9^ 



parents, (who were then in Ireland,) which writings, he adds, are 

 necessary to every one who has the love of God. This very Caelestius, 

 however, afterwards became the great disciple of Pelagius, and the 

 advocate of his heresy, in consequence of which he was, A. D. 412, 

 condemned in the Synod of Carthage. 



Most unquestionably " Christianity had made some progress in 

 Ireland before the mission of Palladius and Patrick."* Prosper ex- 

 pressly says, that the former was sent from Rome the first bishop, to 

 those of the Scots that believed in Christ "-f while Bede assures us 

 that " it was not the custom of the Church of Rome to ordain a 

 bishop for any nation before Christianity had established some roots 

 there,".| and various saints are actually enumerated as of Ireland 

 before Palladius or Patrick. § It has been urged as evidence of the 

 paucity of this Christian congregation, that Palladius, when he was 

 leaving the island, thought two monks and three churches sufficient for 

 its service, ("in subsidium paucorum Christianorum;"ll) yet, it should 

 be considered that Palladius was scarcely a year in the country, and 

 that his ministry was exercised but very partially ; and it must be 

 inferred from Saint Patrick himself, that he did encounter, in the 

 nearer parts of Ireland, persons who had been baptised, and clergy- 

 men with their flocks ; for, in his before-mentioned epistle to the Irish, 

 he says, " on your account did I proceed to remote parts of the island, 

 beyond which there were no inhabitants, and where no one had ever 



• Pinkerton's Scotland, vol. 2. pp. 260-1. * 



■\ " Ad Scotos in Chiistum credentes ordinatur a Papa Caelestino Palladius, et primus 

 Episcopus mittitur." — Antiq. Lect. t. 1. 



X " Non fuisse morem Romanae ecclesiae alicui genti Episcopum ordinare, priusquam 

 aliquas apud earn radices fides Christiana fixisset." — See Bolland, Vit. St. Pat. ad 17. Mart, 

 p. 680. 



§ See Bolland, Vit. S. Patritii ad 17 Mart. p. 680. |1 Id. p. 587. 



