July 31, 1689. May 8, 1758. Mar. 31, 1829, Nov. 30, 1830. Feb. 2, 1831. 253, Pius VIII., 254, Gregory XVI., Of those in the preceding list, who had been Bishops elsewhere, Urban IV., the one hundred and eightieth, was Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Gregory XIII., the two hundred and third, was Patriarch of Constantinople, at the time of their election. CHAPTER XXVII. ALLEDGED BREAKS IN OUR SUCCESSION. FROM the facts detailed in the preceding chapters, it will be seen, that the idea of a break in the Apostolic succession is absurd; and the occurrence of such an event next to an impossibility. But notwithstanding this, objections have often been urged by those, unlearned in these matters, the principal of which we shall consider. The first to which we refer is stated thus: "It has been said that, in the year 668, the successors of Austin being almost entirely extinct, by far the greatest part of the Bishops were of Scottish ordination by Aidan and Finnan, who came out of the Culdee Monastery of Columbanus, and were no more than Presbyters."" The original authority for this assertion, is said to be the Venerable Bede, whom we have so often quoted. But Bede expressly tells us that Aidan and Finnan were the Bishops of Lindisfarne, now Durham, in the Arch-diocese of York. According to Bede, Oswald, king of Northumberland, A. D. 635, sent to the Scottish rulers, desiring them to send Bishops-that they sent Aidan-that the Bishop coming to the king, had his Episcopal seat in Lindisfarne-that Bishop Aidan had been a Monk in the Island of Hii. Chapter fifth of the same book is entitled, "Life of Bishop Aidan ;" and it is said, "from this Monastery [in the Island of Hii] Aidan was sent, having received the office of a Bishop." In the face of all this, it would be as true to say, that Bede calls Aidan a layman, as to say that he calls him a Presbyter. It does not devolve upon us to show how such mistakes as this have originated, but as the reason is obvious, we shall explain how it probably happened. The Picts were converted to Christianity by the preaching of one Columb, " an Irish Presbyter, Abbot, and Monk," A. D. 565.* Among other persons converted by the preaching of Columb, was Bridius, the king of the Picts, and in return for his eminence, his piety, and his labors, Bridius gave to Columb the Island of Hii, or Iona, and conferred upon him the government of the Island. Bede's account of this Island is: "That Island hath for its ruler an Abbot who is only a Presbyter, to whose government all the provinces, and even the Bishops, (contrary to the usual custom,) are subject, after the example of their first Doctor, who was not a Bishop, but a Presbyter and a Monk." Now because the Governor of this Island was always to be the Abbot of that Monastery, and that Abbot always to be a Presbyter, the Bishop in civil matters was subject to one, who in all Ecclesiastical functions was his inferior; therefore the objectors have inferred, that the Bishops of that Island were Presbyters. Concerning Finnan, we need give only one extract from Bede. Under date 652, he says: "Finnan succeeded him [Aidan] in the Episcopate, being also sent from the Monastery of Hii, in the Scottish Island, and remained a long time in the Episcopate, (Episcopatu.")‡ To show beyond all question, the ignorance which origi nated this objection, and the folly of urging it, we shall mention a few of the Bishops then living in England. The period in question extends from 635, when Aidan came into Northumberland, to the year 668, mentioned in the foregoing extract. PROVINCE OF CANTERBURY. Diocese of Canterbury. Honorius, consecrated by Paulinus of York,§ 626-654. Adeodatus, consecrated by Ithamar, of Rochester, ||654—664. * Bede, iii. 4. § Bd. iii. 7. † Bede, iii. 4. Bede, iii. 6, 17. [Wilfrid, of York,] consecrated by Archbishop of Paris. Ithamar, consecrated by Archbishop Honorius,** 644-656. Damian, consecrated by Archbishop Adeodatus,†† 656-669. Cedd, consecrated by Finnan and Wina, Wilfrid, consecrated by Archbishop Paris, * Bede, iii. 7. || Bd. iii. 20. #Bd. iii. 7. + Bd. iii. 7. ¶ Bd. ii. 8, 9. Bd. iii. 21. ** Bd. iii. 14. § Bd. ii. 15. tt Bd. iii. 20. 666-669. 669-678. 358 BISHOPS IN THE TIME OF AIDAN AND FINNAN. Lindisfarne, or Durham. Aidan, consecrated by Scottish Bishops, 635-652. 652-661. 661-664. 664-665. 665-684. 684-687. Tuda, consecrated by Scottish Bishops,† We see, therefore, that at the time Aidan was consecrated Bishop of Lindisfarne, (Durham,) there were certainly seven Bishops living in England, one of whom was the Metropolitan of his own province. The objection is, therefore, without any foundation. The true reason why Oswald sent to Scotland for Bishops, was not the scarcity of Bishops of England, but the different practices of the two Churches concerning keeping Easter. The Northumbrians retained many of the customs of the British Churches, and among others, that of keeping Easter with the Greek Church. This was for a long time a bone of contention between the Saxon and British clergy; and the old practice continued in Northumberland till 664, when it was changed by the King. Besides, there is another objection to the hypothesis of our opponents. When Cedd was consecrated Archbishop of York, A. D. 666, by Finnan,¶ in the absence of Wilfrid, exceptions were taken to his consecration, as being uncanonical, and the rite of consecration was consummated by the confirmation of Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primate of the realm, A. D. 669.* ** Another objection, often urged against the succession of the English Church, is stated thus: "The Church of England descended from the Church of Rome, and derived her orders * Bede, iii. 25. † Bd. iii. 26. Vitâ Cuth. cc. 6, 25. || Bd. iii. 25, 26. T Bd. iii. 22. |