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MISSIONARY LABOURS OF PAULINUS. 21
change, and that it was not wholly spiritual in its
character ; but this can scarcely be alleged with any
semblance of truth as it regards the multitudes who,
in one district after another, were attracted and impressed,
savingly as we may well believe, by Paulinos'
earnest preaching. It is quite clear from Bede's
words that careful instruction preceded baptism. He
speaks of his catechising, of his instructing them,
of his preaching the word of God to them. And
although the accretions of heathenism had overgrown
it, like the moss and the lichen on the rock, there v/as
amongst the Teutonic nations an underlying element
of truth, dimly felt, no doubt, and imperfectly recognised,
which yet responded, more or less readily, to
the words which he uttered with all the fervour of a
prophet of the Lord. Their earliest belief recognised
One Supreme Ruler, all-powerful, omniscient, unchangeable,
who cannot be limited by the boundaries
of earthly space or represented under any human
form. The Edda says, " He is called AUfadir in
our tongue." It is true that this primitive belief^ was
darkened, debased, corrupted, amongst the Angles
to whom Paulinus preached, but he had lived long
enough amongst them, before he commenced his
missionary work, to study their character, to make
himself acquainted with their beliefs, and to seize
upon and quicken any germs of truth which lay
hidden beneath, and which were capable of being
fructified. However this may be, the result of his
work was marvellous. It was, so to speak, the conversion
of a nation. He laid the foundations of
'
See Maclear's "History of Christian Missions," pp. 17, 18.