REPOBT OF THE MEETINGS FOR 1900 225 



Wilfrid, the advocate of the Roman rite and custom, carried 

 his point, and the Celtic observances were done away with. 

 Colman leturned to lona, and nearly the whole of the 

 monks withdrew with him. Passing on to speak of Cuthbert, 

 Canon Green well said his opinion was that that great man 

 was not of Irish birth, but that he belonged to a Teutonic 

 people settled in this part of the country — that he was born 

 in the south of Scotland, or at all events lived there in 

 early life. He went to Lindisfarne from Melrose. Ultimately 

 he lived as a hermit on one of the Fame Islands, where he 

 died at the comparatively early age of fifty years. In spite 

 of the good effect the heremitical life of St. Cuthbert might 

 have had, Canon Greenwell believed that it would have 

 been much better had he continued his missionary work and 

 had not withdrawn himself from among his people for the 

 long period of eight years. 



After describing the manner in which the body of St. 

 Cuthbert was removed to Durham, where it still lay. Canon 

 Greenwell made a very interesting statement respecting the 

 remains of the coffin now in the Library at Durham. He 

 had endeavoured, he said, to put the coffin together. After 

 several failures, owing to the tenderness of the wood, he 

 had, at length, got it into such a condition that any person 

 could see what the coffin had been. He was waiting for 

 warm weather to enable him to work in the apartment where 

 it lay, and to fix it in a case prepared for it. It was 

 covered with sculpture. Upon the lid was a figure of Our 

 Lord, surrounded by the four evangelistic symbols, with the 

 names, one in Runic characters. On one side were figures of 

 Archangels, and on the other were fourteen figures, including 

 the twelve apostles. On one end there were two archangels, 

 and upon the other was the Virgin, with Christ upon her knees. 



Canon Greenwell's remarks were brought to a rather 

 abrupt termination by the announcement that luncheon — 

 kindly provided by Sir William Crossman — was ready. The 

 excellent fare having been duly enjoyed, a hearty vote of 

 thanks was accorded to Sir William and Lady Crossman for 

 their hospitality. Canon Greenwell proposing and Colonel 

 Milne Home seconding the proposition. Sir William Crossman 

 suitably responded. 



