Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

68 COUNCIL OF
In 655 for the first time a Saxon was elected to
St. Augustine's chair. He took the name of Deus-
dedit. It was, however, his successor Theodore who
left the deeper impress on the Angles. Theodore was
commended to Pope Vitalian by the monk Hadrian
as a man suitable to govern the Church in England.
Circumstances proved the value of his choice.
Theodore showed a leading and an organising spirit;
he moulded ecclesiastical discipline, which took from
him consistency and shape. He came to the infant
Church of the Angles at the age of sixty-six, bringing
with him a deep knowledge of canon law and a long
experience of Catholic traditions (668). Of blameless
and holy life, his conduct to St. Wilfrid is the single
reproach which rests on his, memory. His policy
was to increase the number of sees, and to strengthen,
by councils held at stated times, the governing
hand of the bishops in its action upon faith and
morals. The Council of Hertford was summoned
by him in 673, and as the first gathering of any
kind among the Saxons is worthy of some notice.
"In the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
who reigns for ever, and governs His Church," are its
opening words, "it has seemed good to us to come
together according to the custom of the ancient
canons in order to treat of business which is im-
portant for the Church. ... I, Theodore, elected
though unworthy by the Apostolic See Bishop of the
church of Canterbury, and our brother-priest, the
most Reverend Bisi, Bishop of the East Saxons, to