To Druidism, then, Scotland owes no obligations. Nor have we any intimations relative to the religious belief of our ancestors previously to the introduction of the Christian religion; an event which took place as early at least as the beginning of the fifth century. According to some writers this event should be re ferred to a much more remote date, nearly 200 years before the period just mentioned. But Bede (Hist. Eccl. iii. iv.) the earliest writer on this subject, men tions that Scotland was not freed from idolatry and heathenism till the time of St. Ninian, bishop of Can dida Casa. Ninian was born near Leucophibia, the site of Candida Casa, now Whithorn, in 360. He was educated abroad; and after being ordained at Rome bishop of the Britons and instructed in monastic dis cipline by St. Martin of Tours, he returned to his native land about the end of the fourth or beginning of the fifth century. He erected a church at Leuco phibia, which is emphatically mentioned by Bede as the first built of stone, and as obtaining from this circumstance the appropriate name of Caudida Casa. But Ninian did not confine his labours to Leucophi bia and its neighbourhood, but, travelling north, he preached the gospel, we are told, to the Picts who lived between the Grampians and the Forth. What was the result of this pious expedition we have no minute information, but notwithstanding the charac teristic zeal and perseverance of Ninian, (who, after a long life spent in teaching the most important truths, died in 432) we know that the greater part of that people remained unconverted till the time of St. Co lumba, when the king and nobility having abjured paganism and received baptism from the saint, the whole population were at once reduced to follow so illustrious an example.
St. Columba, born of royal parentage in 521, was a native of Ireland, where, before this period, Christi anity had been established. Having been educated under the most eminent monks, and having visited the continent of Europe, and, according to some, tra velled to Jerusalem, he was seized with an ardent de sire to propagate the gospel in countries where it was not then known. Accordingly, attended by twelve friends as assistants, he set out for the west of Scot land in the year 563, and having landed on the island of Hi or Iona (called also l-colum-kill, the isle of the cell of Columba) founded a monastery there, which was afterwards so distinguished, and justly denomi nated " the luminary of the Caledonian regions." St. Columba, in conjunction with his followers, not only preached the gospel in different provinces of the kingdom, but opened in his institution in Iona a se minary of education, particularly for the benefit of persons intended for the sacred profession. "His monastery," says Dr. Smith, " was the chief seminary of learning perhaps in Europe, and the nursery from which not only all the monasteries and churches which he himself had established, but also many of those in neighbouring nations, were supplied with learned divines and able pastors." (Life of Columba, p. 18, 19.) The number of monastic establishments founded by Columba is said to have been exceedingly great, no less than a hundred according to some wri ters; while his churches have been reckoned at three times that number. His jurisdiction extended to the
greater part of the mainland of Scotland, to a large proportion of Ireland, and it was acknowledged in different districts of England and Wales.
As St. Columba emigrated from Ireland attended by twelve of his friends as assistants, his monastic and literary institutions consisted of twelve brethren, with an abbot or superior who presided over them, a practice which may have been introduced from the east, as Columba is supposed to have extended his travels to Jerusalem. They were termed Culdees, a term supposed to have been derived from two Irish words signifying servants of God. The doctrines and discipline of the Culdees were drawn immediately from the scriptures; they were remarkable for their simplicity and purity, and were quite distinct from those of the Romish church, and often contrary to them. They did not practise auricular confession; they denied the doctrine of the real presence; they paid no idolatrous worship to saints and angels; they did not inculcate celibacy on their clergymen; and in several other points they were opposed to the Romish faith. One great accusation brought against them was that they neglected to observe the statutes of the " Holy Fathers." The Culdees of Iona indeed, ob tained the name of the " Apostolic Order," as their piety and purity resembled those of the early Chris tian times; " they preached," says Bede, " only such works of charity and piety as they could learn from the prophetical, evangelical, and apostolical writings." The Culdees continued to flourish for several centu ries; they were considerably reduced both in number and influence in the twelfth century; and in Dunkeld and Monymusk they continued to support a feeble existence for two centuries longer. Their chief seat in Scotland, in addition to the two places just speci fied, were at Dumblane, Brechin, Montrose, Scone, Kirkcaldy, Culross, Melrose, Inchcolme. and Dun fermline.
" The first check to the celebrity and influence of Iona was the invasion of the Norwegians and Danes, in the beginning of the ninth century. By them it was repeatedly pillaged and burnt, and its monks and abbots massacred. Soon after it came to be under their settled dominion, together with the rest of the Western Isles. As these barbarians held learning in no estimation, the college of Iona, though it continued to exist, began to decline, and had its connexion with Britain and Ireland in a great measure cut off. Dun keld affected then for some time to be the primate's seat in Scotland, but did not long maintain its claim; for about the end of the ninth or beginning of the tenth century, the legend of St. Regulus and the ap parition of St. Andrew was invented; in consequence of which St. Andrews came to be considered as the principal see of Scotland, and St. Andrew to be considered as the tutelar saint, instead of St. Co lumba.