Ossian Collection > Romance of the Highlands

24 THE ROMANCE OF THE HIGHLANDS.
King of the Scots, endeavoured to suppress the Druids
in A.D. 277.
Probably nothing in those early days had more to
do in propagating the glad tidings than the severity of
the Emperor Diocletian towards the Christians of the
Continent. The most fiendish cruelties were perpetrated
on them, with the result that many sought refuge as far
from Rome as possible. Rome was, however, at that
time the mistress of the world, so it was no easy matter
to escape from her influence. Only the Highlands of
Scotland, governed then by the mild and sympathetic
Fincor Machus, could welcome into safety and give
sanctuary to any poor followers of Christ.
Among the early missionaries was St. Patrick, born
in this country at a place now called Kilpatrick, about
the year 372. St. Ninian, too, was a zealous worker for
Christ's Cause and Kingdom. He has left his name in
several places as evidence of his untiring energies. A
village of considerable size, near Stirling, has been
named after him. To him falls the credit of the erection
of the first stone-built church in our land, that of
Candida Casa or White House at Whithorn. He died
in A.D. 432. But the great missionary of the Christian
Church in Scotland was St. Columba, a native of Ireland.
He is said to have been related to the Kings of the Picts
and the Scots. He was born about the year 530. At the
age of 40 he set his sail for these shores, which he and his
twelve followers reached after an adventurous voyage in
their frail currachs. He is said to have landed at a point
in lona, which is known to the present day as the Port-na-
curragh. He first converted King Buidhi, who was soon
followed by his subjects. This King gave him the island
of lona, which, up to now, as we have seen, had been
the holy place of the Druids, a gift in which the King of
Scots concurred.