Rev. John Branch addressed from Prov. iii. 17, " Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace."

Joseph Payne, Esq., addressed from Joel ii. 16, "Gather the children."

He referred to the gatherings at Exeter Hall, at the Great Exhibition, at the Camp at Chobham, and of the children in the Peel Park, Manchester, and he said that the present was a better gathering, a more cheerful gathering, and an obedient gathering. He then remarked that the Sunday School Union was

1. A God fearing union.
2. A street clearing union.

CHAPTERS FROM THE RELIGIOUS HISTORY OF BRITAIN.

CHAPTER IX.-TIMES OF THE ANGLO-SAXON-RELIGION IN SCOTLAND.

DELIGHTFUL is it, young reader, to turn from the degraded and caricatured shape of Christianity presented in the AngloSaxon church, and contemplate it flourishing in all its vigour, simplicity, and beauty in the northern division of our island. There, at any rate, the withering and polluting influence of Popery did not reach; and well for the religion of our country was it, that amidst its less favoured clime, and more rugged people, a purer faith was still preserved and a holier worship still maintained.

Our last glance at the religion of Scotland brought us down to the year 596, when the excellent Columb entered on his rest in heaven. The great work he was permitted to BIBLE CLASS MAGAZINE.] [OCTOBER, 1853.

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begin did not expire at his death. It is true, that its chief leader was gone, but in his place were left behind a host of others who had caught his spirit, adopted his views, and were prepared to carry on to a successful end the work he had begun. The institution at Iona, headed by Columb, had been imitated in various other places, and many similar missionary colleges established (for such they in reality were, and not monasteries, as often represented) in various parts of the country. Each of these colleges had its superior and its band of holy brethren, who went devotedly forth to proclaim a simple gospel, read and expound the scriptures, and administer the Christian ordinances to the people where they dwelt. Some little account of their labours must be given here.

The name by which they were distinguished everywhere was that of CULDEES. Various opinions have been given of the origin and meaning of this name, but that which appears to us most probable is that which derives it from the Gaelic Ceile De, the servants of God,—a name which at once expressed both their character and their work.

Iona was their chief seat, but, as we just have said, other places had similar institutions founded at them. They lived generally in small communities under the direction of an abbot or rector, and employed themselves in preaching, teaching youth, and administering ordinances. Some of them travelled far in this good work, and Ireland, the northern districts of England, and even the continent of Europe, were visited by them in their zeal to save souls. The rector, or abbɔt, of an institution was not a bishop. He held only the position of a presbyter; and his relationship to them was very much that of the head of a college of young men preparing for, or fully employed in, the ministry of the people. Those who were single generally resided together, and occasionally the married men along with them; but those who had wives resided at their own houses, excepting when engaged in their official labours.

As clergy, they were greatly despised by the Romanists of the day, who would not acknowledge their orders, forbade their people receiving the rites of religion at their hands, and treated them with every mark of contempt. But as true ministers of Christ, our island has never seen a band of holier and more laborious men, honoured greatly of God, and

possessed of undoubted seals of apostleship, in the souls they were permitted to save.

None were admitted to their society but men of unblemished piety, well tried, and carefully examined, and the strictest discipline was preserved in maintaining a holy, consistent, and devoted order. Certain vows were taken by all who entered the institutions, one of which was strict obedience to its rules, but nothing like the vows of celibacy and poverty which are taken by monks of the Romish community.

Of their religious sentiments, they appear to have been what we might distinguish as Evangelical and Protestant. They believed in, and taught openly, the doctrine of justification by faith alone; of the grace conferred by sacraments, they had no belief; denied the real presence, or rather were totally ignorant of it; rejected the worship of saints and angels; abstained from all pompous ceremonies; administered baptism and the Lord's Supper in great simplicity; encouraged the reading of the scriptures; refused submission to the Pope in every way, and maintained the independence of the church from his control.

By the Papists of their times they were denounced as heretics, and were found by them to be their sturdiest and most determined opponents. In religious controversy with them, they were more than a match for the Papists, and the names of several noble confessors might be given from amongst them.

As we have said, their great work was that of spreading the gospel, in the prosecution of which they travelled far and wide. The whole of Scotland was itinerated by them, the Orkneys evangelized, and even Iceland reached by their devoted missionaries. Everywhere they met with acceptance from the people, and were honoured to save many souls. So industrious were they in this work, that St. Bernard says of them, "From the nest of Columba they took their flight to all quarters." Even old men amongst them showed all the zeal of youth in these missionary labours. Thus Cumian set out to preach the gospel in Italy when 70 years of age; and Colman went forth to England, to seek its conversion, when fully 80 years old. In this way France, Italy, and Switzerland were visited by some of their finest and most venerable men, chiefly from their colleges in Ireland.

In time, however, these fair doings declined. The artifice

and growing power of Rome was felt in various parts of Scotland. What could not be gained by open controversy by the man of sin, was ultimately secured by corrupting and covert schemes. Everywhere the Culdees were found the opponents of the Papacy, and everywhere were they the subjects of her most artful efforts for their ruin. By degrees, they gained their end, and we regret to have to write that they too well succeeded. The excellent Culdees were in time completely superseded by the corrupt priests of Rome; their simple rites. displaced by the more gorgeous ceremonies of that mother of harlots; and the few faithful ministers that yet remained obliged to retire into privacy, where, however, they still laboured with success. Darkness once more covered the land, but darkness, as one has elegantly said, "intermixed with the light of many stars."

So error often triumphs for a time, blighting the fair paradise of God. But only for a time, and to serve some holy end. We are confounded by it, and wonder why God allows it. But the end shall declare it all, and must fully satisfy us, that even in these dark dispensations wisdom and love directed all.

A TALE OF THE SEA.
BY OLD ALAN GRAY.

"And will the trumpet blast be spread?
Will the deep sea give up its dead?
And all that perished in the main,
Rise up, come forth, and live again ?"

It was in walking along the edge of the High Downs that overlook the open sea, that I fell in with a onearmed old sailor, with a sun-burnt face, and a countenance calm and collected. The old man had been on an errand to the preventive station, a mile or two from the spot. At first he seemed but little disposed to talk with me, merely returning a short, but civil answer to the commonplace questions that I asked him. By degrees, however, he became more communicative, describing to

me the different headlands stretching out in the distance towards the sea. A stranger likes to pick up what information he can in a new neighbourhood, so that I found the old tar a very agreeable companion.

"Excuse me, sir, in answering you short as I did," said he; "for the truth is, a lad of mine is out in the fishing smack yonder, and I don't much like the look of the weather. Coast fishing is an ugly trade when squalls are blowing, and we have had a few losses lately that make us a bit anxious like. I shouldn't care so much if I was in the smack, but one can't be quite easy when our young ones are in danger. We