Page:The Church of England, its catholicity and continuity.djvu/37

 sparrow flies in by one door, takes shelter for a moment in the warmth, and then flies out again by another door, and is lost in the stormy darkness. No one in the hall sees the bird before it enters, nor after it has gone forth: it is only seen while it hovers near the fire. So it is, I ween, with this brief span of our life in this world, what has gone before it—what will come after it—of this we know nothing. If the strange teacher can tell us, by all means let him be heard."

Paulinus was heard, and he made the best use of the opportunity. He set forth, at their request, the teaching of Christianity on this subject. The people were convinced. The chief priest said that now he understood what the truth was Edwin then and there publicly acknowledged the Gospel, and ordered that the altars and temples of heathenism should be destroyed. Coifi, the chief priest, was the first to begin the work. It was unlawful for anyone of his profession to ride a mare or bear arms, but Coifi disregarded this law, and he rode to the venerated temple, and was the first to hurl a spear against it, to signify his contempt for the old idolatry. His companions then burnt the building to the ground.

After this event rapid strides were made in the spreading of the Gospel. Edwin was baptized, and thousands of people followed his example. Paulinus spent most of his time for many weeks to come in going through the country, to perform the duty of baptizing. For six years Paulinus and Edwin worked together in harmony. Paulinus went to the North in the year 625. Edwin was killed in the battle of Hatfield in the year 633. The great enemy of that time was Penga, and he was the champion of heathenism. He slew