Mr. Turnbull on Saint Bathan. 203 



tion, that it is only occasionally and by partial and broken 

 glimpses that we can discover a trace of the real. From them, 

 however, such as they are, and from the characters which 

 have been left of him, we can see enough of Baithen to have 

 some idea of the man. He is described as being, next to Col- 

 umba, the best acquainted with the scriptures, and to have 

 the greatest learning of any on this side the Alps f- for his 

 zeal, prudence, sanctity, and primitive simplicity of manners, 

 Columba himself used to compare him to St. John the evan- 

 gelist. It is said also that he was not to be compared with 

 the wise and learned only, but rather with the patriarchs and 

 prophets of God and with the apostles, seeing that in him the 

 holy spirit, the fountain and origin of wisdom and prophecy, 

 reigned supreme. He was wise with the wise, a king with 

 kings, an anchorite with anchorites, a monk with monks, pop- 

 ular with the laity, poor in heart with the poor, like the apostles 

 in the extent of the charity which burned within him, rejoicing 

 with those who do rejoice and weeping with them who weep; 

 but among all these gifts of divine goodness, true christian 

 humility reigned as powerfully within him as if it were part 

 of his very nature. No one ever saw him idle — ^he was always 

 engaged either in reading, praying, or working. He obeyed 

 so closely the divine precept, to pray without ceasing, that he 

 would not allow so much time as intervened between swallow- 

 ing two morsels of meat, or between reaping a handful of corn 

 and laying it in the sheaf, to pass, without putting up an 

 ejaculation to heaven. As far as human frailty permitted, he 

 fulfilled the commands of God, subdued the ilesh, and armed 

 with spiritual armour the inner man against his enemy. Yet 

 such was his humility, that no one could be more careful in 

 protecting their earthly treasure than he was in avoiding any 

 ostentation of his heavenly graces.*' Of a kingly race, having 

 his kinsmen kings of the adjoining countries, he reigned in- 

 deed a king, spiritual however rather than temporal, but a 

 powerful and enlightened ruler. " Patriarch, Abbot, and 

 King," he influenced all the adjoining countries, advised their 

 kings, was arbitrator in their differences, and ruled their 

 priests. Such a character well merited the title of " Saint," 

 which is given to him in the Coden Salmanticenses which 

 contains the earliest notice of him extant, and which he has 

 retained ever since. 



He was the founder and patron saint of Teach Baeithin, 

 {i.e. (Edes Baitheni,) in the territory of Tir Enna in Tir 



a Ussheri prim, 

 >> Acta S. S. 



