Britain known to us as England was occupied by the Romans about four hundred years. The time from the invasion by Julius Caesar, in the year 55 B.C., to the final withdrawal of the Roman army of occupation, in 409 a.d., was four hundred and sixty-four years; but nearly a century passed after Caesar’s fruitless attempt at conquest, before their establishment in the island was assured. A full and authentic history of the British people during the time of this Roman occupation would give us important information, not only in regard to their social, industrial, and political condition, but also concerning the introduction of Christianity into the island, and the organization of the early British churches.

But there is no such history. Fragmentary notices of Britain under the Roman rule are found in Tacitus, Suetonius, Pomponius Mela, Fabius Rusticus, and others; but they tell us nothing relative to the introduction of Christianity among the Britons, which is not surprising when we consider that Christianity itself was so insignificant in the eyes of Roman writers, so little comprehended, that scarcely a dozen references to it can be found within the whole range of Roman literature. Bede and the Saxon Chronicle are but little more satisfactory, although it appears in what they say that there were Christians and Christian churches in Britain, three or four centuries previous to the arrival of St. Austin, in 597 a.d., as a missionary-bishop, sent by Rome to the Saxons. The old Welsh books tell us more, for they give what professes to be an accurate account of the beginning of Christianity among the Britons, and say something of the early

BSac 32:128 (October 1875) p. 651

Christian churches and schools in Wales. These books are not often quoted, for we have inherited from the Saxons and their Romish priesthood, the custom of not including any portion of the Celtic writings within the pale of authorized literature; and yet it is not easy to show that some of the old Welsh and Irish books are less truthful and trustworthy than Bede and the Saxon Chronicle.

The Welsh writings state that Christianity was introduced into South Wales in the first century; and this cannot be regarded as incredible or improbable when we consider that Britain was then a part of the Roman empire. The early Christian preachers could go there without difficulty; and there is evidence which appears to show that the gospel was preached successfully there, and in most of the Celtic countries, previous to the middle of the second century, and in some of them during the life-time of the apostles. In the last half of the sec...